Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A transportable container for nuclear fuel comprising:an outer container bounding an interior and defining an overall volume;a thermal insulation material disposed within the interior bounded by the outer container, the thermal insulation material bounding an internal cavity;a plurality of sleeves disposed within the cavity; andone or more fuel containers received within at least one of the sleeves, each of the one or more fuel containers having an internal volume and a releasable lid. 2. A container according to claim 1 in which the sleeves are surrounded by a neutron absorbing material, the neutron absorbing material filling the internal cavity apart from the inside of the sleeves. 3. A container according to claim 1 in which the volume of the internal cavity outside of the sleeves is filled by neutron absorbing material or neutron absorbing material which incorporates lower density materials. 4. A container according to claim 1 in which the sleeves are rigidly separated from one another. 5. A container according to claim 1 in which the outer container is comprised of steel, the sleeves are comprised of stainless steel and have a substantially circular transverse cross-section, the sleeves having an internal diameter that is substantially equal to an external diameter of the fuel containers, the sleeves being rigidly separated from one another, the sleeves being surrounded around their entire circumference by a neutron absorbing material, the fuel containers being comprised of stainless steel having a substantially cylindrical configuration, and nuclear fuel being disposed within the fuel containers in plastic bags. 6. A container according to claim 1 in which the outer container is provided with a lid. 7. A container according to claim 1 in which only one fuel container is provided in each sleeve. 8. A transportable container for nuclear fuel comprising:an outer container bounding an interior and defining an overall volume;a thermal insulation material disposed within the interior bounded by the outer container, the thermal insulation material comprising one or more base layers and one or more wall layers; anda plurality of chambers being provided within bounds defined by the thermal insulation material, one or more fuel containers being provided within each of a plurality of the chambers. 9. A container according to claim 8 in which the chambers are surrounded by a neutron absorbing material, the neutron absorbing material filling the bounds defined by the insulation apart from the inside of the chambers. 10. A container according to claim 8 in which neutron absorbing material or neutron absorbing material which incorporates lower density materials fills the volume around the sleeves. 11. A container according to claim 8 in which the internal bounds of the thermal insulation material contact a neutron absorbing material. 12. A container according to claim 8 in which the internal insulation is neutron absorbing. 13. A container according to claim 12 in which the interior bounds of the neutron absorbing insulation contact a neutron absorbing material. 14. A container according to claim 12 in which the neutron absorbing material is loaded with boron. 15. A container according to claim 8 in which the outer container is comprised of steel, the sleeves are comprised of stainless steel and have a substantially circular transverse cross-section, the sleeves having an internal diameter that is substantially equal to an external diameter of the fuel containers, the sleeves being rigidly separated from one another, the sleeves being surrounded around their entire circumference by a neutron absorbing material, the fuel containers being comprised of stainless steel having a substantially cylindrical configuration, and nuclear fuel being disposed within the fuel containers in plastic bags. 16. A transportable container for nuclear fuel, the container comprising:an outer container, the outer container being provided with a thermal insulation material disposed therein;a plurality of laterally spaced apart sleeves provided within the outer container; andone or more fuel containers received within the one or more of the sleeves, the fuel containers each being provided with a releasable lid for the fuel container. 17. A container according to claim 16 in which the releasable lid for the fuel container seals the fuel container when fastened and the releasable lid for the outer container seals the outer container when fastened. 18. A container according to claim 16 in which the outer container and outer container lid provides a first barrier and the fuel container and fuel container lid provides a second barrier between the nuclear fuel and the exterior of the outer container. 19. A transportable container for nuclear fuel comprising:an outer container bounding an interior and defining an overall volume;a thermal insulation material disposed within the interior bounded by the outer container, the thermal insulation material bounding an internal cavity;four or more sleeves disposed within the internal cavity; andone or more fuel containers received within at least one of the sleeves, the sleeves having an internal diameter that is substantially equal to an external diameter of the fuel containers, the sleeves being rigidly separated from one another. 20. A transportable container according to claim 19, in which the sleeves have a substantially circular transverse cross-section and eight or nine sleeves are provided. 21. A transportable container for nuclear fuel comprising:an outer container bounding an interior and defining an overall volume;a thermal insulation material disposed within the interior bounded by the outer container, the thermal insulation material bounding an internal cavity;a plurality of sleeves disposed within the cavity; andwherein the nuclear fuel is disposed within one or more plastics bags; andwherein the one or more plastics bags are disposed within one or more fuel containers, each of the fuel containers being provided with a releasable lid; andwherein the one or more fuel container are each received within one of the plurality of sleeves. 22. A transportable container according to claim 21, in which eight or nine sleeves are provided and at least eight of the sleeves receive a fuel container. 23. A transportable container for nuclear fuel comprising:an outer container bounding an interior and defining an overall volume;a thermal insulation material disposed within the interior bounded by the outer container, the thermal insulation material bounding an internal cavity;a plurality of sleeves disposed within the cavity; andone or more fuel containers received within at least one of the sleeves, each of the one or more fuel containers having an internal volume and a releasable lid; andwherein the nuclear fuel is in the form of powder or pellets and wherein the nuclear fuel is to subsequently be used in fuel rod manufacture.