Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An energy reclamation system comprising:at least one thermally conductive canister having a hermetically sealed cavity and a central axis, a basket disposed within the hermetically sealed cavity and comprising a grid of cells containing spent nuclear fuel emanating heat, wherein the grid of cells comprises a first region of cells and a second region of cells circumferentially surrounding the first region of cells, wherein the spent nuclear fuel is arranged so that the spent nuclear fuel contained within the first region of cells has a burnup decay power output greater than the spent nuclear fuel contained within the second region of cells;a storage cavity, the canister disposed within the storage cavity;an air-intake passageway from an ambient environment to a bottom portion of the storage cavity;an air-outlet passageway from a top portion of the storage cavity to an ambient environment; andan energy reclamation unit disposed within the air-outlet passageway. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the grid of cells comprises a third region of cells circumferentially surrounding the second region of cells, wherein the spent nuclear fuel contained within the second region of cells has a burnup decay power energy output greater than the spent nuclear fuel contained within the third region of cells. 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first region of cells are centrally located along the axis of the canister. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy reclamation unit is a heat exchanger. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the basket is constructed of a discontinuously reinforced aluminum/boron carbide metal matrix composite material. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the canister comprises a canister shell formed of a heat conductive metal. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the canister is configured to achieve a thermosiphon cyclical flow of gas within the hermetically sealed cavity. 8. An energy reclamation system comprising:at least one thermally conductive canister having a hermetically sealed cavity and a central axis, a basket disposed within the hermetically sealed cavity and comprising a grid of cells, wherein the grid of cells comprises a first region of cells and a second region of cells circumferentially surrounding the first region of cells;a first plurality of spent nuclear fuel rods contained within the first region of cells;a second plurality of spent nuclear fuel rods contained within the second region of cells;wherein the first plurality of spent nuclear fuel contained within the first region of cells has a burnup decay power output greater than the second plurality of spent nuclear fuel contained within the second region of cells;a storage cavity, the canister disposed within the storage cavity;an air-intake passageway from an ambient environment to a bottom portion of the storage cavity;an air-outlet passageway from a top portion of the storage cavity to an ambient environment; andan energy reclamation unit disposed within the air-outlet passageway. 9. An energy reclamation system comprising:at least one thermally conductive canister having a hermetically sealed cavity and a central axis, a basket disposed within the hermetically sealed cavity and comprising a grid of cells, wherein the grid of cells comprises a first region of cells and a second region of cells circumferentially surrounding the first region of cells;a first plurality of spent nuclear fuel rods contained within the first region of cells;a second plurality of spent nuclear fuel rods contained within the second region of cells;wherein the second plurality of spent nuclear fuel contained within the second region of cells has a burnup decay power output less than the second plurality of spent nuclear fuel contained within the second region of cells;a storage cavity, the canister disposed within the storage cavity;an air-intake passageway from an ambient environment to a bottom portion of the storage cavity;an air-outlet passageway from a top portion of the storage cavity to an ambient environment; andan energy reclamation unit disposed within the air-outlet passageway.