Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A radiation shielded container for storing radioactive material comprising:an outer jacket portion;an inner lining portion, wherein the inner lining portion is positioned relative to the outer jacket portion to form a substantially uniform void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion;a waste storage compartment defined by the inner lining portion;a radiation shielding polymer layer located within the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion; andwherein said radiation shielding polymer layer is formed from a composition comprising: about 1.2 to 15% by weight of at least one isocyanate monomer; about 1.0 to 14% by weight of at least one phenolic resin; about 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of a halogenated phosphate ester flame retardant compound; about 80 to 96% by weight of depleted uranium; and about 0 to 1.0% by weight of at least one catalyst. 2. The radiation shielded container of claim 1 further including means to introduce the shielding polymer layer into the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion. 3. The radiation shielded container of claim 1 further including means to introduce the radioactive material to be stored into the waste storage compartment. 4. The radiation shielded container of claim 1 further including means to prevent excessive pressure within the waste storage compartment. 5. The radiation shielded container of claim 1 further including means to cool the radiation shielded container. 6. The radiation shielded container of claim 1 further including means to prevent corrosion of the radiation shielded container. 7. The radiation shielded container of claim 1 wherein the outer jacket portion and the inner lining portion are made of stainless steel. 8. The radiation shielded container of claim 5 wherein the means to cool includes at least one heat removal channel located within the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion through which air flows thereby removing heat from the interior of the waste storage compartment. 9. The radiation shielded container of claim 4 wherein the means to prevent excessive pressure within the waste storage compartment includes a pressure release valve. 10. The radiation shielded container of claim 6 wherein the means to prevent corrosion of the radiation shielded container includes a sacrificial electrode. 11. A radiation shielded container for storing radioactive material comprising:an outer jacket portion;an inner lining portion, wherein the inner lining portion being fixedly positioned relative to the outer jacket portion to form a substantially uniform void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion;a waste storage compartment defined by the inner lining portion; anda radiation shielding polymer layer located within the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion;a fill nozzle to introduce the radioactive material to be stored into the waste storage compartment; andwherein said radiation shielding polymer layer is formed from a composition comprising: about 1.2 to 15% by weight of at least one isocyanate monomer; about 1.0 to 14% by weight of at least one phenolic resin; about 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of a halogenated phosphate ester flame retardant compound; about 80 to 96% by weight of depleted uranium; and about 0 to 1.0% by weight of at least one catalyst. 12. The radiation shielded container of claim 11 further including a polymer fill aperture to introduce the shielding polymer layer into the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion. 13. The radiation shielded container of claim 11 further including at least one pressure release valve to prevent excessive pressure within the waste storage compartment. 14. The radiation shielded container of claim 11 further including at least one heat removal channel through which air flows thereby removing heat from the interior of the waste storage compartment to cool the radiation shielded container. 15. The radiation shielded container of claim 11 further including at least one sacrificial electrode to prevent corrosion of the radiation shielded container. 16. A radiation shielding container for storing low level radioactive material comprising:a body portion, the body portion including a wall portion and a base, the wall portion and the base having interior surfaces defining a waste storage compartment;a covering portion having an interior surface;a radiation shielding polymer layer formed on the interior surfaces of the cover portion and the body portion;means to secure the cover portion to the body portion; andwherein said radiation shielding polymer layer is formed from a composition comprising: about 1.2 to 15% by weight of at least one isocyanate monomer; about 1.0 to 14% by weight of at least one phenolic resin; about 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of a halogenated phosphate ester flame retardant compound; about 80 to 96% by weight of depleted uranium; and about 0 to 1.0% by weight of at least one catalyst. 17. The radiation shielding container of claim 16 wherein the body portion and the cover portion are made of stainless steel. 18. The radiation shielding container of claim 16 wherein the means to secure the cover portion to the body portion includes at least one fastening member. 19. A radiation shielding container for storing low level radioactive material comprising:a body portion, the body portion including a wall portion and a base, the wall portion and the base having interior surfaces defining a waste storage compartment;a cover portion, the cover portion having an interior surface;a radiation shielding polymer layer formed by spraying a radiation shielding polymer composition on the interior surfaces of the cover portion and the body portion;at least one fastening member to secure the cover portion to the body portion; andwherein said radiation shielding polymer layer is formed from a composition comprising: about 1.2 to 15% by weight of at least one isocyanate monomer; about 1.0 to 14% by weight of at least one phenolic resin; about 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of a halogenated phosphate ester flame retardant compound; about 80 to 96% by weight of depleted uranium; and about 0 to 1.0% by weight of at least one catalyst. 20. A radiation shielding container for storing at least one canister containing radioactive material comprising:an outer jacket portion;an inner lining portion, the inner lining portion being fixedly positioned relative to the outer jacket portion to form a substantially uniform void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion;a canister storage compartment defined by the inner lining portion;a radiation shielding polymer layer located within the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion; andwherein said radiation shielding polymer layer is formed from a composition comprising: about 1.2 to 15% by weight of at least one isocyanate monomer; about 1.0 to 14% by weight of at least one phenolic resin: about 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of a halogenated phosphate ester flame retardant compound; about 80 to 96% by weight of depleted uranium; and about 0 to 1.0% by weight of at least one catalyst. 21. The radiation shielding container of claim 20 further including means to introduce the shielding polymer layer into the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion. 22. The radiation shielding container of claim 20 further including means to secure the at least one canister within the canister storage compartment. 23. The radiation shielding container of claim 20 further including means to cool the radiation shielded container. 24. The radiation shielding container of claim 20 further including means to prevent corrosion of the radiation shielded container. 25. The radiation shielded container of claim 20 wherein the outer jacket portion and the inner lining portion are made of metal. 26. The radiation shielding container of claim 23 wherein the means to cool includes at least one heat vent penetrating the outer jacket portion and at least a portion of the polymer layer in a non-linear manner for allowing air to exit therethrough. 27. The radiation shielding container of claim 22 wherein the means to prevent corrosion of the radiation shielded container includes a sacrificial electrode. 28. The radiation shielding container of claim 20 wherein said outer jacket portion and said inner lining portion form a cover portion for said container. 29. The radiation shielding container of claim 28 wherein said cover portion is removable from the remainder of said container. 30. The radiation shielding container of claim 20 including a cover portion, said cover portion having an outer jacket portion and an inner lining portion, the inner lining portion being fixedly positioned relative to the outer jacket portion to form a substantially uniform void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion of said cover portion and a radiation shielding polymer layer located within the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion of said cover portion. 31. The radiation shielding container of claim 22 wherein said means to secure the at least one canister includes at least one grate positioned within the canister storage compartment. 32. The radiation shielding container of claim 22 wherein said means to secure the at least one canister includes at least one canister sleeve positioned and located within the canister storage compartment for receiving the bottom portion of the at least one canister. 33. The radiation shielding container of claim 30 wherein said cover portion includes a grate for securing the top portion of the at least one canister when the at least one canister is positioned within the canister storage compartment. 34. A radiation shielding container for storing radioactive material comprising:a body portion having an outer jacket portion and an inner lining portion, said inner lining portion being positioned relative to said outer jacket portion to form a substantially uniform void between said inner lining portion and said jacket portion;a cover portion having an outer jacket portion and an inner lining portion, the inner lining portion of said cover portion being positioned relative to the outer jacket portion of said cover portion so as to form a substantially uniformed void therebetween;a canister storage compartment defined by the inner lining portion of said body portion;a radiation shielding polymer layer located within the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket, portion of said body and cover portions; andwherein said radiation shielding polymer layer is formed from a composition comprising: about 1.2 to 15% by weight of at least one isocyanate monomer; about 1.0 to 14% by weight of at least one phenolic resin; about 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of a halogenated phosphate ester flame retardant compound: about 80 to 96% by weight of depleted uranium; and about 0 to 1.0% by weight of at least one catalyst. 35. The radiation shielding container of claim 34 wherein said cover portion is removably attachable to said body portion. 36. The radiation shielding container of claim 34 wherein said cover portion is pivotally attachable to said body portion. 37. The radiation shielding container of claim 34 including at least one polymer fill aperture to introduce the shielding polymer layer into the void between the inner lining portion and the outer jacket portion of said body and cover portions. 38. The radiation shielding container of claim 34 including at least one heat vent penetrating the outer jacket portion and at least a portion of the polymer layer associated with said body portion. 39. The radiation shielding container of claim 34 including at least one sacrificial electrode to prevent corrosion of the radiation shielding container.