Patent ID: 7330526

Claim:
A ventilated vertical system for storing high level waste comprising: an inner shell forming a cavity having a top, a bottom, and a substantially vertically oriented axis; an outer shell surrounding the inner shell so as to form a space between the inner shell and the outer shell; at least one opening in the inner shell, the at least one opening forming a passageway between the space and a bottom portion of the cavity; and a lid positioned atop the inner shell and the outer shell so as to form a lid-to-inner shell interface and a lid-to-outer shell interface, the lid being removable and non-unitary with respect to the inner shell and the outer shell, the lid-to-inner shell interface adapted to prevent air flow, the lid having at least one inlet vent forming a passageway between an ambient atmosphere and the space and at least one outlet vent forming a passageway between a top portion of the cavity and the ambient atmosphere.