Patent ID: 7330525

Claim:
An apparatus for transferring spent, radioactive nuclear fuel comprising: a cylindrical inner shell having a length, forming a cavity within which spent nuclear fuel can be placed; a cylindrical outer shell concentric with, having substantially the same length as, and surrounding the inner shell to form an annulus with the inner shell, the annulus filled with lead; a jacket shell concentric with and surrounding the outer shell to form a jacket for holding a neutron absorbing liquid, the jacket surrounding the outer shell for an axial length, the axial length extending from a bottom of the jacket shell to a top of the jacket shell; one or more holes extending through the jacket shell at or near the top of the jacket shell to form a passageway into the jacket; one or more drain valves in fluid connection with the jacket, the one or more drain valves located at or near the bottom of the jacket shell and movable between an open position and a hermetically closed position; a bottom flange having holes; a removable bottom lid; and a plurality of fasteners that extend through the holes in the bottom flange and engage the removable bottom lid.