TRANSPORT OR STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS,PARTICULARLY IRRADIATED FUEL ELEMENTS OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

摘要

A transport and storage vessel for radioactive materials, especially irradiated nuclear-reactor fuel elements, comprises a one-piece hollow body having lateral walls and a base formed unitarily with one another and open at an upper end which is provided with a removable cover. The walls of the body have an outer layer, an intermediate layer and an inner layer, the outer and intermediate layers being cast unitarily from a carbon-containing ferrous metal or a copper alloy while the intermediate layer consists of a cast matrix phase in which heavy metal particles having a melting point above 800 DEG C. are embedded to absorb radiation. The inner layer can be a lining of stainless steel which surrounds the chamber receiving the radioactive material.