Appeal No. 2002-0707 2
Application No. 09/093,574
THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a storage container assembly. Enclosed therein is a
plurality of spent fuel rods. Spaces are present between the fuel rods. The spaces are filled
with a bulk fill which may be zeolite or activated charcoal. Additional limitations are
described in the following illustrative claims.
THE CLAIM
Claims 1 and 13 are illustrative of appellants’ invention and are reproduced below.
1. An ultimate storage container assembly, comprising a gas-tight container, an
arrangement of a plurality of spent fuel rods and spaces between said fuel rods, said
arrangement being gas-tightly enclosed in said container, and a bulk fill selected from the
group consisting of zeolite and activated charcoal embedding said spent fuel rods in said
container, said bulk fill penetrating said spaces.
13. An ultimate storage container assembly, comprising a gas-tight container, an
arrangement of a plurality of spent fuel rods and spaces therebetween, said arrangement
being gas-tightly enclosed in said container, and a bulk fill selected from the group
consistent of zeolite and activated charcoal embedding said spend fuel rods in said
container and penetrating said spaces, said container being formed with steel walls and steel
plates welded in gas-tight fashion to said steel walls.
THE REFERENCES OF RECORD
As evidence of obviousness, the examiner relies upon the following references:
Saha et al. 4,778,628 Oct. 18, 1988
Gaffney 4,891,164 Jan. 2, 1990
Markowitz 4,950,426 Aug. 21, 1990
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