Method of protecting radioactive waste from reaching criticality by using a controller that when contacted by water provides borates that absorb neutrons

DWPI Title: Protecting radioactive material from reaching criticality from contact with water e.g. power generation, medicine, industry, involves holding radioactive material in container with sub-criticality controller having metallic composition with metal component, borate component bonded to metal component
Abstract: A container holds radioactive material. A sub-criticality controller protects the radioactive material from reaching a criticality from contact with the water. The sub-criticality controller includes a metallic composition having at least one metal component and at least one borate component bonded to the at least one metal component. The metallic composition forms a new borate that absorbs neutrons when the metallic composition contacts water in the case of an incident.
Use: Method for protecting radioactive material from reaching criticality from contact with water e.g., power generation, medicine, industry and agriculture.
Advantage: The method has reduced or eliminated a nuclear criticality.
Novelty: Protecting radioactive material from reaching a criticality from contact with water involves (1) holding the radioactive material in a container with a sub-criticality controller having a metallic composition with at least one metal component and at least one borate component bonded to the at least one metal component, and (2) contacting the metallic composition with the water to form borates from the at least one borate component.
Filed: 2/27/2023
Application Number: US18114340A
Tech ID: SD 13955.1
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Data from Derwent World Patents Index, provided by Clarivate
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