above-ground storage cask
nuclear waste disposal container
Quick Summary
dry storage cask for spent nuclear fuel
Cutaway diagram of a dry storage cask for spent nuclear fuel, showing fuel assemblies packed into a metal canister that is encased in a concrete cask.
Above-ground storage casks are containers used for the temporary storage of nuclear waste. In the absence of reprocessing, spent nuclear fuel is considered waste and must be prepared for permanent disposal. Pending the approval and construction of permanent disposal sites, all spent fuel and processed waste are kept in cooling pools or in these above-ground storage casks. This method is a temporary solution while countries research and develop permanent geologic disposal sites deep underground.12
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