Ultrasonic Seal Bolt coupled with Optical Fibre Cable

The present invention, as explained in the abstract, is to be used mainly on spent fuel dry storage casks. Those casks are very high and very uncomfortable to climb for inspectors. Having a secure bolt on the top of the cask where the fibre is passing through, and is connected to electronic or passive seals, which are readable from ground level. If there is no alarm detected on the fibre seal there is no need for the inspector to climb on the top of the cask. Even it is possible, with an electronic seal, to the alarm to inspectorate headquarters in case of tampering with one of the seals.

THE MAIN APPLICATION AREAS

• Safety and integrity of nuclear spent fuel dry storage containers, like CASTOR or CONSTOR casks

THE MAIN INNOVATIVE ASPECTS AND ADVANTAGES

The main advantages are the following:

• robustness and relaibility of ultrasonic bolt seals
• secure mechanical bolt connected to fibre seals
• in case of tampering, breaking of the ultrasonic integrity and optical fibre
• monitoring of fibre seals from ground level, so no need to climb on the top of the casks
• realtime alarm to headquarters