EP0007818A1 - Noxious wastes disposal device - Google Patents

Abstract

The toxic waste is packaged in a solidifiable material, the device comprising a rotating container (1) which can be suitably positioned relative to a mixing tool (7) which can be placed in the container and relative to means of filling (8) the container. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a device for packaging toxic waste by inserting this waste into a solidifiable material.

The process for treating toxic waste, with a view to its conditioning, transport and storage under acceptable conditions, which consists of inserting said waste into a protective solidifiable material such as cement or concrete or a tarry substance is known. This process is in particular widely used for the treatment of radioactive waste such as liquid effluents, or ion exchange resins.

Due to the toxic nature of the waste, this insertion into the solidifiable material, insertion which implies a correct homogenization of the mixture of waste and of the solidifiable material, poses a certain number of technological problems which become particularly difficult when this homogenization must be done with a very high reliability:

• - un conteneur dans lequel on réalise l'insertion des déchets dans le matériau solidifiable,
• - un dispositif permettant la rotation du conteneur,
• - des moyens pour amener ledit conteneur en position de remplissage et d'homogénéisation et pour permettre son transport, hors de ladite position,
• - un outil de malaxage comportant des éléments de malaxage et étant mis en place, à l'intérieur du conteneur et extrait par celui-ci par des dispositifs de translation verticaux connus,
• - des moyens pour désolidariser ledit outil de malaxage desdits dispositif de mise en place,
• - des moyens permettant d'introduire, dans ledit conteneur, d_Ls quantités contrôlées de déchets et de matériau solidifiable et éventuellement d'additifs, et éventuellement
• - des moyens permettant une commande à distance des divers dispositifs utilisés dans l'invention.

The present invention relates to a reliable device allowing a remote control for the treatment of toxic waste by insertion into a solidifiable material characterized in that said device comprises:

• - a container in which the waste is inserted into the solidifiable material,
• - a device allowing the rotation of the container,
• means for bringing said container into the filling and homogenization position and for allowing its transport outside of said position,
• - a kneading tool comprising kneading elements and being put in place, inside the container and extracted by it by known vertical translation devices,
• - means for separating said kneading tool from said positioning device,
• means for introducing, into said container, d _L s controlled quantities of waste and solidifiable material and possibly additives, and optionally
• - Means allowing remote control of the various devices used in the invention.

The container may be of different nature, volume and shape; for example steel, concrete or fiber cement drums will be used. In general, when the waste-solidifiable material mixture has been homogenized and solidified in the container, it can be stored and preserved with said container. In the case for example where the toxic waste is radioactive in nature, the container could advantageously be provided so that its walls constitute an effective barrier against radiation.

The device allowing the rotation of the container advantageously consists of a horizontal plate rotating around a vertical axis. The container is placed on this tray and is positioned there by the use of a suitable device such as, for example, positioning pins. If we want to use containers of different dimensions (including height), we can interpose between the tray and the container a suitable support which will itself be positioned on the tray thanks to the positioning device and which may include any elements allowing the correct positioning of the container.

The container, suitably positioned on said horizontal turntable, will be brought into the filling and homogenization position using a device such as a carriage moving on rails. This carriage will therefore bring the container below the complex device which will in particular include the kneading tool and the means for feeding the solidifiable material. To be certain that the carriage and the container are properly positioned with respect to the kneading tool and to the means for moving solidifiable material, the rails on which the carriage moves will advantageously be provided with electrical contacts which will cooperate with cams provided on the carriage itself. It will thus always be possible for an operator, even if it is located at a point relatively distant from the carriage, to know the exact position of said carriage. This possibility of exact positioning of the container relative to the kneading tool will make it possible to bring the latter, either in the axis, or slightly off-axis with respect to the axis of the container; it is even conceivable that for containers of very large diameter and a mixing tool of narrower width, it is possible to mix all the points of the internal volume of the container by moving the container laterally relative to the mixing tool.

This same cart allows the evacuation to the outside of the container when it has been filled and possibly closed.

The one-piece mixing tool is made up, for example, of a frame in which blades are fixed. These blades are arranged so that, taking into account the mixing conditions, the mixing of the products contained in the container is as effective as possible. This mixing tool is carried by a mobile device in vertical translation which brings the tool inside the container and removes said tool at the end of mixing. As it is possible, in certain cases, or during false operations that the solidification of the solidifiable material occurs before the kneading tool has been removed from the container, said tool must be able to be easily detached from the mobile device in translation which ensures the establishment and removal of said tool. The frame, the tool holder and the tool are designed in such a way that it is possible, whatever the position in which the tool will need to be disconnected from its tool holder, to take out the container with the tool more or less entirely trapped in said container.

Given that the containers may be of different sizes (height), the movement of the mobile device in vertical translation and of the tool linked to it will be controlled by any known device (stop for example). It is even preferable, given that for one type of container, said containers may have slightly different depths, that the attachment between the mobile device and the tool is designed so that said tool has a certain degree of freedom in height.

Thus in the device according to the invention the mixing of the various ingredients inside the container is achieved by the combination of a rotational movement of the container and the presence of a kneading tool which is suitably positioned in the container but which is not itself subjected to a rotational movement around its axis. It may however, in certain cases, be desirable, while subjecting the container to the rotational movement described above, to ensure that the kneading tool is also subjected to a rotational movement around its axis, said movement being carried out in the same direction or in the opposite direction of the rotational movement of the container.

The device according to the invention also includes means making it possible to introduce controlled quantities of solidifiable material waste and possibly additives into the container.

The means allowing the introduction of the solidifiable material are arranged so that this introduction takes place while the container is positioned below the kneading tool and preferably while said kneading tool is lowered into said container; the possible means allowing the introduction of additives, generally additives which have the role of modifying the properties of the solidifiable material, are also located so as to be usable while the container is positioned below the kneading tool; the means allowing the introduction of the waste can advantageously be located in the same place or be located elsewhere on the normal path of the carriage.

Obviously the relative and absolute quantities of waste, solidifiable material and possibly additives admitted into the container, can be controlled. It is even by times desirable to be able to control, by means of known devices, the speed of introduction of the various materials, in particular solidifiable material when the latter is cement, into the container.

In cases where the waste is very toxic, for example when said waste is radioactive; all the devices according to the invention will be enclosed inside a confinement and / or biological protection enclosure into which the empty container will be introduced and from which the full container will be removed, preferably comprising a lid (or equivalent). All current operations that will take place in this room will be controlled from the outside. But in addition, it will then be desirable to have visual means making it possible to control from the outside the effective realization of the various main operations which are carried out by implementing the device according to the invention; it will thus be desirable to be able to examine the conditions under which the waste-solidifiable material mixture is produced inside the container, this is why the device according to the invention also preferably comprises at least one optical means (such as set of mirrors or television camera) arranged so that the operator can see the interior of the container when it is positioned to receive the kneading tool and the solidifiable material.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale selon I-I (de la figure 2) du dispositif selon l'invention, et
• la figure 2 est une vue selon II-II du dispositif de la figure 1.

The invention will be better understood from the description according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, this example is illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, in which:

• FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section along II (of FIG. 2) of the device according to the invention, and
• Figure 2 is a view along II-II of the device of Figure 1.

• - en 1, un conteneur dans lequel on réalise l'insertion des déchets dans le matériau solidifiable ; ce conteneur est par exemple un fût en béton de hauteur totale de 1 500 mm, de diamètre 1 400 mm et d'épaisseur 300 mm,
• - en 2, un plateau horizontal tournant autour de son axe vertical : ce plateau comporte des pions 3 permettant un positionnement convenable du conteneur sur ledit plateau ; ce plateau est soutenu par un arbre, lequel est lié à un chariot qui circule sur des rails (ces divers éléments ne sont pas représentés) ; la position d'arrêt du chariot par rapport à l'outil de malaxage est assurée par des contacts électriques convenables ;
• - en 4, une charpente métallique comporte deux glissières 5 entre lesquelles se déplace verticalement un porte-outil 6 et auquel est fixé l'outil de malaxage 7 ; le mouvement de l'ensemble porte-outil et outil est assuré par un moteur, commandé de l'extérieur, qui permet de descendre l'outil dans le conteneur jusqu'à une hauteur prédéterminée et qui permet de sortir l'outil en fin d'opération le porte-outil comporte des moyens (non représentés) permettant une désolidarisation rapide et fiable de l'outil d'avec le porte-outil ;
• - en 8, une goulotte permettant l'introduction, dans le conteneur d'une quantité contrôlée de matériau solidifiable tel que du ciment ;
• - en 9, un système de miroirs permettant, depuis une position extérieure, d'examiner l'intérieur du conteneur notamment au moment de l'homogénéisation ; il est également possible de disposer une caméra de télévision permettant la surveillance de l'intérieur du conteneur ;
• - en 10, une hotte d'aspiration reliée à au moins une gaine de ventilation ;
• - en 11, une plaque fixe, liée au bâti soutenant l'outil de malaxage, permettant par obturation de l'ouverture du conteneur d'éviter toute projection de substance toxique hors du conteneur durant l'opération ;
• - en 13, un vibreur pouvant soumettre l'outil à des vibrations destinées d'une part au nettoyage dudit outil lorsque celui-ci est sorti du conteneur et d'autre part à une éventuelle homogénéisation du mélange, lorsque l'outil est à l'intérieur du conteneur, notamment pour briser les mottes diverses.
• - en 15, le système assurant le translation verticale de l'outil.

In FIG. 1, there is shown:

• - In 1, a container in which the waste is inserted into the solidifiable material; this container is for example a concrete barrel with a total height of 1,500 mm, a diameter 1,400 mm and a thickness of 300 mm,
• - In 2, a horizontal plate rotating around its vertical axis: this plate includes pins 3 allowing a suitable positioning of the container on said plate; this plate is supported by a tree, which is linked to a carriage which runs on rails (these various elements are not shown); the stop position of the carriage relative to the mixing tool is ensured by suitable electrical contacts;
• - At 4, a metal frame comprises two slides 5 between which a tool holder 6 moves vertically and to which the kneading tool 7 is fixed; the movement of the tool holder and tool assembly is provided by a motor, controlled from the outside, which makes it possible to lower the tool into the container to a predetermined height and which allows the tool to be removed at the end of 'Operation the tool holder comprises means (not shown) allowing rapid and reliable separation of the tool from the tool holder;
• - At 8, a chute allowing the introduction into the container of a controlled amount of solidifiable material such as cement;
• - In 9, a system of mirrors allowing, from an external position, to examine the interior of the container in particular at the time of homogenization; it is also possible to have a television camera allowing surveillance of the interior of the container;
• - At 10, an extractor hood connected to at least one ventilation duct;
• - In 11, a fixed plate, linked to the frame supporting the kneading tool, allowing by closing the opening of the container to avoid any projection of toxic substance out of the container during the operation;
• - At 13, a vibrator which can subject the tool to vibrations intended on the one hand for cleaning said tool when the latter is removed from the container and on the other hand for possible homogenization of the mixture, when the tool is at inside the container, in particular for breaking up various lumps.
• - At 15, the system ensuring the vertical translation of the tool.

The entire system is contained in a room whose walls are shown diagrammatically at 12.

• - en 4, des éléments de charpente métallique,
• - en 5, les glissières qui guident l'outil de malaxage,
• - en 8, une goulotte permettant l'introduction de matériau solidifiable, de substance toxique et éventuellement d'additifs,
• - en 9, un espace ouvert permettant la vision de ce qui se passe dans le conteneur,
• - en 9 bis, des ouvertures permettant le montage, sur la hotte 10, d'une caméra de télévision et des éclairages correspondants,
• - en 10, une hotte d'aspiration reliée à au moins une gaine de ventilation,
• - en 11, la plaque fixe,
• - en 12, les murs de la chambre contenant le dispositif,
• - en 14, des butées escamotables permettant le positionnement exact, en hauteur, de l'outil.

In Figure 2, we recognize:

• - in 4, metal frame elements,
• - in 5, the slides which guide the mixing tool,
• - at 8, a chute allowing the introduction of solidifiable material, toxic substance and possibly additives,
• - in 9, an open space allowing the vision of what is happening in the container,
• - in 9 bis, openings allowing the mounting, on the hood 10, of a television camera and corresponding lighting,
• - at 10, an extractor hood connected to at least one ventilation duct,
• - at 11, the fixed plate,
• - at 12, the walls of the room containing the device,
• - at 14, retractable stops allowing the exact positioning, in height, of the tool.

Claims (2)

1. Reliable device, preferably remotely controlled, for packaging toxic waste by insertion into a solidifiable material such as cement or concrete, characterized in that it comprises: - a container in which the waste is inserted into the solidifiable material, - a device driving said container in rotation, means for bringing said container into at least one filling and homogenizing position and suitably positioning said container with respect to the filling and homogenizing elements, a kneading tool which is placed inside the container and which is extracted therefrom by a vertical translation device allowing the exact positioning, in height, of said tool, means making it possible to separate said tool from the device ensuring its translation, ^. - Means for introducing into said container, controlled quantities of waste, solidifiable material and possibly additive, and optionally - Means for remote control of the various devices mentioned above. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one means of visual observation of the interior of the container when the latter is in the mixing position.

Images