EP0028222B1 - Verfahren zum transport und zur lagerung von radioaktiven materialien - Google Patents

Verfahren zum transport und zur lagerung von radioaktiven materialien Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0028222B1
EP0028222B1 EP80900762A EP80900762A EP0028222B1 EP 0028222 B1 EP0028222 B1 EP 0028222B1 EP 80900762 A EP80900762 A EP 80900762A EP 80900762 A EP80900762 A EP 80900762A EP 0028222 B1 EP0028222 B1 EP 0028222B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
storage container
storage
concrete
arrangement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP80900762A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0028222A1 (de
Inventor
Pal Doroszlai
Ferruccio Ferroni
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Elektrowatt Ingenieurunternehmung AG
Original Assignee
Elektrowatt Ingenieurunternehmung AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to AT80900762T priority Critical patent/ATE4755T1/de
Application filed by Elektrowatt Ingenieurunternehmung AG filed Critical Elektrowatt Ingenieurunternehmung AG
Publication of EP0028222A1 publication Critical patent/EP0028222A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0028222B1 publication Critical patent/EP0028222B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F5/00—Transportable or portable shielded containers
    • G21F5/06—Details of, or accessories to, the containers
    • G21F5/14—Devices for handling containers or shipping-casks, e.g. transporting devices loading and unloading, filling of containers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F5/00—Transportable or portable shielded containers
    • G21F5/005—Containers for solid radioactive wastes, e.g. for ultimate disposal
    • G21F5/008—Containers for fuel elements
    • G21F5/012—Fuel element racks in the containers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21F—PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR
    • G21F7/00—Shielded cells or rooms
    • G21F7/005—Shielded passages through walls; Locks; Transferring devices between rooms

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for the transport and storage of radioactive materials, in which the radioactive materials are enclosed in a hermetically sealable storage container made of chemically resistant material, in which the storage container is in turn inserted into a transport container which ensures mechanical, thermal and radiation protection. in which the latter is transported to a storage location, and in which at the storage location the storage container is removed from the transport container and inserted for storage in a silo which ensures radiation protection.
  • This process is used for the final storage of radioactive materials.
  • a number of steel tubes are buried in the ground at the disposal site.
  • a transport trolley with the transport container is moved over an empty steel tube, the transport container is opened at the bottom and the storage container is lowered hydraulically into the steel tube, which is then filled with gravel and then sealed.
  • the method is not suitable for the interim storage of radioactive materials that later have to be reprocessed.
  • no specific precautions are taken to remove the material from the steel tubes.
  • the tubes would have to be pulled out of the ground using a crane, although the problem of radiation protection has not been solved.
  • a method should therefore be found which permits the relatively compact interim storage of the spent fuel assemblies without incurring high costs for monitoring and handling facilities in the storage facility and without having to use a large number of expensive transport containers.
  • the process should be designed so that the storage containers can be removed from the silo for the reprocessing of the radioactive material safely and easily.
  • the method according to the invention fulfills these requirements. It is characterized by the fact that, in order to remove the storage container from the transport container, the latter is sunk into a concrete shaft, that after lifting the transport container lid, a protective container is placed on the concrete shaft, that the protective container is opened at the bottom and the storage container is lifted into the protective container, that the latter is closed again, that the protective container is then lifted from the concrete shaft and placed on the opening of the concrete silo, and that the storage container is then lowered into the concrete silo, whereupon the protective container is removed and the concrete silo is closed by a lid.
  • the device for carrying out the method according to the invention with a transport container and a hermetically closable storage container for the radioactive materials which can be enclosed therein is characterized in that the device has a concrete shaft for receiving the transport container when the storage container is unloaded, a protective container for receiving and transferring the storage container from Concrete shaft to the storage area and a number of concrete silos to accommodate the storage containers for storage.
  • the transport container 17 shown in FIG. 1 consists of a solid steel cylinder 31 which ensures adequate shielding against gamma rays.
  • the transport container 17 is forged in one piece, so that only a single weld 33 is required between the steel cylinder 31 and the container base 32.
  • Cooling fins 34 are arranged outside the steel cylinder 31.
  • the transport container 17 is closed with a tamper-proof and tightly closing lid 19.
  • trunnions 35 are attached at various points and removable shock absorbers 16 are mounted on both ends of the container 17.
  • the transport container described is a version that can normally be loaded with 12 fuel elements. In the present case, however, the transport container is loaded with a storage container.
  • This storage container 7 has a stainless steel jacket 36 for seven pressurized water reactor fuel elements. The wall thickness of the jacket is approximately 15 mm.
  • the lid 1 of the storage container is fastened to the jacket by means of screws 2.
  • the protruding lips 3 between the cover flange 3 and the jacket flange 38 are welded together.
  • Ribs 4 are attached over the length of the storage container, which ensure the heat emission to the transport container or to the environment.
  • Steel ribs 5 are welded to the bottom 39 and to the lid 1, which have a stiffening effect and also serve to emit heat. All ribs 4, 5 also act as shock absorbers in the event of an accident.
  • the cover 1 is not yet screwed onto the jacket 36, so that the screw bolts 2 do not hinder the welding.
  • the container 7 is first evacuated through the valve 6. The external pressure presses the cover 1 onto the jacket flange 38. A seal 9 helps to maintain the vacuum.
  • the container is pressed out with helium at a pressure of approx. 7 atm and the tightness of the container is checked with helium detectors 40 (FIG. 10).
  • the overpressure in the container filled with helium is left and an end cover 8 is welded on via the filling valve 6.
  • the pressurized storage container 7 is thus hermetically sealed.
  • the operations described are carried out in the reverse order.
  • the closure cover 8 is removed after the weld seam has been ground off, the helium pressure is released from the container and the vacuum is established. The screws 2 are then removed and the lip weld 3 is ground off.
  • the fuel elements are surrounded by boron steel boxes 11 in the storage container.
  • the storage container is normally always dry, but the distance between the boxes 11 and their boron content ensure the sufficient subcriticality even when filling with water.
  • the space between the boxes 11 is filled with disc-shaped cast aluminum bodies 10. These cast aluminum bodies give the configuration great stability in the event of an accident, they slow down the fast neutrons somewhat, absorb some of the gamma rays and dissipate the decay heat of the fuel elements to the storage container wall.
  • the loading and closing of the storage container must be carried out in protected and controlled rooms, ideally in the immediate vicinity of the reactor.
  • the necessary remote-controlled devices must also be available here.
  • the dimensions of the storage container for seven pressurized water reactor fuel elements are selected so that they fit straight into the usual transport container, which normally has space for 12 fuel elements.
  • the storage container is thus loaded into the transport container and transported to the interim storage facility. During transport, all safety-related regulations and requirements such as mechanical strength, thermal properties and radiation protection conditions are met by the transport container.
  • the actual interim storage consists of a Concrete slab 41, in which cylindrical recesses or silos 12 for the storage containers 7 are embedded (FIGS. 6, 7).
  • the inner walls of the silos 12 are expediently covered with a steel lining.
  • the storage containers are cooled by free convection of the ambient air.
  • the supply of fresh air takes place by channels 13 below the laser gerpos i tion.
  • the heated air rises through baffles 14, which prevent the gamma rays from escaping, through the concrete cover 15 to the outside.
  • FIGS. 3-6 The various stages for unloading the storage container from the transport container to placing it in the interim storage facility are illustrated in FIGS. 3-6.
  • the transport container 17 is lowered into a concrete shaft 18 (FIG. 4). Now the lid 19 is lifted off and removed from the silo so that the protective container 20 can be placed on the transport container 17.
  • a lifting plate 22, which is arranged in the interior of the protective container, is lowered and is pivoted with the lifting tabs 23 of the storage container 7.
  • the storage container 7 is pulled up into the protective container 20 and the closing slide 21 is pushed in again.
  • the protective container 20 provides sufficient protection against the radiation from the storage container 7 so that it can be lifted out of the concrete shaft 18.
  • the protective container is then transported to the storage location. Once there, it is placed on an intermediate ring 24 via the opening of the silo 12.
  • the slide valve 21 is pulled out again and the storage container 7 is lowered into the silo 12 (FIG. 6).
  • the lifting plate 22 is decoupled by twisting and the protective container 20 is removed together with the intermediate ring 24. The latter serves to guide the storage container into the silo when it sinks.
  • the position of the storage container 7 in the silo 12 is secured by longitudinal ribs 25a of the lining 25, which give off the heat generated in the concrete to the air flow.
  • the remaining heat generated in the concrete is given off to the environment by additional freely circulating cooling air in the channels 28.
  • the cooling system prevents an inadmissible temperature rise and the associated dehydration of the concrete.
  • Environmental pollution from the interim storage facility is possible in three different ways: through direct radiation, through leaks in the fuel casing of the storage containers and through activation of the cooling air by the fast neutrons.
  • the thick concrete wall with added boron forms a sufficient barrier against direct radiation (primary gamma radiation, neutron radiation and secondary gamma radiation after neutron capture).
  • the tightness of the storage containers is checked by the monitoring system using helium detectors.
  • the activation of the air can be kept largely harmless if the cold supply air is free of dust. This means that no dust particles can be deposited on the storage container, activated there and then carried away by the cooling air.
  • the interim storage facility including the crane systems, can be covered with an ordinary hall, which should not hinder the free escape of warm air, but should ensure the usual protection against atmospheric conditions (cross wind with dust, rain, snow).
  • the massive concrete structure of the interim storage facility offers sufficient protection against all mechanical influences (earthquake, plane crash, etc.).
  • a grid 26 of plastic pipes is laid over the concrete cover 15 of the concrete silo 12. One branch each from the pipes in both directions penetrates into the air outlet openings of the concrete cover 15 without, however, impairing the free air outlet.
  • a central suction fan 27 ensures constant negative pressure in the tubes.
  • a scanning control fryer 43 periodically opens one of the valves 44 against the suction pump 27 of the helium detector 40 one after the other.
  • a defective storage container can thus be found within a scanning cycle. Such a container must be removed from the silo and transported back to the loading or unloading location. Leakage from a storage container does not mean that there is no activity, since undamaged fuel elements are stored in the interim storage facility. The helium filling of the storage containers prevents any chemical damage to the fuel elements during the storage period.
  • the fuel is thus protected by a double mechanical barrier.
  • the second purely mechanical barrier can easily be expanded to a further barrier against mass transfer.
  • the air channels in the cover 15 are omitted.
  • the cooling air flow of the storage container, together with the cooling air of the concrete from the channels 28, circulates in a closed circuit.
  • the recooling takes place in additional vertical shafts 29 with vertical heat pipes 30 with heat exchangers 45 arranged at the top.
  • the escape of the circulating air into the workshop located above the warehouse is avoided by the suction blowers 27 of the leakage monitoring system which generate a vacuum.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Input Circuits Of Receivers And Coupling Of Receivers And Audio Equipment (AREA)
EP80900762A 1979-05-07 1980-11-17 Verfahren zum transport und zur lagerung von radioaktiven materialien Expired EP0028222B1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT80900762T ATE4755T1 (de) 1979-05-07 1980-05-06 Verfahren zum transport und zur lagerung von radioaktiven materialien.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH4281/79 1979-05-07
CH428179A CH637499A5 (de) 1979-05-07 1979-05-07 Verfahren zum transport und zur lagerung von radioaktiven materialien.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0028222A1 EP0028222A1 (de) 1981-05-13
EP0028222B1 true EP0028222B1 (de) 1983-09-21

Family

ID=4273185

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP80900762A Expired EP0028222B1 (de) 1979-05-07 1980-11-17 Verfahren zum transport und zur lagerung von radioaktiven materialien

Country Status (10)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0028222B1 (es)
JP (1) JPS56500584A (es)
AT (1) ATE4755T1 (es)
BR (1) BR8008674A (es)
CH (1) CH637499A5 (es)
DD (1) DD151527A5 (es)
DE (1) DE3064891D1 (es)
FI (1) FI801374A (es)
HU (1) HU182080B (es)
WO (1) WO1980002469A1 (es)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE8018595U1 (de) * 1980-07-11 1980-11-27 Transnuklear Gmbh, 6450 Hanau Verbindungselement zur befestigung der innenauskleidung in einem behaeltergrundkoerper zum transport und/oder zur lagerung von radioaktivem material
ES8705990A1 (es) * 1984-12-24 1987-05-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp Un barril para almacenamiento de larga duracion de combus- tible nuclear gastado
US4711758A (en) * 1984-12-24 1987-12-08 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Spent fuel storage cask having basket with grid assemblies
GB9609304D0 (en) 1996-05-03 1996-07-10 British Nuclear Fuels Plc Improvements in and relating to fuel transportation
US20010011711A1 (en) 1996-05-03 2001-08-09 Graham Nicholson Container for nuclear fuel transportation
DE10228387B4 (de) * 2002-06-25 2014-10-16 Polygro Trading Ag Behältersystem zum Transport und zur Lagerung hochradioaktiver Materialien

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3997078A (en) * 1974-12-13 1976-12-14 Programmed & Remote Systems Corporation Sealing cover for containers for hazardous materials
GB1496846A (en) * 1975-12-01 1978-01-05 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Transport containers for radioactive material
US4040480A (en) * 1976-04-15 1977-08-09 Atlantic Richfield Company Storage of radioactive material
US4209420A (en) * 1976-12-21 1980-06-24 Asea Aktiebolag Method of containing spent nuclear fuel or high-level nuclear fuel waste
US4115700A (en) * 1977-04-04 1978-09-19 Combustion Engineering, Inc. High density fuel storage racks
DE7737499U1 (de) * 1977-12-09 1978-05-24 Steag Kernenergie Gmbh, 4300 Essen Abschirmtransport- und/oder abschirmlagerbehaelter fuer radioaktive abfaelle
DE2821780A1 (de) * 1978-05-18 1979-11-22 Lovincic Miroslav Transport- und lagereinrichtung fuer radioaktive stoffe

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BR8008674A (pt) 1981-04-14
WO1980002469A1 (en) 1980-11-13
FI801374A (fi) 1980-11-08
JPS56500584A (es) 1981-04-30
HU182080B (en) 1983-12-28
CH637499A5 (de) 1983-07-29
DD151527A5 (de) 1981-10-21
DE3064891D1 (en) 1983-10-27
EP0028222A1 (de) 1981-05-13
ATE4755T1 (de) 1983-10-15

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