EP0882298A1

EP0882298A1 - Compression device for receptacles filled with radioactive material

Info

Publication number: EP0882298A1
Application number: EP97903303A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Helmut Tauschhuber
Original assignee: Big Entwicklungs- und Vermietungs fur Ballenpressen und Industrieanlagen GmbH
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 1996-02-15
Filing date: 1997-02-17
Publication date: 1998-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-17
Also published as: UA44834C2; JP2000512736A; DE19605660A1; DE59702348D1; KR19990082582A; AU1790997A; RU2181511C2; EP0882298B1; KR100451707B1; WO1997030458A1; JP3174064B2; ES2151245T3

Abstract

The invention concerns a compression device for receptacles filled with radioactive material, the device comprising a screened storage container for receptacles, a high-pressure press and a loader unit for loading compressed receptacles into storage vessels. The high-pressure press at least is designed as a mobile, collapsible unit.

Description

Compression device for containers containing radioactive material

The invention relates to a compression device for containers containing radioactive material.

Radioactive material from nuclear power plants intended for storage is first collected in barrel-like containers and temporarily stored. to

To minimize the storage space required for storage, the containers filled with radioactive material are pressed together and, after being pressed together, placed in a further storage container, which is then closed and finally disposed of. With this procedure, it is important that the pressing of the containers and the subsequent loading of the pressed containers take place very quickly in order to minimize the emission of radioactive radiation. Since such a compression and relocation of the radioactive material in a nuclear power plant does not occur daily, but only at certain times and since the devices required for this, in particular the pressing device, are very expensive, it is desirable to at least partially transport such a compression device to train. Due to the high press force of approximately 4,000 tons required for pressing the containers, conventional presses, which are usually designed with four guide supports, have a large overall height which only allows transport when the press has been disassembled. This is very time-consuming and expensive.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a compression device for containers containing radioactive material, which allows quick and easy transport between two locations. This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. The modular structure with a shielded storage container for the containers, a high-pressure press and a loading unit for loading pressed containers into storage vessels enables the compression device according to the invention to be assembled and disassembled quickly. Since at least the high-pressure press is designed as a mobile, collapsible unit, the entire compacting device can be moved quickly and without great effort from one place of use to another without major assembly or disassembly work.

The operation of a compression device according to the invention is significantly improved if a pre-press is provided between the storage container and the high-pressure press, which pre-compresses the containers in pressing directions running transverse to the pressing direction of the high-pressure press. This pre-compression ensures that the cross-sectional dimension of the containers, for example the diameter of drums, is reduced even before the actual pressing process, so that the compact which leaves the high-pressure press can be loaded in its original form due to the reduced cross-section in the containers in its original form. This also saves costs, since the storage containers are the same as the original containers for the radioactive material and therefore no additional storage is required for the storage containers.

Particularly suitable for use in a compression device according to the invention is a high-pressure press with a die for receiving an object to be pressed, a punch which can be moved into a pressing position from a standby position and a cylinder of a piston-cylinder unit which acts on the die with force , wherein the cylinder is formed in a yoke which can be moved between a working position and a transport position, wherein it is fixed to guide supports in the working position and in the transport position together with the piston accommodated in the cylinder rests on the punch inserted into the die. This high pressure press is can be folded without major assembly work, since only the fixation of the yoke to the guide supports has to be released in order to bring the high-pressure press into its transport position, in which all movable elements of the high-pressure press are supported on their base plate.

If auxiliary devices are provided in this high-pressure press, which are designed to move the die from an operating position back to a loading position, the auxiliary devices can also form drive units for the yoke in order to move the yoke between the transport position and the working position. In this way, the auxiliary facilities

Method of the die during the pressing operation of a second use fed, which is used when folding the high pressure press. This saves installation space and limits the costs of such a high-pressure press.

In an advantageous embodiment of the high pressure press is within the

Piston-cylinder unit provide at least one further piston-cylinder unit, the cylinder of which is formed within the piston of the first piston-cylinder unit and the piston of which is supported in the yoke, the longitudinal axis of the further piston-cylinder unit being parallel runs to the longitudinal axis of the first piston-cylinder unit or coincides with it. This other piston

Cylinder unit, which inevitably has a smaller diameter than the first piston-cylinder unit which generates the main pressure, serves to initiate a high speed or advance of the high pressure press. Because of its smaller diameter and thus also the smaller cylinder volume, this additional piston-cylinder unit ensures, after the introduction of hydraulic fluid, that the larger piston of the first piston-cylinder unit moves quickly to the point at which the other piston Piston-cylinder unit applied force can no longer generate the required pressing force. At this point in time, however, the cylinder space of the first piston, which increases as the piston of the first piston-cylinder unit moves,

Cylinder unit has been filled with hydraulic fluid by suction, so that this hydraulic fluid is now only pressurized via hydraulic pumps must be to initiate the actual pressing process by means of the larger piston of the first piston-cylinder unit. This functional cascading of the two piston-cylinder units considerably speeds up the pressing process, which is advantageous for the processing of radioactive material.

If a housing jacket which can be moved along guide devices is provided for the high-pressure press, which in its retracted position closes the high-pressure press with the aid of a base plate, essentially radiation-tight, and which in its extended position permits loading and operation of the high-pressure press, so that it can be used in a mobile manner the

High pressure press further increased.

It is also advantageous if storage and supply devices, in particular for the piston-cylinder units, are pressurized working fluid within the housing jacket. This structure allows the

To make the high-pressure press ready for use very quickly after transport to its place of work, since only the housing jacket has to be brought into its extended position and since the entire unit only has to be connected to an energy supply. Internal hydraulic connections are already functional. In addition, the arrangement of the supply devices for the working fluid in the upward-moving housing casing utilizes the gravity of the working fluid to fill the cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit when the piston thereof is moved by means of the further piston-cylinder unit, as a result of which the pressing process can continue to be accelerated.

It is also advantageous if a gripper device is provided for feeding and discharging objects to be pressed into or out of the high-pressure press. The integration of the gripper device in the unit of the high-pressure press additionally increases the compactness of the overall structure, accelerates and simplifies the transfer of the objects. If a preferably bellows-shaped shield is provided between the die and the stamp, additional radiation protection is achieved in that radioactivity which is released when the container is pressed, for example when the container bursts, cannot penetrate to the outside but remains inside the bellows. This can preferably be connected to a suction device for radioactive air, which is then fed through the suction device to a filter arrangement.

The high-pressure press described above cannot be used exclusively for use in a compression device according to the invention for containers containing radioactive material, but in principle also for all other purposes in which it is important to use a high-pressure press at the most varied of locations. The high-pressure press can also only be used stationary.

In a preferred embodiment of the compression device according to the invention, a storage container is provided with a housing, preferably shielded against radioactive radiation, within which transport devices for containers containing radioactive material are provided, which containers are used to transport these containers from a closable entrance opening to a closable exit opening are trained. This storage container, which can also be designed to be mobile, can be set up next to the high-pressure press and can have a plurality of access or exit openings. The containers to be pressed, containing radioactive material, which are temporarily stored in a special room of a nuclear power plant, can then be transported in the shortest possible way into the storage container and are there protected against radiation for further processing with the high-pressure press. Within the storage container, the containers are then moved to an exit opening which is preferably closest to the gripper device of the high-pressure press, in order to move from there into the

Gripping area to reach the gripper device. This temporary storage of the containers to be compressed in the storage container also contributes to that the entire pressing process is accelerated, since long transport routes between the intermediate storage in the power station and the high-pressure press are eliminated, because the containers to be pressed can be fed directly from the previously filled storage container to the high-pressure press.

In principle, this storage container can also be used independently of the compression device according to the invention.

A preferred loading unit for the compression device according to the invention has a lifting and transport device which has at least one gripper element which is guided vertically in an essentially tubular shielding jacket which is connected to the lifting and transport device essentially in a non-pendulous manner , and wherein the gripper element for depositing the pressed container can be introduced into a storage vessel. This lifting and

Transport device, which can be formed, for example, by a trolley crane, has the advantage due to its guided gripper element that this gripper element hangs relatively rigidly and does not oscillate when moving. Therefore, a compact emerging from the high-pressure press can be gripped directly by the preferably ring-shaped gripper element without having to wait for the gripper element to swing out. As a result, the entire work process is further accelerated and the time in which radioactive material is unshielded is further reduced. If necessary, this shielding jacket can also be connected to an extraction system.

It is advantageous if the gripper element is designed in a ring shape and is designed to encompass at least one pressed container in a jacket-like manner, the annular shielding jacket being provided coaxially to the annular gripper element above. This design also reduces the emission of radioactive radiation during the transport of the compact from the high-pressure press to the final storage vessel. Basically this is Loading unit can also be used independently of the compacting device according to the invention.

If the compression device according to the invention is provided with a pre-press, a pre-press is preferably used with two opposing cylinders with mutually movable pre-compression pistons, each of which is provided on its pressing surface with a groove-like mold cavity of parabolic cross-section, the longitudinal extension of which is essentially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the two pre-compression pistons runs, the clear width between the

Mold cavities, measured in the direction of travel, is less than the width of each mold cavity in the region of its opening when the prepress pistons have moved apart. By means of this pre-press, which is preferably arranged between the storage container and the high-pressure press, the containers to be pressed, for example barrels, can first be compressed in a first radial direction, their cross-section being reduced. In order to avoid a change in length of the barrels, they are supported on the cover and bottom sides during the pre-pressing process. This reduction in cross-section makes it possible to insert the compact pressed in the high-pressure press while maintaining this reduced cross-section in a storage vessel which is of the same type as the original container containing the radioactive material. This not only simplifies storage, but also achieves a standardization of the radioactive waste containers, which it enables the same means of transport to be used for the transport of undensified radioactive material and for the transport of already compressed radioactive material.

If the cylinders on this pre-press are so far apart that objects to be pre-compressed can pass through the pre-press in transfer mode transversely to the direction of travel of the pre-compression molding pistons, then an acceleration of the entire pressing process is also achieved, since the pre-press easily moves into the transport path between the storage container and the high printing press can be used.

In principle, this pre-press can also be used outside of the compression device according to the invention.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an example with reference to the drawing. In this shows

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the entirety of a compression device according to the invention;

2 shows a vertical section through a high-pressure press;

3 shows a plan view of a high-pressure press with gripper element;

4 shows a side view of a high-pressure press with the housing shell raised;

5A shows a vertical section through a high-pressure press in a filling position;

5B shows a vertical section through a high-pressure press with a lowered

Die before pressing;

Fig. 5C is a vertical section through a high pressure press during the

Pressing process;

5C shows a vertical section through a high-pressure press in the transport position;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a storage container; Fig. 7 is a side view of a loading device;

Fig. 8A a pre-press when the pre-compression piston and

8B shows a pre-press with the pre-compression pistons moved together.

FIG. 1 shows the modular structure of a compression device according to the invention for containers containing radioactive material. A multiplicity of containers 5 containing radioactive material are stored in a storage container 2 of modular design. The storage container 2 can be loaded with the containers 5 via a plurality of inlet openings 20 and unloaded through a plurality of outlet openings 21.

At one of the outlet openings 21 there is a pre-press of modular design

4 arranged, in which the containers 5 can be ejected from the storage container via a roller conveyor 22. From the side of the pre-press 4 opposite the roller conveyor 22, a gripper device 10 of the high-pressure press 1 can reach into the pre-press 4, remove a pre-compressed container 5 and feed it to the high-pressure press 1. The container 5 'pressed by the high-pressure press is then removed from the high-pressure press by the gripper device 10 and placed on a roller conveyor 30 of the loading unit 3. A lifting and transport device 31 then removes the pressed container and loads it into a storage vessel.

The modular structure of the compacting device shown in FIG. 1 with the modules set up next to each other allows a linear and short path for the containers to be pressed from the storage container 2 to the storage vessel positioned in the area of the loading unit 3.

In Figure 2, the modular high-pressure press is shown in vertical section. In a base plate 11 there are two vertical guide supports 14, 14 ' attached, which serve to support the pressing force. At the upper end of the guide supports 14, 14 'a yoke 15 is fastened, which receives a first piston-cylinder unit 16 and a second piston-cylinder unit 17. Between the yoke 15 and the base plate 11 are a die 12 adjacent to the base plate 11 and a stamp 13 adjacent to the yoke 15 on the die

Guide supports 14, 14 'are vertically movable independently of one another. A preferably bellows-like, essentially cylindrical shielding 1 8 is arranged between the die 1 2 and the punch 1 3

In the illustration in FIG. 2, the die 1 2 is lowered into a lower position in which its central section comes to rest on the base plate 11. The central portion 120 of the die 12 is designed in the form of a vertical cylinder which serves to hold the container 5 to be pressed and into which a pressure stamp portion 1 30 of the stamp 1 3 can be inserted like a piston.

The yoke 15 fastened at the upper end of the guide supports 14, 14 'engages around the guide supports 14, 14' with a flange-like arm section 15 1, 1 52. The dome-shaped middle section 115 5 extends between the flange-like arm sections 115, 152 of the yoke 1 5, the upper end of which projects beyond the height of the guide supports 14, 14 '.

A blind hole-like cylinder bore 1 53, which is open toward the punch 13, is provided within the dome-like central section 1 50 of the yoke 15. In this blind hole-like cylinder bore 1 53, a piston 1 60 of a first piston-cylinder unit 16 is accommodated in a vertically displaceable manner. The piston 1 60 bears with its lower end face 1 61 facing the punch 1 3 against the upper end face of the punch 1 3 and is connected to it, preferably screwed. This separate design of the piston 1 60 and the plunger 1 3 has the advantage that only contamination of the plunger 5 caused by the escape of radioactive material from the container 5 to be pressed

13 detects and that the piston 1 60 is protected against such contamination. The piston 1 60 has an open, blind hole-like cylinder bore 1 63 centrally upward, that is to say away from the punch 13. A piston 1 70 can be moved in the cylinder bore 1 63 relative to the piston 1 60 in the axial direction of the first piston-cylinder unit 16, the first piston-cylinder unit 16 and the second piston-cylinder unit 17 being arranged coaxially. The piston 170 is rigidly connected to the central section 150 of the yoke 15 via a piston rod 171 and is supported in the vertical direction in this central section 15.

Working fluid can be introduced into the space between the lower end face 1 72 of the piston 1 70 and the piston 1 60 facing away from the central section 150, for example through a fluid line running in the piston rod 1 71. Likewise, working fluid can be introduced into the space between the upper end face 1 62 of the piston 60 facing the middle section 1 50 of the yoke 15 and the yoke 15. The operation of the two piston-cylinder units 1 6, 1 7 will be described later.

In the area of the flange-like arm sections 1 51, 1 52, the yoke 1 5 is fastened to the guide supports 14, 1 5 in the following manner, only the fastening in the area of the arm section 1 51 being described, since the fastening in the area of the arm section 1 52 is designed analog.

The flange-like arm section 1 51 is penetrated by a vertical bore 1 54, the bore diameter of which essentially corresponds to the outer diameter of the guide support 14, so that the yoke 15 can be moved up and down on the guide support 14. In its upper region, ie facing away from the base plate 11, the bore 1 54 forms a section 1 54 ′ with an enlarged diameter, the transition between the bore 1 54 and its enlarged section 154 ′ forming an annular stop 1 54 ″.

The guide support 14 is in the region of its upper end with a circumferential groove

140, into which a support ring 141, preferably consisting of two half-shells, can be inserted. The outer diameter of the support ring 141 is there Larger than the outer diameter of the guide support 14 and corresponds essentially to the inner diameter of the enlarged section 1 54 'of the bore 154. A cover 142 is placed on the upper free end of the guide support 14 and penetrates into the interspace with a lower axial ring flange 142' between the flange-like arm section 1 51 of the yoke 1 5 and the outer circumference of the guide support 14, that is to say in the enlarged section 1 54 'of the bore 1 54, and is centered in this way. A ring flange 142 ″ protruding radially beyond the axial ring flange 142 ′ is firmly connected to the flange-like arm section 15 by means of screws 143.

In this way, the yoke between the support ring 141, on which it rests with the stop 1 54 "of the bore 1 54, and the cover 142, which is supported on the upper free end face 144 of the guide support 14, on the guide support 14 The cover 142 supports the inherent weight of the yoke 15, while the support ring 141 supports the yoke 15

Pressing forces are supported on the guide support.

3 shows the top view of the high-pressure press 1, it being possible to see that the high-pressure press with its connecting line between the centers of the two guide supports 14, 14 'at an angle a of preferably approximately 45 ° to the one running past it Transport direction Z for the containers 5 to be processed is arranged. This ensures that the width of the module for the high-pressure press 1 is minimized, so that the transport route for the containers 5 to be pressed and thus their transport time is also minimized. This is particularly true from the point of view of

Reduction of radiation exposure when processing radioactive material is advantageous. At the same time, this angular order permits problem-free entry of a gripper device 10 described below into the press chamber of the high-pressure press 1.

FIG. 3 also shows a gripping device 10 assigned to the high-pressure press 1 and attached in the high-pressure press module, which is arranged around a The vertical axis can be pivoted parallel to the axis X of the high-pressure press. The gripper device 10 is equipped in a known manner with gripper fingers 100, 101 and is designed such that it can hold containers 5 to be pressed from the input side A of the high-pressure press module and insert them into the press space below the plunger 13 of the high-pressure press and after that

Remove the pressing process from there again and place it on the output side B of the high-pressure press module on the roller conveyor 30.

In Fig. 3, two auxiliary devices 1 9, 19 'can be seen, which are arranged vertically, are supported with a lower end preferably on the yoke 15 or on the base plate 11 and are attached to the die 12 with an upper end . The auxiliary devices 1 9, 1 9 'can be driven in such a way that they can expand in the vertical direction, that is to say in the pressing direction, in order to be able to move the die 1 2 from its lowest position into its upper position shown in FIG. 5A. At the same time, the auxiliary devices 19, 19 'are used to support the yoke 15, which is not fastened to the guide supports 14, 14' in a transport position, and to move up and down between its working position shown in FIG. 2 and a transport position moved downward, such as will be explained below.

FIG. 4 shows the module of the high-pressure press 1 in a side view, a vertically displaceable, cover-like housing jacket 110 being shown in its upwardly moved position on the base plate. Provided within the housing shell is a storage tank 11 for working fluid, which is connected to the high-pressure press 1 via connecting hoses (not shown). Modular elements can be provided on the inside of the housing shell 1 10 as a shield against radioactive radiation, which elements can remain variable as radiation protection after moving the housing shell 1 10 away.

5A, 5B, 5C and 5D show the high-pressure press 1 in four different operating states. 5A shows a loading position of the high Printing press 1, FIG. 5B shows the position of the high-pressure press 1 shortly before the start of the pressing process, FIG. 5C shows the high-pressure press 1 during the pressing process with essentially maximum compression, and FIG. 5D shows the transport position when the high-pressure press is folded. The operation of the high-pressure press is described below with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5D.

5A, the high-pressure press 1 is shown in its loading position, in which both the first piston-cylinder unit 16 and the second piston-cylinder unit 17 are completely contracted, i.e. the respective pistons are completely in the associated cylinder. The punch 13 is held in its upper position by the upper cylinder space 1 73 of the further piston-cylinder unit 17, which is located above the piston 1 70. The die 1 2 has been moved into an upper position by means of its associated auxiliary devices 19, 19 ′, in which it rests on the punch 13, the pressure punch section 130 in the cylinder bore 1 21 in the central section 1 20 of the

Die 1 2 penetrates. In this way, the space between the die 1 2 and the base plate 11 is freely accessible, so that the gripping device 10 can place a container 5 to be pressed on the base plate below the pressure stamp section 130.

In FIG. 5B, the die 12 has been lowered by means of the auxiliary devices 19, 19 ′ and lies with its lower end on the base plate 11, whereby it surrounds the container 5 to be pressed. The stamp 13 is, however, still in its upper position. In this constellation, the bellows-like shield 18 between the die 1 2 and the punch 13 is pulled apart.

Working fluid is first introduced into the lower cylinder space 174 below the piston 1 70 of the second piston-cylinder unit 17, the piston 1 60 of the first piston-cylinder unit 16 moving downward relatively quickly because of the working cross section the first piston-cylinder unit 1 7 is relatively small compared to the first piston-cylinder unit 1 6. As a result of this displacement of the piston 160 of the first piston-cylinder unit 16, the plunger 13 is simultaneously moved downwards, the pressure plunger section 130 penetrating into the cylinder bore 1 21 in the central section 1 20 of the die 1 2. The downward movement of the piston 1 60 leads to the fact that above the upper end face 1 62 of the piston 1 60 and the central section 1 50 of the yoke

1 5 a steadily increasing cylinder space is created, which creates a negative pressure in a working fluid supply connected to it, whereby working fluid is sucked from the storage tank 1 1 1 into this cylinder space. This working fluid transport is supported by the gravity of the working fluid, since the storage tank 1 1 1 is located higher than the upper middle section 1 50 of the yoke

1 5.

As soon as the pressure stamp section 1 30 comes into contact with the container 5 to be pressed, the back pressure increases and the pressure force applied by the second piston-cylinder unit 1 7 is no longer sufficient to achieve this

Compress container 5 further. At this moment, the working fluid that has been sucked into the cylinder space of the first piston-cylinder unit 1 6 between the piston 1 60 and the central section 1 50 of the yoke 1 5 is pressurized and further working fluid is introduced under pressure, which causes the pressure to be applied to the active surface the second piston-cylinder unit 1 7 has a substantially larger effective area of the first piston-cylinder unit 1 6 and continues the pressing process at a substantially higher force until the state of maximum compression of the container 5 shown in FIG. 5C is reached .

The plunger 13 is then raised by the hydraulic force of the working fluid introduced into the upper cylinder space 1 73.

5D shows the collapsed position of the high pressure press 1. In order to achieve this state, first in a position which corresponds to that shown in FIG. 5A, if the die 1 2 via its auxiliary devices 1 9,

19 'is supported on the base plate 1 1, or in a position which corresponds to that shown in FIG. 5B, if the die 1 2 has its auxiliary devices 1 9, 19 'is supported on the yoke 15, the respective cover 142 of the guide supports 14, 14' is released by removing the screws 143. Then the covers 142 are removed from the associated guide support and the yoke 15 is lowered together with the punch 13 and possibly the die 12 by moving them downward by means of the auxiliary devices 19, 19 '. Due to its own weight, the yoke 15 follows the downward movement of the punch 13 or can be moved down and thus upwards via the auxiliary devices 19, 19 '. The respective support rings 141 can then be removed if they are formed in several parts. In addition, the high pressure press can be locked for transport in its transport position shown in FIG. 5D. The housing jacket 110 is then lowered and the high-pressure press 1 is closed. In this way, the high-pressure press is folded into a compact unit for transport, which is relatively easy to transport due to the reduced overall height due to the folding.

The storage container 2 is shown in FIG. 6. As has already been described in detail, the storage container 2 has a housing shielding against radioactive radiation, which has at least one closable inlet opening 20 and at least one closable outlet opening 21. In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, four closable inlet openings 20 and two closable outlet openings 21 are provided. The inlet openings and outlet openings can also be closed in a radiation-shielding manner. Roller tracks 22 each lead to the openings or away from the openings. In the interior of the storage container, conveying devices such as, for example, chain conveyors or roller conveyors ^p n are provided in parallel in the longitudinal direction next to one another. Furthermore, there is at least one transverse conveyor device 24 which works transversely to the longitudinal conveyors 23, 23 ', 23 ". In this way, the storage container 2 can be loaded with containers 5 through any opening, and it can be moved around the storage container by moving it back and forth The containers use the conveyors to fill all conceivable positions with a container 5. Likewise, due to the longitudinal and transverse conveying which within the storage container 2 a rapid and uninterrupted unloading of the containers 5 and thus a continuous supply of these containers to the high-pressure press are carried out.

In Fig. 7, a loading unit 3 is shown in a front view. One as

Cantilevered guide rail 33 is pivotally attached to a side part of the module of the high-pressure press and can be swiveled towards or into the module for transport. A lifting and transporting device 31 is arranged to be movable along the running rail and hangs from it. The lifting and transport device 31 has an essentially ring-shaped gripper element 34 which can consist of two half-cylindrical half-shells which can be moved together or apart in the radial direction by means of a drive element 35. In this way, the two half-shells can grip a compressed container 5 'and let it go again, it being laterally enclosed by the half-shells in the gripped state, so that the half-shells can serve as a type of radiation protection.

The ring-shaped and essentially cylindrical gripper element 34 is arranged within an upper ring-shaped and cylindrical shielding jacket 36 and can be moved vertically in it. The shielding jacket 36 is essentially non-pivotable - that is. does not oscillate during operation - connected to a trolley 37 running on the running rail 33. As a result, pendulum movements of the gripper element 34 are suppressed when the lifting and transport device 31 is moved and also when the gripper element 34 is raised and set down, so that compressed containers 5 'can be picked up very quickly by the gripper element without the lifting and transport device swinging out one would have to wait, as is the case with conventional cranes. This also significantly shortens the total operating time so that the exposure of radioactive materials outside of protected areas is minimized. By means of the lifting and transport device designed in this way, the compressed containers 5 ' are placed in a storage vessel, it being possible for a plurality of pressed containers 5 'to be inserted into a storage vessel which is the same size as an unpressed container 5.

8 A and 8 B show a pre-press 4 which has two guide bodies 40, 42 lying opposite one another. Preforming pistons 41, 43 which can be moved relative to one another are arranged within the guide bodies 40, 42 so as to be displaceable in the horizontal direction. The pre-compression pistons 41, 43 are driven by piston-cylinder units 46, 47. The pre-compression pistons 41, 43 are each with a groove-like on their respective facing pressing surfaces

Mold cavity 44, 45 provided. The respective groove-like mold cavity 44, 45 has a parabolic cross-section, the longitudinal extent of the mold cavities 44, 45 being essentially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the two pre-compression molding pistons and preferably in the compression direction of the high-pressure press 1, that is to say vertically in the present case. The parabolic cross section of the

Mold cavities 44, 45 are dimensioned such that the clear width between the mold cavities in the area of the press axis Y of the pre-press, that is to say measured in the direction of travel, is less than the width of each mold cavity 44, 45 in the area of its opening when the pre-compression mold pistons have moved apart. This width is denoted by b in FIG. 8 A, while said clear width is denoted by a in FIG. 8 B. This shape of the parabolic mold cavities ensures that a container 5, the diameter of which is approximately b in the initial state, is compressed to a smaller diameter a, so that the container, which is later also pressed in the vertical direction, is pressed as an compact 5 'into an empty container 5 can be inserted. In order to achieve this, the respective pre-compression pistons 41, 43 engage in their maximally approached position, which is shown in FIG. 8B, at their opposite ends, in order to form a cylindrical space between them which has approximately the diameter a has, as can be seen in Fig. 8B. In order to avoid a change in the length of the pre-pressed containers, they are supported in the lid and base area during the pre-pressing. Between the guide bodies 40 and 42 of the pre-press 4, an intermediate space is formed, to which the roller conveyor 22, which comes from the storage container and which can engage from the other side, can be engaged by the gripping device 10, in order to remove a pre-pressed container 5 .

Although a compression device has been described in the above description, the high-pressure press of which acts in the vertical direction, it is also conceivable that the overall device is constructed in such a way that the high-pressure press can be moved in the horizontal direction, the axis X then running horizontally. In such an embodiment, the die 1 2 can be provided with a radial opening in its central section 1 20 through which individual objects to be pressed can also be filled into the press. This opening can then be closed for the pressing process. For this purpose, the connecting line of the central axes of the two guide supports is preferably at an angle of preferably 45 ° to the horizontal.

Modules 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the compression device are preferably provided with wheels that can be rolled on rails.

Reference list

1 high pressure press

2 storage containers

3 loading unit

4 pre-press

5 containers

5 'pressed container

10 gripper device

1 1 base plate

12 die

13 stamps

14 guide support

14 'guide post

1 5 yoke

1 6 first piston-cylinder unit

17 second piston-cylinder unit

18 shielding

19 auxiliary device

19 'auxiliary device

20 entrance opening

21 exit opening

22 roller conveyor

23, 23 ', 23 "longitudinal conveyor

24 cross conveyor

30 roller conveyor

31 Lifting and transport device

32 additional roller conveyors 33 running track

34 gripper element

35 drive element

36 shielding jacket

37 trolley

40 cylinders

41 prepress piston

42 cylinders

43 prepress piston

44 mold cavity

45 mold cavity

46 piston-cylinder unit

47 piston-cylinder unit

1 10 housing jacket

1 1 1 storage tank

120 middle section

1 21 cylinder bore

130 stamp section

140 circumferential groove

141 support ring

142 lid

142 'axial lower ring flange

142 "radial ring flange

143 screws

144 upper face

1 50 middle section

1 51 flange-like arm section

1 52 flange-like arm section

153 cylinder bore

1 54 hole

1 54 'expanded section

1 54 "stop 160 pistons

161 lower face

162 upper face

163 cylinder bore

170 pistons

171 piston rod

172 lower face

173 upper cylinder chamber

174 lower cylinder space

Claims

Expectations

1 . Compression device for containers (5) containing radioactive material, with a shielded storage container (2) for the containers (5), a high-pressure press (1) and - a loading unit (3) for loading compressed containers

(5 ') in storage vessels, at least the high-pressure press (1) being designed as a mobile, collapsible unit.

2. Compression device according to claim 1, wherein a pre-press (4) is provided between the storage container (2) and the high-pressure press (1), which pre-compresses the containers (5) in pressing directions transverse to the pressing direction of the high-pressure press (1).

3. High-pressure press (1), in particular for use in a compression device according to claim 1 or 2, with a die (1 2) for receiving an object (5) to be pressed, - one from a standby position in the die (1 2) in one

Press position retractable punch (1 3) and a die (1 2) force-acting cylinder (1 60) one Piston-cylinder unit (1 6), the cylinder (1 53) being formed in a yoke (1 5) which can be moved between a working position and a transport position, in the working position on guide supports (14, 14 ') is fixed and in the transport position together with the piston accommodated in the cylinder (1 53)

(1 60) rests on the punch (13) inserted into the die (1 2).

4. High-pressure press (1) according to claim 3, wherein auxiliary devices (19, 19 ') are provided which are designed to move the die (1 2) from an operating position back into a loading position and wherein the auxiliary devices (1 9, 19 ') Form drive units for the yoke (1 5) to move this between the transport position and the working position.

5. High-pressure press (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein within the piston-cylinder unit (1 6) at least one further piston-cylinder unit (17) is provided, the cylinder (1 63) inside the piston ( 160) of the first piston-cylinder unit (1 6) and the piston (170) of which is supported in the yoke (1 5), the longitudinal axis of the further piston-cylinder unit (1 7) being parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) the first piston-cylinder unit (1 6) runs or coincides with this.

6. High-pressure press according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein a housing jacket (1 10) movable along guide devices is provided, which in its retracted position the high-pressure press (1) under

With the aid of a base plate (1 1), it is closed in a substantially radiation-tight manner and, in its extended position, allows the high-pressure press (1) to be loaded and operated.

7. High-pressure press according to claim 6, wherein within the housing shell

(1 10) storage and supply devices (1 10), in particular for the piston-cylinder unit (s) pressurizing working fluid, provided hen are.

8. High-pressure press according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a gripper device (10) for supplying and removing objects to be pressed (5) into or out of the high-pressure press (1) is provided.

9. High-pressure press according to one of claims 3 to 8, wherein a preferential bellows-shaped shield (1 8) between the Matrit¬ ze (1 2) and the punch (1 3) is provided.

10. Storage container (2), in particular for use in a compression device according to claim 1 or 2, with a housing shielded against radioactive radiation, in the interior of which transport devices (23, 23 ', 23 ", 24) containing radioactive material Containers (5) are provided which are designed to transport these containers from at least one closable entrance opening (20) to at least one closable exit opening (21).

1 1. Loading unit (2), in particular for use in a compaction device according to claim 1 or 2, with a lifting and transport device (31) which has at least one gripper element (34) which is in an essentially tubular shielding jacket (36) is guided vertically, which is essentially non-pendulum connected to the lifting and transporting device (31), and wherein the gripper element (34) can be inserted into a storage vessel for depositing the pressed container (5 ').

1 2. loading unit (2) according to claim 1 1, wherein the gripper element (34) is annular and is designed to encompass at least one pressed container (5 ') like a jacket, the annular shielding jacket (36) above and coaxial to the ring-shaped gripper element

(34) is provided.

13. pre-press (4), in particular for use in a compression device according to claim 1 or 2, with two opposite guide bodies (40, 42) for mutually movable pre-compression molding pistons (41, 43), each on its pressing surface with a groove-like mold cavity (44, 45) of parabolic

Cross-section are provided, the longitudinal extent of which extends essentially at right angles to the direction of travel of the two compression molding pistons (41, 43), the clear width between the molding cavities (44, 45), measured in the direction of travel, when the compression molding pistons (41, 43) are moved together, is less than the width of each mold cavity

(44, 45) in the region of their opening when the pre-compression pistons (41, 43) have moved apart.

14. Prepress according to claim 1 3, wherein the cylinders are spaced from each other so far that prepressed objects can pass through the prepress (4) in the transfer mode transversely to the direction of travel of the prepress piston (41, 43).