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
  • G21F5/12—Closures for containers; Sealing arrangements
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a container for hazardous waste of the type described in the preamble of the first claim.
• the tracking and documentation of information concerning nuclear waste are carried out by manually writing an identifier on the container and manually entering the identifier of the container associated with the waste placed in it, and all the data correlated to them, into a computer system.
• the inscription on the container is subject to rapid deterioration and, therefore, to quickly becoming unreadable, making it almost impossible to recognize the container and, therefore, to identify its content.
• a label be applied to them reproducing the identifier, for example a barcode, that is easy to read from a distance.
• an important purpose of the invention is to obtain a container that is easily identifiable and that, therefore, enables rapid recognition of its content.
• Fig. 1 shows, to scale, a component of the container for hazardous waste according to the invention
• Fig. 3 shows an example of how the container for hazardous waste operates according to the invention.
• the measures, values, shapes and geometric references (such as perpendicularity and parallelism), when used with words like “about” or other similar terms such as “approximately” or “substantially”, are to be understood as except for measurement errors or inaccuracies due to production and/or manufacturing errors and, above all, except for a slight divergence from the value, measure, shape or geometric reference with which it is associated.
• these terms if associated with a value, preferably indicate a divergence of not more than 10% of the value.
• the measurements and data provided in this text are to be considered as performed in ICAO International Standard Atmosphere (ISO 2533), unless otherwise indicated.
• the number 1 globally denotes the container for hazardous waste according to the invention.
• the container 1 defines a longitudinal axis 1a and a storage volume 1 b for waste.
• the storage volume 1 b is hermetic.
• the container 1 is a barrel and the volume 1 b is cylindrical.
• the container 1 comprises a housing 2 (Fig. 1 ) delimiting, and therefore defining, said storage volume 1 b; and a tag 3 identifying the container 1 .
• the tag 3 comprises an identification code for the container 1 suitable for being received by a reader 10 that should be wireless or bluetooth.
• the tag 3 and the reader 10 are suitable for exchanging signals 3a that should be wireless.
• the tag 3 is preferably suitable for sending an identifying signal 3a, comprising the identification code, to the reader 10 in response to an activating signal 3a of the tag 3 sent by the reader 10 to the tag 3.
• the tag 3 can be active and, therefore, equipped with a battery.
• the reader 10 sends an activating signal 3a to the fag 3, supplying the tag 3, which is then activated by sending the identifying signal 3a to the reader 10 in response to the activating signal 3a.
• the fag 3 is a conveniently passive RFID tag.
• the housing 2 defines, for the storage volume 1 b, a lateral surface 2a, an access port 2b to the storage volume 2, and a base 2c defining the bottom of the storage volume 1 b.
• the base 2c is opposite to the port 2b with respect to the storage volume 1 b.
• the port 2b is transverse and, specifically, basically perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 1 a.
• the port 2b is open, enabling access to the volume 1 b.
• the container 1 is preferably cylindrical, e.g. a barrel and, therefore, the housing 2 has a circular port 2b and base 2c and an annular lateral surface 2a. Finally, the housing 2 may have, on the lateral surface 2b, one or more ribs that are parallel to each other to reinforce the housing itself.
• the housing 2 defines a chamber 2d outside the storage volume 1 b and housing the tag 3; and an opening 2e to the chamber 2d towards the outside, i.e. not facing the volume 1 a, suitable for allowing the passage of a signal 3a, which should be wireless, between the reader 10 outside the container 10 and the tag 3 placed in the chamber 2d.
• the opening 2e is suitable for allowing the passage of said activating signal 3a and, conveniently, said identifying signal 3a.
• the closing plate 22 is radio-shielding.
• the housing 2 is entirely radio-shielding.
• the housing 2 is in carbon steel or stainless steel.
• the sheet 21 defines the port 2b.
• the sheet 21 has an edge 21a, opposite to the base 2b and, therefore, close to the port 2c.
• the edge 21 a defines the port 2c.
• the opening 2e has an annular shape with the longitudinal axis 1 a being its axis.
• the tag 3 can be placed in a sector of the chamber 2d and, for example, at the front of the container 1 (identifiable, for example, by means of a sticker or printing on the housing 2). It can, therefore, be read/activated by the reader 10 on the front of the container 1 .
• the tag 3 has an annular shape, its axis being the longitudinal axis 1 a, so as to occupy the entire angular extension of the chamber 2d and, therefore, interface with the reader 10 regardless of the position of the reader 10 with respect to the container 1.
• the housing 2 may define a reflection surface 2f of the signal 3a.
• the reflection surface 2f is suitable for deviating the activating signal 3a along the lateral surface 2a towards the opening 2e and then towards the tag 3 placed in chamber 2d.
• the activating signal 3a engraved on the reflection surface 2f, runs along the lateral surface 2a to the opening 2e, passes through the opening itself and thus reaches the tag 3.
• the reflection surface 2f can be a fold 23 of the lateral surface 2a.
• the reflection surface 2f is fiat.
• the container 1 comprises a cap 4 for closing the housing 2.
• the cap 4 is radio-shielding.
• the cap 4 is suitable for overlapping the port 2b by closing the storage volume 1 b advisably hermetically.
• the cap 4 may partially overlap the chamber 2d, i.e. the above-mentioned curl, leaving the opening 2e in view.
• the operator directs the reader 10 to the container 1 and activates the reader 10.
• the reader 10 sends the activating signal 3a that, by means of the opening 2e, enters the chamber 2d and reaches the tag 3.
• the tag 3 emits the identifying signal 3a of the container 1 that, through the housing 2 or by following the opposite path to that of the activating signal 3a, reaches the reader 10.
• the reader 10 can thus send the identification code to a remote server, allowing the identification code of the container 1 to be stored in a storage database, together with information relating to the radioactive waste placed in the container, such as origin, type, and quantity.
• the container 1 for hazardous waste according to the invention achieves important advantages.
• the container 1 thanks to the innovative arrangement of the tag 3 in the chamber 2d and to the presence of the opening 2e, is equipped with an identifier that is both easy to read at a distance and not subject to rubbing or other deterioration, which prevent the reading of the identifier and, therefore, the identification of container 1.
• the presence and location of the opening 2e and, in particular, the arrangement of the chamber ensure that the materials making up the container 1 do not interfere with wireless transmission, making it possible to identify, even with the reader 10 at a considerable distance.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
• Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=64607184

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2019
  • 2019-09-25 EP EP19790069.9A patent/EP3857570A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2019-09-25 WO PCT/IB2019/058132 patent/WO2020065554A1/en unknown

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