FR2660217A1 - METHOD FOR STORING FUTS IN DRILLING HOLES AND DEVICE FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for storing drums in boreholes and to a device for its implementation. According to this method for storing drums (17) in a stacked manner in a borehole by means of a device (1) for gripping the drums, with introduction of a bulk material (19) between the storage operations of two drums, a predetermined amount of the bulk material (19,39) is introduced together with the drum into the borehole first and dropped into the borehole while the barrel (17) is still suspended from the drum gripping device (1). Application in particular to the underground storage of radioactive waste.

Description

Method for storing drums in drill holes and device for

  The invention relates to a method for storing, in a superposed manner, drums in drill holes, and according to which drums are successively deposited in the borehole by means of a drum gripping device. and introducing a material in bulk between the drum storage operations, and a device for carrying out the method. It is known to introduce in particular hexothermic radioactive waste into tanks, to form

  closed barrels, and stack them in an overlay to

  In the case of barrel columns, this is carried out in unplugged boreholes, which extend for example from salt domes (see German patent 27 54 269). The boreholes then have a diameter only slightly greater than the barrels themselves. same. In order that the appearing stacking forces, which increase with each stored drum, do not take an inadmissible high value, provision is made for them to be supported at least partially by the wall of the borehole. One of these provisions consists in fill the annular space present between the respectively installed barrel last and a bulk material, preferably salt or sand, and also cover the upper face of the barrel with the filling material (see the German patent application published under N 034 38 127, the German patent

  34 29 625) Because of the filling thus obtained of cavities

  tees, it is expected to obtain a stacking clear height

  almost infinite drums in the drill holes.

  The proposals known until then for

  the introduction of the filling material consists of

  first, the respective drum in the borehole, then to introduce in the latter the filling material after removal of the barrel gripper This process is time consuming and has also proved unreliable given that the drums are frequently positioned obliquely during their deposition or later and that, therefore, only incomplete filling of the annular slot is achieved. Even in the case of a drum deposited so

  rectilinear, one frequently does not obtain a single filling

  Cavity shape Correspondingly, the charge transfer to the wall of the borehole is not sufficient so that in particular the drums stored at the lowest level are subjected to high stresses with the risk that

  containers are damaged and waste is leaking.

  This must be avoided in all cases.

  The aim of the invention is to develop the method of the type indicated above so that a reliable support of the load in the wall of the borehole is guaranteed, for each drum stored. In addition, the object of the invention is to create,

  for carrying out the method, an appropriate device.

  The first part of the goal is reached according to

  to the invention by virtue of the fact that a quantity

  determined bulk material first together with the barrel into the borehole and dropped into the borehole while the barrel is still suspended from the barrel gripper. only when the drum with the bulk material has reached its intended storage depth Preferably, the bulk material is dropped in a uniformly distributed manner on the periphery from the area above the material. annular slot between the wall of the borehole and the drum deposited with the bulk material, in which case the drum is held in a centered position while the bulk material is dropped. Therefore, in accordance with the invention, the bulk material is deposited in a predetermined amount, together with the barrel, and dropped into the borehole before the barrel gripper is released from the drummed drum simultaneously. this way,

  the tilting of the drum is avoided after the release of the

  handling the drums, and therefore a filling

  incomplete cavity formation.

  relatively large to the extent that the material is dropped

  Loose material from an area above the annular slot between the borehole wall and the barrel

  descended together with this material Correspondingly

  dante, the stacking forces are supported in a way

  reliable by the wall of the borehole.

  A device that can be used in particular for setting

  the process described above is characterized in accordance

  to the invention by virtue of the fact that the device for pre-

  drum lifting comprises a tank for the bulk material having outlet openings distributed around the circumference and provided at least in the zone of the outer edge,

  on the lower side of the tank, and / or at least one opening

  annular outlet, provided for in the lower part of the

  reservoir, in the zone of the outer edge, the opening or

  output can be opened and closed respectively

  by means of a remote controlled valve With a device

  handling of the drums arranged in this way, it is possible to

  ash the appropriate amount of material in bulk

  together with a barrel in the borehole and

  fall, at a given moment, preferably when the

  storage melter is reached, in which case the openings

  distributed on the periphery or the annual opening.

  The output wafer ensures uniform distribution of the bulk material in the annular gap between the barrel and the borehole wall. Preferably, the device for gripping the drums consists of a central part and the reservoir

  housing the bulk material, which surrounds with a

  this central part, the outer wall of the tank

  housing the bulk material being adapted, appropriately

  to the diameter of the borehole so that the drum gripping device is guided by means of this outer wall, against the wall of the borehole and the barrel lowered together with the gripping device

  is permanently maintained in centered position.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the tank of the bulk material shrinks downwardly forming an annular channel allowing uniform and complete evacuation of the bulk material. This can be arranged in such a way that the tank

  for the bulk material has external glass walls

  ticals for its guidance on the wall of the borehole and

  that the central part has an enlarged part of pref-

  The central part may be constituted by a central column and by the enlarged part surrounding this central column forming an annular space, a space being provided in the part enlarged to receive energy accumulators, such as batteries or

compressed air tanks.

  As a valve (s) for the outlet opening (s), various embodiments can be used. For example, at least one inflatable sealing pipe can be inserted into the annular channel, which is connected to a source of compressed air. can also provide two concentric sealing pipes, which apply one against

  the other during pressure charging The air source

  awarded is preferably in the form of a reser-

  see under pressure, which can be prestressed, disposed in the drum gripping device and comprises a telecom-

electric control.

  Otherwise, we can plan to carry out the extended part

  of the central part in the form of a

  vertically displaceable pope, which in the position of

  applies to a ring forming a valve seat,

  which protrudes inwards from the outer wall

  Bulk Material Reservoir According to the side of the valve seat ring, against which applies

  the valve plate, it can be raised or lowered

  open an annular slot through which the material

  bulk can then drain down.

  The valve plate can be made under the

  shape of an annular disc surrounding the central part.

  Otherwise, it is proposed to provide the valve plate between a first upper central partial section and a lower central partial section, and to have, in the lower central partial section, the mechanism of the gripping device, which is connected in an active connection to the valve plate so that, when actuating this plate in its open position, the mechanism of the gripping device passes into the uncoupled position. In this embodiment, only one actuating member is necessary for the opening of the bulk material tank and for clearing the mechanism of the

  gripping device, barrel So that these two opera-

  successive stages in time, that is to say that the disengagement of the device for gripping the barrels with respect to the barrel occurs first, when the material in

  bulk is introduced at least partially into the

  between the barrel and the wall of the borehole, the active link should be such that the valve plate

  is connected in an active connection to the mechanism of the

  Only in the first operating section is the gripping device operable and the movement of the valve plate in the first actuating section takes place in advance of actuation of the gripper mechanism. It is further provided that the valve plate can be brought into its open position under the effect of a downward movement and that the actuation of the mechanism of the gripping device is effected against the action of A return spring This can also be designed so that in the lower middle sub section is mounted, as part of the mechanism of the gripping device, a pusher which extends towards the plateau

  valve and is loaded by a spring, in which case the

  evening has a guide contour, against which pawls of the gripping device apply, the

  guiding contour being arranged in such a way that the

  quets of the gripping device can be moved, during the vertical movement of the pusher, between their two end positions.

  The valve plate can be electrically operated

  only by means of a linear or pneumatic drive device. In the latter case, a reservoir

  pre-stressed pressure and having a remote control

  electrical control is provided in the preheater device.

drums.

  Other features and advantages of the pre-

  invention will emerge from the description given below.

  after reference with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a drum gripper and a tank for the bulk material; and

  FIG. 2 represents another form of embodiment

  of a drum gripping device comprising a

  tank housing the material in bulk.

  The drum gripping device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a central cylindrical column 2, which encloses an equally cylindrical cavity 3. At the center of this cavity 3 is a pneumatic jack 4, which is

  surrounded by a torus-shaped pressure vessel 5.

  The column 2 of the gripping device has, at its lower end, a cylindrical recess 6 opening downwards and in which three pawls 7, 8 of the gripping device are mounted so as to be able to

  rotate around horizontal axes 9,10 In the representation

  only two ratchets 7,8 of the gripping device

  Each ratchet 7.8 has two pebbles of

  11,12 or 13,14, among which first guide rollers 11,13 are mounted above the horizontal axis considered 9,10, while the other guide rollers are

  below this tax, on the ratchets 7,8 of the

grasping device.

  The guide rollers 11, 12, 13, 14 are applied against a pusher 15, which is connected to the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 4 and which is mounted so as to be vertically displaceable in the column 2 of the gripping device. bottom end penetrates the recess 6 and is thickened with a swollen shape such that a vertical displacement of the pusher 15 produces a pivotal movement, forcibly controlled, ratchets 7,8 of the

gripping device.

  In the position shown, the ratchets 7,8 of

  gripping device enclose a chamber-shaped head

  pinion 16, shown in phantom, which is part of a container 17 also represented by a dashed line In this position, the container 17 is held by the device 1 for gripping the drums, by means of the pawls 7, 8 of this device At a lowering of the pusher 15, the pawls 7,8 of the gripping device pivot outwards, which releases the head in the form of

  mushroom 16 and therefore the container 17.

  The column 2 of the gripping device is surrounded by a reservoir 18 housing the bulk material, which is open upwards and is filled by the bulk material 19, for example sand or salt.

  an inner wall 20 which bears against the outer wall

  column 2 of the gripping device, and by

  an outer wall 21 which is connected to the inner wall

  20 by means of bars not shown here in detail Similarly, the outer wall 21 is cylindrical. The inner wall 20 has, at its lower end, a collar 22 which protrudes outwardly and rests on a shoulder 23 which protrudes outwardly from

  from the lower end of column 2 of the

  and is connected to this spot at this point.

  above the collar 22, the inner wall 20 pos-

  a truncated cone-shaped coating 24, which continuously shrinks the internal space of the reservoir 18 housing the bulk material, to form an annular channel below the coating 24, thereby obtaining an annular cavity 26, which suitable for housing elements

control or the like.

  In the circumferential face of the flange 22 is formed a circumferential groove, into which a sealing pipe 27 is inserted. The sealing pipe 27 has a configuration such that it is applied under the effect of a load of pressure, against the opposite outer wall 21 and therefore sealing the annular channel

  The width of the annular channel 25 is

  in such a way that this channel is located outside the

around the container 17.

  The illustrated device 1 for gripping drums

  In this case, it is intended to carry out the storage of

  17, which contain radioactive waste

  therefore, the device 1 for gripping the barrels is dis-

  placed in the shielding container 18 and is suspended in the wall 29 constituting the ceiling of this container The walls

  30,31 extend-which is no longer shown here-

  to below the bottom of the container 17 and thereby carries a shield of this container The shielding vessel 28 is closed downwardly by a pusher constituting a bottom not shown here, which can be pulled out laterally With this combination of a device 1 for gripping drums and the shielding container 28, it is possible to implement a

  storage operation as indicated below.

  At the location where the container 17 has been filled with the radioactive material, the shielding container 28 equipped with the device 1 for gripping drums, suspended in this container, is deposited on a device forming a lock arranged correspondingly This device forming a lock has an airlift drawer required for operation and laterally movable, and a pocket-shaped recess arranged to receive the bottom drawer of the shielding container 28 and which is located inside the shield. The device forming sas owns devices

  coupling, by means of which the lock chamber is accom-

  placed in the bottom drawer of the shielding container 28, so

  that the drive of the airlock drawer also guarantees

  the movement of the bottom drawer.

  The pawls 7,8 of the gripping device are first pivoted outwards After introduction of the mushroom-shaped head 16 in the region of the pawls 7,8 of the gripping device, the latter are brought into

  the grasping position represented by lifting the push

  evening 15 Then push back the bottom plate below the

  container 17 and therefore the container of

  The shielding vessel 28 is constituted in particular in the zone occupied by the container 17 by a material which, to a large extent, is impermeable to radioactive radiation. The transport then takes place to the location where the container 17 must be stored, for example up to one

  Here, the shielding vessel 28 is placed

  above a previously dug hole, which is equipped with a lock device At the upper end, accessible from the outside, the device 1 for gripping the drums, a gripping system with coupling, not shown, is installed. here in detail and that is again hanging from a charging cable The storage operation

  begins with the removal of the airlock drawer and

  the bottom drawer of the shielding container 28 and after releasing the lock between the ceiling wall 29 of the shielding container 28 and the device 1 for gripping the drums Under the effect of the release of the charging cable, the gripping device 1 drums as well as the container 17 come out of the shielding container 28 down into the borehole The diameter of the outer wall 21 is dimensioned so that this wall is applied with a

  guiding effect against the wall of the borehole.

  The combined assembly formed of the preheating device 1

  Drum and container 17 are then lowered to the intended storage depth, i.e., to the bottom of the borehole, or to a level above a container. already stored Once this depth is reached, it removes the pressure applied to the sealing pipe 27, which releases the annular channel 25 downwards The bulk material 19 flows thereby into the annular slot present between the wall of the borehole and the container 17 and fills this annular slot Part of the

  bulk material 19 also falls into the intercalated space

  the volume 17 of the tank 18 housing the bulk material is dimensioned so that it can have, for this purpose, a quantity of the material that is already stored and still held by the device 1 for gripping the drums

sufficient bulk material 19.

  After filling the present annular slot

  between the container 17 and the wall of the borehole, the connection

  sound between the device 1 for gripping the barrels and the recipe

  The container 17 can then no longer move as it is supported by the bulk material 19 filling the annular slot. The bulk material 19 ensures a transfer of the material.

  load at the wall of the borehole The device 1 for pre-

  the barrels can then be raised again

  borehole and be introduced into the container of

  After locking it to the ceiling wall 29, inserting the bottom drawer of the shielding container 28

  and the lock drawer and uncoupling of the preheater member

  coupling unit, the unit formed from the device 1 of pre-

  of the drums and the shielding container 28 is

  nible for another transport and storage operation.

  Since containers 17 are stored which contain no radioactive waste, we can do without

  to use the shielding container 28 In this case, a

  positive grip 1 of the drums is sufficient for the sto-

  ckage a multiplicity of containers 17 already prepared in advance. The pressure tank 5 serves as an energy accumulator for the actuation of both the pneumatic cylinder 4 and the sealing pipe 27 It is filled with compressed air

  before the introduction of the container 17 The order is made

  by means of electrically controlled valves, the power supply can be achieved for example by means of the

charging cable.

  FIG. 2 represents a device 32 for preheating

  It has a cylindrical column 33 which surrounds a cavity 34, in which is centrally disposed a linear electric drive device 35 having a linear rod 36 which projects

down.

  The outer face of the column 33 of the gripping device is connected, by means of bars not shown here, to an outer wall 37, which has a cylindrical shape and surrounds, together with the column 33 of the gripping device, a reservoir 38, which is filled by the bulk material 39 The outer wall 37 extends downwardly beyond the column 33 of the gripper In the lower part, the outer wall 37

  has a multiplicity of retaining bars 40,41 distributed

  on the periphery and on the inner edges of which

  a lower portion 42 of the preheater

  This lower portion 42 is therefore attached to the column 33 of the gripper via the retaining bars 40, 41, the outer wall 37 and the bars not shown here in detail and is therefore rigidly connected to said column The lower part of the gripping device has cylindrical recesses 43 which open towards the

  and in which - as in the case of the example of real-

  1 of the pawls 44, 45 of the gripping device are mounted so as to be pivotable about horizontal axes 46, 47 The pawls 44, 45 of the gripping device respectively have two guide rollers 48, 49 and 50, 51 -dont respectively one is located above and one below the horizontal axis 46,47 which apply against a swollen-contoured end of a

pusher 52.

  The pusher 52 is mounted so as to be movable

  vertically in the lower part of the

  The upper end facing the

  high spring of the lower part 42 of the pre-tensioning device

  The disc 53 and the upper face of the lower part 42 of the gripping device are clamped in the stressed state to a pressure spring 54 which tends to hold the push-button 52 in a position pushed upwards. In this position, the pawls 54,55 of the gripper are located in the gripping position and surround a mushroom-shaped head 55 of a container 56, which is only partially shown. In the intermediate space between the column 33 and the lower part 42 of the gripping device is a valve plate 57, which is suspended from the linear rod 36 of the linear drive device 35 and is

  vertically movable with this rod In the outer zone

  the valve plate 57 is made with a frustoconical shape and is applied by its lower edge against a bar 58 of the valve stem, which protrudes inwards from the outer wall 37 The bar 58 of the valve seat bears against the retaining bars 40,41 and its inner edges serve as a guide for

the valve plate 57.

  Between the valve plate 57 and the lower part

  42 of the gripping device is provided with a space

  free 59, which allows a lowering of the valve plate 57.

  In addition, a distance is provided between the underside

  of the valve plate 57 and the disk 53 of the pusher 52.

  The device 1 for gripping the drums is here also

  leaning on the inside of a shielding container 60

  and is suspended in this container from the wall forming

  bottom 61 The side walls 62, 63 extend to

  under the container 56 In this place, the container of blin-

  60 is laterally movable by means of a lock device correspondingly arranged.

  not shown here in detail.

  The manipulation of the combined set formed by

  positive gripping 32 of the drums and the shielding container is carried out in the same way as in the case of the embodiment of Figure 1, so that reference will be made to

  the description given in relation to this figure After

  lowering the device 32 for gripping the drums and the container 56, which is suspended therein, in the borehole to the storage depth, the linear drive device 35 is controlled so that the valve plate 57 s first depresses only until its underside is applied to the disk 53 of the pusher 52. As a result, an annular slot presents

  between the valve plate 57 and the stem 58 of the seat of

  pope opens so that the bulk material 39 can penetrate

  in the annular channel 64 and discharge downward from this channel Since the mouth of the annular channel 64 is located outside the periphery of the container 56, the annular slot between the container 56 and the wall of

  borehole is therefore filled as soon as this occurs

  As a result, the linear drive 35 is further controlled, so that the valve plate 57 is lowered in an additional manner. As a result, the pusher 52 is actuated and is also pushed downwardly against the This again leads to ratchets 44, 45 of the device

  grippers rotate outwards and consequently releases

  the mushroom-shaped head 55 and thus the container 56. The device 32 for gripping the drums can then be

  raised again and introduced into the shielding container 60.

  For the linear drive device 35, provision can be made in the cavity 34 for power supply with batteries. The control is then effected by means of a coupled gripping device which

  must be coupled to the device 32 for gripping the drums.

Claims (18)

  1 Method for storing, in a superposed manner, drums in drill holes, and in which drums are successively deposited in the borehole by means of a device for gripping the drums and a material is introduced   in bulk between drum storage operations, characteris-   in that a predetermined quantity of the bulk material (19, 39) is introduced first together with the barrel into the borehole and is dropped into the   the borehole while the barrel (17,56) is still sus-   hanging from the device (1, 32) for gripping the barrels.   Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bulk material (19, 31) is dropped only when the drum (17, 56) deposited together with   the bulk material has reached its pre-storage depth view.   3 Process according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that the loose material (19,39) is dropped uniformly over the periphery from the area above the annular gap between the wall of the borehole and the barrel   (17,56) deposited with the bulk material (19,39).   Process according to one of Claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that the barrel (17, 56) is kept in a centered position while the material is allowed to escape. bulk (19,39).   Device for gripping drums, in particular for   the implementation of the method according to one of the claims   1 to 4, characterized in that the barrel gripping device (1,32) comprises a reservoir (18,38) for the bulk material having distributed outlet apertures   around and at least in the area of the outer edge of the   on the lower side of the tank, and / or at least one annular outlet opening (25, 64) provided at the bottom of the tank, in the zone of the outer edge, the outlet opening or openings (25, 64). can be opened and closed respectively by means of a remote controlled valve (27,57).   Drum handling device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the device   (1.32) for gripping the drum is constituted by a central part   tral (2.33) and a reserve (18.38) for the material in   loose, ring-shaped surrounding this central part trale (2.33).   7 Drum handling device according to one   of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the   tank (18,38) for bulk material shrinks, to   the bottom, so as to form an annular channel (25,64).   Barrel holding device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the reservoir   (18,38) for the bulk material has external walls   vertically (21,37) and that the central portion (2,33) has an enlarged portion (24,57), which extends downwards   to near the outer wall (21,37).   9 Drum handling device according to the   claim 8, characterized in that the extended portion   gie (24,57) has at least one conical shape in its upper part. Drum handling device according to the   claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the part   central (2) is constituted by a central column and by the widened part (24) surrounding this column forming a annular space.   11 Drum handling device according to one   claims 7 to 10, characterized in that   less an inflatable seal pipe (27), which is connected to a source of compressed air (5), is inserted into the channel annular (25).   12 Apparatus for gripping drums according to claim 11, characterized in that the air source   tablet is made in the form of a reservoir under pres-   sion (5) which can be prestressed, which is arranged in the   device (1) for gripping the drums and includes a tele- online order.   13 Drum handling device according to one   of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the   the enlarged part is in the form of a vertically displaceable valve plate (57) which, in the closed position, bears against a valve seat ring (58) which protrudes inwards from the outer wall (37) of the tank (38) for the bulk material. Drum handling device according to Claim 13, characterized in that the valve plate is in the form of a ring disk surrounding the central part.   Drum handling device according to Claim 13, characterized in that the valve plate (57) is provided between an upper middle sectional section and a lower central section section (33, 42), and that in the inner central section section (42) is arranged a mechanism (44, 45, 54) of the   which is connected in an active connection to the   valve (57) and that, when the valve plate is actuated in the open position, the mechanism (44,45,52) of the gripper is in the position uncoupling.   Drum handling device according to Claim 15, characterized in that the active connection is such that the valve plate (57) establishes an active connection with the mechanism (44, 45, 52) of the gripping device, only at the end of a first operating section, and that the displacement of the valve plate (57) in the first actuating section takes place a certain time before the operation of the mechanism (44, 45, 52) of the gripping device.   17 Drum handling device according to one   of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the   valve plate (57) can be brought into its open position by downward movement and actuation of the mechanism (44,45,52) of the gripper is effected against the action of a spring recall (54).   Drum handling device according to Claim 17, characterized in that in the lower central sub-section (42) is mounted as a part of the mechanism of the gripping device a push rod (52) which extends in the direction of of the valve plate (57) and is loaded by a spring.   Drum handling device according to Claim 18, characterized in that the pusher (52) has a guiding contour against which   ratchets (44,45) of the preheating device   the guide contour being arranged in such a way that the pawls (44, 45) of the gripping device can be displaced, during the vertical movement of the pusher (52), between their two end positions.   Container gripping device according to one   any of claims 13 to 19, characterized by 19 2660217   the valve plate (55) is pneumatically actuated electromechanically.   Drum handling device according to Claim 20, characterized in that a pressure vessel, which can be prestressed and comprises an electric remote control, is provided in the device (32) of grasping drums.