JPH0371080B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Description This invention relates to a container unit for treating and storing radioactive waste.

A disadvantage of current container units is that they require a significant number of remotely controlled material handling procedures to place radioactive waste into unattended storage or concentration facilities, making it dangerous in terms of excessive radiation exposure. It is.

Another drawback is that such a procedure requires very large space requirements.

One objective of the present invention is to significantly reduce remote controlled material handling processes, thereby increasing personnel safety in terms of radiation exposure.
and to overcome the above drawbacks by optimizing storage space requirements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from consideration of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a six-pack container unit embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of socket 5.

Referring in more detail to the drawings, the multi-container unit of the invention is a rectangular metal container 1 with integral lifting and alignment means dimensioned to accommodate a plurality of individual drums 2. .

As an example, a "six pack" container is shown, but it should be understood that the invention is applicable to other numbers, such as 4, 8, or 12, etc. The maximum external dimensions of a "six-pack" container unit, based on drum size, are preferably as follows:

Length - approx. 208.28cm (approx. 6'10''); Width - 134.6 2
cm (4′5″); and height – approx. 124.46 cm (approx. 4′1″).
The nominal design load capacity of the container unit is approx.
2727.27Kg (approximately 6.000lbs) and each container is capable of supporting up to 9 loads placed on top of it.

Sufficient ground clearance between the lowermost support member of the container and the support surface 3 is provided for access to forklift trucks or other pallet material handling equipment. The above matching means includes 4
It may be of any suitable construction, such as a stiffener pole socket joint 4 disposed on top of two external upright support members.

The matching means are designed such that they provide matching and function as a lifting point for container handling.

Lower alignment means, such as spherical sockets 5, are arranged at the bases of the four external upright support members and provide automatic, passive guidance and alignment with the upper alignment means (i.e. without visual contact with the container interface). ) and are designed to provide support for containers.

The container unit may be constructed from any combination of the following structural sections (excluding alignment or guiding devices): That is, the corner and bottom supports are preferably structural steel tubing, angles, beams,
Consists of channels, cylinders or bars.

The intermediate support preferably consists of steel plate, steel wire or any of those used for corner supports. The sides and base are constructed from sheet steel, corrugated steel or steel wire fabric.

The material used in construction is preferably carbonated steel or alloy steel of sufficient strength to support all anticipated loads.

The multi-container unit is preferably of welded construction with an overall dimensional tolerance of 1/4 inch in any direction when measured with the container empty and fully loaded.

It is preferably 4.45°C to 40°C (40−104F), 100
Features a factory-assembled finish suitable for exposure in environments with humidity up to %.

The multi-container unit can be sized to accommodate drums or cylindrical containers having other dimensions (larger or smaller), or rectangular metal or wooden boxes. A drum stabilizing member 6 is provided to prevent the drum from wobbling or sliding when the unit is partially filled.
They are preferably hollow.

The sides of the container unit may be modified to allow horizontal loading by remote equipment.

The external guide means 7, together with the inner liner 7a, upper and lower cam-like guides 7b sliding on flanges 8 fixed to the stationary vertical wall, facilitate remote stacking of the units and increase the overall stacking stability. may be provided in the container unit.

This results in greater stacking stability due to the vertical walls when a plurality of containers are stacked vertically.

Thus, the multi-container unit of the present invention provides a container unit for radioactive waste that minimizes remote controlled material handling procedures for placing radioactive waste in unattended storage or concentration facilities, and provides increased personnel stability in terms of radiation exposure. It will be appreciated that the storage space requirements can be optimized.

Although I have illustrated and described a single embodiment of my invention, it is for purposes of illustration only and my invention contemplates various changes and modifications within the scope of the following claims. It will be understood that

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An apparatus for handling and storing radioactive waste, comprising: a rectangular metal container 1 with an open top for accommodating a plurality of drums 2; and a substantially square metal container in cross section. Therefore, a plurality of drum stabilizing members 6 in the shape of hollow metal columns are rigidly mounted on the bottom of the container 1 and extend upward to about half the height of the container 1. and extend along the longitudinal axis of the container 1 in the vicinity of each drum 2 while being spaced apart from each other, thereby preventing the drum 2 from wobbling or slipping. a drum stabilizing member 6, which is provided at the four corners of the container 1 and has a ball-socket joint shape extending upward and downward, respectively, to facilitate stacking; , a pair of guide means 7 extending horizontally outward from two adjacent corners of the container 1, each of the guide means 7 having upper and lower cams vertically aligned with each other; These cam-shaped guide parts come into contact with one surface of an L-shaped flange 8 provided on the stationary wall, and each of the guide means 7 has a Furthermore, a cam-shaped inner liner 7 is adapted to contact the other surface of the L-shaped flange 8.
a, and said L
A radioactive waste multiple container unit comprising: guiding means 7 cooperating with a letter-shaped flange 8 to facilitate stacking by means of lateral stationary wall support; 2. The alignment means 4 comprises four hollow columns provided at the four corners of the container 1, and each of the ball-socket joint shapes corresponds to each of the hollow columns at the four corners of the container 1. a horizontal web welded therein, the ball-socket joints each being rigidly fixed in the center of the web, and each of the ball-socket joint shapes extending outwardly. The hollow column has an expanding truncated conical shape and has a shoulder in the middle of the truncated conical shape, and this shoulder fits closely into the bottom of the hollow column. A radioactive waste multiple container unit as described in Scope 1.