[go: up one dir, main page]

WO1996004659A1 - Conditionnements protecteurs externes pour futs - Google Patents

Conditionnements protecteurs externes pour futs Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1996004659A1
WO1996004659A1 PCT/GB1995/001741 GB9501741W WO9604659A1 WO 1996004659 A1 WO1996004659 A1 WO 1996004659A1 GB 9501741 W GB9501741 W GB 9501741W WO 9604659 A1 WO9604659 A1 WO 9604659A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
drum
overpack
container
packing material
lid
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.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/GB1995/001741
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Michael Joseph Burton
Alex Young
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.)
Sellafield Ltd
Original Assignee
British Nuclear Fuels PLC
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
Application filed by British Nuclear Fuels PLC filed Critical British Nuclear Fuels PLC
Publication of WO1996004659A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996004659A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • G21F5/10—Heat-removal systems, e.g. using circulating fluid or cooling fins
    • 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
    • G21F5/08—Shock-absorbers, e.g. impact buffers for containers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to overpacks for drums for the containment of radioactive material.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to provide an overpack for a drum for the containment of radioactive material, eg a powder such as UO3, so that the drum can be handled and transported safely around the world.
  • radioactive material eg a powder such as UO3
  • Such an overpack, and the drum it contains need to satisfy amongst other things safety standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) , eg relating to Type 'AF' packages for UO3 powder containment and transport.
  • IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
  • an overpack for a drum containing radioactive material comprising a lightweight, porous, insulating packing material having a shape adapted to be fitted all around the drum to be packed thereby, the packing material being contained in an outer container which has folds or swages to provide enhanced radial stiffness or strength.
  • the outer container may be made of steel or other high strength material.
  • a pressure build up of gases inside the said container may occur gradually over a period of time and especially if the package comprising the overpack is subject to an external fire.
  • the container may have plugs fitted therein at the said fold(s) to permit venting to the outside atmosphere of gases inside the container.
  • the plugs may be designed to be blown to provide venting at a given pressure and/or temperature.
  • the packing material may comprise a hollow body of packing material and a lid of packing material.
  • the body and lid may have chamfered mating surfaces so as to minimise loss of insulation at the body/lid interface.
  • the interface may in transverse cross-section extend along a slope, eg at 45°, to the axis of the packing material body.
  • the lower surface and body mating surface of the lid may have frusto-conical shape whilst the lid mating surface of the body provides an upward sloping ring shape.
  • the said lightweight packing material may comprise cork.
  • cork is a lightweight porous material which has excellent impact absorption and insulation properties. Additionally, cork chars when it is in contact with a flame and the charring will prevent the drum and its contents from overheating, eg if the drum and overpack were in an environment exposed to a fire.
  • the overpack according to the present invention allows a drum containing a radioactive material, eg powder, to be transported safely around the world.
  • the overpack affords suitable protection to the drum against drop, fire and heat and also provides a degree of shielding from radiation emitted by the .contents of the drum.
  • the outer container of the overpack may have a ring at its lower end which protects the base and lower part of the container from damage by impact by suspending it from a floor on which the overpack is standing.
  • the ring may comprise a chimb which is formed by folding the edge of the base of the container around the lower edge of the side wall of the container and welding the two together.
  • the overpack according to the present invention may be employed to pack and transport a drum for the sealed storage of radioactive material which has a top portion which comprises a sealable filling neck and a collar provided around the filling neck the collar having an engagement means which allows the drum to be picked up by a lifting means.
  • the said engagement means may be an inward facing rim or lip on the collar, the underside of which rim or lip provides an annular surface against which a lifting means such as a single, multiple or annular h ⁇ ok device can engage to provide a lifting action.
  • the drum has a body inside which material is to be stored and, provided beneath the base of the body, a ring or skirt which provides a cylindrical cavity beneath the body.
  • the cylindrical cavity has a size such that the collar of an identical drum fits closely inside the ring whereby a plurality of identical drums may be stacked one on top of another to minimise the space in drum storage facility, occupied by such drums.
  • the collar may have an upwardly projecting inwardly sloping surface having the said lip or rim forming a curved surface at its upper end to facilitate fitting the ring or skirt of one drum over the collar of another drum so as to provide stacking of such drums.
  • the said ring or skirt is primarily provided for stacking purposes it also provides stiffness and protects the base of the drum against impact damage.
  • the collar of the drum may have one or more holes to facilitate drainage of water, eg rainwater, which might otherwise collect in the annular space between the collar and neck of the drum.
  • water eg rainwater
  • the filling neck of the drum may have a lip or scroll at its upper end which projects outwardly with reference to the axis of the neck.
  • a cap or lid may be fitted over the mouth of the neck by crimping a skirt on the cap onto the lip or scroll.
  • the cap or lid may for example comprise a circular cap having an annular skirt and the cap may in use be compressed onto the lip and the skirt may be crimped onto the underside of the lip or scroll at a number of equispaced regions around the circumference of the skirt.
  • the lid or cap of the drum may have regions of different reflectivity to provide a recognisable target for an optical detection system as described in copending UK Patent Application No. 9415300.4 (equivalent to a PCT Application of even date) by the present Applicants.
  • Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a drum embodying the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a cap suitable for the drum as shown in Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a drum as shown in Figure 1 having another similar drum stacked on top of it.
  • Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a drum as shown in Figure 1 being lifted.
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation of an outerpack for the drum shown in Figure 1.
  • a drum 1 is suitable for the safe containment and transport of UO3 powder which may be a recycled product obtained from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.
  • the drum 1 is of generally cylindrical shape with swages 5, 7 to provide added body strength.
  • the body 3 has a base 9 which is concave as viewed from the outside.
  • a ring shaped skirt 11 projects downwardly from the lower end 10 of the outer surface of the body 3 to provide an upturned basin shaped cavity 13 beneath the base 9.
  • the drum 1 has an annular top 15 from which an annular neck 17 projects upwardly.
  • the neck 17 provides a filling mouth 19 shown in brackets in Figure 1 because it is closed by a cap 29 described below.
  • the neck 17 has at its upper end an outwardly projecting overturned or scrolled lip 21.
  • a collar 23 projects upwardly from the periphery of the top 15.
  • the collar has an inwardly sloping portion 23a which terminates at its upper end in an overturned lip 25.
  • a hole 27 is provided in the collar 23 to allow rainwater collecting in the region inside the collar 23 between the neck 17 and the collar 23 to be drained.
  • the top 15 has ridges 15a, 15b and 15c to add strength. The ridge 15c also facilitates attachment, eg by welding of the collar 23 on the top 15.
  • a cap 29 is employed to seal the filling mouth 19 of the neck 17.
  • the cap 29 is shown before application in Figure 2.
  • the cap 29 comprises a tubular body 31 having a chamfered ring 33 and plate 35 at its lower end.
  • a skirt 37 is formed around the body 31, the skirt 37 being attached to the body 31 by an annular portion 39 of U- shaped cross-section.
  • An elastomer sealing gasket or ring 41 is provided on the inner surface of the portion 39.
  • the drum 1 is filled with powder, eg U0 3 powder, by an automatic filling machine which delivers the powder through the filling mouth of the neck 17.
  • the cap 29 is then placed loosely on the drum 1, the body 31 being placed in the mouth 19 of the neck 17.
  • the drum 1 and loosely fitted cap 29 are then offered to a capping device (not shown) .
  • This may have a series of jaws evenly spaced around a circular locus around the skirt 37 of the cap 29.
  • the capping device compresses the cap 29 onto the lip and crimps the skirt 37 around the underside of the lip 21 at the positions of the jaws.
  • Figure 1 shows the cap 29 after attachment.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates how such a stack is formed.
  • the drum 1 as shown in Figure 1 has a further identical drum la stacked on top of it.
  • the drum la has a skirt 11a and cavity 13a identical to the skirt 11* and cavity 13 respectively of the drum 1.
  • the skirt 11a of the drum la provides a close fit over the collar 23 of the drum 1, and the base 9 in its region 10a outside its concave region (forming the cavity 13) of the drum la thereby is supported by the drum 1 at the upturned portion of the collar 23 between the sloping portion 23a and rim 25.
  • FIG 4 illustrates how the drum 1 may be lifted to facilitate automatic handling and stacking.
  • a lifting device 63 comprises a series of lifting arms 65 suspended from a beam 68.
  • the arms" 65 are lowered into the space above the top 15 of the drum 1 between the collar 23 and neck 17.
  • the arms 65 have hands 67 which are located to engage beneath the rim 25.
  • the hands 67 may be pushed inward toward the central axis of the device 63 to clear the rim 25 during lowering of the hands 67 and then pushed outward (eg by spring mechanisms not shown) to engage the rim 25 when beneath the rim 25. Lifting of the drum is then achieved by lifting of the arms 65.
  • FIG. 5 shows an overpack for transport of the drum 1.
  • the drum 1 is shown in phantom outline D.
  • the overpack comprises an outer container 40 containing an inner hollow body 42 of lightweight insulation packing material.
  • the body 42 has a cavity 44 into which the drum 1 is fitted.
  • a cap 43 formed of the same packing material is fitted on top of the body 42.
  • the cap 43 and the body 42 have mating surfaces 58 at an angle of 45 degrees to the axis of the body 42 to minimise heat transfer across the interface between the cap 43 and body 42.
  • the cap 43 is covered by a plate 45 bonded to the cap 43, the plate 45 having a flange 45a which is fixed to the top of the container 40 by bolts 47 provided at various locations around the circumference of the flange 45a.
  • the overpack shown in Figure 4 protects the drum 1 from heat from external sources.
  • the container 40 has two portions 49 of increased internal diameter primarily to provide radial stiffness and strength. Fusible plugs 53 are provided in the wall of the portions 49. The plugs 53 are designed to be blown at a predetermined gas pressure and/or temperature to allow the built up gas pressure to be released to the outside atmosphere.
  • the container 40 has a ring or chimb 55 at its lower end formed by folding the edge of the base 40a around the lower edge of the side wall 40b of the container 40 and welding the two, so that the ring or chimb 55 has a thickness three times the thickness of the base 40a and side wall 40b.
  • the ring or chimb 55 protects the base 40a and the lower part of the side wall 40b of the container 40 from damage by impact by suspending it from the floor (not shown) .

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)

Abstract

Un conditionnement protecteur externe (40) destiné à un fût (D) contenant une matière radioactive, par exemple du trioxyde d'uranium, se compose d'un matériau de conditionnement léger, poreux et isolant dont la forme permet de l'adapter tout autour du fût (D) afin de l'emballer. Le matériau de conditionnement est inclus dans un conteneur externe (40) pourvu de plis ou de formes estampées (49) qui accroissent la résistance ou la rigidité radiale. Une ou plusieurs soupapes (53) peuvent être montées dans le conteneur sur un ou plusieurs des plis afin de permettre la décharge dans l'atmosphère extérieure des gaz présents à l'intérieur du conteneur à une température ou une pression prédéterminée. Le matériau de conditionnement peut se composer d'un corps creux (42) en matériau de conditionnement et d'un couvercle (43) en matériau de conditionnement. Le corps et le couvercle peuvent posséder des surfaces de jonction biseautées (58) afin de minimiser la perte d'isolation thermique.
PCT/GB1995/001741 1994-07-29 1995-07-24 Conditionnements protecteurs externes pour futs Ceased WO1996004659A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9415373A GB9415373D0 (en) 1994-07-29 1994-07-29 Overpacks for drums
GB9415373.1 1994-07-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1996004659A1 true WO1996004659A1 (fr) 1996-02-15

Family

ID=10759118

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1995/001741 Ceased WO1996004659A1 (fr) 1994-07-29 1995-07-24 Conditionnements protecteurs externes pour futs

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB9415373D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1996004659A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000072327A1 (fr) * 1999-05-21 2000-11-30 General Electric Company Conteneur d'expedition d'oxyde d'uranium
US7015616B2 (en) * 2002-04-01 2006-03-21 Honeywell International, Inc. System and method for providing coil retention in the rotor windings of a high speed generator
WO2012007022A1 (fr) 2010-07-14 2012-01-19 Ecolab Usa Inc. Suremballage pour le stockage et la manutention de récipients pour des liquides

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE863818R (fr) * 1978-02-09 1978-05-29 Householder William R Conteneur pour combustibles nucleaires
DE3832009A1 (de) * 1987-09-25 1989-04-13 Wissenschaftlich Tech Ingenieu Mehrteiliger behaelter
EP0344966A1 (fr) * 1988-05-31 1989-12-06 Pro-Tech-Tube, Inc. Enceinte protectrice pour récipients primaires de matière dangeureuse
US5303836A (en) * 1993-07-21 1994-04-19 The Babcock & Wilcox Company Shipping container for highly enriched uranium

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE863818R (fr) * 1978-02-09 1978-05-29 Householder William R Conteneur pour combustibles nucleaires
DE3832009A1 (de) * 1987-09-25 1989-04-13 Wissenschaftlich Tech Ingenieu Mehrteiliger behaelter
EP0344966A1 (fr) * 1988-05-31 1989-12-06 Pro-Tech-Tube, Inc. Enceinte protectrice pour récipients primaires de matière dangeureuse
US5303836A (en) * 1993-07-21 1994-04-19 The Babcock & Wilcox Company Shipping container for highly enriched uranium

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000072327A1 (fr) * 1999-05-21 2000-11-30 General Electric Company Conteneur d'expedition d'oxyde d'uranium
US7015616B2 (en) * 2002-04-01 2006-03-21 Honeywell International, Inc. System and method for providing coil retention in the rotor windings of a high speed generator
WO2012007022A1 (fr) 2010-07-14 2012-01-19 Ecolab Usa Inc. Suremballage pour le stockage et la manutention de récipients pour des liquides

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9415373D0 (en) 1994-09-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4245685A (en) Protective carrier
US5292024A (en) Plastic pail assembly for hazardous materials
US4535250A (en) Container for radioactive materials
EP3676856B1 (fr) Château de confinement pour fût contenant des déchets radioactifs dangereux
US4998622A (en) Plastic pail and lid
US4642204A (en) Method of containing radioactive or other dangerous waste material and a container for such waste material
US3779418A (en) Disposable plastic container and cover
US4081688A (en) Shielded container
CA1214288A (fr) Dispositif de manutention et de protection pour contenants de stockage de matieres radioactives
CA1187634A (fr) Contenant pour recevoir et stocker des matieres radioactives en toute surete, et methode de scellement dudit contenant
DE3374358D1 (en) Containment and densification of particulate material
US4599518A (en) Transport and storage container assembly for low and medium level radioactive waste and method of filling the same
GB1456804A (en) Handling apparatus for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly
WO1996004659A1 (fr) Conditionnements protecteurs externes pour futs
JP5611994B2 (ja) 閉鎖を改善した使用済み核燃料用の貯蔵容器
RU2284066C2 (ru) Упаковочное устройство для перевозки навалом урансодержащего ядерного топлива
CZ282201B6 (cs) Paletová nádoba pro přepravu a skladování kapalin
US4890756A (en) Cylindrical tank with flared upper end
WO1996004661A1 (fr) Futs pour le confinement et le stockage de matiere radioactive
WO1996004660A1 (fr) Futs pour le confinement et le stockage de matieres radioactives
US6617484B1 (en) Containment and transportation of decommissioned nuclear reactor pressure vessels and the like
RU2328046C2 (ru) Способ загрузки отработавшей тепловыделяющей сборки ядерного реактора в ампулу для последующего ее хранения и ампула для осуществления способа
CN117831823A (zh) 一种废物容器、高放废物包装系统以及包装方法
CN102982857A (zh) 聚乙烯高整体性容器暂存库
JP2001174592A (ja) 使用済燃料の貯蔵方法及び装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): JP KR RU US

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase