Patent Number: 051732173
Section: description

With reference to FIG. 1 a containment for the disposal of radioactive waste material comprises an outer container 1, which can be of carbon or stainless steel, housing a crate 2, which can be wood, and which in turn, houses a used glove box 3. The glove box 3 can contain a variety of contaminated radioactive products such as gloves, tissues, tools in addition to fixed or loose in-box process equipment. The container 1 has a lid 4 provided with an entry port 5 which is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The port 5 comprises a support tube 6 which extends through the lid 4 and is secured by webs 7 in a well 8 in the lid 4. The end of the tube 6 within the container 1 is closed by a bursting disc 9, conveniently of aluminum, which is bonded to the end of the tube 6. A vent coupling 10 is mounted in the lid 4 at the well 8. A locking screw 11 is provided at or adjacent the end of the tube 6 outside the container 1. Finally, a cover plate 12 for the well 8 is provided and a sealing ring or compound is introduced between the plate 12 and the lid 4 before the plate 12 is clamped in position by means of screws 13. FIGS. 3 and 3a show respectively a front elevation and section of a cabinet 14 for mounting on the lid 4 at the port 5. The cabinet 14 support an electric drive motor 15 displaceable vertically within the cabinet 14 by means of a hand lever 16 cooperable with racks 17 fixedly mounted on a wall of the cabinet 14. The vertical displacement of the motor 15 is controlled by a counter-weight 18. Power for the drive motor 15 is supplied through a control box 19 mounted on the exterior of the cabinet 14. An opening 20 in a wall provides controlled access to the interior of the cabinet 14. The motor 15 drives a socket 21 and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a one end of a hollow stem 22 is releasably engageable in the socket 21. A cutter tool 23 is fixedly secured to the opposite end of the hollow stem 22. A plurality of radial bores (not shown) extend through the cutter tool 23 and the wall of the stem 22 to communicate with the interior of the stem 22. Referring again to FIG. 3a, a grout feed pipe 24 extends into the cabinet 14 and has a length to reach the floor of the cabinet 14. The end of the pipe 24 within the cabinet 14 is provided with a releasable coupling 25 capable of cooperating with an associated coupling (not shown) at the upper end of the hollow stem 22 (see FIG. 4). A further pipe 26 within the cabinet 14 cooperates with the vent coupling 10 (see FIG. 2) in the well 8 of the lid 4. The pipe 26 passes through an opening in the floor of the cabinet 14. The opening cooperates with the well 8 in the lid 4 to permit the cutter tool 23 to enter into the tube 6. The stem 22 is supported at the tube 6 by a bearing block 27 which permits axial and rotational movement of the stem 22. The block 27 is clamped in position in the tube 6 by the locking screw 11 (FIG. 2). In use, the cabinet 14 is positioned on the container 1 and over the entry port 5. With the hollow stem 22 carrying the cutter tool 23 engaged in the coupling socket 21, the drive motor 15 is lowered to cause the tool 23 to break through, in succession, the bursting disc 9 at the bottom of the tube 6, the wall of the crate 2 and the wall of the glove box 3. The downward motion is continued until the socket 21 reaches the tube 6. The socket 21 is then released from the stem 22 by lifting the motor 15 back to its initial position and the coupling 25 at the end of the grout feed pipe 24 is engaged with the coupling at the upper end of the stem 22 at the tube 6. Grout slurry is pumped along the pipe 24 to pass along the hollow stem 22 and emerge through the radial bores at the opposite end of the stem 22 into the interior of the glove box 3. The contents of the glove box 3 are immersed in the grout slurry which progressively fills the complete containment of glove box 3, crate 2 and container 1. Air displaced upon filling by the grout slurry is expelled through the vent pipe 26 coupled to the coupling 10. When the containment is filled the grout feed pipe 24 is released from the end of the stem 22 at the well 8 in the lid 4, and the cover plate 12 is secured in position. The stem 22 remains within the containment and forms a part of the contents thereof which are embedded in the grout when set. The end product comprises a solid block containing waste products including the glove box 3 and its contents. The containment can include more than one glove box. For example, the containment can comprise an outer container capable of accommodating a plurality of crates and/or glove boxes and having a corresponding plurality of entry ports and a corresponding plurality of cutting means maybe provided.