Patent Number: 046817069
Section: claims

1. A nuclear waste packaging facility comprising: (a) a first section substantially surrounded by radiation shielding, including means for remotely handling waste delivered to said first section and for placing the waste into a disposal module;  (b) a second section substantially surrounded by radiation shielding, including means for handling a deformable container bearing waste that is delivered to said second section, said handling means including a compactor and means for placing the waste bearing deformable container into said compactor, said compactor capable of applying a compacting force to the waste bearing containers sufficient to inelastically deform the waste and container, and means for delivering the deformed waste bearing containers to a disposal module  (c) a module transportation and loading section disposed between said first and second sections including a transport means and means for handling empty modules delivered to said facility and for loading the empty modules on said transport means, said transport means moving empty disposal modules to said first section and empty disposal modules to said second section for locating empty modules in a position for loading with nuclear waste, and  (d) a grouting station comprising means for pouring grout into the waste bearing disposal module, and a capping station comprising means for placing a lid onto the waste bearing grout-filled disposal module to completely encapsulate the waste.  (a) a first section substantially surrounded by radiation shielding, including means for remotely handling waste delivered to said first section and for placing the waste into a disposal module, a characterization station having means for determining the radioactive level of the waste and means for determining the liquid content of waste delivered to said first section before placement in a module;  (b) a second section substantially surrounded by radiation shielding, including means for handling a deformable container bearing waste that is delivered to said second section, said handling means including a compactor and means for placing the waste bearing deformable container into said compactor, a characterization station having means for determining the radioactive level of the waste and means for determining the liquid content of waste delivered to said second section before placement in a module, said compactor capable of applying a compacting force to the waste bearing containers sufficient to inelastically deform the waste and container, and means for delivering the deformed waste bearing containers to a disposal module; and  (c) a module transportation and loading section including a transport means and means for handling empty modules delivered to said facility and for loading the empty modules on said transport means, said transport means moving empty disposal modules to said first section and empty disposal modules to said second section and for locating empty modules in a position for loading with nuclear waste, and  (d) a grouting station comprising means for pouring grout into the waste bearing disposal module, and a capping station comprising means for placing a lid onto the waste bearing grout-filled disposal module to completely encapsulate the waste. 2. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said grouting station includes an extendable trough for pouring grout into modules bearing nuclear waste. 3. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said module loading and transportation section includes first and second parallel rail assemblies adjacent the first and second facility sections, respectively. 4. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 3, further comprising a shield wall between said parallel rail assemblies for shielding the second section of the facility from the radiation emanating from remote handled waste when the remote handled waste is loaded into a module. 5. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 3, wherein said module loading and transportation section further includes rail carts for moving empty modules to said first section and to said second section and locating empty modules in a position for loading with said nuclear waste, wherein the rail assemblies have inclined beds so that the rail carts roll into loading positions by the force of gravity. 6. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said first, remote handled waste section of the facility includes a characterization station having means for determining the liquid content and means for determining the radioactive level of the remote handled waste containers delivered to the first section. 7. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 6, wherein the outputs of the means for determining the radioactive level of the waste are connected to a computer which generates a signal indicative of how many waste containers may be loaded into a particular module before the surface radiation of the grouted module will exceed a certain, preselected value. 8. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said first, remote handled section of the facility includes a lag well for temporarily storing remote handled waste delivered to said first section before placement in a module. 9. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said first, remote handled section of the facility includes a separately shielded remedial section for repairing broken shipping containers delivered to said first section and solidifying radioactive liquids delivered to said first section before placement in a module. 10. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said second section of the facility includes a characterization station having means for determining the liquid content and means for determining the radioactive level of the contact handled waste containers delivered to the second section. 11. The nuclear waste packaging facility for claim 1, wherein said second section of the facility includes a lag well for temporarily storing contact handled waste delivered to said second section before placement in a module. 12. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 1, wherein said second section of the facility includes a separately shielded remedial section for repairing broken shipping containers delivered to said first section and solidifying radioactive liquids delivered to said first section before placement in a module. 13. A nuclear waste packaging facility comprising: 14. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 13, further comprising a computer which is connected to the outputs of the means for determining the radioactive level of the waste of the characterization stations and which generates a signal indicative of the number of waste containers which can be loaded into a particular module container before the surface radiation of the completed module will exceed a certain, preselected level. 15. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 14, wherein the outputs of the means for determining the liquid content of the waste are connected to the input of the computer, and wherein the computer will actuate an alarm circuit when it receives a signal from either of the ultrasonic detectors which indicates that a radioactive waste is at least in part in a liquid state. 16. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 13, wherein said compactor is capable of applying a compacting force to the shipping containers of the contact waste of between 500 and 1,200 tons. 17. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 13, wherein said second section of the facility includes a compactor capable of applying a compacting force to the shipping containers of the contact waste of approximately 600 tons. 18. The nuclear waste packaging facility of claim 13, wherein said deformable container handling means includes a conveyor means for conveying the shipping containers of contact waste to the compactor.