Patent Number: 055419682
Section: summary

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a coring machine and arrangement for sampling nuclear-contaminated and other hazardous waste. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a coring machine and arrangement for sampling solidified, nuclear-contaminated and other hazardous waste wherein the coring machine and arrangement are configured for obtaining sample cores from the full depth of the waste filling a drum. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the past several decades, hazardous waste and nuclear waste has been, in many situations, solidified in barrels and disposed of by being placed in the ground in landfills. Today, regulatory requirements mandate that such waste be extensively characterized to demonstrate compliance with all of the waste acceptance criteria of an accepting disposal site. Such characterization must show the waste to be in full compliance with the regulated physical, chemical and radiological characteristics permitted by the disposal facility. Thus, it is frequently necessary to be able to check the state of waste materials, such as nuclear waste materials, throughout individual drums. To date, no arrangement exists for doing this safely with minimal disturbance of material within the drums, especially if the waste is a solidified material such as a cemented monolith. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a feature of the present invention to provide a new and improved coring machine and to provide a new and improved arrangement for accumulating and retaining core samples of solidified nuclear and/or hazardous waste materials. The present invention is directed to an arrangement for acquiring a core sample of such waste material. The arrangement comprises a tubular core drill having a hollow core and a bit at one end for coring into the material to be sampled. The core drill has a selected inner diameter in which a tubular core retainer having an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the core drill is positioned to define an annular space therebetween. Fluid (gas) under pressure is applied to the annular space between the tubular sample retainer and the inner wall of the core drill. The fluid flows down the space and out of the core drill proximate the bit and remove cuttings as the bit penetrates the material. This flow also provides a means of maintaining the outside surface of the tubular core retainer in a near contamination-free condition which is an essential requirement for the subsequent safe handling of the core sample. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a machine for sampling solidified waste material within a container wherein the machine comprises a base, a platform for mounting the container on the base and at least one core drill disposed above the platform in initial spaced relation with respect to the top of the container when the container is mounted on the platform. The core drill has a first end with a bit thereon and a second end. A support for mounting the core drill includes a spindle rotatably mounted thereon and attached to the core drill at the second end thereof for rotating the core drill. A motor is provided for rotating the core drill and a lifting device (elevator) is provided for lifting the drum into proximity with the bit of the core drill and providing a seal between the drum and a seal plate. Such an arrangement provides essential containment of hazardous and/or radioactive contaminants during the core sampling operation. A drive lowers the support for the core drill while the core drill is rotating so that the core drill penetrates solidified waste material within the drum and accumulates a core sample of the material solidified within the hollow tubular sample container within the core drill. The drive thereafter raises the core drill to withdraw the core drill from the solidified waste material with a core sample therein, A tube is disposed within the core drill for retaining the core sample and for safely removing the core sample from the core drill for subsequent processing.