Remotely Handled Concrete Container

(A number of illustrations and photos are provided at the end of this case study)

Introduction

One of our European customers is developing a Multifunctional Storage Facility for the interim storage of radioactive Intermediate Level Waste (ILW). The ILW will be stored in stainless steel drums. Four stainless steel drums will then be contained within a reinforced concrete storage container.

The facility will be designed to enable remote placement of the stainless steel drums into the container; placement and bolting of the lid onto the container and placement of the container in a storage position for a period of 100 years. The lid will also be removable and stainless steel drums retrievable via the same remotely operable equipment.

Planning and implementation

The Atomic Waste Solutions team proposed the use of a modified UK registered design that was altered to accommodate a bespoke lid lifting feature specified by the customer, as well as characteristics that would allow remote operations and provide the required shielding.

Results

The customer accepted our proposal and the completed design substantiation was agreed in June of 2023. The follow-on phase was to manufacture the moulds and, to manufacture of several prototype containers that the customer could undertake handling and acceptance trials, This phase was successful and was completed in April 2024 with production manufacture starting in June 2024. This customer requires a first production batch of 130 units.