(19)
(11) EP 0 168 219 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
22.02.1989 Bulletin 1989/08

(43) Date of publication A2:
15.01.1986 Bulletin 1986/03

(21) Application number: 85304788.4

(22) Date of filing: 04.07.1985
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4G21F 9/36
(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE CH DE FR GB IT LI NL SE

(30) Priority: 05.07.1984 US 627896

(71) Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15235 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Mallory, Charles William
    Severna Park Maryland (US)
  • Watts, Ralph Edmond
    Library Pennsylvania (US)
  • Sanner, William Samuel, Jr.
    Murrysville Pennsylvania (US)
  • Disibio, Ralph Robert
    Ellicott City Maryland (US)
  • Lilley, Arthur Willard
    Finleyville Pennsylvania (US)
  • Winston, Steven Jay
    New Stanton Pennsylvania (US)
  • Stricklin, Billy Clark
    Oak Ridge Tennessee (US)
  • Razor, John Edward
    Morehead Kentucky (US)

(74) Representative: van Berlyn, Ronald Gilbert 
23, Centre Heights
London NW3 6JG
London NW3 6JG (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Nuclear waste packaging modules


    (57) A ground-disposable module for encapsulating radioactive waste contained within shipping containers is disclosed herein. Generally, the modules comprise a rigid outer container for providing a first radiation and water barrier for the waste, an inner container formed from the shipping container for providing a second radiation and water barrier, and a central layer of group which forms still another radiation and water barrier and which provides the rigid outer container with a substantially solid interior which reinforces the compressive strength of the module. The rigid outer container may hold a plurality of shipping containers which have been compacted. Such compaction maximizes the number of containers which may be encapsulated into a particular module, and increases the overall compressive strength of the module by increasing the integrity and strength of the shipping containers and wastes grouted therein. In order to facilitate handling, the outer containers of the modules includes a pattern of grooves at its bottom portion for receiving the forks of a forklift, and a plurality of 1-bott anchors at its top portion which are detachably connectable to the hooks of a hoist. The outer containers of the modules are preferably hexagonally shaped, right-angled prisms. The hexagonal prism shape of the outer container of the module allows the modules to form subsidence-free, solid arrays which have sufficient compressive strength to support an earthen-type trench cover, yet are flexibly conformable to changes in the shape of the trench which might occur from a seismic disturbance.







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