(19)
(11) EP 1 128 393 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
25.02.2004 Bulletin 2004/09

(43) Date of publication A2:
29.08.2001 Bulletin 2001/35

(21) Application number: 00308471.2

(22) Date of filing: 27.09.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G21F 9/36, G21C 19/375, G21F 9/30
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 21.02.2000 JP 2000042192

(71) Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8010 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Yoshida, Takuma
    Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022 (JP)
  • Kondo, Yoshikazu
    Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki 316-0021 (JP)
  • Kaneko, Shigezi
    Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki 316-0021 (JP)
  • Narita, Kenjirou
    Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki 316-0002 (JP)

(74) Representative: Paget, Hugh Charles Edward et al
MEWBURN ELLIS York House 23 Kingsway
London WC2B 6HP
London WC2B 6HP (GB)

   


(54) Hulls waste volume-reduction treatment equipment


(57) Apparatus for volume-reduction of hulls waste (20), i.e. zircaloy and fuel cladding tube residues (hulls) generated during chemical reprocessing of a light-wafer reactor spent fuel, has at least two rotary cylindrical bodies (2a, 2b) having a clearance between them and rotating in mutually opposite directions are provided and compressive reduction in the volume of the hulls waste is accomplished by loading it into the clearance between said rotary cylindrical bodies. The rotary cylindrical bodies may be arranged in order for at least the clearance to be positioned in water or means may be provided for feeding or spraying water downward into the clearance and thus dust due to the occurrence of zircaloy powder during compressive volume-reduction treatment is prevented from exploding.






Search report