Innovative Approaches to Large Component Packaging
- WMG, Inc., Peekskill, NY 10566 (United States)
Radioactive waste disposal often times requires creative approaches in packaging design, especially for large components. Innovative design techniques are required to meet the needs for handling, transporting, and disposing of these large packages. Large components (i.e., Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) heads and even RPVs themselves) require special packaging for shielding and contamination control, as well as for transport and disposal. WMG Inc designed and used standard packaging for RPV heads without control rod drive mechanisms (CRDMs) attached for five RPV heads and has also more recently met an even bigger challenge and developed the innovative Intact Vessel Head Transport System (IVHTS) for RPV heads with CRDMs intact. This packaging system has been given a manufacturer's exemption by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) for packaging RPV heads. The IVHTS packaging has now been successfully used at two commercial nuclear power plants. Another example of innovative packaging is the large component packaging that WMG designed, fabricated, and utilized at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). In 2002, West Valley's high-level waste vitrification process was shut down in preparation for D and D of the West Valley Vitrification Facility. Three of the major components of concern within the Vitrification Facility were the Melter, the Concentrate Feed Makeup Tank (CFMT), and the Melter Feed Holdup Tank (MFHT). The removal, packaging, and disposition of these three components presented significant radiological and handling challenges for the project. WMG designed, fabricated, and installed special packaging for the transport and disposal of each of these three components, which eliminated an otherwise time intensive and costly segmentation process that WVDP was considering. Finally, WMG has also designed and fabricated special packaging for both the Connecticut Yankee (CY) and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) RPVs. This paper presents the approach that has been successfully used for planning, implementing, and preparing for the disposition of large components such as those mentioned previously. It addresses the major regulatory and design requirements for packaging, transporting, and disposing of these components. The specific topics that are covered include radiological characterization, shielding, packaging design, on-site handling and movement, off-site transportation options, a brief discussion on disposition, and lessons learned. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 13023, Tucson, AZ, 85732-3023 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21208570
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09-WM-06046; TRN: US09V0881079357
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste Management 2006 Symposium - WM'06 - Global Accomplishments in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management: Education and Opportunity for the Next Generation of Waste Management Professionals, Tucson, AZ (United States), 26 Feb - 2 Mar 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France; 8 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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