[en] The system of the present invention comprises a self-forklift for transporting vessels which contain radioactive wastes generated in a power facility to a storage warehouse and a unmanned remote control salvaging vehicle for drawing out the forklift when it is disabled in the storage warehouse for repair. Namely, the self forklift runs by itself on a predetermined route to transport and unload the vessels to a predetermined position in the storage warehouse. When the self forklift is stopped by failure in the storage warehouse, the unmanned salvaging vehicle takes the self forklift to the outside by operator's remote control while observing a monitor of an TV camera attached to the vehicle. In this case, the self forklift has a salvaging hook at a position of the body corresponding to a driving front wheel. The unmanned salvaging vehicle has a hoisting hook which enables the self forklift to move only with the front wheel as a loading wheel while raising the back wheel away from the floor surface. The self forklift is connected to the unmanned salvaging vehicle by both of the hooks. (I.S.)

[en] Purpose: To prevent contaminations to the inner surface of a cask caused by clads deposited on spent fuels. Method: A fuel assembly is transferred from a fuel rack to the inside of a tightly closed vessel and the water of the inside is discharged out of the pool by a pump. The temperature of the fule assembly is increased by its autogeneous heat generation. After the temperature has reached a predetermined level, pool water is supplied through the introduction port to the inside. Then, the fuel assembly is cooled rapidly to separate radioactive materials by the thermal impact shocks. Generated mists are eliminated while the discharged air uprises through the pool. The pump is driven to circulate water in the vessel to facilitate the separation by the water stream, and radioactive materials are eliminated by filters. The assembly can completely be decontaminated up to about the middle portion thereof and there is no exposure risk to operators. (Ikeda, J.)

[en] Purpose: To store radioactive gaseous wastes from reactor equipment in a storage tank without using any compresser or vacuum pump. Method: Gaseous wastes concentrated in radioactive gaseous waste processing device are introduced into a gas holder accommodating a cooled adsorbent (for example: activated carbon, molecular sieves and the like), in which they are adsorbed in the adsorbent. Then, the temperature of the gas holder is increased to subject gaseous wastes to desorption, and the gaseous wastes are compressed in the storage tank. According to the present invention, the interior of the system other than at the time of the gaseous waste sealing operation is substantially in an evacuated state, and therefore the present invention has such an effect that the leakage of radioactive gas to the outside of the system can be avoided. (Kamimura, M.)

[en] Object: To prevent dispersion of radioactive rare gas atoms by sealing them in a pressurised state within zeolite and thereby confining them in position within the zeolite crystal lattice. Structure: Radioactive rare gas is separated from exhaust gas and concentrated by using a low temperature adsorption means or liquefaction distillation means and necessary accessory means, and then it is temporarily stored in a gas holder. When a predetermined quantity of storage is reached, the gas is led to a sealing tank containing zeolite heated to 300 to 400⁰C and held at 3,000 to 4,000 atmospheres, and under this condition radioactive rare gas is brought to occupy the spaces in the zeolite crystal lattice. After equilibrium pressure is reached by the pressure in the tank at that temperature, the gas is cooled in the pressurized state down to room temperature. Subsequently, the rare gas remaining in the tank and duct is recovered by a withdrawal pump into the gas holder. Thereafter, the zeolite with radioactive rare gas sealed in it is taken out from the tank and sealed within a long period storage container, which is then housed in a predetermined place for storage. (Kamimura, M.)

[en] Object: To prevent radioactive rare gases from being leaked to atmosphere and to secure safety of gas storage for a long time. Structure: Radioactive rare gases separated and condensed from waste gases by a low temperature adsorbing device or the like are once stored under negative pressure in a gas holder through an introducing line. When the quantity of storage reaches a predetermined level, the line in communication with a storage vessel is opened to have the gases adsorbed with adsorbent within the storage vessel. This storage vessel is held at a low temperature by liquid nitrogen fed through the line to increase adsorbing power of the adsorbent. (Kamimura, M.)

[en] Object: To lock radioactive rare gases as the surrounding compounds to thereby safely and securely store them for a long period of time. Structure: The radioactive rare gases separated from waste gases by the low temperature adsorbing device or the like are once stored in a gas holder and when they reach a given level of storage, they are introduced under pressure by a pressurizing machine into a reaction vessel containing hydroquinone aqueous solution and dissolved sufficiently. Then, the hydroquinone aqueous solution is gradually cooled by a temperature controller to room temperature to thereby separate the surrounding compound. Thereafter, the radioactive rare gases remained within the reaction vessel and piping are recovered into the gas holder by means of a suction pump and then, the surrounding compound is separated from the solution and sealed into a storing container for a long period of time. (Kamimura, M.)

[en] Object: To eliminate a danger of explosion in case where oxygen is safely removed from waste gases containing radioactive rare gases for recovery thereof into a gas cylinder. Structure: In an atomic power plant, carbon dioxide gas and water are removed in a pretreatment system. Next, it is cooled by liquefied nitrogen in a heat exchanger and transported to a first condensing system composed of a low temperature adsorption bed to condense radioactive rare gases in the adsorption bed. The thus condensed rare gases are fed under pressure by a pump to a second condensing system composed of Cu and Cu group alloy bed. Next, oxygen in the condensed gases is reacted and removed in the Cu alloy bed maintained at 600⁰C and the rare gases are fed to the gas cylinder for recovery. (Yoshihara, H.)

[en] Object: To safely and securely store radioactive rare gases for a long period of time. Structure: The waste gases produced in nuclear power plant are cooled by a cooler and then introduced into a low temperature adsorbing device so that the gases are adsorbed by adsorbents, and then discharged into atmosphere through the purifying gas discharge line. When the radioactive rare gases reach a level of saturation in the amount of adsorption, they are heated and extracted by a suction pump and heated by a heater. The gases are then introduced into an oxygen-impurity removing device and the purified rare gases containing no oxygen and impurities are cooled by a cooler and fed into a gas holder. When the amount of radioactive rare gases stored within the gas holder reaches a given level, they are compressed and sealed by a compressure into a storing cylinder and residual gases in the piping are sucked and recovered into the gas holder, after which the cylinder is removed and stored in a fixed room. (Kamimura, M.)

[en] High level radioactive liquid waste from a reprocessing plant is vitrified for storage and disposal. In this process, molten glass is poured into a metal canister and this pockage is welded, leak-tested, decontaminated, heat-treated and inspected. A mechanical handling system for this process has been developed and the main equipment is now in mock-up test operation, as descrived here. (author)

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