UPRIGHT A CANISTER OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE

WEST VALLEY NUCLEAR SERVICES COMPANY REQUIRES A DEVICE TO UPRIGHT A CANISTER WHICH FALLS FROM A VERTICAL POSITION TO THE FLOOR OF A HOT CELL OR AGAINST ANOTHER CANISTER. THE CANISTER MAY BE ORIENTED AT ANY ANGLE. THE DEVICE MUST BE REMOTELY CONTROLLED, MUST OPERATE IN AREAS OF RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND MANEUVERABILITY, AND MUST HOLD A CANISTER UPRIGHT FOR PICKUP BY AN OVERHEAD CRANE GRAPPLING HOOK. REA FEELS THE BASIC CONCEPTS ARE WELL UNDERSTOOD FOR THIS DEVICE. THE MAIN THRUST OF THE INVESTIGATION WILL BE TO OPTIMIZE THE CRITICAL DESIGN FEATURES. REA PROPOSES TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF VARIOUS DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR A LIFTING DEVICE BY FOCUSING ON THE FOLLOWING PROJECT OBJECTIVES: - TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DESIGN PROBLEM, IDENTIFY THE LIFTING REQUIREMENTS, AND CONSIDER CANISTER SPECIFICATIONS. - TO INVESTIGATE THE HOT CELL SYSTEM'S REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THE SIZE RANGE AND MATERIAL QUALITIES OF THE CANISTERS, MANEUVERABILITY REQUIREMENTS, AND HOT CELL CHARACTERISTICS. - TO INVESTIGATE ALTERNATIVE DESIGN SOLUTIONS, AND CONSIDER METHODS OF USING GRIPPING FORCE, PRESSURE-FRICTION RATIOS FOR GRIPPERS, AND GRAPPLE ENHANCEMENTS. - TO PROPOSE DESIGN ALTERNATIVES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO MEET HANDLING REQUIREMENTS AND TO SELECT A DESIGN APPROACH. REA ANTICIPATES THAT ITS FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL LEAD TO A DESIGN WHICH WILL BE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT OVER STATE-OF-THE-ART REMOTE HANDLING DEVICES FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL. EVENTUALLY, THE DESIGN COULD BE MODIFIED TO PRODUCE DEVICES WHICH WOULD FACILITATE THE REMOTE HANDLING OF DRUMS, FUEL BUNDLES, PIPES, TUBES AND OTHER PACKAGES LACKING LIFTING FIXTURES. A VERSATILE DEVICE OF THIS TYPE WOULD HAVE APPLICATIONS IN THE DOE'S MONITORED RETRIEVABLE STORAGE AND FEDERAL INTERIM STORAGE PROGRAMS.