Drum pallets and drum pallet frames

Abstract

To provide a pallet for an oil drum, which enables easy inspection of the bottom surface of the oil drum.SOLUTION: Upper and lower plates 11 and 12 are arranged at a prescribed interval. A lower edge storage part 11a recessed to store the lower edge of an oil drum is provided on the upper surface of the upper plate 11. An upper edge storage part 12a recessed to store the upper edge of the oil drum is provided on the lower surface of the lower plate 12. A peep hole 11b concentric to the lower edge storage part 11a is provided at the upper plate 11. The bottom surface state of the oil drum can be checked through the peep hole 11b from between the upper and lower plates 11 and 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This relates to a drum pallet for placing drums on, and a drum pallet frame for fixing and connecting multiple drum pallets together. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, radioactive waste generated at nuclear power plants is filled into multiple drums and stored in a storage facility. That is, multiple drums are placed on a flat pallet, which is then transported to the storage facility by forklift and stored there. In this case, if the pallets are stacked multiple times, there is a risk that the pallets will collapse in the event of an earthquake or other incident, damaging the drums and scattering the radioactive waste inside the drums and contaminating the surrounding area. For this reason, pallets have traditionally been stacked a maximum of three high.

[0003] Meanwhile, a drum storage pallet is known that can improve the earthquake resistance of drums stored on a pallet (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This pallet has recesses on both the top and bottom surfaces large enough to fit the rims of drums, and these recesses are equipped with connecting mechanisms with claws that lock the rims of the drums when they are seated, and furthermore, holes are provided in the four corners for inserting bolts for connecting to the floor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 01-153451 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Meanwhile, drums containing radioactive waste are stored in storage facilities for a certain period of time before being transported to final disposal or burial sites, which means there is a risk of deformation or corrosion. For this reason, manual inspections are required on a regular basis to check for abnormalities such as toppling, deformation, or corrosion, and repairs are made as necessary. When doing so, it is necessary to inspect not only the sides of the drums but also the bottoms.

[0006] However, with flat pallets and the pallet described in Patent Document 1, the bottom of the drum is in contact with the pallet and is covered by the pallet, so the bottom cannot be visually inspected from the outside. This requires the use of a forklift or other device to remove and tilt the drum, which requires a great deal of time and effort. Moreover, since a large number of drums are stored in a storage facility, inspecting all of the drums requires a huge amount of time and effort.

[0007] On the other hand, conventional flat pallets are simply stacked, making them weak in earthquake resistance. Furthermore, in the pallet described in Patent Document 1, the bottom pallet is connected to the floor, but the upper pallets are simply placed on top of the drums below, making them weak in earthquake resistance.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drum pallet that allows easy inspection of the bottom of the drum, and a drum pallet frame that can improve the earthquake resistance of the drum pallet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is as follows: Approximately square Upper and lower plates Pallet pillars are arranged at the four corners of the upper plate and the lower plate via the pallet pillars.and arranged at a predetermined interval, the upper plate has a lower edge accommodating section that is recessed in the upper surface thereof to accommodate the lower edge of the drum, and the lower plate has an upper edge accommodating section that is recessed in the lower surface thereof to accommodate the upper edge of the drum, and the upper plate has a peephole that is concentric with the lower edge accommodating section, the diameter of the lower edge accommodating section is set slightly larger than the lower edge of the drum and the diameter of the peephole is set slightly smaller than the lower edge of the drum, so that the entire bottom surface of the drum except for the lower edge is exposed through the peephole, and the condition of the bottom of the drum can be confirmed through the peephole from between the upper plate and the lower plate.

[0010] The invention of claim 2 is the drum can pallet of claim 1, wherein a cylindrical claw insertion portion into which the claws of a forklift can be inserted is provided along at least one of the lower surface of the upper plate and the upper surface of the lower plate. The width and height of the claw insertion portion are set to a size that allows the claws of the forklift to be inserted without significant play. It is characterized by:

[0013] Claim 3 invention of Please When a plurality of drum pallets as described in claim 2 are arranged side by side, the present invention is characterized in that the lateral connecting means is a long body extending across the plurality of drum pallets arranged side by side, and is provided with connecting claws that are inserted into the claw insertion portions of each of the drum pallets. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the invention of claim 1, a peephole is provided in the upper plate, allowing the condition of the drum's bottom to be checked through the peephole from between the upper and lower plates. This allows for easy inspection of the drum's bottom without removing it using a forklift or other device. For example, the bottom of the drum can be visually inspected through the peephole, or a camera can be inserted between the upper and lower plates to inspect the drum's bottom. Meanwhile, a lower edge storage compartment is provided on the upper surface of the upper plate, and an upper edge storage compartment is provided on the lower surface of the lower plate, allowing for stable placement of the drum. That is, when drum pallets carrying drums are stacked, the lower edge of the drum fits into the lower edge storage compartment of the lower drum pallet, and the upper edge of the drum fits into the upper edge storage compartment of the upper drum pallet, ensuring stable placement of the drums and improving earthquake resistance.

[0016] According to the invention of claim 2, the fork of the forklift Without any major rattle The pallet is provided with insertable cylindrical claw insertion sections, allowing the drum pallet carrying the drums to be transported stably by forklift.

[0019] Claim 3 According to the invention, when a plurality of drum pallets as described in claim 2 are arranged side by side, the connecting claws of the horizontal connecting means are inserted into the claw insertion portions of each drum pallet, so that the plurality of drum pallets are more firmly connected and integrated, thereby further improving the earthquake resistance of the drum pallets.

[0021] In this way, the earthquake resistance of drum pallets can be improved, which makes it possible to increase the number of layers of drum pallets stacked (to four or more layers), thereby saving space in storage facilities and improving the efficiency of storage operations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1]1A and 1B are a plan view and a front view, respectively, showing a drum pallet according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the peephole of the drum can pallet of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2(a) shows the state before the periphery of the adjacent portion of the drum can pallet in FIG. 1 is connected with the adjacent connector, and FIG. 2(b) shows the state after the drum can pallet is connected with the adjacent connector. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the periphery of four drum pallets of FIG. 1 connected by the adjacent connectors of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 4 is a front view showing the state in which the drum can pallets of FIG. 1 are stacked and connected by the adjacent connectors of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a front view, respectively, showing a horizontal connecting bar of a drum pallet frame according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a vertical connecting bar of the drum pallet frame according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which a plurality of drum pallets of FIG. 1 are fixed to a drum pallet frame according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 10 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of an end portion of the frame base of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which an inspection vehicle is mounted on the drum can pallet of FIG. 1. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of the inspection vehicle of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 12A, 12B, and 12C are a plan view, a rear view, and a side view, respectively, of the bottom surface inspection vehicle of FIG. [Figure 14] 12A, 12B, and 12C are a plan view, a rear view, and a side view, respectively, of the side inspection vehicle of FIG. [Figure 15] 1 is a plan view showing an arrangement of an inspection lifting conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a front view of the inspection lifting conveyor of FIG. [Figure 17] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing inspection images according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows image data and FIG. 1B shows scan data. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a determination result by a management computer according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiments.

[0024] 1 to 18 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a plan view (a) and a front view (b) showing a drum pallet 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. This drum pallet 1 is a pallet for placing drums 101 thereon, and in this embodiment, a case will be mainly described in which drums 101 filled with and containing radioactive waste are placed on the drum pallet 1 and stored in a storage facility. Here, the drum 101 has rims at least on a lower edge 101a and an upper edge 101b, as shown in FIG.

[0025] "Drum Pallet 1" The drum pallet 1 has a substantially square upper plate 11 and a lower plate 12 that face each other and overlap with each other, and are arranged with a predetermined gap between them. That is, in this embodiment, pallet posts 13 are arranged at the four corners of the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12, and the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12 are connected to each other via the pallet posts 13 with a predetermined gap between them. The drum pallet 1 is made of a lightweight material that has sufficient strength and rigidity (e.g., aluminum alloy or hollow steel), and the thickness of the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12 and the size of the pallet posts 13 are set to be sufficient to withstand stacking of drum pallets 1 carrying drums 101. The upper plate 11, the lower plate 12, and the pallet posts 13 may be formed separately or integrally.

[0026] The upper surface of the upper plate 11 is provided with a recessed lower edge housing portion 11a that houses the lower edge (lower rim) 101a of the drum 101. The upper plate 11 is further provided with an eyehole 11b that is concentric with the lower edge housing portion 11a. Specifically, the eyehole 11b is a circular through-hole, and the upper edge of the eyehole 11b is expanded to form the circular lower edge housing portion 11a. The diameter of the lower edge housing portion 11a is set slightly larger than the lower edge 101a of the drum 101, while the diameter of the eyehole 11b is set slightly smaller than the lower edge 101a of the drum 101. The depth of the lower edge housing portion 11a is set to be approximately the same as the height of the lower edge 101a of the drum 101.

[0027] 2, the lower edge 101a of the drum 101 is supported by the step between the lower edge housing portion 11a and the peephole 11b, and the entire bottom surface of the drum 101 (the surface excluding the lower edge 101a) is exposed through the peephole 11b. Four such lower edge housing portions 11a and peepholes 11b are formed facing each other at the four corners of the upper plate 11.

[0028] Additionally, the top plate 11 is provided with cylindrical claw insertion sections 14 along its underside, into which the claws of a forklift truck can be inserted. That is, the claw insertion sections 14 are U-shaped, and by connecting both ends to the underside of the top plate 11, they form a cylindrical pocket together with the underside of the top plate 11, into which the claws of a forklift truck can be inserted. The width and height of these claw insertion sections 14 are large enough to allow the claws of a forklift truck to be inserted (large enough so that the claws can be inserted without significant play), and they extend from one side of the top plate 11 toward the peephole 11b. Two such claw insertion sections 14 are provided on each of the four sides of the top plate 11.

[0029] Furthermore, upper guide rails 15 for guiding the movement of a side inspection vehicle 5, which will be described later, are provided on the upper surface of the upper plate 11. These upper guide rails 15 extend from one side of the upper plate 11 to the opposite side, and a total of three upper guide rails 15 are provided, one between the lower edge housing portions 11a and one on both outside of the lower edge housing portion 11a.

[0030] The lower surface of the lower plate 12 is provided with an upper edge housing portion 12a that is recessed and accommodates the upper edge portion (upper rim) 101b of the drum 101. That is, the upper edge housing portion 12a is formed with a circular planar shape and recessed upward, and its diameter is set slightly larger than the upper edge 101b of the drum 101, and its depth is set to be approximately the same as the height of the upper edge 101b of the drum 101. Four such upper edge housing portions 12a are formed opposite the lower edge housing portion 11a.

[0031] Furthermore, lower guide rails 16 for guiding the movement of a bottom surface inspection vehicle 4, which will be described later, are provided on the upper surface of the lower plate 12. These lower guide rails 16 extend parallel to the upper guide rails 15 from one side of the lower plate 12 to the opposite side, and a total of four lower guide rails 16 are provided, one on each outer peripheral edge side of the upper edge housing portion 12a.

[0032] With the lower edge 101a of the drum 101 housed in the lower edge housing portion 11a, the condition of the bottom of the drum 101 can be confirmed through the peephole 11b from between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12. That is, a predetermined distance between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12 is set so that the entire bottom of the drum 101 exposed through the peephole 11b can be visually inspected from between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12, or photographed and inspected with a camera inserted between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12. In particular, in this embodiment, the bottom inspection vehicle 4, which will be described later, is configured to be mobile for inspection.

[0033] Furthermore, on the upper surface of the upper plate 11, a plurality of side inspection position marks M1 are marked to indicate positions where the side inspection vehicle 5 will stop and photograph for inspection, and further, a plurality of placement position marks M2 are marked to indicate positions where the drums 101 will be placed. Similarly, on the upper surface of the lower plate 12, a plurality of bottom inspection position marks M3 (not shown) are marked to indicate positions where the bottom inspection vehicle 4 will stop and photograph for inspection.

[0034] On the other hand, each pallet pillar 13 is formed with an adjacent connecting bar insertion hole 13a that penetrates from the top surface to the bottom surface.

[0035] According to the drum pallet 1 configured as described above, the upper plate 11 is provided with a viewing hole 11b, and the condition of the bottom of the drum 101 can be confirmed through the viewing hole 11b from between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12, making it possible to easily and quickly inspect the bottom of the drum 101 without having to remove the drum 101 with a forklift or the like. For example, it is possible to visually inspect the bottom of the drum 101 through the viewing hole 11b, or to insert a camera between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12 to inspect the bottom of the drum 101 using an image.

[0036] Meanwhile, since the lower edge housing portion 11a is provided on the upper surface of the upper plate 11 and the upper edge housing portion 12a is provided on the lower surface of the lower plate, it is possible to stably place the drums 101. That is, when drum pallets 1 with drums 101 placed on them are stacked, the lower edge 101a of the drum 101 is housed in the lower edge housing portion 11a of the lower drum pallet 1, and the upper edge 101b of the drum is housed in the upper edge housing portion 12a of the upper drum pallet 1, so the drums 101 are placed stably and earthquake resistance can be improved.

[0037] Furthermore, since a cylindrical claw insertion portion 14 is provided into which the claws of a forklift can be inserted without much play, the drum pallet 1 carrying the drums 101 can be transported stably by a forklift.

[0038] "Drum Can Pallet Frame 10" Next, we will explain the drum pallet frame 10 for fixing and connecting a plurality of such drum pallets 1. The drum pallet frame 10 mainly comprises adjacent connectors (adjacent connecting means) 2, horizontal connecting bars (horizontal connecting means) 30, vertical connecting bars (vertical connecting means) 35, and depth connecting bars (depth connecting means) 36.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, drum pallets 1, each carrying four drums 101, are stacked three high on a flat frame base 34 installed on the floor, with the four three-high drum pallets 1 arranged side by side when viewed from the front, and two groups of such drum pallets 1 are arranged in the depth direction. Furthermore, a drum pallet 1 is placed on top of the topmost drum 101, but because no drums 101 are placed on this drum pallet 1, the lower edge storage section 11a, the peephole 11b, and the guide rails 15 and 16 are not required.

[0040] When multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged side by side, the adjacent connector 2 connects adjacent drum pallets 1 in the horizontal direction, and when multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged in the depth direction, it also connects adjacent drum pallets 1 in the depth direction. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the adjacent connector 2 includes an adjacent connecting plate 21 and an adjacent connecting pin 22.

[0041] The adjacent connecting plate 21 is made of a substantially square plate material and has four pin insertion holes 21a formed opposite each other at the four corners for inserting adjacent connecting pins 22. The adjacent connecting pins 22 are rod-shaped and have a flange 22a formed on one end. Adjacent drum pallets 1 are connected to each other by aligning the pin insertion holes 21a of the adjacent connecting plate 21 with the adjacent connecting bar insertion holes 13a of the pallet pillars 13 and inserting the adjacent connecting pins 22 into the pin insertion holes 21a and the adjacent connecting bar insertion holes 13a.

[0042] 4, in a connection section where four drum pallets 1 are adjacent, an adjacent connecting plate 21 is placed across the four drum pallets 1 and four adjacent connecting pins 22 are inserted. On the other hand, in a connection section where two drum pallets 1 are adjacent, the adjacent connecting plate 21 is placed across the two drum pallets 1 so as not to protrude from the drum pallets 1, and two adjacent connecting pins 22 are inserted. In this manner, in this embodiment, one type of adjacent connecting plate 21 is used to connect four or two drum pallets 1, but a separate adjacent connecting plate (a horizontally elongated rectangle with two pin insertion holes 21a) that connects only two drum pallets 1 may also be provided.

[0043] When multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged side by side, the horizontal connecting bar 30 is a long body that extends across the multiple drum pallets 1 arranged side by side, and is provided with connecting claws 32 that are inserted into the claw insertion sections 14 of each drum pallet 1, thereby connecting the multiple drum pallets 1. That is, as shown in Figure 6, multiple connecting claws 32 that are slightly smaller than the inner shape of the claw insertion sections 14 are provided to protrude from one surface (rear surface) of the band-shaped horizontal connecting bar main body 31.

[0044] The length of the horizontal tie bar main body 31 and the number of connecting claws 32 are set according to the number of drum pallets 1 to be connected. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 , the length is set so that four drum pallets 1 can be connected together, and the number is set so that all of the connecting claws can be inserted into the claw insertion holes 14. However, the length may also be set so that two or three drum pallets 1 can be connected together. Furthermore, horizontal tie bar holes 31a are formed on both ends of the horizontal tie bar main body 31, and the length of the horizontal tie bar main body 31 is set so that both horizontal tie bar holes 31a protrude from the drum pallets 1 when multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged.

[0045] When multiple drum pallets 1 are stacked, the vertical tie bar 35 connects the stacked drum pallets 1 in the vertical direction. That is, as shown in Figure 7, the vertical tie bar 35 is a strip-like plate that extends substantially vertically and has multiple vertical tie bar holes 35a formed therein so as to match with the horizontal tie bar holes 31a of the horizontal tie bars 30 arranged above and below. In addition, another vertical tie bar hole 35a is formed at the bottom end for connection to the frame base 34.

[0046] When multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged in the depth direction, the depth connecting bar 36 connects the multiple drum pallets 1 in the depth direction. That is, it is a long body made of a pipe or plate material with both ends closed, and as shown in Figures 9 and 10, it extends the entire length of the multiple drum pallets 1 arranged in the depth direction, and has screw holes (not shown) formed on both ends.

[0047] 8 and 9, while arranging the horizontal tie bars 30 horizontally, each connecting claw 32 is inserted into the claw insertion portion 14 of each drum pallet 1 lined up side by side. This arrangement of horizontal tie bars 30 is performed on each tier and on the front and back drum pallets 1, and vertical tie bars 35 are arranged vertically to connect the ends of each horizontal tie bar 30. Furthermore, a depth tie bar 36 is arranged between the vertical tie bars 35 facing each other in the depth direction, and connecting bolts 33 are inserted into the horizontal tie bar holes 31a and the vertical tie bar holes 35a and tightened into the threaded holes of the depth tie bar 36. Furthermore, a connecting bolt 33 is inserted into the vertical tie bar hole 35a at the lower end of the vertical tie bar 35 and tightened into a threaded hole provided in the side of the frame base 34.

[0048] This connects the horizontal connecting bars 30, vertical connecting bars 35, and depth connecting bars 36, and connects and integrates the multiple drum pallets 1 arranged side by side in the horizontal, vertical, and depth directions. In this assembled state, as shown in Figure 10, the side (vertical surface) of the drum pallet 1 and the outer surface (surface facing away from the drums 101) of the vertical connecting bar 35 are flush with each other and contact the horizontal connecting bar 30, and the lower end of the vertical connecting bar 35 contacts the side of the frame base 34.

[0049] With the drum pallet frame 10 configured as described above, when multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged side by side, adjacent drum pallets 1 are connected and integrated with the adjacent connectors 2, thereby improving the earthquake resistance of the drum pallets 1 and enabling stable storage of drums 101. Furthermore, when multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged in the depth direction, adjacent drum pallets 1 in the depth direction are also connected and integrated with the adjacent connectors 2, further improving the earthquake resistance of the drum pallets 1.

[0050] Furthermore, since the connecting claws 32 are inserted into the claw insertion portions 14 and multiple drum pallets 1 are connected together with the horizontal connecting bars 30, multiple drum pallets 1 are more firmly connected and integrated. As a result, it is possible to further improve the earthquake resistance of the drum pallets 1. Furthermore, when multiple drum pallets 1 are stacked, the stacked drum pallets 1 are connected and integrated with the vertical connecting bars 35, which improves the earthquake resistance of the stacked drum pallets 1. Furthermore, when multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged in the depth direction, the drum pallets 1 in the depth direction are connected and integrated with the depth connecting bars 36, which improves the earthquake resistance of the drum pallets 1.

[0051] In this way, the earthquake resistance of the drum pallet 1 can be increased, and as a result, the number of layers of the drum pallet 1 can be increased (to four or more layers), which makes it possible to save space in storage facilities and improve the efficiency of storage operations.

[0052] "Drum storage and inspection equipment 100" Next, we will explain drum storage and inspection equipment 100, which stores a plurality of drums 101 and inspects and tests each drum 101 for abnormalities. This drum storage and inspection equipment 100 includes the drum pallet 1 and drum pallet frame 10 described above, a bottom inspection vehicle (bottom photography device) 4, a side inspection vehicle (side photography device) 5, an inspection lift conveyor (first photography device lifting mechanism, second photography device lifting mechanism) 6, and a management computer (drum inspection device, determination means) 7.

[0053] When multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged side by side, the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 is disposed between the upper plate 11 and the lower plate 12 as shown in Fig. 11, and moves between the multiple drum pallets 1, photographing the bottom surface of each drum 101 through the peephole 11b. As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 mainly comprises a main body 40, a traveling unit 41, a sensor 42, a communication unit 43, a memory 44, lighting 45, a photographing unit 46, and a central processing unit 47 that controls these components.

[0054] The running unit 41 is made up of wheels 4a and a drive source (such as a motor) for driving the main body 40. Here, the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 moves along the lower guide rails 16, and in this embodiment, a recess into which the lower guide rails 16 fit is formed on the bottom surface of the main body 40, and the main body 40 moves along the lower guide rails 16.

[0055] The sensor 42 is a detector that detects the bottom inspection position mark M3, and is configured, for example, by a laser sensor. When the bottom inspection position mark M3 is detected, the bottom inspection vehicle 4 stops and takes a photograph with the photographing unit 46. The communication unit 43 is an interface for communicating with the management computer 7 and the like. The memory 44 is a storage device that stores various information, and stores, for example, images photographed by the photographing unit 46 and identification information for the drum 101, which will be described later. The lighting 45 is a light that illuminates the surrounding area, and is installed so as to illuminate the bottom of the drum 101 in particular.

[0056] The photographing unit 46 is a photographing device that photographs the bottom surface of the drum 101 and generates and outputs an image, and in this embodiment is composed of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera and a 3D scanner (scanning type light wave distance meter). That is, the CCD camera takes a color photograph of the bottom surface of the drum 101 to generate 2D image data, and the 3D scanner generates 3D scan data (solid / point cloud data) of the bottom surface of the drum 101. In addition, the angle of view and the like are set so that the entire bottom surface of the drum 101 can be photographed in one shot.

[0057] Here, in the scan data, point clouds are represented sparsely (roughly) in flat areas, and densely in areas with deformation and unevenness. Also, the CCD camera and the 3D scanner photograph the same position and the same area of ​​the drum 101, and the coordinate axes of the image data and the scan data match. This also applies to the imaging unit 56, which will be described later.

[0058] When a plurality of drum pallets 1 are arranged side by side, the side inspection vehicle 5 is disposed between the drums 101 as shown in Fig. 11, and photographs the sides and peripheral surfaces of the plurality of drums 101 while moving between the plurality of drum pallets 1. As shown in Figs. 12 and 14, the side inspection vehicle 5 mainly comprises a main body 50, a traveling unit 51, a sensor 52, a communication unit 53, a memory 54, lighting 55, a photographing unit 56, a rotating tower 58, and a central processing unit 57 that controls these components.

[0059] The running unit 51 is made up of wheels 5a and a drive source (such as a motor) for driving the main body 50. The side inspection vehicle 5 moves along the upper guide rail 15, and in this embodiment, a recess into which the upper guide rail 15 fits is formed on the bottom surface of the main body 50, and the main body 50 moves along the upper guide rail 15.

[0060] The sensor 52 is a detector that detects the side inspection position mark M1 and is configured, for example, by a laser sensor. When the side inspection position mark M1 is detected, the side inspection vehicle 5 stops and takes a photograph with the photographing unit 56. The communication unit 53 is an interface for communicating with the management computer 7 and the like. The memory 54 is a storage device that stores various information, such as images photographed by the photographing unit 56 and identification information for the drum 101, which will be described later. The lighting 55 is a light that illuminates the surrounding area and is installed so as to illuminate the side of the drum 101 from top to bottom in particular.

[0061] The photographing unit 56 is a photographing device that photographs the side of the drum 101 to generate and output an image, and in this embodiment is composed of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera and a 3D scanner (scanning type light wave distance meter). That is, the CCD camera takes a color photograph of the side of the drum 101 to generate 2D image data, and the 3D scanner generates 3D scan data (solid / point cloud data) of the side of the drum 101. In addition, the angle of view and the like are set so that the drum 101 can be photographed from top to bottom in one shot.

[0062] The rotating tower 58 is a tower body extending vertically upward from the top surface of the main body 50, and is equipped with a light 55 and a photographing unit 56. The rotating tower 58 is rotatable about a vertical axis passing through its center, and is configured to photograph the side of a predetermined drum 101 by rotating. That is, when the side inspection vehicle 5 moves along the upper guide rail 15 located in the center of the drum pallet 1, it stops at the side inspection position mark M1 to photograph one drum 101, and then rotates 180 degrees to photograph the other drum 101. When the side inspection vehicle 5 moves along the upper guide rail 15 on one side of the drum pallet 1, it rotates toward the drum 101 adjacent to the upper guide rail 15 to photograph only that side of the drum 101. In this embodiment, lighting 55 and photographing unit 56 are arranged on one side of rotating tower 58, but lighting 55 and photographing unit 56 may also be arranged on both opposing sides so that two drums 101 can be photographed in one stop.

[0063] The bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5 are configured to be able to transmit images captured by the photographing units 46, 56 to the management computer 7 at any time. For example, images may be transmitted each time an image is captured by the photographing units 46, 56, or images stored in the memories 44, 54 in the order of movement may be transmitted together after inspection of all drums 101 has been completed. At this time, the images are transmitted in association with the identification information of the drums 101. Here, the identification information of the drums 101 may be obtained by any method, but for example, an IC tag storing the identification information may be attached to each drum 101, and the identification information may be read by an IC reader.

[0064] Meanwhile, the management computer 7 stores the arrangement pattern of the drum pallets 1, i.e., the number of rows, the number of rows in the depth direction, and the number of layers, as well as the movement routes of the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5. Therefore, when identification information and images of drums 101 are received from the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5, it is possible to identify where the drum 101 with the identification information is located, and it is also possible to identify which image each corresponds to. In this way, the identification information, placement position, and image of each drum 101 can be identified and associated, but other methods of identification and association may also be used. For example, the identification information and placement position may be identified and stored in advance, and then the received images may be associated.

[0065] The inspection lift conveyor 6 is a device that turns (changes direction) the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5, and also moves the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5 to an upper or lower drum pallet 1 when multiple drum pallets 1 are stacked, and is controlled by the management computer 7. Here, to clarify the drawings, etc., we will explain the case where the number of drum pallets 1 arranged horizontally is 2, the number arranged depthwise is 1, and the number of layers is 3.

[0066] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the inspection lifting conveyor 6 mainly comprises a belt conveyor 61 and a lifting link 63. The belt conveyor 61 extends horizontally across two drum pallets 1 arranged side by side, and is rotated by the rotation of multiple rollers 60. Two types of tables 62 are detachably attached to the belt conveyor 61. The bottom table 62 shown in the figure is provided with guide rails 62a identical to the lower guide rails 16 at the same pitch as the lower guide rails 16, so that the bottom inspection vehicle 4 can be guided and placed on it. Similarly, the side table 62 (not shown) is provided with guide rails identical to the upper guide rails 15, so that the side inspection vehicle 5 can be guided and placed on it.

[0067] A lifting link 63 is connected to the lower end of the conveyor box of the belt conveyor 61, and the lower end of this lifting link 63 is connected to a base 64 having wheels 66. In addition, the base of a hydraulic cylinder 65 is connected to the lower end side of the lifting link 63, and the tip of a plunger 651 of the hydraulic cylinder 65 is connected to the upper part of the lifting link 63. When the plunger 651 of the hydraulic cylinder 65 expands and contracts, the lifting link 63 expands and contracts in the vertical direction, and the belt conveyor 61 moves up and down.

[0068] Such inspection lift conveyors 6 are disposed on the front and rear sides of two drum pallets 1 arranged side by side, respectively, and are controlled by the management computer 7 as follows: When photographing the bottoms of the drums 101 using the bottom inspection vehicle 4, the bottom table 62 is mounted on the belt conveyor 61, and the belt conveyor 61 is lowered, for example, to the lower guide rails 16 of the lowest drum pallet 1. At this time, the bottom table 62 faces the pair of lower guide rails 16 at the extreme ends (for example, the left ends).

[0069] Next, when the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 is placed on one side (for example, the front side) of the bottom surface table 62 and started, the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 moves along the lower guide rail 16 from one end (front side) of the lower guide rail 16. When the bottom surface inspection position mark M3 is detected, the vehicle stops and photographs the bottom surface of the drum 101, then moves to the next bottom surface inspection position mark M3 and photographs again. After repeating this process of photographing, the vehicle reaches the other end (back side) of the lower guide rail 16 and moves to the other side (for example, the back side) of the bottom surface table 62.

[0070] Next, the two belt conveyors 61 rotate, and the bottom surface table 62 moves so as to face the adjacent pair of lower guide rails 16. Subsequently, the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 proceeds along the lower guide rails 16 from the other end of the lower guide rails 16 (the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 makes a 180° turn / changes direction), and photographs the bottom surfaces of the drums 101 sequentially at the positions of each bottom surface inspection position mark M3. Then, when the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4 reaches one end of the lower guide rails 16 and moves to one of the bottom surface tables 62, the two belt conveyors 61 rotate, and the bottom surface table 62 moves so as to face the next adjacent pair of lower guide rails 16.

[0071] In this way, the bottom inspection vehicle 4 moves laterally while reciprocating from the front side to the back side, and when all of the drums 101 on the bottom drum pallet 1 have been photographed, the hydraulic cylinder 65 extends and the belt conveyor 61 rises to the lower guide rail 16 of the middle drum pallet 1. Next, in the same manner as for the bottom pallet, the belt conveyor 61 rotates and the bottom table 62 moves laterally, photographing all of the drums 101 on the middle drum pallet 1. Then, in the same manner, the belt conveyor 61 is raised to the top drum pallet 1, and the drums 101 are photographed.

[0072] Furthermore, when photographing the sides of drums 101 with the side surface inspection vehicle 5, the side surface table 62 is mounted on the belt conveyor 61. Then, as in the case of the bottom surface inspection vehicle 4, the inspection lift conveyor 6 moves the side surface table 62 horizontally and vertically while the side surface inspection vehicle 5 moves over all of the drums 101 from the bottom to the top, and photographs the sides of all of the drums 101 with the side surface inspection vehicle 5. At this time, the side surface inspection vehicle 5 stops at the side surface inspection position mark M1 to photograph.

[0073] When photographing using such a bottom inspection vehicle 4 and a side inspection vehicle 5, one vehicle may finish photographing before the other vehicle finishes photographing, or they may be performed simultaneously. When photographing simultaneously, the timing at which the inspection vehicles 4, 5 turn or move up and down can be staggered so that the movement of both inspection vehicles 4, 5 can be controlled by a pair of inspection lift conveyors 6. Also, the inspection lift conveyor 6 may be moved to take photographs sequentially. For example, if four drum pallets 1 are arranged horizontally, the inspection lift conveyor 6 having the above-mentioned length may be moved horizontally to accommodate the four drum pallets 1.

[0074] The management computer 7 is a device that automatically determines whether or not there is any abnormality, such as corrosion, in the drum 101 based on images taken by the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5, and details of which will be described later.

[0075] With the drum storage and inspection facility 100 configured as described above, while multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged and stored, the bottom inspection vehicle 4 photographs the bottoms of the drums 101 through the peephole 11b while moving between the drum pallets 1. This allows for easy, quick, and proper inspection of the bottoms of the drums 101 while the drums 101 are stored. That is, the condition of the bottoms of the drums 101 can be easily, quickly, and properly inspected and confirmed simply by looking at the images taken by the bottom inspection vehicle 4, without having to remove or tilt the drums 101 using a forklift or the like. Moreover, because the bottom inspection vehicle 4 photographs the bottoms of multiple drums 101 while moving between multiple drum pallets 1, multiple drums 101 can be inspected more easily and quickly. As a result, the number of personnel, time, and space required for inspection can be reduced.

[0076] Furthermore, when a plurality of drum pallets 1 are arranged and stored, the side surface inspection vehicle 5 photographs the side and outer periphery of each drum 101 while moving between the drum pallets 1. This makes it possible to easily, quickly, and properly inspect the side surfaces of the drums 101 while the drums 101 are stored for abnormalities. In other words, it is possible to easily, quickly, and properly inspect and confirm the side surface condition of each drum 101 simply by looking at the images taken by the side surface inspection vehicle 5, without having to remove the drums 101 using a forklift or the like. Moreover, since the side surface inspection vehicle 5 photographs the side surfaces of multiple drums 101 while moving between multiple drum pallets 1, it becomes possible to inspect multiple drums 101 more easily and quickly.

[0077] Furthermore, the management computer 7 determines whether there is an abnormality in the drum 101 based on the images taken by the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5. In other words, since the determination is made automatically without a person having to look at the image to determine whether there is an abnormality, it becomes possible to inspect the drum 101 for abnormalities more easily, quickly, and properly.

[0078] Meanwhile, the bottom inspection vehicle 4 and the side inspection vehicle 5 are turned by the inspection lift conveyor 6, and are moved to the upper or lower drum pallet 1 when the drum pallets 1 are stacked in multiple layers. Therefore, even if multiple drum pallets 1 are arranged horizontally, vertically, and horizontally, the inspection vehicles 4, 5 can turn and rise and fall without manual intervention, allowing all of the drums 101 to be inspected smoothly and quickly for abnormalities. Moreover, the turning and rising and falling of both inspection vehicles 4, 5 are performed by a single pair of inspection lift conveyors 6, eliminating the need to provide two pairs of inspection lift conveyors 6 for each of the inspection vehicles 4, 5, thereby enabling equipment and energy savings.

[0079] "Administrative Computer 7" The management computer 7 is a device that mainly determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the drums 101 based on image data generated by photographing the drums 101 with a camera and scan data generated by photographing the drums 101 with a 3D scanner. That is, based on the images (image data and scan data) of each drum 101 transmitted and input from the inspection vehicles 4 and 5, it determines which drums 101 are abnormal and outputs the result.

[0080] Specifically, the determination is made according to the following algorithm: The entire surface of the drum 101, including the bottom surface, is painted yellow, making it easy to see discoloration due to corrosion or the like.

[0081] First, if a discolored area in the image data matches a deformed area in the scan data, that area is determined to have rust or corrosion. Specifically, as shown in Figure 17(a), if the image data contains a black or reddish-brown data portion based on pre-stored color sample data, that area or region is extracted as a discolored area R1. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17(b), if the scan data contains an area where the point cloud is at a predetermined density, that area or region is extracted as a deformed area (an area with deformation greater than a predetermined value) R2.

[0082] Here, the predetermined density state is the point cloud state when deformation due to rust has occurred, and is a state equivalent to the density state of the point cloud of scan data when, for example, rust occurs on the steel material beneath the paint of the drum 101 and progresses, causing the paint to bulge, deform, and discolor, and is stored in advance in the management computer 7. In addition, normal irregularly shaped parts (including large deformed parts that are not rust) such as the rim of the drum 101 that have been stored in advance are not extracted as deformed area R2.

[0083] If a discolored area R1 and a deformed area R2 exist and their positions and areas match, it is determined that the areas R1 and R2 have rust (confirmed presence of rust). Here, area R3 in Figure 17(b) is an area where the point cloud is in a predetermined sparse state, and is an area that is not deformed like the deformed area R2 but is not flat or smooth (an area with small deformation less than a predetermined value), and areas other than areas R2 and R3 are areas where the point cloud is less than the predetermined sparse state (from none to less than sparse), and are areas where the surface of the drum can 101 is flat or smooth.

[0084] Second, if a deformed portion in the scan data does not show discoloration in the image data, it is determined that there is a possibility of rust. Specifically, as shown in Figure 17(b), if there is a portion in the scan data where the point cloud changes from a predetermined sparse state to a dense state, that portion / area is extracted as deformed portions R2 and R3. Then, it is determined whether or not there is a black or reddish-brown data portion in the image data for these deformed portions R2 and R3, and it is determined that there is a possibility of rust (warning for rust) in deformed portion R3, which is an area that has not changed color to black or reddish-brown (remains yellow).

[0085] Third, areas that are not discolored to black or reddish-brown in the image data and are not deformed in the scan data are determined to be rust-free. In other words, areas that remain yellow in the image data and where the point cloud in the scan data is less than a predetermined sparse state (areas other than areas R2 and R3 in Figure 17(b)) are determined to be rust-free (confirmed to be rust-free).

[0086] Such a determination is made using a machine learning algorithm in artificial intelligence (AI). That is, machine learning is performed using learning data (teaching data) such as locations where rust has actually been confirmed to have reached the surface or locations where rust has actually been confirmed to have occurred on the steel material beneath the paint. By constantly performing such machine learning, the accuracy of the determination can be improved. For example, even if numbers or a radiation mark are painted on the surface of the drum 101, it is possible to prevent these from being determined to be rust.

[0087] The results of such determination are output and displayed together with the position information of each drum 101, etc. That is, as described above, the management computer 7 is capable of identifying where a drum 101 with a particular identification information is located, and of identifying which image each represents. Therefore, the determination results are output in correspondence with the placement positions of the drums 101, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 18, in a diagram showing the placement layout of the drums 101, determination information regarding drums 101 that have been determined to have rust or to require caution regarding rust is displayed on the display. In this case, the determination information includes the inspection date and time, whether the drum 101 has rust or requires caution regarding rust, the identification information of the drum 101 (drum management number), the location and size of the rust, and a link to display an image of the drum 101.

[0088] Furthermore, when a drum 101 that has been determined to be rust-free is specified, the system displays the inspection date and time, a message indicating that the drum 101 has been determined to be rust-free, the identification information of the drum 101, and a link to display an image of the drum 101. Furthermore, the management computer 7 is capable of inputting and storing information about each drum 101. For example, as shown in Fig. 18, when a drum 101 is repaired, the date and time of the repair and the location of the repair can be input and stored, and can be displayed at any time.

[0089] According to the management computer 7 and the drum inspection method using the management computer 7 configured as described above, the presence or absence of an abnormality in the drum 101 is determined based on image data of the drum 101 photographed by a camera and scan data photographed by a 3D scanner, thereby enabling more accurate inspection of the drum 101. That is, it is difficult to determine three-dimensional abnormalities such as deformation or unevenness on the surface of the drum 101 or corrosion occurring under the paint (paint buildup) using only two-dimensional image data photographed by a camera, but by taking the three-dimensional scan data into consideration, it becomes possible to determine these abnormalities as well. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of an abnormality in the drum 101 based on image data and scan data, it becomes possible to inspect the drum 101 for abnormalities with higher accuracy.

[0090] Specifically, if a discolored portion in the image data matches a deformed portion in the scan data, it is determined that rust is present, allowing for more reliable rust detection and inspection. That is, when rust occurs and progresses on the steel material beneath the paint, the surrounding area discolors and the paint rises and deforms (the paint rises and breaks, causing the surrounding area to discolor). Therefore, if the same portion of the drum 101 is discolored and deformed, it is determined that rust is present in that portion, allowing for more reliable rust detection and inspection.

[0091] Furthermore, if a deformed portion in the scan data does not show discoloration in the image data, it is determined that there is a possibility of rust (high risk of rust occurrence), making it possible to determine and inspect the occurrence of rust without overlooking it. That is, in the early stages when rust occurs on the steel material under the paint, the paint may rise and deform. Therefore, if the same portion of the drum 101 is deformed but not discolored, it is determined that there is a possibility of rust occurring in that portion, making it possible to determine and inspect the occurrence of rust without overlooking it. In other words, it is possible to discover rust even before the surface of the drum 101 has discolored.

[0092] By installing the following drum inspection program on a general-purpose computer, it is possible to construct the management computer 7. That is, the drum inspection program causes the computer to function as a determination means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the drum 101 based on image data generated by photographing the drum 101 with a camera and scan data generated by photographing the drum 101 with a 3D scanner, and determines that there is rust if a discolored area in the image data matches a deformed area in the scan data, and determines that there is a possibility of rust if the deformed area in the scan data is not discolored in the image data.

[0093] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the specific configuration is not limited to the above embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the vertical connecting means and the depth connecting means are configured as separate bodies, but they may be configured as an integrated body, or the vertical connecting means and the depth connecting means may be configured as an integrated body using a plate-like body (wall body).

[0094] If a forklift attachment capable of adjusting fork spacing is available, the spacing between the claw insertion sections 14 of the top plate 11 can be made wider than the outer periphery of the sight hole 11b, and each connecting claw 32 can be extended in the depth direction. The extended connecting claws 32 can then be inserted and penetrated through the claw insertion sections 14 of multiple drum pallets 1, creating a horizontal, skewer-like state. This further integrates the multiple drum pallets 1 and improves their earthquake resistance. In this case, the connecting claws 32 can be separated from the horizontal connecting bar main body 31, and after inserting the connecting claws 32, they can be fastened to the horizontal connecting bar main body 31 with bolts or the like. The reason for widening the spacing between the claw insertion sections 14 is to prevent the extended connecting claws 32 from passing directly below the sight hole 11b, thereby preventing interference with photographing and scanning data collection of the bottoms of the drums 101.

[0095] Furthermore, the drum pallet 1 is made of a lightweight material with sufficient strength and rigidity (for example, aluminum alloy or hollow steel). However, if there is concern that galvanic corrosion may occur between the drum 101 and the drum pallet 1 due to a corrosion potential difference, measures against galvanic corrosion may be taken by inserting insulating shims such as ring-shaped plastic shims that match the shapes of the lower edge storage portion 11a and the upper edge storage portion 12a.

[0096] Furthermore, although the inspection vehicles 4, 5 are designed to move along guide rails 15, 16, the inspection vehicles 4, 5 may also be automatically controlled to move along a preset movement route. In this case, if they are on the same plane, there is no need to turn the inspection lift conveyor 6, and it is sufficient to simply move the inspection vehicles 4, 5 up and down using the inspection lift conveyor 6. Furthermore, instead of the inspection lift conveyor 6, a slope or conveyor connecting the upper and lower drum can pallets 1 may be provided as a mechanism for lifting and lowering the camera device, and the inspection vehicles 4, 5 may move up and down this slope or the like.

[0097] Furthermore, the judgment algorithm used by the management computer 7 is not limited to the above. For example, if there is a black or reddish-brown discolored area in the image data, but that area is less than a predetermined sparse state (flat / smooth) in the scan data, it may be judged that there is a possibility of rust (for example, pinhole-shaped rust). Also, if there is a area in the image data that appears to be a crack, but that area is less than a predetermined sparse state (flat / smooth) in the scan data, it may be judged that there is a possibility of crack.

[0098] Normally, there is a predetermined gap between the top surface / top lid of the drum 101 and the radioactive waste, and the top surface of the drum 101 does not corrode, so in the above embodiment the top surface of the drum 101 is not inspected, but it may be possible to make it so that it can be inspected. For example, a peephole similar to the peephole 11b may be provided in the bottom plate 12 of the drum pallet 1, and a top surface photographing device that photographs the top surface of the drum 101 may be moved through this peephole. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1 drum pallet 10 Drum Pallet Frame 100 Drum storage and inspection equipment 11 Upper Plate 11a Lower edge storage section 11b Peephole 12 Lower plate 12a Upper edge storage section 14 Claw insertion part 15 Upper guide rail 16 Lower guide rail 2 Adjacent connector (adjacent connector means) 30 Horizontal connecting bar (horizontal connecting means) 32 Connecting claw 35 Vertical connecting bar (vertical connecting means) 36 Depth connection bar (depth connection means) 4 Bottom inspection vehicle (bottom photography device) 5 Side inspection vehicle (side photography device) 6. Inspection lifting conveyor (first imaging device lifting mechanism, second imaging device lifting mechanism) 7. Management computer (drum inspection device, judgment means) 101 Drum 101a Lower edge 101b Upper edge

Claims

1. Pallet pillars are arranged at the four corners of the substantially square upper and lower plates, and the upper and lower plates are arranged at a predetermined interval via the pallet pillars, A lower edge accommodating portion is provided on the upper surface of the upper plate, the lower edge accommodating portion being recessed to accommodate the lower edge of the drum, An upper edge receiving portion that is recessed and receives the upper edge of the drum can is provided on the lower surface of the lower plate, The upper plate is provided with a viewing hole concentric with the lower edge receiving portion, The diameter of the lower edge housing portion is set to be slightly larger than the lower edge of the drum, and the diameter of the peephole is set to be slightly smaller than the lower edge of the drum, so that the entire bottom surface of the drum except for the lower edge is exposed through the peephole, The bottom condition of the drum can be confirmed through the peephole between the upper plate and the lower plate. A drum pallet characterized by:

2. A cylindrical claw insertion portion into which the claws of a forklift can be inserted is provided along at least one of the lower surface of the upper plate and the upper surface of the lower plate, and the width and height of the claw insertion portion are set to a size that allows the claws of the forklift to be inserted without significant play.

2. The drum pallet according to claim 1.

3. When a plurality of drum pallets according to claim 2 are arranged side by side, the lateral connecting means is a long body extending across the plurality of drum pallets arranged side by side, and is provided with connecting claws that are inserted into the claw insertion portions of each of the drum pallets. A drum pallet frame characterized by:

Images