Radioactive Disposal Container Interlocking Grooves for Welding Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The difficulty in aligning and welding heavy components of disposal containers, particularly those used for radioactive shielding, due to their weight and the need for precise positioning to prevent radiation leakage.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating grooves and projections on the walls, floor, and ceiling of the disposal container that interlock to facilitate precise alignment and maintain the components' relative positions during welding, forming a labyrinth structure to reduce radiation escape.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If heavy walls, floor and ceiling are used for radiation shielding, then radiation protection is improved, but alignment and positioning for welding becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradiation protectionVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing grooves on the walls, floor and ceiling before welding. These grooves are pre-formed features that guide the alignment process, allowing the heavy components to be positioned accurately relative to each other before the welding operation begins, thus solving the alignment difficulty caused by the weight and size of radiation shielding components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If grooves and projections are added for alignment, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functions into the groove and projection structures. These features simultaneously serve as alignment guides, positioning references, and welding fixtures. By combining these functions into a single integrated feature set, the patent achieves precise positioning without proportionally increasing structural complexity, as the grooves and projections are formed as part of the standard component geometry rather than added as separate fixtures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The grooves and projections serve multiple purposes: they provide alignment guidance during assembly, maintain precise positioning during welding, and form a labyrinth structure for radiation shielding. This multi-functionality allows the patent to achieve precise positioning without adding dedicated alignment fixtures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If components are fixed during welding, then welding precision is improved, but additional fixing means increase device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding precisionVSAvoidfixing mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the alignment and fixing functions into the groove and projection structures. The grooves not only guide alignment but also physically constrain the components during welding, eliminating the need for separate fixing mechanisms. This merging of functions achieves welding precision without adding the complexity of additional clamps, fixtures, or restraining devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2733704B1Final storage container and method for the production of same
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 GNS GESELLSCHAFT FUR NUKLEAR SERVICE MBH
  • EP2733704B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2733704B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2733704B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The method involves drying an object in a final disposal container (10) by heating inner side of the final disposal container and removing the formation of the moist air in the final disposal container during the heating. The object is dried in the final disposal container by vacuum drying. The openings (25,26) of the final disposal container is closable, particularly after drying of the object in the final disposal container, when the moist air is exhausted from the final disposal container by using vacuum. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a final disposal container for a contaminated article; and (2) a method for the preparation of final disposal container for particularly a contaminated object.