Horizontal 500 L Drum Inner Package for Radioactive Waste Overpack
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overpacks designed for 200 l drums are not compatible with 500 l drums due to dimensional differences, posing challenges in transportation and requiring unnecessary redesign and regulatory approval for new outer packages.
Innovation Solution
An inner package with a cage structure that accommodates a 500 l drum horizontally, allowing it to fit within an overpack similar in dimensions to one designed for four 200 l drums, thereby utilizing a standard outer package and minimizing costs and regulatory burdens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If overpacks are designed for 200 l drums with vertical arrangement, then they provide proper containment and shielding, but they cannot accommodate 500 l drums due to dimensional constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from vertical drum arrangement to horizontal drum arrangement within the inner package. This allows the 500 l drum to fit within the same outer package dimensions by utilizing the horizontal space rather than vertical space, thereby accommodating larger drums without increasing the overall package volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical arrangement of drums by placing the 500 l drum horizontally within the inner package. This inversion of the arrangement orientation enables the larger drum to be accommodated within the standard outer package dimensions that would otherwise only fit smaller vertical drums.
2Adaptability or versatility
If new outer packages are designed for 500 l drums, then they can accommodate the larger drums, but regulatory approval and testing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing the inner package to accommodate different drum sizes (both 200 l and 500 l drums) within the same outer package configuration. The horizontal arrangement capability allows a single outer package design to serve multiple purposes, eliminating the need for separate regulatory approval processes for different drum sizes.
3Reliability
If 500 l drums are transported in custom-designed overpacks, then proper containment is achieved, but transportation costs and testing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains containment integrity while improving transportation efficiency by utilizing horizontal arrangement of the 500 l drum within the inner package. This dimensional change allows standard outer packages to be used, reducing the need for custom-designed overpacks and associated testing requirements, thereby improving transportation efficiency without compromising containment.
Data Source
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AI summary
An inner package (1) of an overpack for a 500 l drum for the storage of radioactive waste is provided. The inner package (1) includes a barrel (2) for receiving a 500 l drum for the storage of radioactive waste and a cage (10) surrounding the barrel (2). The cage (10) has a base portion, a top portion having at least one lifting point (22) for lifting the inner package and side portions extending between the base portion and the top portion. The barrel (2) is substantially cylindrical and is oriented such that its main cylindrical axis lies substantially parallel with the base portion and the top portion of the cage. The barrel (2) is structurally connected to the cage (10) to hold the barrel (2) within the cage (10).