Packaging and Loading Strategies for the Transport of Drumable Low Level Wastes

Abstract

An outline study was carried out to investigate the feasibilty of using 200 litre steel drums as the standard packaging for the transport of low level solid radioactive waste (LLW) to a disposable site. A survey was made of the major waste producers in the UK nuclear industry to estimate both the total quantities of LLW and the fraction of this suitable for packaging in 200 litre drums. Possible methods of handling and loading the drums, with special attention to the feasibility of using ISO type freight containers, were studied; together with possible methods of transporting loads of drums from the site of arising to the disposal site. The outcome of the study was that about 70% of the LLW under consideration was suitable for packaging in 200 litre drums; this corresponds to a total of about 45,000 drums per year requiring transportation. The drums were assumed to be handled in stillage of twelve (2 × 3 × 2) and transported in 20 foot freight containers with five stillages per container. The transport network considered was based exclusively on road movements, with a total of about 134,000 loaded vehicle miles per year. A fleet of forty freight containers and six road vehicles would be required to service such a network.