US4422964A — Radioactive waste container with immobilization c…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 86 words

A unitary waste storage container including a solid waste storage compartment, a liquid waste storage compartment located below and joined to the solid waste storage compartment, a liquid drainage passage connecting the compartments and a closure extending across the passage to close the passage during filling of the solid waste storage compartment and an operator for moving the closure to a position opening the passage thereafter to permit liquid from the waste in the solid waste storage compartment to drain into the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 86 words

A unitary waste storage container including a solid waste storage compartment, a liquid waste storage compartment located below and joined to the solid waste storage compartment, a liquid drainage passage connecting the compartments and a closure extending across the passage to close the passage during filling of the solid waste storage compartment and an operator for moving the closure to a position opening the passage thereafter to permit liquid from the waste in the solid waste storage compartment to drain into the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the operator includes a closure acutation element on the outside of the container whereby the passage may be opened from the outside of the container.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

A container as in claim 2 including indicia means located on the outside of the container for indicating whether the passage is opened or closed.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

A container as in claim 2 wherein the solid waste storage compartment includes a bottom wall having a low point and said passage extends through the wall at the low point.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall separates the solid and liquid waste storage compartments.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 1 including liquid absorbent material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the solid waste compartment includes a bottom wall having a low point and the passage extends through the wall at the low point.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the operator extends the closure into the passage to close the passage and withdraws the closure from the passage to open the passage.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the operator moves the closure over the end of the passage to close the passage and withdraws the closure from the end of the passage to open the passage.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein said operator comprises a pressure fluid cylinder and a pressure line extending from one port of the cylinder through a chamber wall to the exterior of the container.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 31 words

A container as in claim 10 including an indicator extending outwardly of the container moveable with the piston rod of said cylinder to indicate whether the passage is open or closed.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

A container as in claim 11 wherein said indicator comprises a rod moveable with the cylinder piston rod.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

A container as in claim 12 wherein a second port of said pressure cylinder is connected to a pipe extending from the cylinder to the exterior of the container, the rod being positioned within the pipe.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 64 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the closure comprises a plate overlying said passage, a closure shaft operatively connected to said plate and extending outwardly of the container, a seal between the shaft and the wall of the container and means for moving the shaft to move the plate toward and away from the passage so as to close and open the passage.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

A container as in claim 14 including a threaded connection between the shaft and a fixed portion of the container for axially moving the shaft and plate.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

A container as in claim 14 including a connection between the shaft and plate permitting rotation of the shaft with respect to the plate.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 32 words

A container as in claim 16 wherein an end of the shaft within the container is threaded, and a fixed threaded block on the container, said end being threaded within said block.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 15 words

A container as in claim 17 including a resilient shaft lock at the threaded connection.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 17 words

A container as in claim 14 wherein said plate carries a resilient seal for closing said passage.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 30 words

A container as in claim 14 wherein said shaft includes a shoulder engageable with a fixed part of the container for limiting movement of the plate away from the passage.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 20 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the compartments and structure defining the passage are formed from a plastic material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 18 words

A container as in claim 1 wherein the compartments and structure defining the passage are formed from steel.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 1 including liquid absorbent material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 1 including chemical neutralizing material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 1 including gas absorbent material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 19 words

A container as in claim 1 including a common wall separating the compartments, said passage extending through the wall.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 58 words

A container as in claim 26 wherein the wall includes a low point and the passage is at the low point whereby when the passage is open liquid in the waste stored in the solid waste compartment drains down to the wall, along the wall to the low point and through the passage to the liquid storage compartment.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 15 words

A container as in claim 27 including liquid absorbant material in the liquid waste compartment.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 79 words

A unitary waste storage container having a solid waste storage compartment, a liquid waste storage compartment below and joined to the solid waste storage compartment, a common wall separating the compartments, a closable liquid flow passage extending through the wall to communicate the compartments and liquid absorbtion material in the liquid waste storage compartment for immobilizing liquid draining from waste in the solid waste compartment through the passage and into the absorbant material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 79 words

A unitary waste storage container having a solid waste storage compartment, a liquid waste storage compartment below and joined to the solid waste storage compartment, a common wall separating the compartments, a closable liquid flow passage extending through the wall to communicate the compartments and liquid absorbtion material in the liquid waste storage compartment for immobilizing liquid draining from waste in the solid waste compartment through the passage and into the absorbant material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 39 words

A container as in claim 29 including closure means for closing the passage when the solid waste storage compartment is filled with waste and operable to open the passage after the solid waste storage compartment is filled with waste.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 39 words

A container as in claim 30 wherein said container includes a bottom wall, said common wall is spaced a short distance above the container bottom wall and including a support plate running across the immobilization compartment beneath the passage.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 31 including a cutout in the support plate beneath the passage.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 19 words

A container as in claim 31 including a liquid distribution cutout in said support plate adjacent the bottom wall.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 29 words

A container as in claim 32 including a liquid waste storage compartment filling opening extending through the common wall above said plate and a cover normally sealing said opening.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 24 words

A container as in claim 29 wherein said common wall includes a low point, said passage extending through the wall at the low point.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 61 words

A container as in claim 29 including a closure member for said passage, a drive for moving the closure member away from and toward the passage so as to open and close the passage, said drive including an actuation device for the closure member and an operator for the actuation device, said operator being located on the exterior of the container.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 30 words

A container as in claim 36 wherein said actuation device includes a pressure cylinder for moving the closure member, and a pressure line extending through the wall of the container.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 14 words

A container as in claim 36 wherein the actuation device includes a mechanical drive.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 29 including chemical neutralizing material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 29 including gas absorbent material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 136 words

The method of removing liquid from waste stored in a container having a solid waste storage compartment and a liquid waste storage compartment comprising the steps of: a. Placing waste containing solid and liquid waste in a solid waste storage compartment in the container while preventing liquid in the waste from flowing into the liquid waste storage compartment. b. Gravity flowing liquid within the solid waste storage compartment to the bottom of the storage compartment; c. Draining the liquid on the bottom of the solid waste storage compartment through a passage in the bottom of the solid waste storage compartment into a liquid waste storage compartment in the container located below the solid waste storage compartment; and d. Solidifying the liquid in the liquid waste storage compartment by absorbtion into a carrier within such a compartment.

Claim 44

Independent Claim 136 words

The method of removing liquid from waste stored in a container having a solid waste storage compartment and a liquid waste storage compartment comprising the steps of: a. Placing waste containing solid and liquid waste in a solid waste storage compartment in the container while preventing liquid in the waste from flowing into the liquid waste storage compartment. b. Gravity flowing liquid within the solid waste storage compartment to the bottom of the storage compartment; c. Draining the liquid on the bottom of the solid waste storage compartment through a passage in the bottom of the solid waste storage compartment into a liquid waste storage compartment in the container located below the solid waste storage compartment; and d. Solidifying the liquid in the liquid waste storage compartment by absorbtion into a carrier within such a compartment.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 41 including the steps of purging the solid waste storage chamber of free-standing liquid while preventing liquid from flowing through the passage and into the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 41 including the step of reacting the liquid with a chemical in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 43 including the step of chemically neutralizing the liquid in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 44 including the step of reacting the liquid with an acidic material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 44 including the step of reacting the liquid with a basic material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 41 including the step of trapping undesired gases in material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 81 words

A unitary waste storage container including a solid waste storage compartment, a liquid waste storage compartment located below and joined to the solid waste storage compartment, a liquid impervious wall at the bottom of the solid waste storage compartment and closable means for forming a passage through said wall communicating the two compartments whereby liquid in waste stored in the solid waste storage compartment gravity drains down to the wall and flows through the passage to the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 81 words

A unitary waste storage container including a solid waste storage compartment, a liquid waste storage compartment located below and joined to the solid waste storage compartment, a liquid impervious wall at the bottom of the solid waste storage compartment and closable means for forming a passage through said wall communicating the two compartments whereby liquid in waste stored in the solid waste storage compartment gravity drains down to the wall and flows through the passage to the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 16 words

A container as in claim 48 including liquid absorbant material in the liquid waste storage compartment.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 23 words

A container as in claim 49 wherein said wall includes a low point and said means forms the passage at the low point.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 42 words

A container as in claim 50 wherein said means includes a passage extending through said wall communicating said compartments, a member extending across the passage to close the passage and an operator for moving the member to a position opening the passage.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 31 words

A container as in claim 51 wherein said operator includes an actuation element on the outside of the container whereby the passage may be opened from the outside of the container.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-12-26	1987-06-27	1987-12-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-12-26	1991-06-27	1991-12-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-12-26	1995-06-27	1995-12-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Radioactive waste container with immobilization compartment and method

Abstract

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