DOE 2000. - Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - U.S. Department of Energy

WIPP RH PSAR DOE/WIPP-03-3174 CHAPTER 4
shielded viewing windows between the operating gallery and the Hot Cell allow nearly 100% visual
observations of all operations within the Hot Cell. A Design Class II transfer drawer is provided at the
radiological inspection station for collecting surface contamination assessment swipes and the transfer of
the swipes from the Hot Cell to the glove box in the operating gallery.
Access to the Hot Cell from the CUR is through two shield plugs in the Hot Cell floor. The large plug is
8 ft 8 in (2.64 m) in diameter and contains a smaller concentric 2 ft 8.25 in (0.82 m) diameter plug. Both
plugs must be in place before a road cask can enter or exit from the CUR. When installed, the plugs
provide shielding corresponding to the level of radiation protection required by the CUR. An interlock is
provided between the CUR shield door and the Hot Cell crane, and requires that the shield door be closed
in order to remove the shield plugs and lower the crane into the CUR. When the shield door is closed,
the CUR functions as an air lock between the Hot Cell and the RH Bay. The Hot Cell is maintained at
the lowest negative pressure and air leakage is from the RH bay through the CUR into the Hot Cell. The
Hot Cell has provisions for maintenance of installed equipment. Access to the Hot Cell is permitted only
when RH waste containers are not present. The following equipment is installed or used in the Hot Cell:
Hot Cell 15-Ton Crane
The remotely operated Design Class IIIA overhead 15-ton bridge crane has a 32 ft (9.75 m) span and can
travel about 96 ft (29.2 m ) in an east-west direction. It carries a trolley which can move approximately
23 ft 10 in (7.26 m) in the north-south direction. The trolley carries a hoist which supports a Design
Class IIIA grapple rotating block and facility grapple. A hook can be attached to the grapple to handle
loads including loaded or empty 10-160B drum pallet/carriage units, and 55-gal drums of RH waste. The
hoist has a lifting height of 64 ft (19.5 m). This crane is designed to stay on its tracks, and to maintain
control of its load in the event of a DBE or electrical failure.
The Design Class IIIA grapple rotating block is an assembly in a fabricated steel housing consisting of
four sheaves at the top and a gear drive connected to clevis at the bottom. The grapple rotating block is
suspended from the Hot Cell 15-ton bridge crane by cables passing through the sheaves. The gear drive
has a motor driven pinion that rotates the clevis yoke which normally supports a facility grapple.
The Design Class IIIA facility grapple (Figure 4.2-22) is a special lift fixture that is designed to engage a
standard WIPP pintle. The facility grapple has an axially mounted electrically operated actuator that
rotates a drive gear that drives three lifting lugs into or out of engagement under the WIPP pintle. In the
event of a power failure when the facility grapple was engaged on a lifting pintle, the lifting lugs would
automatically lock in place. The Hot Cell facility grapple is identical to the facility grapple described in
the Facility Cask Loading Room equipment.
A crane hook, rated at 15-tons, is available for use with the facility grapple. The hook is attached to a
handling pintle with a flange.
The mobile bridge crane operator control console is located in operating gallery. Its mobility allows the
operator to select the optimum Hot Cell viewing window location to visually observe the crane operation,
or the operator may elect to view a CCTV monitor while operating the crane. The bridge crane can be
remotely positioned or manually winched into the Crane Maintenance Room for any necessary repairs.
4.2-8 January 28, 2003