Solid Radioactive Waste Strategy Report.pdf - UK EPR

EPR UK
N° NESH-G/2008/en/0123
REV. A PAGE 234 / 257
d) Transport container preparation
In the transport container preparation room, before movement of the transport container to
unloading area, the following operations are performed by operations staff standing on a
shielded platform:
· Monitoring of the atmosphere between the inner and outer lids to confirm that the
transport container inner lid remains tight;
· Removal of the outer lid;
· Monitoring of the transport container inner atmosphere (krypton detection), to confirm
that no fuel has been leaking during the transport. In case of krypton detection a
specific procedure will be carried out;
· Unscrewing of the inner lid;
· Fixing of a docking adapter onto the inner lid;
e) Transport container return
The operations described above are performed in approximately reverse order when
preparing fuel assemblies for export from the interim storage facility.
Fuel assemblies unloading and placing into canisters
This part of the facility removes the fuel assemblies from the transport containers and places
them into the fuel storage canisters. The fuel assemblies are sealed in air-tight storage
canisters which are then moved to the storage vault.
a) New canister introduction
An empty canister is introduced into the fuel assemblies transfer tunnel using a handling
crane operated from the handling hall.
b) Transport container inner lid opening
This operation is remotely controlled. After preparation of the transport container, it is
transferred to the docking station and docked to the fuel assemblies unloading cell. The
transport container docking system ensures that the connection between the transport
container internal cavity and the fuel unloading cell is sealed to avoid the spread of
contamination. The transport container inner lid is removed by means of the in-cell jib crane.