The United States of America as Represented by the United States

Paul J Basnar

Robert C Frank

Joseph C Hoh

David F Serino

Robert E Nelson

Anton A Ziegler

Apparatus for use in processing radioactive waste materials for shipment and storage in solid form in a container is disclosed. The container includes a top, and an opening in the top which is smaller than the outer circumference of the container. The apparatus includes an enclosure into which the container is placed, solution feed apparatus for adding a solution containing radioactive waste materials into the container through the container opening, and at least one rotatable blade for blending the solution with a fixing agent such as cement or the like as the solution is added into the container. The blade is constructed so that it can pass through the opening in the top of the container. The rotational axis of the blade is displaced from the center of the blade so that after the blade passes through the opening, the blade and container can be adjusted so that one edge of the blade is adjacent the cylindrical wall of the container, to insure thorough mixing. When the blade is inside the container, a substantially sealed chamber is formed to contain vapors created by the chemical action of the waste solution and fixant, and vapors emanating through the opening in the container.

Radioactive waste processing apparatus

A can-out hatch assembly is adapted to engage in a sealed manner the upper end of a covered sealed container around an aperture in a sealed chamber and to remove the cover from the container permitting a contaminant to be transferred between the container and the chamber while isolating internal portions of the container and chamber from the surrounding environment. A swing bracket is coupled at a first end thereof to the inner, lower wall of the sealed container adjacent to the aperture therein. To a second end of the swing bracket is mounted a hatch cover which may be positioned in sealed engagement about the chamber's aperture by rotating the hatch cover in a first direction when the swing bracket is in the full down position. Rotation of the hatch cover in a second direction releases it from sealed engagement with the chamber's aperture. A lid support rod also coupled to the second end of the swing bracket and inserted through an aperture in the center of the hatch cover may be rotated for threadably engaging the container's cover whereupon the cover may be removed from the container and the hatch cover displaced from the aperture by pivoting displacement of the swing bracket. The contaminant may then be either removed from the container and placed within the sealed chamber, or vice versa, followed by positioning of the cover upon the container and the hatch cover over the aperture in a sealed manner.

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Western Springs, IL, United States of America

Paul J Basnar