Patent Grant
7063657
This invention relates to a method of constructing a stratum disposal site of radioactive waste matter or the like and tunnels such as mountain tunnels by using a pneumatic transfer system and also to a method of performing stratum disposal of the radioactive waste matter or the like.
In stratum disposal of radioactive waste matter, the radioactive waste matter is stabilized into vitrified matter, the vitrified matter is then stored in an airtight condition in a thick steel plate-made airtight container called an overpack, and the overpack is then positioned and buried in a bedrock having a depth as much as several hundred to several ten hundred meter underground, for instance, through a buffer material (bentonite-contained mixed soil or the like).
In the stage of construction, the construction of the underground facilities and the ground facilities takes place. In the stage of operation, works such as accepting of the vitrified matter, charging of the overpack with the vitrified matter, manufacturing of the buffer material, carrying and positioning of the waste matter and the buffer material and refilling of the disposal galleries and the main galleries mainly take place. In the stage of closing-up, works such as refilling of the transfer galleries and the access galleries and disassembling and dismantling of the ground facilities mainly take place.
In the above stratum disposal site, methods conventionally available as a method of carrying the waste matter and the buffer material from the ground to the underground site and a method of positioning the waste matter and the buffer material in a disposal space are as follows. Incidentally, there are provided Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 2001-166093, 9-61594, 9-61595 and 9-61596 etc. as the reference to documents on the related art.
(a) Method (of vertical shaft system) of carrying waste matter A and a buffer material B from the ground to the underground site by using an individual lifting equipment 50 in each access vertical shaft 2a
(b) Method (of inclined shaft system) of carrying the waste matter A and the buffer material B from the ground to the underground site by using an individual travelling carrying machine 51 that travels through each access inclined shaft 2b
Incidentally, other waste matter positioning and burying patterns than the above pattern of lengthwise arrangement of disposal holes include patterns such as a pattern of horizontal arrangement of disposal galleries, wherein horizontal or inclined disposal galleries are constructed by excavation in parallel at prescribed intervals between a pair of main galleries at the left and right sides, and the waste matter A is positioned and buried in a horizontal arrangement in each disposal gallery at prescribed intervals in the longitudinal direction of the gallery, a pattern of lengthwise arrangement of disposal vertical shafts, wherein vertical disposal galleries (disposal vertical shafts) are constructed by excavation in parallel at prescribed intervals between the main gallery at the upper side and the gallery at the lower side, and the waste matter A is positioned and buried in a lengthwise arrangement in each disposal gallery at prescribed intervals in a vertical direction, and a pattern of horizontal arrangement of disposal holes, wherein horizontal disposal holes are constructed by excavation in the opposite side wall parts of the disposal gallery at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the gallery, and the waste matter A is positioned and buried in a horizontal arrangement in each disposal hole.
In addition, the buffer material B includes mixed soil or the like mainly containing bentonite. The bentonite-contained mixed soil is a material having dynamic buffering functions, low permeability and low diffusibility of radioactive matter, in other words, a material that is effective in reducing bedrock pressure or underground water effects to ensure that retardation of nuclide migration is achievable.
(a) In the case of vertical shaft system, there is a possibility of bringing about a fall of the waste matter a. The fall of the waste matter, if caused, is likely to lead to serious disasters.
(b) In the case of the vertical shaft system, a dead load of a wire rope of the lifting equipment 50 increases with greater shaft depth, so that a remarkable reduction in permissible lifting capacity (a waste matter weight obtained by taring the rope dead load) is caused.
(c) In the case of the vertical shaft system, it is difficult to increase a lifting speed, because of the possibility of being in danger of the fall of the waste matter A and the necessity to decrease a load applied to the wire rope.
(d) In the case of the inclined shaft system, application of a load to a speed reduction (stopping) device of the traveling carrying machine 51 is caused. When the speed reduction device develops troubles, there is a fear that runaway of the waste matter A occurs, leading to serious disasters.
(e) In the case of the inclined shaft system, an increase of reliability on control of the traveling carrying machine 51 requires an expensive machine.
(f) In the case of the inclined shaft system, arrangements of the secondary equipment such as rail and traction wire arrangements are required, leading to an increase in cost.
(a) An extremely precise automatic remote control positioning apparatus 52 is required for execution of individual positioning of the waste matter A and the buffer material B in the disposal holes or the like, leading to an increase in cost.
(b) If the positioning results in a failure, it is difficult to effect restoration by an automatic remote control operation.
(c) For the positioning of the buffer material blocks in the disposal holes or the like in such a manner as to divide the buffer material into blocks, it is difficult to secure a buffer material quality obtained after the positioning of the buffer material.
While the above problems are those given in the stage of operation, the same problems as those shown in the above section (1) are also created in the stage of construction of the disposal galleries, since the carrying-out of the excavation chips and the carrying-in of the materials and equipment for construction of the disposal galleries are effected also by using the lifting equipment 50 or the traveling carrying machine 52 in the access galleries 2 in the stage of construction.
The present invention has been undertaken in order to eliminate the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of constructing underground galleries, wherein in constructing disposal galleries in a stratum disposal site or tunnels such as mountain tunnels, the carrying-out of excavation chips or the like and the carrying-in of materials and equipment or the like may be effected safely, quickly and reliably at low cost, and also a stratum disposal method, wherein the carrying-in of waste matter in the stratum disposal site may be effected safely, quickly and reliably at low cost, the positioning of the waste matter and a buffer material in the stratum disposal site may be also effected safely, quickly and reliably at low cost, and the quality of the buffer material may be secured easily.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing underground galleries by using a vertical shaft or an inclined shaft, specifically, a method of constructing underground galleries, wherein an air carrying pipeline is used while extending the air carrying pipeline downwards as desired during excavation of the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft so as to carry out vertical shaft or inclined shaft excavation chips to the ground and also carry in materials and equipment for the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft to the underground site, and by using the air carrying pipeline extending from the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft to an underground gallery, excavation chips from the underground gallery are carried out to the ground or the materials and equipment for the underground gallery are carried in to the underground site. In the underground galleries, the air carrying pipeline is used for both of the carrying-out of the excavation chips and the carrying-in of the materials and equipment, or alternatively, for either of the carrying-out of the excavation chips or the carrying-in of the materials and equipment.
The construction method according to the first aspect of the present invention is a method, which is applied to construction of the underground galleries in the stratum disposal site of the waste matter and the mountain tunnels or the like, and in which the air carrying pipeline is arranged in the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft, and by using the air carrying pipeline and a carrying container (a so-called capsule transport line), the carrying-out of the excavation chips from the vertical shaft, the inclined shaft or the underground gallery to the ground, and the carrying-in of the materials and equipment including the spray concrete for the vertical shaft, the inclined shaft or the underground gallery to the underground site are effected (See
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing underground galleries by using a vertical shaft or an inclined shaft, specifically, a method of constructing underground galleries, wherein the vertical shaft or inclined shaft itself constructed by excavation is used as an air carrying pipeline, and by using the air carrying pipeline, excavation chips from the underground gallery are carried out to the ground or materials and equipment for the underground gallery are carried in to the underground site. In the above construction method, the air carrying pipeline is also used in the underground galleries for both of the carrying-out of the excavation chips and the carrying-in of the materials and equipment, or alternatively, either of the carrying-out of the excavation chips or the carrying-in of the materials and equipment.
The construction method according to the second aspect of the present invention is a method, which is applied to construction of the underground galleries in the stratum disposal site of the waste matter and the mountain tunnels or the like, and in which the air carrying pipeline is constructed in such a manner that the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft for air carrying is constructed by excavation and a lining material and a membrane or the like respectively adapted to bear a strength and an air-tightness are then placed on the inner side wall of the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft, and by using the vertical shaft-and-air carrying pipeline and the carrying container (the so-called capsule transport line), the carrying-out of the excavation chips from the vertical shaft, the inclined shaft or the underground gallery to the ground, and the carrying-in of the materials and equipment including the spray concrete for the vertical shaft, the inclined shaft or the underground gallery to the underground site are effected (See
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stratum disposal method of performing stratum disposal of waste matter in an underground disposal space, specifically, a stratum disposal method, wherein an air carrying pipeline is arranged in an access vertical shaft or an access inclined shaft extending to an underground gallery, and by using the air carrying pipeline, the waste matter is carried in to the underground gallery for positioning and burying of the waste matter in the disposal space.
The stratum disposal method according to the third aspect of the present invention is a method, which is applied to disposal of the waste matter (the so-called overpack) such as radioactive wastes, for instance, by positioning and burying the waste matter, together with the buffer material, in the underground disposal space (a disposal gallery or disposal holes provided for the disposal gallery or the like), and in which the air carrying pipeline is arranged in the access vertical shaft or the access inclined shaft, and by using the air carrying pipeline and the carrying container (the so-called capsule transport line), the carrying-in of the waste matter to the underground gallery is effected (See
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stratum disposal method of performing stratum disposal of waste matter in an underground disposal space, specifically, a stratum disposal method, wherein a vertical shaft or an inclined shaft itself constructed by excavation is used as an air carrying pipeline, and by using the air carrying pipeline, the waste matter is carried in to the underground gallery, for positioning and burying of the waste matter in the disposal space.
The stratum disposal method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is a method, which is applied to disposal of the waste matter (the so-called overpack) such as the radioactive waste, for instance, by positioning and burying the waste matter, together with the buffer material, in the underground disposal space (the disposal gallery or the disposal holes provided for the disposal gallery), and in which the air carrying pipeline is constructed in such a manner that the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft for air carrying is constructed by excavation and a lining material and a membrane or the like respectively adapted to bear a strength and an air-tightness are placed on the inner side wall of the vertical shaft or the inclined shaft, and by using the vertical shaft-and-air carrying pipeline and the carrying container (the so-called capsule transport line), the carrying-in of the waste matter to the underground gallery is effected (See
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the stratum disposal method according to last described above, there is provided the stratum disposal method, wherein a carrying matter obtained by integrating the waste matter and the buffer material together is carried by pneumatic transfer, and is positioned and buried in a disposal space.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the air carrying pipeline has, at a lower part, an air valve which permits the inflow of air into the pipeline and checks the outflow of air to the outside of the pipeline.
Specifically, for a pneumatic transfer system according to the present invention, while use is made of systems such as a suction system, wherein an exhaust device is arranged at an upper part of the air carrying pipeline, a press-in system, wherein an exhaust device is arranged at a lower part of the air carrying pipeline, and a system, wherein the exhaust device is arranged at both of the upper and lower parts of the air carrying pipeline, a pneumatic transfer system having the air valve of check valve type at the lower part of the air carrying pipeline is effective in performing supply of air into the pipeline or ventilation of the underground facilities and the tunnels efficiently in a valve opened condition, and also enables a pneumatic damper effect to be obtained in a valve closed condition. Thus, even if troubles or the like with the system bring about a spontaneous fall condition, the damper effect is expected to be active, with the result that the safety is secured.
Incidentally, according to the present invention, the vertical shaft is a shaft constructed in a vertical position by excavation, and the inclined shaft includes a linear-shaped or partly curved shaft constructed in an inclined position by excavation.
In the present invention, since (1) the pneumatic transfer system is used to carry out and carry in the carrying matter using a difference between pneumatic pressures at the upper and lower sides of the carrying matter, {circle around (1)} it is allowable to dispense with the conventional wire rope so that any restriction by a depth is eliminated to ensure that carrying even to a greater depth is executable, {circle around (2)} a carrying speed may be increased as compared with a conventional wire rope system, {circle around (3)} the transfer system requires only the differential pressure management, leading to an increase in carrying reliability, {circle around (4)} a transfer system mechanism is simple, so that high resistance to troubles is obtainable, and maintenance or management thereof also becomes facilitated, and {circle around (5)} there is no necessity of a precise carrying machine, resulting in an increase in economical efficiency. With the above advantages, the carrying-out of the excavation chips or the like and the carrying-in of the materials and equipment or the like in construction of the stratum disposal site and the mountain tunnels or the like, and the carrying-in of the waste mater in the stratum disposal site and the positioning of the waste matter and the buffer material in the stratum disposal site may be effected safely, quickly and reliably at low cost.
(2) With the operation of the pneumatic transfer system, it is allowable to perform suction of air in the underground facilities or the tunnels to ensure that ventilation of air in the underground facilities or the tunnels is achievable. The air carrying pipeline is also serviceable as a ventilating vertical shaft, and thus requires no arrangement of other ventilation systems, leading to an increase in economical efficiency.
(3) With the use of the vertical shaft or the like itself as a part of the pneumatic transfer system, {circle around (1)} the air carrying pipeline having the strength and the air-tightness may be constructed easily only by placing the lining material and the membrane or the like on the inner side wall of the vertical shaft or the like, and {circle around (2)} a compact transfer system may be given to ensure that a diameter reduction of the vertical shaft or the like is attainable. The above advantages lead to an increase in economical efficiency.
(4) The carrying container is put to practical use in the stratum disposal of the radioactive waste matter, and the waste matter and the buffer material are integrated together at the ground facilities. By positioning and burying the integrated waste matter and buffer material in the disposal space of the underground facilities together with the carrying container, {circle around (1)} there is no necessity to position the waste matter A and the buffer material B individually in the underground site, unlike a conventional technology, so that the positioning work may be effected safely, quickly and reliably at low cost, and the positioning reliability and the quality of the buffer material are increased. {circle around (2)} No swelling of the buffer material is caused because of no permeation of the underground water in the buffer material for a certain period of time since the positioning of the buffer material, so that retrieving becomes facilitated, and a removal work is also performed easily.
(5) With the air valve provided at the lower part of the air carrying pipeline, the outflow of air from the vertical shaft or the like into the underground facilities or the tunnels is prevented, so that even if a stop of the power supply or the like in the course of carrying brings about the spontaneous fall condition of the carrying matter, the damper effect obtained by a compression action of air at the lower part of the air carrying pipeline may be adapted to prevent disasters caused by a crash of the carrying matter against the lower part of the underground facilities or the like.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to an illustrated embodiment. The embodiment of the present invention is that attained by applying the present invention to stratum disposal of radioactive waste matter.
[A] For Placement of the Air Carrying Pipeline in the Access Vertical Shaft of the Stratum Disposal Site
Incidentally, in the stage of construction of the horizontal gallery, other paths such as the vertical shafts and the galleries or other carrying means are also available for the carrying-out of the excavation chips a or the carrying-in of the materials and equipment.
Specifically, transfer of the waste matter for positioning may take place also using an automatic remote control positioning apparatus or the like. Or alternatively, it is also allowable to apply the air carrying pipeline 10 to the transfer of the waste matter for positioning in such a manner as to place the air carrying pipeline 10 also in the disposal gallery 3.
The air carrying pipeline 10 is also serviceable as an exhaust shaft for ventilation of the underground facilities as will be described later, and thus requires no arrangement of other ventilation systems, leading to an increase in economical efficiency.
[B] For Use of an Individual Vertical Shaft as the Air Carrying Pipeline
Incidentally, in the stage of construction of the horizontal gallery, other paths such as the vertical shafts and the galleries or other carrying means are also available for the carrying-out of the excavation chips a or the carrying-in of the materials and equipment.
Specifically, the transfer of the waste matter for positioning in this case may take place also using the automatic remote control positioning apparatus or the like. Or alternatively, it is also allowable to apply the air carrying pipeline 10 to the transfer of the waste matter for positioning in such a manner as to place the air carrying pipeline 10 also in the disposal gallery 3.
With the use of the vertical shaft itself as a part of a pneumatic transfer system as described the above, {circle around (1)} the air carrying pipeline having the strength and the air-tightness may be constructed only by placing the lining material and the membrane on the inner side wall of the vertical shaft. {circle around (2)} The compact transfer system may be given to ensure that a vertical shaft diameter reduction is attainable. The above advantages lead to an increase in economical efficiency. {circle around (3)} The vertical shaft 12 itself is also serviceable as the exhaust shaft for ventilation of the underground facilities as will be described later, and thus requires no arrangement of other ventilation systems, leading to an increase in economical efficiency.
[C] Pneumatic Transfer System
An exhaust device 16 such as a blower is placed at an upper part of the air carrying pipeline 13 (or 10), and an air valve 17 is provided at a lower part thereof to control a carrying speed (an ascend speed and a descend speed) of the carrying container 11 by managing a difference between pneumatic pressures at the upper and lower sides of the carrying container 11 in such a manner as to effect the exhaust of air through the upper part and the suction of air through the lower part. Although the illustrated embodiment employs the negative pressure suction system, the present invention is not limited to the above system, and a positive pressure press-in system with the blower or the like arranged at the lower part or a system with the blower or the like arranged at both of the upper and lower parts is also available.
With the above pneumatic transfer system, {circle around (1)} it is allowable to dispense with the wire rope required for the conventional vertical shaft system so that any restriction by a depth is eliminated to ensure that carrying even to the greater depth is executable. {circle around (2)} A carrying speed is increased. {circle around (3)} The transfer system is simple because of only the need for the differential pressure management, leading to an increase in carrying reliability. {circle around (4)} A transfer system mechanism is simple, so that high resistance to troubles is obtainable and the maintenance or management thereof becomes facilitated. {circle around (5)} There is no necessity of a precise carrying machine, resulting in an increase in economical efficiency.
As shown in
Thus, {circle around (1)} with the operation of the pneumatic transfer system, the air valve 17 is opened automatically to effect the suction of air in the underground facilities for the exhaust to the ground, thereby enabling the ventilation in an administrative area of the underground facilities, as shown in
As shown in
[D] Waste Matter and Buffer Material
The carrying matter form is not limited to the above forms, and it is also allowable to carry the waste matter A as it is without using the carrying container, as shown in
In addition, spacers 21 such as wheels mounted to an outer circumference of the carrying container 11 as shown in
In use of the carrying container 11 shown in
With the use of the integrating container in which the waste matter A and the buffer material B are integrated together as described the above, {circle around (1)} there is no necessity to position the waste matter A and the buffer material B individually in the underground site, unlike the conventional technology, so that the positioning work may be effected safely, quickly and reliably at low cost, and the positioning reliability and the buffer material quality are increased. {circle around (2)} With the integrating container 20 positioned in the disposal hole 7 as it is, no swelling of the buffer material is caused because of no permeation of the underground water into the buffer material B during the period of operation (until a period of time when a corrosion hole is caused in the integrating container), so that the retrieving during the above period becomes facilitated. Also, the removal for each integrating container 20 may be easily performed.
Alternatively, it is also allowable to carry the waste matter A and the buffer material B individually by pneumatic transfer, without being limited to the carrying of the waste matter A and the buffer material B that are integrated together. When the carrying of the waste matter A is effected as it is as shown in
Even if the vertical shaft 12 is in a somewhat vertically deformed condition as shown in
Alternatively, the individual vertical shaft 12 for carrying need not extending perpendicularly, and may be an inclined or partially curved shaft (with a curve whose radius of curvature is as much as permitting passage of the carrying container or the like), as shown in
Further, with the use of the vertical shaft damper effect at its maximum, the carrying in a spontaneous fall condition may be also effected. When a method of carrying in the spontaneous fall condition is adopted, it is also allowable to increase the damper effect in such a manner as to fill the vertical shaft with liquid such as water. While the vertical shaft damper effect provides a high failsafe against the fall of the carrying matter, the further increased safety may be provided by gradually reducing the lower part diameter of the vertical shaft 12, as shown in
The differential pressure management applied to a case where the carrying matter is lightweight (the carrying device is capable of being lifted with the atmospheric pressure) is limited to the suction system (with the negative pressure). On the other hand, the differential pressure management applied to a case where the carrying matter is heavy is limited to the press-in system (with the positive pressure).
While the foregoing description relates to the stratum disposal site, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the stratum disposal site, and it is allowable to apply the pneumatic transfer system of the present invention also to construction of the tunnels such as the mountain tunnels. While the stratum disposal of the radioactive waste matter in the mode of positioning with the disposal holes has been described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above positioning mode, and it is, of course, allowable to apply the present invention to other positioning modes. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the burying disposal of radioactive waste matter, and it is also allowable to apply the present invention to the burying disposal of other waste matters.
The present invention has the above arrangements, and therefore, the following effects may be obtained.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-344537 | Nov 2001 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP02/11672 | 11/8/2002 | WO | 00 | 8/30/2004 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO03/040523 | 5/15/2003 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20050004416 A1 | Jan 2005 | US |
