Feature Materials Handling & Conveying


Bespoke system for nuclear waste transfer


Exmac Automation has provided a bespoke conveying system to King Transport Equipment to transfer drums containing nuclear waste via two specially designed trailer units that are used to transport low level nuclear waste within the Sellafield reprocessing plant


ing Transport Equipment, the largest manufacturer of abnormal load trailers in the UK, has pro- duced a number of successful trailer solutions for the nuclear indus- try. It was then awarded its first major contract to project manage the turnkey design and manufacture of two con- tainerised Drum Transfer Trailers (DTTs). These have replaced a 20 year old system used to transfer drums con- taining nuclear waste from the loading bay to secure storage at Sellafield. The bespoke conveying and han- dling system from Exmac is fitted inside the DTTs to enable drums to be transferred into the trailer mounted container from an external conveyor. Drums can then be discharged from the trailer onto a similar conveying system on the Sellafield loading bay - one of which is already fitted with an existing Exmac conveying system. The system comprises a matched pair of heavy duty slider-bed belt con- veyors, each capable of handling a maximum payload of up to 6.8 tonnes of waste drums (the maximum weight of an individual drum is 1.7 tonnes).


K Features The system incorporates a variety of


special features including: ●


Remote drive systems with over- load protection and manual drive sys- tems mounted within a separate maintenance compartment to allow


Cassette structure with sliding feet arrangement to allow easy removal of


access for maintenance personnel. ●


16 SEPTEMBER 2013 Automation


Above and below: Exmac were


contracted to design and manufacture the integrated transport and handling system that would allow the purpose designed DTTs to interface with Sellafield’s internal


conveying system individual conveyors for major


planned maintenance operations. ●


Powered rise and fall barrier to contain drums on the conveyors during transfer and transportation. The barrier is raised at the beginning of the load/unload procedure and


again at the end, by an input signal. ●


Fixed barriers to retain drums in the event of the trailer being subject to sudden braking or a low speed collision. A spokesman for King Trailers said the company had worked successfully with Exmac on a previous aerospace project and contacted them again to design and manufacture the integrated transport and handling system that would allow the purpose designed DTTs to interface with Sellafield’s inter- nal conveying system.


In addition to replacing equipment that had come to the end of its useful life, Sellafield’s specification also


required the new installation to address some of the shortcomings they had experienced with the old system. The previous system consisted of demountable containers with retractable hydraulic legs, which were fitted onto the backs of rigid vehicles. At the loading bay the legs were jacked down so that the units remained in posi- tion for unloading when the vehicle tractor units were driven away. In con- trast, the new DTT systems consist of an articulated trailer that is reversed into the loading bay, where they dock with specific fixing points that physically lock the trailers into position. The trailer/container, which includes the Exmac conveyor transfer system, remains locked in position at the bay when the tractor unit is driven away. The DTT is a three-axle trailer designed to transport a mix of either 210 litre or 500 litre drums of low level waste material. The gross capac- ity of trailer and payload is limited to 32 tonnes.


Exmac Automation www.exmac.co.uk T: 01905 773 851


Enter 203


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52