New machine components in radioactive waste handling

New Czechoslovak technology has been developed for the filling, handling and transportation of solidified radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants; it is being applied in the construction of the Temelin nuclear power plant and will be used to the full extent during the operation of this plant. The main machine components have been developed for this technological process; they can find use in the various approaches to the processing of radioactive wastes such as bituminization preceded by calcination, direct bituminization, bituminization on a rotary film evaporator, fixing in plastics, or possibly vitrification. The conception is characterized by improved operation safety and reliable performance, as evidenced by performance tests. For instance, not a single failure occurred during the simulated 25 years' performance of the key component of the system, viz. the rotary equipment. (author). 4 tabs., 11 refs