Glove Operation Compartment with Cuboid Cans for Efficient Handling of Size-Reduced Solid Waste Generated from Plutonium-Contaminated Glovebox Dismantling Activities

The size-reduced materials resulting from the dismantling of plutonium-contaminated gloveboxes are eventually packed into containers as radioactive waste. Conventionally, the execution of this task has been entrusted to workers equipped with air-fed suits (AFSs), a practice that carries inherent risks, including potential suit damage and inhalation hazards. Moreover, in order to mitigate these risks, the size-reduced materials are covered with rags or plastic to enhance safety for workers. However, this approach entails the separation of solid waste and combustible waste during the disposal process. To circumvent these issues, we have designed a glove operation compartment with cuboid cans that enable efficient waste handling and packing activities through glove operations instead of AFSs. This reduces the risks associated with AFS operations and eliminates the need to cover size-reduced materials with rags and plastic, as well as increases the storing volume of sized-reduced waste materials. The procedure involves packing the size-reduced materials into steel cans, weighing the cans, and storing them in the containers. We tested these operations using the compartment’s test bed and modified them through mock-up experiments to ensure feasibility. This report presents the features of the glove operation compartment, the assumed handling procedures, and the insights obtained from the test results.