Transport vehicle TW
for BGE
The TW transport vehicle is a custom-developed special-purpose vehicle from HUBTEX for the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE). It is intended for future use in the Schacht Konrad repository project, where it will carry out the safe transport of transport units containing radioactive waste in the underground facility areas.
Transport units are the designated transport containers in which the waste is made available for the emplacement process. Transport takes place along clearly defined routes between transfer points, where the containers are received or passed on for the next process steps. In addition, the transport vehicle can also carry containers with radioactive operational waste within the controlled area.
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Use at BGE
Schacht Konrad is a former mine in Salzgitter that is being converted by the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal, BGE for short, into a repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste. For future operation, special vehicles are required that are designed to meet the requirements of underground material transport and clearly defined safety procedures. The TW transport vehicle is part of this vehicle concept.
Within the underground roadway system, it carrys transport units containing radioactive waste between clearly defined transfer points within the emplacement process. The filling station plays a central role in this process. This area serves as a transfer and staging point within the underground system. Here, the transport units are received for the next stage of the process and transferred to the subsequent process step.
From the filling station, the transport vehicle moves the transport units to the unloading chamber, where they are transferred to the stacking vehicle. It then returns to the starting point to provide further transport units or to return empty transport pallets to the process. In this way, the vehicle supports a continuous and clearly regulated material flow within the emplacement process.
Reliable transport along clearly defined routes
The transport vehicle is designed for repeated journeys between fixed points in the emplacement process. It transports the containers with radioactive waste along a clearly defined route and ensures that transfer to the next process step can be carried out reliably. This supports a regulated workflow and creates the basis for safe and traceable material transport within the repository project.
Protection and safety in underground operation
For underground operation, measures are provided to limit risks. These include a shielded driver’s cab for dose limitation, fire suppression equipment, and specifications for limiting the fire load and preventing collisions at higher travel speeds.
Integration into facility operations
Communication options with the local control station at the filling station and with the stacking vehicle, together with positioning aids at the filling station, make it easier to coordinate the vehicles and achieve reproducible positioning at transfer points.
Features
The transport vehicle is designed as a trackless, all-wheel-drive vehicle. The chassis uses an articulated joint to allow safe manoeuvring in the underground roadways.
The load platform is designed to accommodate different transport units. Fold-down locating pins can be adjusted to the respective transport unit and engage with defined attachment points for securing. Monitoring of the locking system supports safe travel.
The cab is shielded and air-conditioned in accordance with the specified requirements. For travel in the opposite direction, the driver’s seat can be swivelled. The controls are provided in duplicate for this purpose.
The service and parking brakes act on all wheels. An additional retarder is provided for gradients to ensure that speed remains controlled, even on demanding roadway profiles. An emergency steering system enables steering even in the event of drive unit failure.
A vehicle-mounted fire suppression system is designed for defined extinguishing areas. Temperature sensors trigger display and warning functions in the event of a fire. Portable fire extinguishers are also provided on the vehicle. The surfaces and coatings are designed to enable decontamination of the vehicle and its equipment.
Technical specifications
Vehicle weight: approx. 28 t
Load capacity: up to 20 t
Length: 11,200 mm
Width: 3,100 mm
Height: 2,500 mm
Maximum speed: 10 km/h
Electric motor