Stacking vehicle SF
for BGE
The SF stacking vehicle is a custom-engineered special vehicle developed by HUBTEX for demanding transport and stacking tasks at the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE). The vehicle is intended for use in the underground sections of the future Konrad repository. It is designed to safely pick up, transport, and position containers and cylindrical waste packages containing radioactive waste as part of a clearly defined storage process.
Its robust design, along with safety and protective features tailored to the application, meets the requirements of this highly sensitive operating environment.
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Use at BGE
The SF stacking vehicle is intended for future use in the BGE project in the underground areas of the Konrad repository. The Konrad mine is a former iron ore mine in Salzgitter that is being converted by BGE into a repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste and is currently under construction.
Once in operation, the vehicle will perform key transport and stacking tasks within the storage process. It picks up transport units from a transport wagon, moves the radioactive waste packages into the storage chamber, and positions them at the designated storage location. It also returns empty exchange pallets, thereby supporting material flow within the process.
The key challenge lies in the safety-critical operating environment. The application requires precise, controlled movement, high reliability, and a design that meets clearly defined safety requirements.
Custom special-purpose solution with high quality and safety standards
The SF stacking vehicle is designed for the safety-critical handling of packages containing radioactive waste. As a result, the requirements for vehicle design, manufacturing quality, testing, and documentation are exceptionally high. Safety-related specifications include, among other things, collision prevention at higher travel speeds, limits on potential package drop heights, and restrictions on vehicle weight and fire load.
These measures are intended to minimize the risk of incidents that could cause damage and to ensure that the storage process is designed so that the packages can be handled safely and radioactive materials remain permanently contained.
Operator support and process control for reliable handling
The vehicle equipment is designed to support the clear and controlled execution of the required handling tasks. In addition to protecting the operator, the vehicle is equipped to support reliable operation and process control in daily use. Features include a radiation-shielded cab with lead glass, an emergency exit, and an integrated fire suppression system, as well as systems such as optical lane guidance, position detection, and package tracking.
Features
The SF stacking Vehicle is designed as a fully customized special-purpose vehicle. Its configuration is based on project-specific BGE requirements for future use in the repository environment, particularly with regard to function, safety requirements, dimensions, and equipment scope. Based on these specifications, the vehicle was developed specifically for the intended storage tasks.
The high level of planning and engineering involved is also reflected in the documentation scope: approximately 16,000 pages of design and planning documentation are available at HUBTEX for this vehicle.
For picking up and positioning transport units, the vehicle is equipped with a telescopic mast and a spreader attachment. This design is tailored specifically to the intended handling task within the process. Instead of a standard fork configuration, the load handling system is specifically engineered to meet the requirements of the transport units.
The operator compartment is designed as a radiation-shielded cab with lead glass. Additional features such as an emergency exit, door-opening assist, climate control with protective ventilation, and an integrated fire suppression system are incorporated into the vehicle design. This configuration addresses the unique requirements of underground operation, where environmental and safety conditions differ significantly from those in conventional industrial applications.
Technical Specifications
Vehicle weight: approx. 110,200 lb
Load capacity: up to 44,100 lb
Length: 33.8 ft
Width: 10.5 ft
Height: 11.2 ft
Maximum speed: 8.9 mph
Diesel engine
telescopic mast with spreader-based load handling