Abstract
In the consideration of safety it is required that packages containing radioactive wastes when dumped at sea should keep their integrity and retain their contents until they reach the seabed. Packages containing simulated radioactive wastes (non-radioactive) were tested by a free-fall method at depthsca. 4,300 m in an area for dumping industrial waste off Shikoku Island. Since the weight of the largest package was 4,300 kg, special attention was paid to the connection of a buoyancy system with mooring rope. Descent and ascent velocities of the free-fall system were calculated prior to the experiment. A free-fall experiment with an extremely heavy object, heavier than ever previously reported, was accomplished without trouble by using the free-fall system. Recovery of a camera, flash-light, and other components was successful in each of the three experiments. Successive photographing of the package during descent was made and its integrity was observed using the photographs taken by the recovered camera. The packages remained intact during descent and at least for a short time after arrival on the seabed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berteaux, H. O. and R. H. Heinmiller, Jr. (1973): Back-up recovery of deep sea moorings. Collected Reprint, Woods Hole Oceanogr. Inst., Part 1, No. 2882.
Hoerner, S. F. (1975): Fluid-dynamic drag. Published by the author, Midland Park, N. J., p. 3·7–3·17.
International Atomic Energy Agency (1978): Appendix of the convention on prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter, definition and recommendation concerning radioactive wastes and other radioactive matter referred to in annexes I and II to the convention, C. 2.1.
Igarashi, H. (1976): Buoy operations aboard R/VChain. Kaiyo Kagaku (Mar. Sci.),8, 266–272. (in Japanese).
Japan Society of Mechanical Engineering (1973): Mechanical Engineering Handbook, 5th ed., Chap. 8.
Morey, R. L. and H. O. Berteaux (1973): Analysis of taut buoy-mooring technology. Collected Reprint, Woods Hole Oceanogr. Inst., Part 2, No. 2963.
Nuclear Energy Agency (1979): Guidelines for sea dumping packages of radioactive wastes, revised version, Chap. III.
Sasaki, T., M. Kishino, G. Oshiba, S. Watanabe and M. Okazaki (1965): Studies on the container for disposing radioactive waste into the sea. IV-Experiments of throwing mortar containers into the sea (2). J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan,21, 45–53. (in Japanese).
Seki, S., M. Sato, K. Takahashi, Y. Shinji and A. Ito (1978): Hydraulic pressure-resistance test of multi-stage design packages of practical size for sea disposal. JAERI-M 7633, Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki.
Walden, R. G. and N. N. Panicker (1973): Alleviation of corrosion problems in deep sea moorings. Collected Reprint, Woods Hole Oceanogr. Inst., Part 2, No. 2954.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ito, A., Ouchi, K., Hisa, I. et al. Photographic monitoring system for observing heavy free-falling objects: Multi-stage design packages of radioactive waste. Journal of the Oceanographical Society of Japan 40, 98–104 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02302490
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02302490