VERLINDE equips the EDF site at Chinon

Every day, the Chinon Nuclear Generating Station (Centre Nucléaire de Production d’Electricité) receives and sends out a variety of goods packed in containers of different sizes, the most frequently used are 20’ or 10’ (a goods vehicle combination can carry two 20’ or 10’ containers). The containers carry Class 7 hazardous matter (radioactive matter) meeting the criteria laid down in the ADR (European Agreement on Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road). All these shipments are planned, prepared and inspected when entering and leaving the site. To optimise the handling and regulatory inspections, the site decided to re-organise a building grouping all these functions to reduce the drivers' waiting time and to improve working conditions for logistics specialists and inspectors. The site has only makes 1,000 class-7 shipments per year.

There are three main difficulties in the specifications we submitted to the supplier: first of all, it must be possible to handle two sizes of container, 10' and 20', without any materials handling machine such as a self-propelling truck, then to facilitate the regulatory inspections, with a stand being built to carry out the radiological measurements on five sides with appropriate working ergonomics. The container must then be turned to test the last side. We were therefore looking for hoisting equipment which could turn them so that the sixth side could be examined. Finally, we wanted to have the greatest hoisting height possible in view of what was already in the building, we were told by Georges ROCCON, Project Head and transport safety advisor on the Chinon site. BOUYER MANUTENTION was able to provide the best solution to these three difficulties.

The solution implemented by BOUYER MANUTENTION uses a VERLINDE two-girder overhead travelling crane installed with a Eurobloc VT electrical hoist, with a capacity of 30 tonnes. Proposed in its box girder version, it make it possible to have a much greater hoisting height. A double-loop motorised hook and a lifting beam specially developed for it were added. Positioned on the axis of the hoist block, the hook's motor allows the containers to rotate 270° to put them into all the positions required from their loading on or unloading from the trucks as up to their rotation so that the sixth side of the containers is inspected. With regard to the lifting beam, it comprises two guide rail bracket clearances and thus allows two sizes of containers to be handled without having to change the grappling tool to move from one to the other. The crane is also equipped with two speed selectors in order to reduce swinging or swaying which can occur when they are moving. VERLINDE is the sole manufacturer to propose a speed selector in both directions as standard we were told by Mr. LEMAZURIER, Project Head at BOUYER MANUTENTION. The crane has a usable hoisting height of 6320 mm from the hook's loop, and a range of 9920 mm.

An infrared remote control allows the crane to be fully controlled remotely and, in addition, during installation. The risk of the cables pulling out while the containers are rotating is thereby totally eliminated.

This solution is a completely satisfactory one for us. We have already demonstrated it to the managers of other French nuclear sites and recommended this solution. In this way, we avoid manipulations with self-propelling trucks with all the risks of accidents it represents. We have also improved performances as we have gone from an average of four to ten trucks per day without any additional workload for the teams, while reducing the hauliers' waiting time. This project was conducted in collaboration with all the transport actors on the Chinon site concluded Georges ROCCON.