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Content archived on 2024-04-30

Autonomous slicing machine for radioactive pipes

Objective



One of the main concern of nuclear electricity producer units is the dismantling of nuclear plants which exploitation arrives or may arrive at end soon (exploitation duration lasts about 25 years). This problem is all the more important that most nuclear plant in Europe has to be stopped and dismantled during near future. The dismantling requires therefore to control radioactive contamination degree of humans, equipments and environment during this process in order to reduce at best contamination risks. Mainly, the aim of dismantling task is to take apart auxiliary pipes of the reactor. These pipes have a diameter between 10mm and 200mm and their lenght may reach 30 kilometers. For the present, no automated solution exists to ensure the safety of the staff carrying out dismantlings and with respect for the environment. During dismantling, pipes have to be cut into sections of about 0,5m long to be set into concrete stocks and allow their carrying by trucks or by railways towards reprocessing plants or stockpillings places. This process leads to many technically complex problems especially concerning the chip and radioactive waste managements coming from cutting operations. To provide a solution to this problem the AUTOSLICER project has as for main goal the prototype integration of an operational radioactive pipes cutting system including stockings for nuclear plants in order to be used in dismantling tasks currently performed by human workers. This study will take into account safety parameter for people and environment.

Call for proposal

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Coordinator

Recherche et Développement de Téchniques et Services
EU contribution
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Address
4,Rue Henri Schneider
77430 Chamagne-sur-Seine
France

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Total cost
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Participants (9)