Objective
THE USE OF PROGRAMMABLE COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MANIPULATORS IN THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IS RELATIVELY RECENT. EXISTING PROGRAMMABLE MANIPULATORS IN RADIOACTIVE AREAS ARE SPECIAL-PURPOSE DESIGNED MACHINES, TEND TO LACK THE SOPHISTICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS AND ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
THE MAIN AIM OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A DESIGN FOR A MANIPULATOR SUITABLE FOR USE IN DISMANTLING NUCLEAR REACTORS WHICH UTILISES THE CONTROL SYSTEM, AND AS MANY MECHANICAL FEATURES AS POSSIBLE, OF AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT.
TO ENABLE THE DISMANTLING OF REACTOR STRUCTURES, VARIOUS TYPES OF TOOLS MUST BE CAPABLE OF CUTTING THROUGH A VARIETY OF MATERIALS.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MANIPULATOR DEVELOPMENT A SECOND AIM IS TO INVESTIGATE CUTTING TOOLS SUITABLE FOR REACTOR STRUCTURE DISMANTLING AND A MEANS OF CHANGING THEM REMOTELY.
B.1.- PREPARATION OF A MANIPULATOR SURVEY AIMED AT DEFINING AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT AND COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM WITH A NUMBER OF GIVEN BASIC REQUIREMENTS.
B.2.- STTING-UP OF SPECIFICATIONS FOR A FULLY PROGRAMMABLE NUCLEAR MANIPULATOR, BASED ON OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE (SEE B.3.)
B.3.- ACQUAINTANCE OF OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE ON A HIRED ROBOT.
B.4.- PREPARATION OF AN APPROPRIATE PRELIMINARY MANIPULATOR DESIGN, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATIONS UNDER NUCLEAR CONDITIONS.
B.5.- ASSESSMENT AND POSSIBLE MODIFICATION OF APPROPRIATE CUTTING TOOLS FOR REACTOR DISMANTLING.
B.6.- DESIGN STUDY OF REMOTE-OPERATED TOOL CHANGE FACILITIES.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
BS99 7TJ Bristol
United Kingdom