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TELEROBOTIC MONITORING, DECONTAMINATION AND SIZE REDUCTION SYSTEM

Objective

The objective of this work is to use existing equipment developed under the Harwell Nuclear Robotics Programme to investigate and demonstrate the feasibility of telerobotic monitoring, decontamination and size-reduction systems (TMDSRS). The work will include experimental investigations at industrial scale, and use sample workpieces of an appropriate size and configuration similar to their active counterparts.

The work will proceed in 2 distinct stages. The first stage will involve the continued development of the Harwell Telerobotic Controller and its interface to NEATER, a Nuclear Engineered Advanced Telerobot, and ancillary equipment and mechanisms. This development will allow in-active trials of a TMDSRS system on each of the 3 sets of target workpieces (3, 4 and 5). The work will be carried out in the Harwell Robotics Demonstration laboratory.

The second stage of the work (6) will involve active trials of one of the areas demonstrated in the first stage. The selection of the appropriate application will ensure that a safe, useful and representative active trial can be accomplished.

This development will reduce man-Sv and costs of decommissioning projects. Greater efficiencies in placing or deploying decontamination tools and in cutting and packing waste will improve waste disposal strategies, and reduce waste arisings. Data on cost benefits will be produced in submissions made to justify the selection of a suitable project for the active trials (phase 2). Cooperation on sensors with SCK/CEN Mol is included in the work programme.
The objective of this work is to use existing equipment developed under the Harwell nuclear robotics programme to investigate and demonstrate the feasibility of telerobotic monitoring, decontamination and size reduction systems (TMDSRS).

The control system has been extended to meet the requirements of the 3 demonstrators and the size reduction of 5 gloveboxes has been demonstrated. A new electropolishing head unit (EHU) has been assembled and interfaces to the robotic system constructed and tested. Irradiation tests for the EHU have been planned. Scanning software development to deploy the EHU in a decontamination demonstration is under way. A kinematic analysis to define the clearance monitoring requirement has started.
WORK PROGRAMME

1. Control system extension to work effectively with each of the 3 nonactive applications.

2. Electropolishing head unit development and irradiation tests (AEA)

2.1. Requirements analysis for the electropolishing head unit (AEA)
2.2. Requirements analysis for the sensor functions (SCK/CEN)
2.3. Selection of sensors to meet the requirements analyses of 2.1 and 2.2. (SCK/CEN)
2.4. Design and construction of the integrated head unit (AEA)
2.5. Irradiation tests of the integrated head unit (SCK/CEN)

3. Decontamination of different surfaces; radiation monitoring, electropolishing and registration software (AEA)

4. Clearance monitoring developments (AEA)

5. Glovebox size reduction developments

5.1. Analysis of subsystems susceptible to radiation damage (SCK/CEN)
5.2. Tests on subsystem components in the gamma irradiation test facility at the BR2 reactor (SCK/CEN)
5.3. Tool and operational software development (AEA)
5.4. Tool change adaptation and cutting tasks demonstration jointly with a range of tools (AEA)

6.Active decommissioning trials in the appropriate active area

6.1. Pre-trial analysis of the radiation environment (AEA)
6.2. Active trials including the NEATER carrying out of a task or set of tasks (AEA)
6.3. Support for active trials to reduce the probability of failures (SCK/CEN)

7. Economic analysis of TDMSRS and its radiological impact on work force and working area

7.1. Pre-active trial cost-benefit analysis to establish economic advantages of telerobotic operations (AEA)
7.2. Post-active trials analysis on costs, incurred dose burdens, working and exposure times of ancillary operators, and estimates of secondary waste arisings (AEA).

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
EU contribution
No data
Address
353,Harwell
OX11 0RA Didcot - Oxfordshire
United Kingdom

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Total cost
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Participants (3)