Objective The experimental Boiling Water Reactor Kahl (VAK-BWR) of 16 MWe has been shut down after 25 years of operation. Dismantling has been going on for some time. The present estimation of the radioactive inventory of the reactor is in the order of 5E15 Bq. The aim of the present contract is the development, qualification and practical application of different underwater (UW) segmenting and remote handling techniques on a series of internal components out of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). Important targets are: minimization of operators' dose uptake and of primary and secondary waste generation and economics of the procedure. Specific radioactivity of such components is in the order of magnitude of 1E5 to 1E8 Bq/g (activation) and of 1E4 to 1E5 Bq/square cm (contamination). Due to its long-term operation, VAK dismantling can be considered to a large extent (dose rates, activation, contamination, material ageing) as representative for the future decommissioning of LWRs. In particular, the generation of specific data on costs, working hours and job doses as well as on the amount of created secondary waste is considered as an important objective of this project. Work will be implemented in close cooperation with the pilot dismantling projects BR-3/Mol and KRB-A. The results of the comparative assessment study made by KRB will be considered in the implementation of the contract.The aim of the present contract is the development, qualification and practical application of different underwater (UW) segmenting and remote handling techniques on a series of internal components out of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV).After evaluation of 7 decommissioning studies the principal choice of the cutting and handling technology was made. This resulted in a dismantling concept based on cutting technologies that produced a minimum of aerosols. As a result, plasma melt cutting (PMC) for dismantling of core internals was exchanged for mechanical cutting techniques like milling, grinding and electrodischarge machining (EDM).Sawing and milling tests with a welding cladded RPV sample, both under water and in air were successfully performed.WORK PROGRAMME 1. Conceptual studies and construction of a 1:1 scale facility for UW testing of cutting tool and devices for remote operation 2. Preliminary tests on nonradioactive components, including devices for segmentation, remote operation techniques, definition of generated secondary waste and studies of dismantling scenarios 3. Qualification of dismantling procedures for an application to radioactive components 4.Dismantling of a series of RPV internals (upper grid plate, chimney above the core, control systems) 5. Generation of specific data on costs, radioactive job doses, working time and secondary waste arisings, derived from the execution of items 2, 3 and 4. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcontrol systemssocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsengineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringsubtractive manufacturing Programme(s) FP2-DECOM 3C - Specific research and technological development programme (Euratom) in the field of decommissioning of nuclear installations, 1989-1993 Topic(s) C2 - Alternative tests Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Versuchsatomkraftwerk Kahl GmbH EU contribution No data Address Kölner Straße 63791 Karlstein am Main Germany See on map Total cost No data
