Robots in Nuclear Decommissioning

Credit: NDA - Brokk 40

According to a OECD report from the Nuclear Energy Agency, (NEA) Co-operative Programme on Decommissioning (CPD), 2006, the the use of industrial robots may have a limited application in decommissioning, in contrary to earlier expectations that robotic methods would be extensively used in the dismantling of radioactive components, especially in the high radiation areas in fuel facilities. Experience showed that industrial robots may have a limited applicability in decommissioning, especially due to the non-repetitive tasks that have to be performed in the unstructured and continuously changing environment that characterizes decommissioning work. More emphasis is therefore put in the optimization of proven, commonly available industrial techniques.
Instead of concentrating on totally remote/robotic methods, the approach seems to be developing to use long handled tools with shielding or to create a less hostile environment by identifying and removing the high sources of radiation as early as possible.
The reports refers to three projects with robot manipulators that proved to be expensive to build, as well as complicated and expensive to maintain and service. Successful use is reported by the British Nuclear Fuels plc ( BNFL) Sellafield B204 Primary Separation Plant for the removal of stainless steel hulls from a storage silo using a remotely operated loading vehicle.
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