scholarly journals A Suite of Robotic Solutions for Nuclear Waste Decommissioning

Robotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Ivan Vitanov ◽  
Ildar Farkhatdinov ◽  
Brice Denoun ◽  
Francesca Palermo ◽  
Ata Otaran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Radioactive Material ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Radiation Hardened ◽  
3D Scene ◽  
Advanced Robotics ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Remote Operations ◽  
Human Robot Interfaces

Dealing safely with nuclear waste is an imperative for the nuclear industry. Increasingly, robots are being developed to carry out complex tasks such as perceiving, grasping, cutting, and manipulating waste. Radioactive material can be sorted, and either stored safely or disposed of appropriately, entirely through the actions of remotely controlled robots. Radiological characterisation is also critical during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. It involves the detection and labelling of radiation levels, waste materials, and contaminants, as well as determining other related parameters (e.g., thermal and chemical), with the data visualised as 3D scene models. This paper overviews work by researchers at the QMUL Centre for Advanced Robotics (ARQ), a partner in the UK EPSRC National Centre for Nuclear Robotics (NCNR), a consortium working on the development of radiation-hardened robots fit to handle nuclear waste. Three areas of nuclear-related research are covered here: human–robot interfaces for remote operations, sensor delivery, and intelligent robotic manipulation.

scholarly journals First-of-a-kind muography for nuclear waste characterization

2018 ◽  
Vol 377 (2137) ◽  
pp. 20180048 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mahon ◽  
Anthony Clarkson ◽  
Simon Gardner ◽  
David Ireland ◽  
Ramsey Jebali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Laboratory Facility ◽  
Waste Container ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

In the last decade, there has been a surge in the number of academic research groups and commercial companies exploiting naturally occurring cosmic-ray muons for imaging purposes in a range of industrial and geological applications. Since 2009, researchers at the University of Glasgow and the UK National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) have pioneered this technique for the characterization of shielded nuclear waste containers with significant investment from the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Sellafield Ltd. Lynkeos Technology Ltd. was formed in 2016 to commercialize the Muon Imaging System (MIS) technology that resulted from this industry-funded academic research. The design, construction and performance of the Lynkeos MIS is presented along with first experimental and commercial results. The high-resolution images include the identification of small fragments of uranium within a surrogate 500-litre intermediate level waste container and metal inclusions within thermally treated GeoMelt® R&D Product Samples. The latter of these are from Lynkeos' first commercial contract with the UK National Nuclear Laboratory. The Lynkeos MIS will be deployed at the NNL Central Laboratory facility on the Sellafield site in Summer 2018 where it will embark upon a series of industry trials. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Cosmic-ray muography’.

Research Progress on Radiation Shielding Concrete

2012 ◽  
Vol 253-255 ◽  
pp. 303-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Yang ◽  
Zhen Fu Chen ◽  
Yuan Chu Gan ◽  
Qiu Wang Tao
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Radiation Shielding ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Concrete Durability ◽  
Technology Research ◽  
Shielding Material

Radiation shielding concrete is widely used in nuclear power plants, accelerators, hospitals, etc. With the development of nuclear industry technology, research on radiation shielding material properties is of great importance. Research on properties of radiation shielding concrete with different aggregates or admixtures and the effect of high temperature on the performance of shielding concrete are introduced. Along with the nuclear waste increase, shielding concrete durability and nuclear waste disposal are getting paramount.

Development of Testing Methodologies for Onsite Radioactive Material Storage Containers

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Feldman
Keyword(s):  
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Nuclear Material ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Radioactive Material ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Transportation Technologies

Based on a recommendation from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Safety Policy and Assistance (HS-21) has recently issued DOE Manual 441.1-1 entitled Nuclear Material Packaging Manual. This manual provides guidance regarding the use of non-engineered storage media for all special nuclear material throughout the DOE complex. As part of this development effort, HS-21 has funded the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Transportation Technologies Group (TTG) to develop and demonstrate testing protocols for such onsite containers. ORNL TTG to date has performed preliminary tests of representative onsite containers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. This paper will describe the testing processes that have been developed.

scholarly journals Out of sight � out of regulation? Underground space governance in the UK

2021 ◽  
Vol 9s10 ◽  
pp. 43-68
Author(s):  
Kevin Grecksch
Keyword(s):  
Property Rights ◽  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Underground Space ◽  
Geological Characteristics ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Conflicting Objectives ◽  
The Uk

Underground space has been used by humans for thousands of years: for example, to extract mineral resources or water. Against the background of increasing populations, urbanisation, and energy demand, underground space has come back into focus, promising to ease pressure above the surface. However, geological underground models deliver only frameworks for possible uses and we do not know much about the context between geological characteristics and human uses, demands, and changes of underground space. Moreover, governing underground space can be complicated as it involves conflicting objectives and regulatory frameworks. One key objective, therefore, must be to conceptualise and implement new approaches to underground governance, taking into account its diverse uses and various stakeholders� claims. This article introduces the current situation of underground space governance and regulation in the UK, discussing different themes, such as property rights, regulation, planning, groundwater, fracking, and the future of underground space use exemplified by the storage of nuclear waste.

The organisation & the costs of the decommissioning nuclear plants in the UK

2009 ◽  
pp. 63-82
Author(s):  
Steve Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Fuels ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Nuclear Decommissioning ◽  
Nuclear Plants ◽  
New Public ◽  
Public Body ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Jel Classifications

- UK electricity consumers have paid provisions for decommissioning since before 1980 but by 2002, there were still negligible funds available to pay for decommissioning civil nuclear facilities. By then, the two major UK nuclear companies, British Energy and British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL), were both effectively bankrupt. This paper examines: the pre-2002 provisions for decommissioning and how they were lost; the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, a new public body which took over ownership of BNFL's facilities including the duty to manage their decommissioning and how it expects to carry out and fund decommissioning of its sites; how the re-launched British Energy will contribute to decommissioning its eight plants; and government plans for collecting decommissioning provisions for any new plants.JEL classifications: L50, L38, H23, H44, L71Key words: Nuclear power, decommissioning cost, funding and polluter pays.

scholarly journals The dissolution of simulant vitrified intermediate level nuclear waste in young cement water

MRS Advances ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 131-140
Author(s):  
Colleen Mann ◽  
Jeremy R. Eskelsen ◽  
Donovan N. Leonard ◽  
Eric Pierce ◽  
Claire L Corkhill
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Alkaline Earth ◽  
Water Solution ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Alkaline Earth Elements ◽  
Altered Layer ◽  
Safety Case ◽  
The Uk

AbstractIt is pertinent to the safety case for geological disposal in the UK that the behaviour of vitrified wastes in proximity to cementitious materials is understood. In this study, vitrified simulant intermediate level nuclear waste (ILW) was subject to dissolution in a synthetic cement water solution to simulate disposal conditions. Results show that the presence of alkali / alkaline earth elements in the cementitious solution can be favourable, at least in the short-term, leading to lower dissolution rates associated with incorporation of these elements into the altered layer of the glass.

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