NDA PhD Bursary Decommissioning Working Group (DWG) Research Themes - Presenters 1 Penny Birtle, Magnox Ltd & Christina Alexander, EDF (DWG Co-Chairs / Introduction) Dr Paul Mort PhD MBA MIMechE CEng Fnucl, Sellafield Ltd Andrew Cooney, Sellafield Ltd 30 th September 2015

NWDRF Decommissioning Working Group (DWG) Promoting cross-industry sharing and learning of nuclear decommissioning technologies and experience covering the full life cycle of decommissioning. Represented by NDA SLCs (Magnox, DSRL, LLWR, Sellafield Ltd) other nuclear operators (EDF, AWE), organisations (GDS) and NDA. 2

Decommissioning Working Group (DWG) Research Themes Characterisation & Analysis -Identifying ‘what’ is ‘where’ – the ability to take measurements at the workface within enclosed radiological environments. Waste Treatment Methods -Consolidation of contamination / cheap to employ with minimal infrastructure. -Remote tools for size reduction, dismantling, waste segregation, handling, penetrating vessels and pipework simply. Decontamination -Interest in dry methods, avoiding chemicals & minimising generation of liquid / aerial discharges. Robotics & Autonomous Systems (RAS) - to enable entry into difficult to access / contaminated environments to support characterisation, waste treatment and other decommissioning activities. 3

Problem statement “There are a number of plant areas on numerous sites where manual work cannot be undertaken owing to challenging radiological and conventional safety environments. There is a need for remote capability for dismantling / deconstruction of plant, size reduction and waste segregation to enable decommissioning of these areas” 4 Minimal space and high radiation environments Complex plant architecture Different materials in different geometries Limited penetrations / access points and limited visualisation by operators

Solution Wish List 5 Ease of device management across its lifecycle (i.e. easy to build, deploy, maintain and decontaminate). Minimal intervention required to deploy. Radiation tolerance. Reliability – minimised downtime. Cost effectiveness – can control systems be used on multiple bits of kit from different suppliers. Low cost solutions. Visualisation of “invisible” plant areas by operators. Ability to use in complex and congested spaces. Interchangeable tooling – one device that can be re-tooled to do everything (cutting, unbolting and grabbing). Effective cutting technology for different materials and geometries.

6 Robotics ‘These technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans in dangerous environments or manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance, behaviour, and/or cognition.’ To day robotics is the ‘body’ of the system which includes the sensors, tools and deployments systems, with no or limited automatic behaviour. The operator has complete control of the device and interprets the sensors, moves the deployment system and operates the tools. What is Robotics and Autonomous systems

Autonomous intelligence 7 ‘An autonomous agent is an intelligent agent operating on an owner's behalf but without any interference of that ownership entity.’ To day an autonomous intelligent system can be thought of as the ‘brain’ of a system, but requires inputs to act on (Sensors), and links to the outside world to interact with via ‘deployment systems’ (e.g. arms and vehicles) and tools (e.g. grippers and shears).

Sellafield RAS Vision ‘Robust, RAS technologies delivering operations on site that is, safer for the operative, the facilities and the environment and reduces the site hazard quicker and cheaper.’ (under development) 8

RAS Strategy goals 9 Predictable costs and timescales: –Tried and test RAS capabilities ready for use. Performance improvements to existing capabilities: –Applying seamlessly new technologies and processes to existing capabilities Generate a paradigm shift in future business: –Looking into the future and predicting what it might look like and making it happen. The first choice for nuclear operations: –Making RAS technologies more efficient than sending a human operative into a harsh environment.

Key Challenges 10 Incremental changes –Identifying risk in the Life Time Plan and mitigating them –Identify needs and providing for them Future Scenarios –Opportunities (focus today) VISION OF THE FUTURE

Understand our challenge 11 Future Scenario Help to Define Site Challenge: Manual decommissioning operations Site Challenge: Characterisation of the facilities Site Challenge: Remote decommissioning Operations Site Challenge: POCO cleaning the plant of Decommissioning

Typical Sites Challenges 12 Manual Cell entry –Operator safety –Tools available –Time at the work face –Secondary waste –Weight of material that can be handled

Typical Site Challenges 13 Remote Decommissioning –High cost –Long time to deployment –Slow compared to man entry –Bespoke (difference system need for each task) –Needs a structured environment –Hard to predict cost (high financial risk)

RAS Same approach with a twist!!! 14

Future vision of the use of RAS 15 This area needs development but here is some present thoughts –Enhanced operator cell entry –Enhanced remote –Intelligent hand tools –Search and characterise cells and environments These are just a few ideas to get your thoughts going

Protective suit 16

Hand tools 17

Big data Analysis 18

Operator enhancements 19

Real time information as it is needed 20

Remote Handling 21

Characterization and analysis 22

Transform to suit the tasks 23

Characterization Characterization in hard to reach environments or increase the numbers for clean-up activities 24

From Vision to Reality Start off with a vision of how your development will work as a whole Break it down into the functional requirements needed to achieve your vision Then develop the functional requirement The next couple of slides gives an example 25

Future Scenario Development 26 Future Vision Main Functional requirement Sub-Functional Requirement Main Functional requirement Sub-Functional Requirement

Main Functions 27 Future man entry into a hazardous environment (Man in a cell) Protect the Operative in a cell Stop the Cell interacting with the man Man in the cell using tools Pre-task Plan Task support

Sub functions 28 Protect the Operative in a cell Protective suits Intelligent materials Self cleaning Self repair Head up displays Hazard detection Environment status (Inside Suit and external to suit) Suit condition Recovery systems Life Support (Breathing, hazard avoidance)

Sub function 29 Task support Control of tools Dismantling plan Cut plan Image recognition Strategy planning Route planning Heads up display management Image recognition Cut planning Off line planning Heads up display Image recognition Cut planning Off line planning Heads up display

Disruptive external technologies 30

Inventory and Characterisation 31

Protecting People 32

Decontamination 33 Waste water treatment by SMS Facet

Dismantling 1 34

Dismantling 2 35

Care and Maintenance 36

Remediation of Contaminated Land 37

Tech transfer opportunities Tech transfer opportunities from space High radiation People in hazardous environments Autonomy/sensors in planetary explorers Low energy again in planetary explorers Tech transfer from military Armour/protection Command and control Shaped explosives Seeing through walls 38