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Title: Contaminated Metal Components in Dismantling by Hot Cutting Processes

Conference ·
OSTI ID:20995528
;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 33 - 40126 Bologna (Italy)
  2. Rogante Engineering Office, NDT, Contrada San Michele, n. 61, P.O. Box 189, 62012 Civitanova Marche (Italy)
  3. Sogin S.p.A. - Societa Gestione Impianti Nucleari, Caorso, Piacenza (Italy)

During the preparatory dismantling activities of Caorso's Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), an experimental campaign using plasma and oxyacetylene metal cutting processes has been performed and applied to plates and tubes exposed to the coolant steam of the reactor. The plant (Boiling Water Reactor, 870 MWe) was designed and built in the 70's, and it was fully operating by 1981 to 1986 being shut down after 1987 Italy's poll that abrogated nuclear power based on U235 fission. The campaign concerns no activated materials, even if the analyses have been performed of by use contaminated components under the free release level, not yet taking into account radioactivity. In this paper, the parameters related to inhalable aerosol, solid and volatile residuals production have been, studied during hot processes which applies the same characteristics of the cutting in field for the dismantling programs of Caorso NPP. The technical parameters such as cutting time and cutting rate vs. pipe diameter/thickness/schedule or plate thickness for ferritic alloys and the emissions composition coming from the sectioning are also reported. The results underline the sort of trouble that can emerge in the cutting processes, in particular focusing on the effects comparison between the two cutting processes and the chemical composition of powders captured by filtering the gaseous emission. Some preliminary considerations on methodology to be used during the dismantling have been presented. (authors)

Research Organization:
The ASME Foundation, Inc., Three Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990 (United States)
OSTI ID:
20995528
Resource Relation:
Conference: 14. international conference on nuclear engineering (ICONE 14), Miami, FL (United States), 17-20 Jul 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English