Remote controlled tool systems for nuclear sites have subsea applications
- Sonsub Environmental Services, Houston, TX (United States)
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
Remotely operated underwater tool systems designed to operate in Nuclear Fuel Storage Basins can be applied to deep water, subsea oilfield applications. Spent nuclear fuel rods re stored underwater in large indoor swimming pool-like facilities where the water cover shields the workers from the radiation. This paper describes three specialized tooling systems that were designed and built by Sonsub for work at the Department of Energy`s Hanford site. The Door Seal Tool removed an existing seal system, cleaned a 20 ft. tall, carbon steel, underwater hatch and installed a new stainless steel gasket surface with underwater epoxy. The Concrete Sampling Tool was built to take core samples from the vertical, concrete walls of the basins. The tool has three hydraulic drills with proprietary hollow core drill bits to cut and retrieve the concrete samples. The Rack Saw remotely attached itself to a structure, cut a variety of steel shapes and pipes, and retained the cut pieces for retrieval. All of these systems are remotely operated with onboard video cameras and debris collection systems. The methods and equipment proven in this application are available to refurbish sealing surfaces and to drill or sample concrete in offshore oil field applications.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-87RL10930
- OSTI ID:
- 195637
- Report Number(s):
- WHC-SA-2924; CONF-9501119-1; ON: DE96005188; TRN: AHC29605%%12
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Underwater intervention conference, New Orleans, LA (United States), 5-7 Jan 1995; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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