Unique and massive Chernobyl cranes for deconstruction activities in the new safe confinement

Conference · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/ICEM2013-96346· OSTI ID:22535271

Parameswaran, N. A. Vijay; Chornyy, Igor ^[1]; Owen, Rob ^[2]; Saint Victor, Francois de ^[3]

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1. Bechtel Systems and Infrastructure, Inc., Chernobyl Project-SIP-PMU, 7/1, Gvardeyskoy div. Str., Kiev Region, Slavutich, 07101 (Ukraine)
2. PaR Systems, Inc., 707 Country Road E West, Shoreview, Minnesota 55126-7007 (United States)
3. Bouygues Travaux Publics Challenger, 1, avenue Eugene Freyssinet, Guyancourt, 78601 St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France)

On 26 April 1986, the worst nuclear power plant accident in history occurred at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union). The destruction of Unit 4 sent highly radioactive fallout over Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. The object shelter-a containment sarcophagus-was built in November 1986 to limit exposure to radiation. However, it has only a planned 25-year lifespan and would probably not survive even a moderate seismic event in a region that has more than its share of such events. It was time to take action. One of the largest tasks that are in progress is the design and construction of the New Safe Confinement (NSC). The NSC is an engineered enclosure for the entire object shelter that includes a suite of process equipment. The process equipment will be used for the dismantling of the destroyed Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Unit. One of the major mechanical handling systems to be installed in the new safe confinement is the Main Cranes System. The planned decontamination and decommissioning or dismantling activities will require the handling of heavily shielded waste disposal casks containing nuclear fuel as well as lifting and transporting extremely large structural elements. These activities, to be performed within the new safe confinement, will require large and sophisticated cranes. The article will focus on the current progress of the new safe confinement and of the main cranes system for the decommissioning or dismantling activities. (authors)

• Research Organization: American Society of Mechanical Engineers - ASME, Nuclear Engineering Division, Environmental Engineering Division, Two Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 22535271
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CHERNOBYLSK-4 REACTOR
CRANES
DECOMMISSIONING
DECONTAMINATION
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
UKRAINE