Potential applications of advanced remote handling and maintenance technology to future waste handling facilities

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7000802

Kring, C T; Herndon, J N; Meacham, S A

The Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been advancing the technology in remote handling and remote maintenance of in-cell systems planned for future US nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. Much of the experience and technology developed over the past decade in this endeavor are directly applicable to the in-cell systems being considered for the facilities of the Federal Waste Management System (FWMS). The ORNL developments are based on the application of teleoperated force-reflecting servomanipulators controlled by an operator completely removed from the hazardous environment. These developments address the nonrepetitive nature of remote maintenance in the unstructured environments encountered in a waste handling facility. Employing technological advancements in dexterous manipulators, as well as basic design guidelines that have been developed for remotely maintained equipment and processes, can increase operation and maintenance system capabilities, thereby allowing the attainment of two Federal Waste Management System major objectives: decreasing plant personnel radiation exposure and increasing plant availability by decreasing the mean-time-to-repair in-cell maintenance and process equipment.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7000802
• Report Number(s): CONF-870306-10; ON: DE87004615
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
052000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
42 ENGINEERING
420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
CONSOLIDATED FUEL REPROCESSING PROGRAM
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
EQUIPMENT
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MAINTENANCE
MANIPULATORS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
REMOTE HANDLING
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SERVOMECHANISMS