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Title: Remote Underwater Characterization System - Innovative Technology Summary Report

Abstract

Characterization and inspection of water-cooled and moderated nuclear reactors and fuel storage pools requires equipment capable of operating underwater. Similarly, the deactivation and decommissioning of older nuclear facilities often requires the facility owner to accurately characterize underwater structures and equipment which may have been sitting idle for years. The underwater characterization equipment is often required to operate at depths exceeding 20 ft (6.1 m) and in relatively confined or congested spaces. The typical baseline approach has been the use of radiation detectors and underwater cameras mounted on long poles, or stationary cameras with pan and tilt features mounted on the sides of the underwater facility. There is a perceived need for an inexpensive, more mobile method of performing close-up inspection and radiation measurements in confined spaces underwater. The Remote Underwater Characterization System (RUCS) is a small, remotely operated submersible vehicle intended to serve multiple purposes in underwater nuclear operations. It is based on the commercially-available “Scallop” vehicle1, but has been modified by Department of Energy’s Robotics Technology Development Program to add auto-depth control, and vehicle orientation and depth monitoring at the operator control panel. The RUCS is designed to provide visual and gamma radiation characterization, even in confined or limitedmore » access areas. It was demonstrated in August 1998 at Idaho National Engineering and environmental Laboratory (INEEL) as part of the INEEL Large Scale Demonstration and Deployment Project. During the demonstration it was compared in a “head-tohead” fashion with the baseline characterization technology. This paper summarizes the results of the demonstration and lessons learned; comparing and contrasting both technologies in the areas of cost, visual characterization, radiological characterization, and overall operations.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
911501
Report Number(s):
INEEL/EXT-98-01279
TRN: US0704596
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-99ID-13727
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; CAMERAS; DEACTIVATION; DECOMMISSIONING; FUEL STORAGE POOLS; GAMMA RADIATION; INEEL; MONITORING; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; ORIENTATION; RADIATION DETECTORS; RADIATIONS; REACTORS; fuel storage pools; reactors; Remote Underwater Characterization System; RUCS; underwater

Citation Formats

Willis, Walter David. Remote Underwater Characterization System - Innovative Technology Summary Report. United States: N. p., 1999. Web. doi:10.2172/911501.
Willis, Walter David. Remote Underwater Characterization System - Innovative Technology Summary Report. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/911501
Willis, Walter David. 1999. "Remote Underwater Characterization System - Innovative Technology Summary Report". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/911501. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/911501.
@article{osti_911501,
title = {Remote Underwater Characterization System - Innovative Technology Summary Report},
author = {Willis, Walter David},
abstractNote = {Characterization and inspection of water-cooled and moderated nuclear reactors and fuel storage pools requires equipment capable of operating underwater. Similarly, the deactivation and decommissioning of older nuclear facilities often requires the facility owner to accurately characterize underwater structures and equipment which may have been sitting idle for years. The underwater characterization equipment is often required to operate at depths exceeding 20 ft (6.1 m) and in relatively confined or congested spaces. The typical baseline approach has been the use of radiation detectors and underwater cameras mounted on long poles, or stationary cameras with pan and tilt features mounted on the sides of the underwater facility. There is a perceived need for an inexpensive, more mobile method of performing close-up inspection and radiation measurements in confined spaces underwater. The Remote Underwater Characterization System (RUCS) is a small, remotely operated submersible vehicle intended to serve multiple purposes in underwater nuclear operations. It is based on the commercially-available “Scallop” vehicle1, but has been modified by Department of Energy’s Robotics Technology Development Program to add auto-depth control, and vehicle orientation and depth monitoring at the operator control panel. The RUCS is designed to provide visual and gamma radiation characterization, even in confined or limited access areas. It was demonstrated in August 1998 at Idaho National Engineering and environmental Laboratory (INEEL) as part of the INEEL Large Scale Demonstration and Deployment Project. During the demonstration it was compared in a “head-tohead” fashion with the baseline characterization technology. This paper summarizes the results of the demonstration and lessons learned; comparing and contrasting both technologies in the areas of cost, visual characterization, radiological characterization, and overall operations.},
doi = {10.2172/911501},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/911501}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}