Overview of the DOE Waste Facilities Operations Robotics Technology Development Program
The Department of Energy`s Office of Technology Development has initiated a Robotics Technology Development Program that includes technology aimed at DOE Waste Facilities Operations (WFO). Much of this technology may also be applicable to waste facilities outside of DOE and will be available for use. This is a team effort of several DOE Laboratories and Sites. The WFO team includes the Savannah River Technology Center, Sandia National Laboratories, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Fernald Environmental Management Project and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. DOE has waste facilities currently in operation at many sites and many more of these facilities are planned as part of the DOE site cleanup effort. As the cleanup continues, existing facilities and new facilities will be taxed with an increasing volume of waste, more varied waste streams, more complex processing requirements, more challenging waste characteristics, more stringent waste form criteria, and stricter regulations. The WFO Robotics Technology Development Program will address these challenges by developing robotic systems technology that will be safer, better, faster, and cheaper than existing technology. The goals of this technology development are to remove humans from both radiologically and physically dangerous environments in waste facilities, improve the quality and quality assurance of operations, increase the throughput of operations, increase the flexibility of facilities, reduce the manpower requirements for operations and meet federal, state and local regulations. There are four areas within the WFO program; the Mixed Waste Treatment Project, Stored Waste, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and Remote Size Reduction.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 10152668
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-92-155; CONF-920851-28; ON: DE92015336
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Spectrum `92: nuclear and hazardous waste management international topical meeting,Boise, ID (United States),23-27 Aug 1992; Other Information: PBD: [1992]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
FY94 Office of Technology Development Mixed Waste Operations Robotics Demonstration
Assessment of the state of the art for Self-Guided Vehicles
Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
ROBOTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MATERIALS HANDLING
INSPECTION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
QUALITY ASSURANCE
COMPUTER NETWORKS
STORAGE FACILITIES
WIPP
052002
420203
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
HANDLING EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES