Robots Will Take Dounreay's Dome Apart
20th November 2011
Like something out of the Tom Cruise movie War of the Worlds, the Kuka robot has a very important job to do.
The standard industrial robot, built exactly the same as a typical car assembly line robot, will play an integral part in the demolition process of Dounreay's iconic fast reactor.
Removal of the highly hazardous and radioactive breeder slugs is the next crucial step in decommissioning the fifty year old facility.
The robot does the job traditionally undertaken by operators using manipulators whilst working through heavily shielded lead glass windows. The working area is very high in radiation - too high for people to access, so the robot does the job safely and much quicker, lowering the radiological hazards, plus providing consistency and reliability in a highly controlled environment.
The giant orange robot, built by Kuka Robotics UK Ltd, manoeuvres on a static turntable and is pre-programmed to remove the lid of the 500 litre waste drums, swab around the surface checking for traces of radioactive contamination and clean the top of the Magnox flask which stores the drums.
It operates like a giant portable pincer arm and is controlled remotely to maintain a safe, clean and secure process within the breeder packaging plant.
Inactive commissioning will be complete by the end of the financial year ready for the breeder removal operation to begin in summer 2012.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Workers at the Dounreay nuclear power complex in Caithness have voted to strike in a dispute over pay. The GMB union said its ballot had an 85% turnout.
Land is to be acquired by government to underpin nuclear revival. In a historic day for the UK's energy security, Great British Nuclear (GBN) is buying land for new nuclear development from Hitachi at both Wylfa in Ynys Môn/Anglesey and Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire.
GAD has built a pension benefit modeller to support the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as it undertakes a pension reform programme. The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) has supported the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as it undertakes a pension reform programme.
NRS Dounreay and socio economic partners hosted the second FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge North Highland Tournament in March with local schools taking part. The North Highland tournament took place in March at ETEC on the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) North West and Hebrides Thurso Campus.
Unite the union confirmed around 450 of its members employed by Magnox Limited based at Dounreay power station are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute. The ballot which is now open will close on 2 April.
This week, the NDA group hosted it's first ever large-scale graduate recruitment event in Manchester, with over 600 candidates in attendance. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group held its first ever large-scale graduate recruitment event in Manchester this week, bringing together more than 600 candidates as it looks to double the number of opportunities across its graduate schemes this year.
The NDA Draft Business Plan sets out key activities and expected progress for all 17 of the NDA's nuclear sites over the next 3 years. We want to hear from anyone who has a comment on any aspect of this document.
NRS is delighted to announce that we are recruiting over 30 level 2 - 6 engineering and business apprentices to deliver our decommissioning mission. John Vickerman, Chief People Officer, commented: "NRS is an exciting place to be.
Leaders from the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) signed their second cooperation statement. Yesterday, Monday 20 November 2023, leaders from the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) reaffirmed their commitment to share their knowledge, experience and technology in relation to the management of radioactive waste.
Today, Monday 20 November, the NDA has opened registration for its tenth nuclear decommissioning supply chain event, which will be held at The International Centre in Telford on 27 June 2024. Launched in 2011, the supply chain event has gone on to attract a total of around 10,000 visitors from more than 20 countries over the years, representing thousands of companies both large and small.