Sellafield, the UK’s foremost nuclear legacy site, has shown what can be achieved. To find out, they’ve just field-tested an innovative four-legged robot to swab surfaces in workplaces with radioactive materials. This cutting-edge technology not only provides an increased level of safety standards but simplifies the monitoring process for radiation levels in high-risk environments.
The Sellafield health physics team perform hundreds of surface swabs each day. They collect crucial information to inform decommissioning plans, ensuring that removal occurs with the utmost adherence to safety procedures. The rollout of this new robot represents a major technological breakthrough in their mission to uphold these essential standards. The robot features a massive robotic arm equipped with a unique yellow facial swab device. By mirroring the pattern of swabbing movements performed by human workers, it drastically reduces exposure to radiation for human operators.
Deon Bulman, remotely operated vehicle equipment lead at Sellafield, explained how the new robot would make a positive difference. Even more importantly, its agility makes it able to traverse high threat environments where humans can no longer safely tread. In addition to operational efficiency and safety, the exacting control afforded by the robot’s feedback allows more complex tasks to be achieved.
“Together, these capabilities support faster, safer, and more cost-effective decommissioning operations while pushing forward the adoption of advanced robotics in the nuclear sector.” – Deon Bulman
The test follows a record-breaking trial at the Joint European Torus facility in Culham, Oxfordshire. There, attendees had a chance to discover fascinating progress in the world fusion technology landscape. Dr. Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo, underlined the significance of these advancements. They could have an outsized impact on sites accommodating nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering campuses.
Sellafield’s smart stockpile management is a brilliant example of moving beyond just the minimum requirements with safety and efficiency in handling their radioactive materials. Designed with cutting-edge robotic technology, the site emphasizes safety above all else. This misguided approach undermines the very decommissioning processes that are necessary for its operation.