Sellafield nuclear power plant has begun a 5 month long trial. Their goal is to determine how successful a four-legged robot can be at tracking radiation levels. Especially in places where dangers prohibit human entry, this brave new world promises to increase safety. Just as importantly, it increases productivity in those tough conditions. The testing comes after a successful experiment with a similar robot at the Joint European Torus facility in Culham, Oxfordshire.
As such, the robot features a 23-foot-long arm that holds a yellow swabbing tool. This design makes it possible for it to mimic the swabbing movements typically performed by a human operator. Pete and his health physics team at Sellafield run hundreds of daily surface swabs. This collaborative work is critical for informing data-driven decommissioning practices and maintaining safety margins.
The four-legged robot’s dexterity let it take on tasks in spaces that present high danger to human workers. By entering these hazardous zones, the robot is able to relay valuable feedback that allows for a more accurate remote control operation. Adoption of this technology has the potential to transform fundamental approaches to radiation level safety monitoring in life-threatening settings.
This trial is very significant,” says Deon Bulman, remotely operated vehicle equipment lead at Sellafield.
“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 scope of the trial extends to measuring radiation levels for the decommissioning process. It has important implications for fusion engineering test sites, says Dr. Kirsty Hewitson, director of RAICo.
“This could have an impact on both nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering sites.” – Dr Kirsty Hewitson
The deployment of robots into dangerous environments is a big positive leap for Sellafield and the UK’s nuclear sector as a whole. Expanded robotic capabilities hold the potential to reduce redundancy in workflows without sacrificing safety standards. While these trials are still ongoing, these results could prove instrumental as a precedent for future applications within nuclear and fusion facilities.