NUKE NEWZ

Symbiotic autonomous robot ecosystem enhances safety and efficiency on nuclear facilities decommissioning

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY

 

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COMPOSITE IMAGE OF A SMURF IN AN INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT HIGHLIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURAL SENSORS, GROUND AND AERIAL VEHICLES POSITIONED TOGETHER

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CREDIT: IET CYBER-SYSTEMS AND ROBOTICS

Nuclear facilities, particularly during decommissioning, face significant challenges due to hazardous materials and environments. Traditional methods often rely heavily on human intervention, posing risks and inefficiencies. A groundbreaking research introduces a symbiotic autonomous robot ecosystem, designed to transform nuclear facility decommissioning. This innovative approach leverages a Cyber-Physical System (CPS) coordinated through a digital twin interface, significantly enhancing safety, efficiency, and operational awareness in high-risk environments.

In a recently published study (https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1049/csy2.12103) in the journal Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Cyber-systems and Robotics, a team of researchers has developed a novel approach to nuclear facility decommissioning using a fleet of robots that work together in a symbiotic relationship. The research introduces a novel implementation of a CPS in a simulated nuclear environment. This system integrates a multi-robot (MR) team, controlled by an operator using a digital twin interface. The project showcases the effective collaboration of autonomous robots within the Symbiotic Multi-Robot Fleet (SMuRF), transcending the boundaries of individual robot capabilities. SMuRF is engineered as a cohesive unit of robots, each with distinct functions, autonomously operating in nuclear environments. The fleet's strength lies in its diversity; for instance, a smaller, agile robot can deftly maneuver through confined spaces, while its larger counterpart is adept at transporting heavy equipment. This synergy allows the robots to tackle a variety of challenges and efficiently complete tasks, illustrating the power of collaborative robotics.

Key features of this system include:
- Symbiotic Autonomy: Robots work in unison, sharing tasks and data, enabling a comprehensive approach to radiation characterization.
- Digital Twin Interface: Operators can oversee and interact with the robot fleet remotely, ensuring safety and efficiency.
- Scalable Autonomy: The system is adaptable, capable of handling a range of tasks and environments.

"This breakthrough represents a paradigm shift in nuclear decommissioning," said Dr. Daniel Mitchell, corresponding author of the study. "By integrating advanced robotics with digital twin technology, we're not just enhancing safety; we're also accelerating the decommissioning process, reducing costs, and setting a new standard in the industry."

The research holds significant implications across various aspects. It leads to enhanced safety by minimizing human exposure to hazardous conditions, crucial in nuclear decommissioning. The approach accelerates the decommissioning process, which can result in substantial cost savings. The technology also has potential applications in other high-risk industries, demonstrating its versatility and broad applicability. This innovation lays the groundwork for the development of more advanced and sophisticated autonomous robotic systems, capable of operating in challenging environments.

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References

DOI

10.1049/csy2.12103

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1049/csy2.12103

About IET Cyber-Systems and Robotics

IET Cyber-Systems and Robotics is a Gold Open Access journal co-published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Zhejiang University Press that publishes novel research and survey articles in the broad areas of cyber-systems and robotics, with an emphasis on artificial intelligent systems enabled by advanced electronics and modern information technologies. The journal has been indexed by ESCI, EI Compendex, Scopus, Inspec, DOAJ, etc.

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JOURNAL

IET Cyber-Systems and Robotics

DOI

10.1049/csy2.12103 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Lessons learned: Symbiotic autonomous robot ecosystem for nuclear environments

UK strengthens nuclear regulation, IAEA mission finds

01 February 2024

The UK has a strong commitment to nuclear and radiation safety and has made progress to reinforce its regulatory functions, although recruitment challenges remain, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said following its completion of a follow-up Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission.

The mission team with representatives from UK regulators (Image: ONR)

IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national nuclear and radiation safety regulatory infrastructure, based on IAEA safety standards and international good practices, while recognising the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.

The seven-day follow-up IRRS mission was conducted at the request of the UK government and took place at the headquarters of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), in Bootle, near Liverpool. Its purpose was to evaluate the implementation of 24 recommendations and 19 suggestions provided during the initial full-scope IRRS mission in October 2019.

The IRRS team comprised of seven senior regulatory experts from seven IAEA Member States, three IAEA staff members, and one observer from Canada.

The team said that since 2019, the UK regulatory bodies involved in the review have shown a strong professionalism and commitment in carrying out their mandate to nuclear and radiation safety in the UK. Of the 24 recommendations and 19 suggestions made in 2019, 19 recommendations and ten suggestions have been successfully addressed and closed.

In its report, the team made six new findings consisting of four recommendations and two suggestions in relation to the topics covered during the IRRS initial mission. In particular, the team noted that the inability to recruit and retain specialists and inspectors has had an impact on the regulatory processes of some bodies and recommended a pay reform where required in order to ensure the statutory remit is delivered.

"This IRRS follow-up mission demonstrated that the UK has made continuous improvements since the IRRS 2019 mission to the highest standards of nuclear and radiation safety," said Ramzi Jammal, acting CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and the team leader for the IRRS follow-up mission. "The findings of the mission will contribute to the ongoing efforts to ensure a robust regulatory framework for the benefit of the public and the environment."

The final mission report will be provided to the UK government in about three months.

"We thank the IRRS mission team members for productive discussions on the UK's radiological safety framework," said a spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. "We are committed to maintaining the highest nuclear safety standards and are grateful for the hard work of our government departments and regulatory bodies across the four nations of the UK in helping to make the mission a success.

"It comes at an important moment for British nuclear as the government recently set out plans for a revival to deliver up to 24 GW by 2050. This will require a robust regulatory framework and significant work has already been done by UK regulators to develop their approach and work more closely with international partners."

EDF and KHNP in running for expanded Czech nuclear tender

01 February 2024

The Czech government has decided to change its tender for new nuclear to binding offers for up to four, rather than one, reactors - and said that it is inviting bids from France's EDF and South Korea's KHNP. The third bidder, Westinghouse, is currently not being included because it "did not meet the necessary conditions".

A press conference was held following the announcement (Image: Czech Government)

Bids from the three companies were submitted in October to ČEZ subsidiary Elektrárna Dukovany II (EDU II ) for a binding offer for a new fifth unit at the Dukovany nuclear power plant plus non-binding offers for three more reactors. The timetable was for the bids to be evaluated by EDU II and a report submitted to the Czech government early in 2024 with the intention of finalising contracts within a year, construction start in 2029 and trial operation in 2036.

EDF proposed its EPR1200 reactor, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power proposed its APR1000 and Westinghouse proposed its AP1000. All three companies have agreements with Czech suppliers to localise work if selected.

But on Wednesday the issue was discussed by a meeting of Petr Fiala's government, with President Petr Pavel taking part, and decided to amend the plan, with the relative costs of building one, versus multiple units, a key factor.

Prime Minister Fiala said: "During the tender, the non-binding offers showed that the construction of several blocks, i.e. up to four blocks in one package, even if it were to be carried out gradually, is economically significantly more advantageous than the construction of only one block, it is also significantly more advantageous than we expected, by up to 25% compared with the construction of only one block."

"From the beginning, the goal of the tender process was to obtain and select the best possible offer for the Czech Republic, both in terms of price, quality and safety of delivery," he added. The tender will now be expanded to be for binding offers for units 5 and 6 at Dukovany and units 3 and 4 at Temelin nuclear power plant.

The two technology providers will now have until 15 April to submit their binding offers, with the assessment and report from EDU II to be submitted to the government by the end of May, with the cabinet slated to make a decision on the proposed supplier by the end of June.

Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura said: "Thanks to today's decision, we will be clear about the final price for the possible construction of more reactors at the end of May and we will get the necessary guarantees ... it will also make it possible to more accurately determine the price for possible construction and increase the transparency of the entire process."

ČEZ Group CEO Daniel Beneš said: "We greatly appreciate the fact that three major global suppliers took part in the tender for the new block in Dukovany, and we thank them for their interest. Thanks to them, the entire tender continues in a fair and just way so that we get the best possible offer at the best possible price."

In a briefing note published by the Czech government, it said it wanted all four units to be subject to binding offers to mitigate risks of price escalation and provide the highest degree of certainty on costs. It also wants the new process to lead to bidders to "improve offers" for the first new unit.

It also addressed the question of whether the state will have to buy out the rest of the 70% state-owned ČEZ nuclear operating company, or the part that will build the new blocks. It said: "The government is discussing the issue of the investor model and it will be the subject of the government's decision on the form of construction of the next blocks. It is important above all to ensure that such a step does not lead to a delay in the construction schedule."

On the issue of the Westinghouse bid, the Czech government said they were "very sorry" but the company had failed to comply with key tender requirements because, it said, its offer was not binding and "the entity responsible for the quality of the work is not clearly defined - therefore, the decision was made to now only contact applicants who submitted a binding offer".

However the Czech government then added that "at the same time, no one is eliminated and the tender is not completed until we have a signed EPC contract for the delivery and construction of the new unit ... we are currently contacting bidders who have submitted a binding offer for EDU 5 and non-binding options for other blocks to make those offers binding. Westinghouse has not yet submitted a binding offer in accordance with the solicitation documentation".

There has not yet been comment from Westinghouse in response to the announcement. On Tuesday Westinghouse, together with its construction partner Bechtel, signed an agreement with the Czech Energy Alliance to establish a working group to facilitate the involvement oif Czech companies if it was selected.

There has been an on-going legal case involving Westinghouse and KHNP, with the US firm filing a claim that the APR1400 design includes intellectual property licensed by Westinghouse and requires its permission before being transferred to other countries considering deploying the design. In its statement, the Czech government said: "We are following the development of the dispute. We requested and at the same time obtained from the bidders confirmation of the ownership of the rights to the offered technology, both during the security assessment and in the current offers. Tender participants had to prove that they are the owners and suppliers of nuclear technology."

Kazatomprom confirms 2024 production plans as acid woes continue

01 February 2024

The Kazakh national atomic company said it expects to see a "modest" growth in 2024 production despite adjustments to its previously announced production plans related to the availability of sulphuric acid and construction delays at newly developed deposits.

(Image: Kazatomprom)

Kazatomprom's 2023 production was 21,112 tU on a 100% basis (11,169 tU attributable), which the company said was slightly lower than 2022 production "primarily due to an insignificant decrease in the production plan for 2023, compared to 2022". 2024 uranium production volumes are expected to be 21,000-22,500 tU on a 100% basis (10,900-11,900 tU attributable), it said in its quarterly operations and trading update. For the majority of its mining operations, it expects that production volumes will be about 20% below the amount stipulated in subsoil use agreements.

The company had previously - in August 2022 - said it planned to increase its 2024 uranium production to a 90% level relative to its subsoil use agreements, which would have been the highest production against subsoil agreements since the company's 2017 decision to flex down production in response to supply and demand considerations. But in January this year, Kazatomprom said it expected to adjust the volume because of the challenges it is now facing.

Sulphuric acid is a key reagent in Kazatomprom's in-situ leach operations, but around 60% of the world's supply of the commodity is used for fertiliser production. Growing demand from the agricultural sector and a combination of factors such as supply chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty have led to domestic and regional shortages over the past few years. Current demand affects both availability and pricing, with a 33.6% increase in Kazatomprom's weighted average cost of sulphuric acid during 2023.

Kazatomprom said it is "actively engaged in discussions with sulphuric acid manufacturers in the neighbouring countries to augment the supply volumes for 2024" and is "actively pursuing" alternative sources for procurement. "Looking ahead in the medium term, the deficit is expected to alleviate as a result of the potential increase in sulphuric acid supply from local non-ferrous metals mining and smelting operations. The Company also intends to enhance its in-house sulphuric acid production capacity by constructing a new plant," it added.

In 2023, Kazatomprom founded a new partnership enterprise - Taiqonyr Qyshqyl Zauyty LLP (TQZ) - to implement the construction of a new 800,000-tonnes per year sulphuric acid plant. TQZ is now owned by Kazatomprom subsidiaries Kazatomprom-SaUran (75%) and RU-6 (25%). Italian firm Ballestra is to assume responsibility for the project's design, equipment procurement, and provision of technical support following the signature of a strategic partnership in January.

When combined with existing in-house production capacities of the SKZ-U and SSAP partnerships, in which it is a partner, Kazatomprom said it envisions a consolidated sulphuric acid production volume of around 1.5 million tonnes.

Market strategy

Kazatomprom said it remains committed to its "market-centric strategy", creating long-term value for its shareholders and remains committed to its 2024 contractual obligations to all existing clients, using some of its inventory to do this.

"The company has a comfortable level of inventories to fulfil its existing contractual commitments in 2024 and will persist in ensuring the availability of essential inventory levels, thereby ensuring its capability to fulfil delivery commitments while optimising resource utilisation," Kazatomprom said. "Additionally, we usually reserve a segment of our annual production as uncommitted. This approach enables us to capitalise on emerging opportunities and adapt to fluctuations in the market landscape. This strategic approach enables the Company to mitigate risks effectively and uphold our contractual obligations to clients, even amidst production-related challenges."

Production plans for 2025 could be "unfavourably" influenced if access to sulphuric acid continues to be limited through 2024 and delays in construction at Kazatomprom's newly developed deposits are not reduced, the company said, and previously announced plans to return to a 100% production level relative to subsoil use agreements in 2025 "may be at risk".

Nukem completes mock-up of waste cementation system

29 January 2024

Germany's Nukem Technologies Engineering Services GmbH - a subsidiary of Russia's Atomstroyexport - announced that the experimental setup for its state-of-the-art in-barrel cementation facility has been successfully completed.

The mock-up of the in-barrel cementation facility (Image: Nukem Technologies)

The company said that the cementation plants it developed can treat a wide range of radioactive wastes, including high saline vaporiser concentrates, radioactive ash from incineration plants, ion exchange resins, absorber and filter materials, radioactive sludges, as well as naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) waste and hazardous waste from oil and gas production plants, refineries and chemical or medical industry.

During barrel cementation, liquid radioactive waste is enclosed in a 200-litre barrel. The end products are externally uncontaminated steel drums containing immobilised waste in a cement matrix. The system includes: the in-barrel mixer; all necessary drum handling systems such as grippers and roller conveyors; barrel transfer and capping/uncapping systems; dosing system for liquid additives and radioactive liquid waste; a camera system; a filling station for dry material; a tracking system; radioactivity monitoring; wipe test; a weighing system for the barrels; and an overflow sensor.

The entire process is designed to operate automatically, minimising the need for operator intervention. A unique QR code is generated for each barrel, containing important information about the waste and ensuring transparency and traceability throughout the entire process.

The hot cell where mixing operations take place features a high-density inflatable pneumatic seal system that prevents leaks during liquid waste pumping and dosing operations. Nukem Technologies said the in-barrel mixer with its four degrees of freedom ensures a completely homogeneous mixture and excellent product quality in terms of compressive strength and leaching rate for radionuclides in the final cement product.

The entire system, including the in-barrel mixer, roller conveyors and other components, is controlled remotely from a central control centre. The operating personnel have real-time insight into the ongoing processes and can react quickly to deviations.

"Before being used in nuclear facilities, machines and equipment for waste treatment are thoroughly tested in full-scale test facilities, so-called mock-ups," Nukem Technologies noted.

Announcing the completion of a mock-up of its in-barrel cementation system, the company said: "This milestone represents significant progress in the safe and efficient treatment of radioactive waste generated during the operation and dismantling of nuclear power plants and nuclear facilities."

"We have installed the system here to fully test the automated operation of the system and check each and every step and individual component," said Felix Langer, technology officer at Nuken Technologies.

He added: "The training of the staff in the mock-up facility allows the operator staff to start working efficiently, to know the system already in detail when it is installed. This speeds up installation and reduces errors during operation."

Halushchenko: Khmelnitsky can become Europe's most powerful nuclear plant

29 January 2024

Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko says that the process of adding four new units at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant will start this year.

Halushchenko, centre, in December with Westinghouse's Patrick Fragman, left, and Energoatom's Petro Kotin, signing an agreement on purchasing equipment for an AP1000 at Khmelnitsky (Image: Energoatom)

Halushchenko said that Ukraine was working closely with Westinghouse for the construction/completion of the third and fourth units, based on VVER-1000 technology, as well as the construction of two completely new units using Westinghouse's AP1000 technology.

Because the third reactor is already more than half completed, he estimated that it could come into operation in as little as two and a half years. The others will take longer, the energy ministry quoted him as telling Ukrainian television, but when completed "with the power that the six reactors at the Khmelnitsky will be able to produce, it will be the largest in Europe and even more powerful than Zaporizhzhia".

He added: "We consider this as a mechanism for compensating for the capacities of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. We understand that we will definitely return this station, it's just a matter of time. Another question is in what condition we will return it and whether we will be able to put it into operation right away."

Ukraine has 15 nuclear units generating about half of its electricity, including the six at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. Khmelnitsky's first reactor was connected to the grid in 1987, but work on three other reactors was halted in 1990, at a time when unit 3 was 75% complete. Work on the second reactor restarted and it was connected to the grid in 2004 but units 3 and 4 remain uncompleted.

Major module installed at Xudabao 1

29 January 2024

The largest and heaviest module - the CA20 - has been installed at unit 1 of the Xudabao nuclear power plant in China's Liaoning province, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) subsidiary China Nuclear Industry 23 Construction Company Limited (CNI23) has announced.

The CA20 module is hoisted into the containment building (Image: Zhang Shuning / CNI23)

The CA20 module - 20.6 metres long, 14.2 metres wide and 21 metres high and weighing just over 1000 tonnes - was hoisted into place on 24 January, CNI23 said.

The cuboid-shaped module will comprise of plant and equipment for used fuel storage, transmission, the heat exchanger and waste collection, among other things.

The crane prepares to lift the module (Image: Zhang Shuning / CNI23)

"The hoisting and placement of CA20 this time is another important milestone after the bottom head of unit 1 of Xudabao nuclear power plant was put in place, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent construction of the nuclear island," CNI23 said.

The construction of units 1 and 2 of the Xudabao (also known as Xudapu) plant was approved by China's State Council on 31 July last year.

Workers watch on as the module is hoisted (Image: Zhang Shuning / CNI23)

On 6 November, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced that the National Nuclear Safety Administration had decided to issue a construction licence for Xudabao units 1 and 2, which will both feature 1250 MWe CAP1000 reactors - the Chinese version of the Westinghouse AP1000. A ceremony was held on 15 November at the Xudabao (also known as Xudapu) site near Xingcheng City, Huludao, to mark the start of construction of unit 1.

The Xudabao project was originally expected to comprise six CAP1000 reactors, with units 1 and 2 in the first phase. Site preparation began in November 2010. The National Development and Reform Commission gave its approval for the project in January 2011.

However, with a change in plans, construction of two Russian-supplied VVER-1200 reactors as Xudabao units 3 and 4 began in July 2021 and May 2022, respectively. These units are expected to be commissioned in 2027 and 2028.

The Xudabao plant is owned by Liaoning Nuclear Power Company Ltd, in which CNNC holds a 70% stake with Datang International Power Generation Co holding 20% and State Development and Investment Corporation owning 10%. The general contractor is China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Ltd, a subsidiary of CNNC.

Orano to supply dry storage systems to Xcel Energy

31 January 2024

TN Americas - a subsidiary of Orano USA - has been awarded a contract by Xcel Energy to provide NUHOMS dry fuel storage systems to the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear power plants, both in Minnesota.

Representatives from Orano and Xcel Energy at the signing of the fleet contract (Image: Orano)

Under this multi-year contract, Orano will manufacture and deliver the selected NUHOMS dry storage systems for the secure interim storage of used nuclear fuel assemblies. The NUHOMS dry storage canisters will be manufactured at Orano's TN Fabrication facility in North Carolina.

"Using Orano's NUHOMS systems for both Monticello's boiling water reactor and Prairie Island's pressurised water reactor ensures high-quality dry storage performance and transport-ready technology for future offsite removal," Orano said.

The Orano NUHOMS system securely stores the dry fuel storage containers in a horizontal position within a sturdy, low-profile, reinforced concrete structure (Image: Orano)

This contract award continues the long-term dry fuel storage management partnership between Orano and Xcel Energy in place for 18 years at Monticello and 33 years at Prairie Island.

"We appreciate Xcel Energy's confidence in us and the selection of our NUHOMS storage system following a comprehensive review of competing technologies and offers," said Jean-Luc Palayer, CEO of Orano USA and President of Orano TN Americas. "The combination of our experienced team, proven technology, and reliable performance provides the certainty sought by our customers for successful and safe project delivery."

Dry cask storage allows used fuel assemblies that have already spent some time cooling in ponds to be stored in dry casks or vaults, typically with air circulation inside concrete shielding. It has been used at US nuclear power plants since 1986, and according to World Nuclear Association, at least one-third of the USA's total used fuel is now in dry storage casks.

Kursk's second unit retires after 45 years operation

31 January 2024

At 04:01 Moscow time on 31 January the second unit at the Kursk nuclear power plant, an RBMK-1000 reactor, came to the end of its service life and stopped generating power. It began commercial operation in 1979.

(Image: Kursk NPP)

Alexander Shutikov, director general of Rosenergoatom, said: "During the period of operation in generation mode, the second power unit generated more than 256 billion kWh of electricity. This volume is sufficient to ensure the current level of electricity consumption for 4.3 million Russian residents over the entire 45-year operating life of the power unit."

The first unit at Kursk was shut down in December 2021. The original design life for the four RBMK-1000 reactors at the plant was for 30 years but had been extended by 15 years following life extension programmes.

Although the second unit is no longer generating power for the grid, it is considered to be "in operation without generation" until nuclear fuel is completely removed - which in the first unit's case was two years after it was retired. Shutikov said: "As in the case of power unit No,1, which was shut down in December 2021, normal operations will be carried out at the second unit in the future, which, in fact, are practically no different from regular scheduled shutdowns."

(Image: Kursk NPP)

All the four units at Kursk are scheduled to shut by 2031. They are being replaced by new reactors at the Kursk II site, which is next to the original plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border. It will feature four VVER-TOI reactors, the latest version of Russia's large light-water designs. They have upgraded pressure vessels and a higher power rating of 3300 MWt that enables them to generate 1300 MWe gross.

New partnerships further radioisotope power plans

30 January 2024

Zeno Power's first full-scale radioisotope power systems will be fuelled by strontium-90 (Sr-90) material recycled from a legacy radioisotope generator under a new public-private partnership with the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM). The company has also announced a partnership with Westinghouse to fabricate the heat sources for its systems.

BUP-500 is unloaded after being transported from storage at ORNL (Image: OREM)

Radioisotope power systems (RPSs) use the heat from radioisotope decay to generate power, and can be used to supply clean energy for applications in off-grid environments. The use of Sr-90 in RPSs is not new - but historical systems were heavy, which limited their applications. Zeno, established in 2018, says its key innovation is a novel design that increases the specific power of Sr-90 heat sources, enabling broad use of its RPSs in space and terrestrially.

The company demonstrated its first Sr-90 heat source at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in October 2023, and aims to commercialise its technology by 2026. It intends to use the Sr-90 from the legacy equipment to deliver on contracts with the US Department of Defense (DOD).

The partnership with OREM will see Zeno use Sr-90 recovered from BUP-500 - short for Byproduct Utilisation Program - a 500-watt radioisotope thermal generator which was built in the mid-1980s at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The equipment was never deployed and had remained in storage at the Tennessee site. Prior to this new partnership, OREM had expected that it would remain in storage for another 30 years before it could be disposed of.

OREM and environmental cleanup contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) recently transported the BUP-500 generator from the Tennessee lab to an out-of-state commercial nuclear facility for processing. The transfer will accelerate the demolition of the facility where it was previously stored, avoids the costs associated with disposal, and significantly reduces liability at ORNL, OREM said.

"This is a win-win scenario that's removing a significant source of radioactivity at a savings to taxpayers, while also supporting nuclear innovation," OREM Manager Jay Mullis said.

Zeno co-founder and CEO Tyler Bernstein said: "This public-private partnership enables us to transform legacy radioactive material into clean energy, enabling future national security and scientific missions. We appreciate the commitment and support of so many officials from DOE, OREM, and UCOR who made this partnership a reality."

The company says it has to date been awarded more than USD40 million in contracts from the DOD and NASA to deliver RPSs that will enable critical operations on the seabed, on orbit, and the surface of the Moon.

Westinghouse to fabricate heat sources

The partnership announcement came days after Zeno said it has selected Westinghouse Electric Company to process radioisotopes to fabricate the heat sources for its RPSs in an agreement Zeno described as a "significant milestone" for the commercialisation of its technology.

Bernstein (on the left) and Sumner mark the agreement between Zeno and Westinghouse (Image: Zeno Power)

"Working with Westinghouse, we will build the nuclear hardware for our RPSs to provide reliable power in the most critical domains of the 21st century - from the depths of the oceans to the surface of the Moon," Bernstein said.

"Westinghouse has a long history of building innovative nuclear technologies that provide safe, reliable and carbon-free power. Our relationship with Zeno Power aligns with our vision to expand the use of nuclear into new markets," Dan Sumner, President of Westinghouse Operating Plant Services, said.

Polar crane commissioned at second San'ao unit

30 January 2024

The polar crane has been installed within the top of the containment building of unit 2 at the San'ao nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province. With tests now completed, the crane is ready for use.

The polar crane in place at San'ao 2 (Image: CGN)

The crane is located under the containment dome on a trolley that moves 360° on a circular rail over the reactor shaft, enabling transport operations anywhere in the central hall of the reactor building. It can be used for installing large equipment, such as the reactor vessel and steam generators, as well as during maintenance work and the transportation of fuel.

The diameter of the crane's hoisting track is 43 metres, the main lifting weight is 200 tonnes, the auxiliary lifting weight is 35 tonnes, and the lifting weight of the installation trolley is 480 tonnes. It is installed at a height of more than 38 metres.

Load testing of the polar crane (Image: CGN)

The load testing of the main trolley of the polar crane was successfully completed on 27 January.

On 2 September 2020, the executive meeting of the State Council approved the construction of units 1 and 2 as the first phase of the San'ao plant. China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a construction permit for the two Chinese-designed HPR1000 (Hualong One) pressurised water reactors on 30 December that year and first concrete for unit 1 was poured the following day. The first concrete for San'ao 2 was poured on 30 December 2021. Six Hualong One units are eventually planned to be built at the site.

San'ao 1 and 2 are scheduled to begin supplying electricity in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

The San'ao project marks the first Chinese nuclear power project involving private capital, with Geely Technology Group taking a 2% stake in the plant. China General Nuclear holds 46% of the shares of the project company Cangnan Nuclear Power, with other state-owned enterprises holding the remainder.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News