| Client | United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority |
| Facility | Windscale Piles Nuclear Power Plant |
| Location | Sellafield, England, UK |
Fuel Cell Retrieval Tool (FCRT)
The continuing work with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Association (UKAEA) Piles project has led to the development of groundbreaking technology in the way reactors are being decommissioned. S.A.Technology has developed and delivered equipment to the UKAEA Piles site that is currently being used in the decommissioning of the Piles 1 reactor. In addition to providing equipment, S.A.Technology continues to develop engineering schemes and processes for the transport and storage of waste products that are produced by the dismantling of the Piles reactors. UKAEA’s ongoing work continues to push S.A.Technology to deliver new efficient equipment as well as to provide innovative technical engineering schemes for difficult and challenging problems.
FTRC Retrieval Scoop
Most of the equipment that S.A.Technology has delivered to the Piles site has to do with the cleaning out of waste fuel and isotopes materials. The complicated task of cleaning out the debris and ash from the piles fuel cells was a difficult task due to the amount of debris and the variation in size of debris. S.A.Technology solution to this problem of cleaning out the fuel cells was the unique Fuel Channel Removal Tool (FCRT). This robotic fuel cell cleaner deploys a series of extensions or Kelly bars on a revolving carousel that allows it to extend and retrieve debris from fuel cells. The FCRT uses an array of scoops and grippers to remove debris in the fuel cell and put it into a collection container. The collection container is then lowered and transported to a separation station that prepares the debris for encapsulation.
Seperation Skid
The separation skid is also a piece of equipment that was provided by S.A.Technology to help with the separation of fuel and isotope materials. The separation skid consists of a transfer basket (to hold the mixed waste form), a basket lift mechanism, a basket rotate (to mix the waste form during pouring), a screen with an adjustable slope, and a pneumatic vibrator that operates from compressed air, as well as two waste liners in which to store the separated waste. This equipment works efficiently to separate waste into larger solid chunks (solids) and small pieces (fines) to be encapsulated and stored on site.
Clean Posting System
The liners from the separation skid are moved to a Clean Posting System, which ensures the containment of the waste after separation. There is also another piece of equipment that was provided by S.A.Technology. This Clean Posting System is a remote tooling device that provides a contamination barrier during the filling of waste containers. A unique alignment/sealing system ensures that containment is maintained during waste container lid removal/attachment, using a double lid system. This system provides the UKAEA with a good solution to the remote sealing of containers to maintain containment for the storage of that waste.
S.A.Technology has provided and developed groundbreaking technologies for the UKAEA in the company’s effort to decommission the Piles 1 reactors. The delivery and completion of these projects has proven S.A.Technology to be a company that provides solid solutions to complex problems. S.A.Technology will continue with its pursuit to provide practical remote solutions to the UK to help solve complicated waste problems.