Session: 10-03 R&D - Decommissioning & Regulatory Issues

Paper Number: 109538

109538 - Ld-Safe: Laser Cutting Demonstration for Nuclear Power Reactors Dismantling 

Introduction

Up to now, only a few of the Nuclear Power Reactors permanently shut down have been fully decommissioned. Based on the information provided by Member States, EU nuclear operators estimated that more than EUR 120 billion will be needed for nuclear decommissioning over the next 30 years. Hence, there is a powerful economic incentive to fund development and uptake of more efficient industrial applicable technologies.

Laser cutting technology

The main conventional cutting techniques used up to now have limited effectiveness. To improve safety, radiation protection, waste management, cost and time aspects for the forthcoming power reactor decommissioning, the development of innovative cutting tools seems necessary and represents an immense challenge. Among innovative technologies which could be used, the laser cutting technology is one of the most promising in this context in comparison with conventional cutting techniques currently used, especially for both PWR and BWR type reactors.

Dismantling of the reactor vessel and internals represents a great challenge technically and in terms of safety, involving long periods of planning and execution, and generally becoming a critical path. In this context, laser cutting has certain advantages: excellent cutting performance and safety in operation and maintenance (robustness and remote operation capability).

LD-SAFE project

An European Consortium composed of 6 companies (ONET Technologies, CEA, IRSN, Tecnatom, EQUANS and Vysus Group) has been granted an H2020 project called “LD-SAFE”, focusing on removing the last technical, financial and psychological barriers to propose the laser cutting technology as an alternative to the conventional cutting techniques used for the decommissioning of Nuclear Power Reactors and mainly their internals (RVI) and pressure vessels (RPV).

The purpose of the LD-SAFE project is to demonstrate that both the in-air and underwater laser cutting technologies are effectively operational for the dismantling of the most challenging components of light-water Nuclear Power Reactors.

To meet the goals and the requested impacts, the project is structured into 5 Technical Work Packages covering a project time of 4 years. The main technical activities of LD-SAFE are split as follows:

·        The Laser technology analysis in operational reactor environment;

·        Laboratory tests/calculations to assess and mitigate the environmental and safety impacts. In particular these three main risks:  laser beam residual power; secondary emissions (aerosols); hydrogen gas generation during underwater emerging laser cutting.

·        The Protection of the workers and environment;

·        The Safety assessment for the implementation of the laser technology and its internal independent review;

·        The development of demonstrators for the validation of the implementation and the use of laser cutting technology in a representative reactor environment.

The full paper will present the LD-SAFE project main objectives, will give an overview of the main interest of the laser cutting for RPV / RVI dismantling and will highlight the main project progress.

Conclusion

At the end of LD-SAFE, the suitability of the laser cutting technology to address the challenges of the dismantling Nuclear Power Reactor and its capability to improve these projects in respect of safety, radioactive waste, time and cost will be confirmed on the basis of the demonstrators and the other project outputs as the Technology Qualification and the Generic Safety Assessment.

To conclude, this project proposes an innovation which could enhance the safety, economic and technical aspects of one of the most challenging task of Nuclear Power Reactor dismantling and has the opportunity to support European nuclear field in remaining a step ahead in the development of this technology by achieving a world first laser dismantling of a Nuclear Power Reactor.

Acknowledgements

LD-SAFE is an H2020 project under the call NFRP-09 “Fostering innovation in decommissioning of nuclear facilities” funding by the European Commission (Euratom). The author and co-author thank Mr Seif Ben Hadj Hassine, the European Commission Project Officer.

Presenting Author: Pierre Daguin ONET TECHNOLOGIES

Presenting Author Biography: Mr. DAGUIN works at ONET TECHNOLOGIES in Pierrelatte (France) since December 2017.
He is an electrical engineer and graduated from ESIGELEC (engineer school).
By the past, he worked in the design office of Rolls-Royce Civil Nuclear I&C (Instrumentation and Control). As part of service activities, he coordinated and processed technical subjects on Rolls-Royce equipment’s (sustainability of components, manufacture of spare parts and I&C systems upgrade).
At ONET TECHNOLOGIES, he was at first responsible for the "Qualification" of classified I&C equipment installed on the RJH (CEA Cadarache) Unloading Loading Machine (mainly laboratory trials: EMC, humidity, vibrations, seismic, irradiation tests, etc.).
Since 2020, he works as Project Manager on several projects in link with laser cutting technology (R&D projects, feasibility studies, industrialization of in-air and underwater laser system, and development of laser facilities). He is currently in charge of the operational management of the LD-SAFE project (n° 945255).