Bristol University researchers are working with Ukrainian researchers and engineers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) to conduct radiation mapping activities.
The University of Bristol team was given privileged access to the control room of the damaged reactor 4, where they deployed specially designed radiation mapping and scanning sensors. These were also deployed inside the New Safe Confinement (NSC), the protective structure erected to cover the remains of the failed reactor and the original sarcophagus hastily built after the 1986 accident.
The operation, funded by the EPSRC-funded Robotics and AI in Nuclear (RAIN) research consortium, marked the team’s fourth visit to Chernobyl and followed the signing of a letter of intent in early 2021 between the University of Bristol and the Institute for Safety Problems for Nuclear Power Plants ( ISPNPP), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The aim of this visit, a joint Bristol-ISPNPP initiative, was to further explore the value of autonomous and semi-autonomous radiation mapping systems in high radiation environments. By using these systems in the exclusion zone and in the ChNPP, the researchers were able to better determine the location and amount of the remaining radiological hazards.
This time the team demonstrated several robotic systems equipped with sensors developed as part of the RAIN project between the Universities of Bristol and Oxford. The aim of each system was to collect high-precision 3D models of the facility together with radiation data in order to precisely define the distribution and severity of the radiological risks.
The engagement marked a significant milestone for both the Bristol and ISPNPP teams, which are looking to develop new technologies to reduce the risk associated with nuclear decommissioning. The high-end 3D visualizations achieved by the team’s mapping technology will support the dismantling project of the Ukrainian government and the decommissioning of the power plant. This deployment coincides with obtaining license permits for the site to begin remote dismantling of the sarcophagus, followed by the recovery and packaging of the massive amounts of reactor debris. It is expected that radioactivity levels and distributions will change very regularly during decommissioning, requiring a range of fast, robotic scanning technologies that can quickly detect how the hazard is changing – all to protect workers.
The lead researcher, Professor Tom Scott of the University of Bristol and co-director of RAIN, said this was an exceptionally challenging but successful exercise and that the results would be invaluable in safely dismantling the reactor and here in too the decommissioning programs would feed into the UK.
“Actually entering the control room of the failed reactor was a tense, yet exhilarating experience. The team did a fantastic job deploying our systems quickly and under difficult conditions. It is a great reward after months of hard work and planning to know that our technology works well in real nuclear environments, ”he said.
“This top-class commitment was the culmination of several years of hard development work within the RAIN project. We are very pleased that we have successfully demonstrated a capability that is useful for both the Chornobyl decommissioning and old nuclear power plants in the UK and elsewhere in the world.
“We are now entering a phase of shutdown here in the UK at Sellafield and Magnox. So we are developing new sensor systems, robotic solutions and special types of detectors as this technology is needed now. Robots can make nuclear power plant decommissioning faster, cheaper, and most importantly, safer! We could only develop this technology with the guidance and information of our Ukrainian partners. ”
In the twelve months since their last visit, the team has made significant technological advances. This time, they used a state-of-the-art radiation sensor and laser mapping solution developed as part of the RAIN project by the Bristol team in collaboration with a research team from the Oxford Robotics Institute (ORI) led by Professor Maurice Fallon to address the challenging environment within the protection.
Dr. Dave Megson-Smith, Senior Research Associate at the Interface Analysis Center (IAC) in Bristol, said, “With this type of multi-sensor system, we can help our Ukrainian colleagues perform a diverse range of advanced characterization and surveying tasks in the toughest of environments. “
Dr. Peter Martin, also from the IAC and research fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Entering the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is anything but trivial and to practice the operations, we were allowed to use the sensor technologies in reactor unit 3 and the control room of unit 4 before venturing into the new secure enclosure. We were very pleased that the systems worked exactly as expected and recorded excellent data from which we can quickly create digital 3D representations. “
Leonid Yakovenko, Head of the ChNPP Radiation Safety Shop, said: “The success of this important research is due to the effective collaboration between scientists from ISPNPP, the University of Bristol and the specialist engineers of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Together we were able to carry out innovative experiments with pioneering technology in order to assess the radiation situation in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and in particular within the new safety zone.
“The Bristol team demonstrated the effectiveness of their scanning systems under high radiation conditions, produced detailed data within the facility and paved the way for more advanced remote-controlled radiation mapping by robots.”
Dr. Maxim Saveliev, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants (ISPNPP) in Ukraine, said: “Importantly, this scientific data will and will be incorporated into future planning for the eventual removal of fuel-containing material from the shelter Support the transformation of Chernobyl – and its surroundings – into an environmentally friendly place. This is the second time we have worked with the Bristol team here at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the results of this recent visit give new impetus to continue and strengthen our cooperation in the future. “
Back in the UK, the research team will continue to analyze the data collected at the site and provide the Ukrainian authorities with previously unavailable, very detailed and accurate maps of the radiation distribution around the convicted reactor.
Photo: Bristol and ISPNPP researchers led by Professor Tom Scott and Dr. Maxim Saveliev walk along the “Golden Corridor” that connects Block 4 with the other reactors of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Photo credit: SSE Chornobyl NPP
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