Radiation Tolerance Testing Methodology of Robotic Manipulator Prior to Nuclear Waste Handling

Kaiqiang Zhang; Chris Hutson; James Knighton; Guido Herrmann; Tom Scott

doi:10.3389/frobt.2020.00006

Radiation Tolerance Testing Methodology of Robotic Manipulator Prior to Nuclear Waste Handling

Front Robot AI. 2020 Feb 6:7:6. doi: 10.3389/frobt.2020.00006. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Kaiqiang Zhang¹, Chris Hutson², James Knighton², Guido Herrmann³, Tom Scott²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, United Kingdom.
² H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
³ Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Abstract

Dramatic cost savings, safety improvements and accelerated nuclear decommissioning are all possible through the application of robotic solutions. Remotely-controlled systems with modern sensing capabilities, actuators and cutting tools have the potential for use in extremely hazardous environments, but operation in facilities used for handling radioactive material presents complex challenges for electronic components. We present a methodology and results obtained from testing in a radiation cell in which we demonstrate the operation of a robotic arm controlled using modern electronics exposed at 10 Gy/h to simulate radioactive conditions in the most hazardous nuclear waste handling facilities.

Keywords: exposure; gamma; manipulator; radiation; radioactive; robot; tolerance; waste.