In Novosibirsk, scientists from the Lavrentiev Institute of Hydrodynamics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences presented innovative equipment for remote processing of spent nuclear fuel. The development makes it possible to completely eliminate the human factor when working with highly active materials.
After being unloaded from the reactor, fuel assemblies reach four meters in length and weigh about seven hundred kilograms. Due to the high level of radiation, any contact with them is life-threatening. That is why the key requirement for the new equipment was complete autonomy of operations.
Specialists from the design and technological branch of the institute created a hydraulic complex that operates on the principle of industrial "scissors". First, the installation compresses the element with a press, deforming its structure, then, in a state of mechanical stress, it makes a precise cut. This approach minimizes the formation of secondary waste and increases the safety of the process.
In addition to cutting, the complex solves the problem of selective extraction of valuable isotopes from reprocessed fuel. This opens up opportunities for reusing materials in the nuclear fuel cycle.
The equipment has already been integrated into the production chains of Rosatom. One of the installations operates at a plant in Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk region.