AN ADVANCED ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR FOR THE INTEGRAL FAST REACTOR FUEL CYCLE FACILITY

DEMONSTRATION TESTING OF ADVANCED PROCESS EQUIPMENT IS EXPECTED TO CONFIRM THE FEASIBILITY OF THE INTEGRAL FAST REACTOR (IFR) FUEL CYCLE PROCESS AT THE HOT FUEL EXAMINATION FACILITY - SOUTH (HFEF-S) ON THE ARGONNE-WEST SITE IN IDAHO. TEST RESULTS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN OF A COMMERCIAL IFR FUEL CYCLE FACILITY. THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TO DEVELOPMENT OF A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR AN ADVANCED ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR SYSTEM THAT CAN BE RETROFITTED INTO THE HFEF-S. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE DEMONSTRATION TESTS TO CONFIRM THAT ADVANCED ROBOTICS CAN IMPROVE THE FACILITY'S ON-LINE AVAILABILITY BY PERFORMING PROGRAMMED OPERATIONAL SUPPORT TASKS AND REMOTE MAINTENANCE OF THE PROCESS EQUIPMENT. INCLUDED IN THE SYSTEM IS A TWO- ARMED ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR MOUNTED TO A PROGRAMMABLE TELESCOPING-TUBE TROLLEY. AN EXISTING BRIDGE IN THE HFEF-S WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH POSITIONFEEDBACK FOR PROGRAMMABLE OPERATION AND USED TO TRANSPORT THE TROLLEY. THE EQUIPMENT WILL BE MODULARIZED FOR REMOTE REPAIR AND HARDENED TO 10(8) RAD. IT ALSO WILL BE CAPABLE OF WET DECONTAMINATION. THE ADVANCED ROBOTIC MANIPULATOR SYSTEM CAN BE OPERATED VIA BOTH PROGRAMMED AND MAN-IN-THE-LOOP (TELEOPERATION) MODES. TYPICAL PROGRAMMABLETASKS SHOULD INCLUDE MATERIAL TRANSFERS, SAMPLING, FILTER CHANGE-OUT, COMPONENT REPLACEMENT, AND CELL CLEANUP.