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Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences
The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
Decommissioning Environmental Science and Remote Technology 2021
Technical Session|Panel
Friday, December 3, 2021|10:00–11:45AM EST |Georgetown East
Session Chair:
Mark S. Campagna
Session Organizer:
Alternate Chair:
Lawrence E. Boing
The recent upsurge in Decommissioning, Dismantlement and Environmental Remediation of older NPPs demands use of a more effective and high value approach to Security Cost optimization during end of life asset management planning and project execution. The DDER sector stands as a leader within the nuclear industry having embraced more innovative technologies/methods including those now used in other relevant federal applications/arenas-i.e. US DOE/NNSA and DOD. Nuclear Power Plant security and safeguards processes and methods have demonstrated results that stand well above those in use at other types of conventional Power Plants- and should be recognized and realized for their contributions to the society greater good- both during operation and during DDER end -of asset life activities. However, the challenge is that typically this single cost element represents the highest O&M expenditure both year on year and during DDER. This panel will demonstrate how these high standards can continue to be met or exceeded during the future with substantial cost savings using available methodology including: * Use of modern tools - Evaluation of risk-informed and performance-based methods. * Planning conceptual advantage - Physical separation of active systems to the extent practical to avoid limiting localized consequences from security breaches or internal acts or external damage. * Consideration of remote/passive features * Identification of improvements to redundancy - * Minimization of reliance on personnel - * Evaluation of increased utilization of remote and automated technology - * Consideration of geo-location and other functional effects -
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