Decommissioning of a Uranium Reprocessing Pilot Plant
Activity Acronym:
KAN-1.2
Authors:
John Erling Lundby
Abstract:
Dismantling of the process equipment in the Uranium reprocessing pilot plant at
Institutt for energiteknikk, Kjeller in Norway has been in progress during the last
few years and is now nearly completed. The Kjeller pilot plant went into operation in
1961 and the emphasis was put on reprocessing of fuel elements from the research
reactor JEEP I and experimental activities. After shut-down in 1968 a one year
dismantling period took place in 1982 -1983, and the work was resumed in 1989 and
will be completed in 1994 - 1995. The main objective was to remove the essential part
of remaining radioactive materials and equipment so as to permit reuse of the
building for radwaste work.
In most cases internal decontamination of the process equipment was not profitable,
even when its possible reuse as inactive material was considered. On the other hand,
mechanical surface decontamination of shielding blocks shows a profitable result.
The secondary amount of waste arisings is important when deciding whether decontamination
or direct packing is favourable.
It is also important to pack the waste as tightly as possible and this has given a reduction
to half the original calculated waste volume.
Key words:
• Chemical decontamination
• Decommissioning procedures
• Mechanical decontamination
• Packing of radwaste
• Protective clothing
• Tools for dismantling operations
• Uranium reprocessing pilot plant