PhD Bursary Scheme Rick Short, Research Manager 1 Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Rick Short, Research Manager 1

Webinar structure Brief introduction to bursary call (5 mins) Detail on theme R&D needs from technical leads (20 mins) Open Q&A session (35 mins) 2

Why does NDA support PhD research? Maintain and develop key technical skills Provide fundamental understanding of technologies and processes across the NDA estate Develop early stage technologies (TRL 1 – 3) Encourage knowledge transfer 3

Bursary call in Estate R&D strategy 4

Ultimate aim …the estimated undiscounted total cost of the NDA mission over the projected 100+ year timescale is £118 billion (undiscounted), £70 billion (discounted) .Considering this as a single figure however could lead to a false sense of certainty in the outcome and instead it should be considered within the identified uncertainty range of £95 billion to £218 billion. Source: NDA Annual Report and Accounts FY 14/15 5

NDA PhD Bursary Decommissioning Working Group 6

Research Themes – Presenters Hannah Bean & Penny Birtle, Magnox Ltd Christina Alexander, EDF (DWG Co-Chairs / Introduction) Tom Robinson, Sellafield Ltd (Sellafield Ltd challenge) 12th September 2016 7

Decommissioning Working Group Promoting cross-SLC and inter-nuclear organisation sharing and learning of nuclear decommissioning technologies and experience Identifying generic opportunities to commission research and development under the banner of decommissioning The DWG core group membership represented by NDA SLCs (Magnox, DSRL, LLWR, Sellafield Ltd) other nuclear operators (EDF, AWE), organisations (GDS) and NDA. 8

Problem Statement “There are a number of plant areas on numerous sites where manual work cannot be undertaken owing to challenging radiological and conventional safety environments. There is a need for remote capability for dismantling / deconstruction of plant, size reduction and waste segregation to enable decommissioning of these areas” Different materials in different geometries Complex plant architecture Minimal space and high radiation environments Limited penetrations / access points Manual entry required 9

DWG Research Themes Technologies for the recovery and treatment of waste materials Techniques for the recovery, characterisation and segregation of wastes (including alpha decommissioning and difficult to access areas) remote and autonomous systems are of particular interest. Monitoring of decommissioned facilities including building structural assessment, monitoring containment and remote monitoring methods. Development of decontamination technologies including hard to access areas e.g. pipelines and pipework Decommissioning tools and techniques Smarter manual ‘multi-tools’ for use in hostile environments), Remote decommissioning (e.g. heel & residue removals from pipework and tanks, improved air-fed suits for alpha decommissioning or systems for manual entries into hostile, C5 environments that do not require air-fed suits.) Demolition and dismantling.  Treatment or remediation of contaminated land and buildings to optimise opportunities for reuse or clean up. 10

What is decommissioning? 11

Where do we need R&D? Research themes : Technologies for the recovery and treatment of waste materials  Monitoring of decommissioned facilities Development of decontamination technologies Decommissioning tools and techniques Treatment or remediation of contaminated land and buildings 12

Where do we need R&D? 13

Decommissioning at Sellafield Ltd Decommissioning Sellafield is estimated at £24 billion Reprocessing will stop 2020 and Sellafield will enter “broadfront decommissioning” Two main areas of decommissioning: Alpha Fuel manufacturing, plutonium handling facilities, laboratories Alpha radiation is easily shielded so decommissioning is MANUAL Beta gamma Reactors, spent fuel storage, fuel reprocessing High beta gamma radiation does not allow manual operations, so decommissioning is REMOTE 14

Alpha (manual) decommissioning 15

Alpha (manual) decommissioning 16

Beta gamma (remote) decommissioning 17

Beta gamma (remote) decommissioning 18

Sellafield Ltd technology development 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 TRL PhDs e.g. NDA bursary scheme Technical Directorate: Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) technical.innovation@sellafieldsites.com Future Decommissioning: Active Demonstrator future.decommissioning@sellafieldsites.com Decommissioning deployment 19

Any questions? For details about the bursary scheme, please email Dr Mark Bankhead: mark.bankhead@nnl.co.uk For details on the Sellafield challenges, please email: technical.innovation@sellafieldsites.com Proposals must be submitted by 15.00 on Friday 21st October via: https://ndaphdbursaryapplications.co.uk 20

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