POSSIBLE FEATURES TO AID DECOMMISSIONING OF GAS

POSSIBLE FEATURES TO AID DECOMMISSIONING OF GAS COOLED REACTOR SYSTEMS 

2 The ideas and features that have emerged during the study as possible aids to decommissioning and dismantling of prestressed concrete reactor vessels fall into four main categories. These are  

Within each of these categories a number of separate Ideas were developed and these are described In Sections 6.3 to 6.6. 

1 The literature review and other research has shown that one of the major difficulties In demolishing a prestressed concrete reactor pressure vessel, even 100 years after shutdown, arises from the radiation emitted from the steel components that have become activated during reactor operation. The most effective way of overcoming these difficulties would seem, therefore, to lie In one or more of the following Ideas  

2 Whilst the work of Boothby and Williams has shown that meaningful reductions In the trace element content can be made, albeit at a price. It Is unlikely that complete elimination can be achieved. Additionally, even assuming the elimination of reinforcement and prestressing tendons from the active zone. It would appear from discussions with liner designers that they see no alternative to a steel liner securely fixed to the vessel concrete. There will also always be steel penetrations connected to the liner. Thus the emission of gamma radiation from steel In activated concrete will be a persistant problem to some degree. 

---