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Decontamination/reduction of radiation dose and reduction of radiation exposure

Reducing the exposure of workers is a very important issue as they perform decontamination tasks within the power plant site and within the reactor buildings, so we are working to shield and remove sources of radiation, in addition to decontaminating the site, buildings and structures.

Dose rates within the power plant site have been greatly reduced by removal of contaminated debris and soil, decontamination and dose rate reduction of facings, etc., so that the work environment for workers has been improved.

On the other hand, dose rates within the reactor buildings remain high, and access for survey work on the inside is limited, so we are studying measures to decontaminate and reduce dose rates for specific work areas and access routes, and working to develop and utilize equipment and machines that utilize remote technology.

Also, in order to prevent expansion of contamination of the ocean, we are studying such things as construction of impermeable walls, setting up fibrous adsorbent purification equipment, and lining and purification systems within the harbor.

 Furthermore, we are studying development of unmanned radiation monitoring technology to evaluate the environmental impact, and optimization of protective equipment to reduce exposure as part of work environment improvement.

R&D efforts

Ongoing projects

Development of Technologies for Work Environmental Improvement in Reactor Building (Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management)
Summary

Towards the scaling up retrieval of fuel debris and internal structure, technology development related to work environmental improvement shall be implemented as it is necessary for the safe and efficient work inside the R/B, where there still leaves the place where the damage status caused by the accident is unknown and the dose rate is still high.

Action
  • Development for Highly Performance of Exposure Reduction Technologies by Digitalization of Environment and Radioactive Source Distribution
  • Development of Systems for Remote Monitoring and Removal Operation for Removal of PCV Penetration Pipes etc.
Implementation plan

Targeted process:Development of Technology for Improving the Environment inside the Reactor Buildin

Source:FY 2024 Research and Development Plan for Decommissoning
    (METI, Secretariat of the Team for Countermeasures for Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Treatment (February 29, 2024))
(PDF page 3-4)

Results & performance by fiscal year
  • FY 2023
  • FY 2022
  • FY 2021
Reducing dose rate within the site
Prevention of expansion of contamination of the ocean
Evaluation and monitoring of environmental impact
Study of optimization of protective equipment to reduce exposure (Work environment improvement )

Plant investigation, measurement data, and information

Dose rate reduction within the site
Evaluation and monitoring of environmental impact
  • Radiation monitoring using manned helicopter
  • Monitoring of radioactive cesium concentration in river water
  • Detection of Alpha Ray Radiating Nuclide
  • 3D Visualization of Distribution of Radioactive Materials
  • Collection of monitoring data
Optimization of protective equipment to reduce exposure (Work environment improvement)