Information Portal for the Research and Development
for the Fukushima Daiichi Decommissioning

From here, the content page starts. 日本語

Remote technology

The interiors of the reactor building and reactor primary containment vessel (PCV) are still harsh, high-dose rate environments. In order to proceed with efforts to remove nuclear fuel debris, it is necessary to develop technology to decontaminate reactor buildings, technology to allow direct access within reactors for sampling, and technology for sampling fuel debris. In addition, it is necessary to develop machinery and equipment to use for work in retrieving nuclear fuel debris and in-core structures.

In order to reduce exposure risk for workers performing these kinds of tasks in a severe environment, it is necessary to utilize remotely operated machines, equipment and systems. It is also necessary to handle maintenance, management and parts replacement in order to use them over a long period of time.

In the future, as we develop remote technology to handle each of the technologies, it will be important to reinforce links between industry, government and academia for efficient development.

R&D efforts (Applied development linked to plant applications and actual use)

Device/equipment development/demonstration for the full scale practical system research and measurement

Development of Investigation Technology of Inside of PCV

Development of Investigation Technology of Inside of RPV

Ensuring safety for fuel debris retrieval (3) (Construction of Confinement function)

Development of Repair Technology for Leakage Sections in PCV

Full-scale Test of Repair Technology for Leakage Sections in PCV

Development of method and system for fuel debris retrieval

Upgrading Approach and System for Retrieval of Fuel Debris and Internal Structures

Development of Fundamental Technologies for Retrieval of Fuel Debris and Internal Structures

Development of storage/transfer/safekeeping technology for retrieved fuel debris

Development of Fuel Debris Storage/Transportation/Repository Technologies

Development of remote decontamination equipment

R&D efforts (related basic and generic research)

Inspection technology development (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at Tohoku University - Basic research into reliability maintenance of PCV and buildings, etc., and waste processing and disposal, and core human resource development program for decommissioning)

Research related to remote technology (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at Tohoku University - Basic research into reliability maintenance of PCV and buildings, etc., and waste processing and disposal, and core human resource development program for decommissioning)

Research related to remote operations technology (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at University of Tokyo - Comprehensive human resource development for decommissioning based on remote operations technology and nuclide analysis technology) (PDF)

Remote measurement technology (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at Tokyo Institute of Technology - Advancements in skilled human resource development for and basic research on decommissioning engineering) (PDF)

Repair technology development (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at Tohoku University - Basic research into reliability maintenance of PCV and buildings, etc., and waste processing and disposal, and core human resource development program for decommissioning)

Robotic and remote operations technology for responding to NPS accidents and decommissioning (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at University of Tokyo - Comprehensive human resource development for decommissioning based on remote operations technology and nuclide analysis technology) (PDF)

Environmental structuring technology for remotely operated robots (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at University of Tokyo - Comprehensive human resource development for decommissioning based on remote operations technology and nuclide analysis technology) (PDF)

Development of remotely operated robots for inspections of high places and narrow spaces (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at Tohoku University - Comprehensive human resource development for decommissioning based on remote operations technology and nuclide analysis technology) (PDF)

Remote measurement technology for after severe accidents (Decommissioning Basic Research: Human resource development program at Tokyo Institute of Technology - Advancements in skilled human resource development for and basic research on decommissioning engineering) (PDF)

Implementation design of verification test facilities for remote operations machinery and equipment (August 2015) (JAEA)

Development of detective technology of contaminated spots in working area, and visualization technology to virtual space (August 2018) (JAEA) (PDF) 

Plant investigation, measurement data, and information

• Fukushima Daiichi NPS survey map

• Inside reactor buildings, etc. (TEPCO)

Other related information

Remote technology operational results at Fukushima Daiichi NPS (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy) (PDF)

Utilization of robotic technology (TEPCO)

• Results for robots used primarily on the first floor and higher(only japanese)
• Results for robots used mainly on below-ground floors (only japanese)

Robot technology by purpose

• Transfer/transport technology

• Crab cranes
  ”Development of remote decontamination technology for use within reactor buildings” regarding investigation of contamination status in high places on first floor within Units 1 to 3 reactor buildings (investigation with gamma camera) (May 29, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF page 2)

• Rosemary & Sakura, robots with dose rate meter/gamma camera, etc., mounted
  ”Development of remote decontamination technology for use within reactor buildings” regarding investigation of contamination status in high places on upper floors within Units 1 to 3 reactor buildings (investigation with dose rate meter/gamma camera) (May 29, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF page 2)

• Robot with laser scan, etc., mounted
  Performance of 3D laser scan measurement in Unit 1 reactor building torus room (October 30, 2014) (PDF page 4)

• Robot with cutting tool, etc., mounted
  Removal of fence and sampling on operating floor of Unit 2 reactor building (result report) (March 27, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF page 9)

• Quince 1, 2, & 3, robots with dose rate meter/gamma camera mounted

• Pack Bot, robot with dose rate meter/gamma camera, etc., mounted
  Result of inspection of Unit 1 reactor building with robot from “development of remote decontamination technology within buildings” (May 25, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF)

• Water-surface boat
  Verification test of swim-inspection robot technology development (October 31, 2013) (Remote Technology Task Force WG2　underwater swimming robot WG) (PDF page 4)

• 4-legged walking robot
  Inspection results of underside of bent pipes in Unit 2 (March 28, 2013) (TEPCO) (PDF page 2)

• Survey Runner
  Summary of robot (Survey Runner) (April 17, 2012) (TEPCO) (PDF)

• Inspection and measurement technology

• Equipment to inspect inside PCV (Shape changing robot)
  Observing simulation practice before internal inspection of TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS Unit 1 PCV (February 5, 2015) (IRID / Hitachi GE) (PDF)

• Robot for investigating high locations
  Inspection results for Unit 2 reactor building first floor high location PCV penetration periphery (Implementation of Step 2）(July 25, 2013) (TEPCO) (PDF page 12)

• Inspection equipment FRIGO-MA
  Inspection results for Fukushima Daiichi NPS Unit 1 reactor building first floor personal airlock (April 9, 2013) (TEPCO) (PDF page 2)

• Suppression chamber lower external area inspection equipment (SC-ROV)
  Results summary for FY2013 “Development of technology for repair and identification of leakage points within PCV” (inspection portion) (October 30, 2014) (IRID) (PDF page 16)

• Torus room wall inspection equipment, underwater swimming robot (Gengo ROV) and floor walking robot (Tri-diver)
  Results summary for FY2013 “Development of technology for repair and identification of leakage points within PCV” (inspection portion) (October 30, 2014) (IRID) (PDF page 4)

• Suppression chamber upper area inspection equipment (Tele-runner)
  Results summary for FY2013 “Development of technology for repair and identification of leakage points within PCV” (inspection portion) (October 30, 2014) (IRID) (PDF page 5)

• Water level measurement equipment for inside suppression chamber
  Development of robotic water level measurement basic technology for inside suppression chamber (S/C) and resumption of verification tests (January 30, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF page 9)

• Decontamination technology inside buildings

• High pressure water decontamination equipment (Arounder), absorption/blast decontamination equipment (MEISTeR), dry ice blast decontamination equipment
  FY2013 results summary, development of remote decontamination technology for inside reactor buildings (August 28, 2014) (IRID) (PDF page 4)

• Raccoon
  Project results from “Development of technology for remotely operated decontamination inside the reactor buildings” (January 30, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF page 12)

• Remotely operated heavy machine　ASTACO-SoRa
  Start of inside decontamination in the first floor of the Fukushima Daiichi NPS Unit 3 reactor building using remote decontamination equipment (June 20, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF page 2)

• Improved Husqvarna DXR-140
  Introduction of decontamination equipment into the first floor of the Fukushima Daiichi NPS Unit 2 reactor building (June 6, 2014) (TEPCO) (PDF)

Technology catalog for development of machines and equipment for preparation to retrieve fuel debris for decontamination of TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS Units 1 to 4 (decontamination related)

• Maker survey portion (Table of contents) (PDF)
• Maker survey portion (Main body) (PDF)
• Primary public appeal (Table of contents) (PDF)
• Primary public appeal (Main body)
• Secondary public appeal (Table of contents) (PDF)
• Secondary public appeal (Main body)