All hands to the plough....
February 9, 2010
The simplest solutions are often the best. That’s certainly been the experience of the team responsible for cleaning out the active cells at Harwell’s former Post Irradiation Examination Facility.
Though unique and innovative, the team’s ingenious design to solve the problem of removing inaccessible waste debris in the cells drew on elementary technology that goes back many thousands of years – the plough.
The team’s inventive plan was to design a manually operated metal plough to retrieve debris that had accumulated on the cell floors over several decades of operations in the facility. The idea evolved from a few schematics on a whiteboard, allowing the team to prepare a detailed design and then manufacture the unique piece of equipment. A rigorous testing process followed before the plough was successfully operated, retrieving significant quantities of debris from the cell floors.
Work to clear the cells began in November and was completed in January, allowing the team to meet its post operational clean-out targets
“The plough worked extremely well, better than we could have ever imagined, and saved RSRL a considerable amount of money,’ Gary Reid commented. “This is an excellent example of RSRL using the considerable talents and expertise of our own staff rather than seeking less than perfect external solutions – which can often prove expensive and ultimately unsuccessful.
“It is particularly satisfying that everyone in the team was able to make a contribution to what was a highly innovative, effective and successful project, of which we can all be proud.”
For more information please contact: Angela Vincent, RSRL Communications Manager
