Robots for Nuclear Power Plants

Robots for nuclear power plants

by Taylor Moore

Odex, a walking robot with multiple potential uses. (Credit: Odetics).

In the USA, robotics technology used at the TMI-2 cleanup and at other nuclear plants has prompted interest and shaped research on how robots might best be used

Once confined to the- pages of science stalled since 1976. But the force of tech- viewed by most industrial robot manu- fiction, robots h.ive dramatically captured nologic change and the pressure ol facturers as a significant potential mar- the attention of the public and the indus- international economic competition ket, special-application robots are under trial business community in recent years. promise an accelerated pace of robot development for performing inspection Many observers view robots as a hall- deployment in the years ahead. Some and maintenance tasks inside nuclear mark of neoindustrialization, breathing experts predict that as many as 10(1 000 power plants, where radiation levels, renewed economic vigor and com- robots may be at work in this country heat, and humidity either rule out petitiveness into depressed industries by 1990—one-tenth of the total number the presence of human workers or through improved productivity and projected worldwide. severely limit their ability to work. For reduced labor costs. For most industries in which robots many of these tasks in a nuclear plant, At the same time, however, workers have been or are expected to be applied robots would be a welcome addition often respond with apprehension to the in significant numbers, such as auto- to the workforce, freeing humans from mental image ot a robot performing a mobile production, metalworking, and some of the more onerous and discom- task that formerly required a human. machinery manufacture, the incentives forting jobs and, possibly, permitting The social implications of the robot- to robotize relate directly to preserving certain tasks to be performed while a i/ation of American industry will surely or recapturing competitive advantage plant remains on-line, thus avoiding become of more concern to workers, through lowered unit costs of produc- costly plant downtime tor inspection or managers, and policymakers alike as tion and improved product quality. But maintenance. more robots enter the industrial work- for some industries, the attraction of ro- Some of the robots under develop- place. bots is their potential to work in ha/ard- ment for utility applications represent According to the Robotics Industries ous environments, thereby reducing the the state of the art of robotics engineer- Association, only f>3()() robots had been human risks associated with the work. ing, and the related research efforts delivered in the United States by the The electric utility industry is one could pioneer advances that have broad end of 1983; most of those had been in- such industry. Although utilities are not application to other industries. EPKI

Mr Moore is on the staff of the EPRI Journal, from which this article is reprinted. EPRI is the Electric Power Research Institute in the USA, P.O. Box 10412, Palo Alto, California 94303. EPRI technical contributors to the article were Floyd Gelhaus. Michael Kolar. Thomas Law, Adrian Roberts, and R.K. Winkleblack.

IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 31 Nuclear power and electronics has several current projects aimed at adds, such robots are under develop- fueling outages to minimize plant down- evaluating the technical and economic ment, and their initial trials are ex- time. They thus can become part of the potential for robot applications in utility pected to provide valuable insight to critical path of activity needed to bring operations and at translating the under- their ultimate potential. the plant back into service. standing gained from these efforts to Soon after remote manipulator arms Delays are critical to plant availabil- the utility professionals who have work were developed for use in hot cells and ity, as well as costly Purchased replace- aplenty waiting for robots that prove fuel reprocessing activities, an arm ment power to substitute for the output reliable and cost-effective. mounted on a transporter with cameras of a 1000-MW|e reactor costs an aver- Such research is necessarily long and lights made its debut in the 1950s age of $500 000 a day. Robots poten- range. The robotics industry, fewer than at the government's Hanford nuclear tially could contribute to improved 20 years old by the broadest definition, facility in Washington State. Developed plant availability by avoiding delays in remains in its infancy, awaiting sub- by Westinghouse Hanford Co., the re- scheduled outages and handling some stantial technical advances in vision motely controlled transporter vehicle tasks while the reactor is operating. systems, miniaturization, and computer was dubbed Louie after a technician Nuclear workers are currently limited controls before truly economic, versa- scrawled the nickname on the robot's by federal regulation to no more than 3 tile, and powerful robots are common- arm. Louie has proved to be a versatile rem per quarter-year or an annual total place items of commerce. But R&D and long-lived workhorse and is still in of 5 rem* This means that for many success with robots in recent years sug- use today. routine jobs large numbers of workers gests that such machines will emerge Some fundamental aspects of how must be assigned a small portion of from the laboratories and enter the this equipment is applied distinguish the work because each will quickly commercial market before this decade robotic equipment for nuclear plant reach the ORE limit and must then be is over. EPRl's research in robotic appli- applications from the more widely fa- restricted to nonradiation areas until cations, at least in part, is intended to miliar industrial robots—those fixed the next quarter. Consequently, utilities ensure that when that day arrives, util- devices that typically are employed for are forced to employ significant num- ities will have a clear understanding of pick-and-place operations or other bers of transient workers, or so-called the work robots can do for them and highly repetitive tasks. jumpers—temporary personnel who whether it makes economic sense to In many industrial applications of move on to other jobs after receiving put them to work. robots, the objective is to replace human the ORE limit. workers with machines that are more According to a Nuclear Regulatory Robots for nuclear plants productive, efficient, and accurate. But Commission (NRC) estimate, every The use of remotely operated and for nuclear applications, the objective is man-rem of personnel exposure has a robotlike equipment to protect nuclear not so much to replace workers as it is value to utilities of $1000, although workers in high-radiation areas is not to extend their presence—for example, some utilities assign a value of as much new. John Taylor, an EPRI vice presi- to project their reach into areas of a nu- as $5000 a man-rem. Some types of dent and director of the Nuclear Power clear plant where the thermal or radia- work, such as health physics surveys Division, divides robotic equipment in tion environment prohibits or limits a and inspection of primary reactor cool- nuclear applications into two broad cat- human presence. ing systems, can involve radiation egories: single-purpose devices with "In contrast to most robotic appli- fields of several hundred rads an hour. limited ability to perform different op- cations, we want to keep man in the Utilities may face even tougher ORE erations, and reprogrammable, multi- loop, rather than replace him, to ob- limits in the future. In addition to guide- purpose robots with some degree of serve the work, make decisions, and lines that call on utilities to reduce computer-based artificial intelligence. control the robot," according to R. K. OREs to levels "as low as reasonably "I think the first category has reached Winkleblack, an EPRI project manager achievable," NRC for several years has a reasonable level of maturity," says in the Nuclear Power Division. "Strictly been studying proposals to reduce the Taylor At EPRI's Nondestructive Evalu- speaking, the devices we are looking at ORE standards; such a development ation (NDE) Center and among reactor are remote-controlled equipment, not could have a multiplicative effect on manufacturers, nuclear service con- true robots," adds Winkleblack utility costs for personnel exposure. tractors, and some utilities, these types of devices are in use today for such Improving availability Feasibility studied tasks as pipe cutting, welding, steam The economic motivation to use robots EPRI and NRC have both sponsored generator tube inspection and repair, for nuclear plant inspection and main- preliminary assessments of the poten- and ultrasonic scanning of pipe sections tenance is centered on their potential tial for applying robotics in nuclear for crack detection. "These devices for improving plant availability; a by- power plants. NRC, motivated primar- have proved to be absolutely essential; product is the potential for reducing ily by the objective of reducing person- we simply could not get some jobs the occupational radiation exposure nel radiation doses, looked mainly at done without them," adds Taylor. (ORE) of plant personnel. surveillance and inspection tasks in a Robots in the second category, those Many inspection and maintenance study performed by Remote Technology with sufficient computer-based intel- tasks can only be done when the re- ligence to support a variety of applica- actor is shut down because radiation * In international usage, the rem has been tions, "have a long way to go," in levels under operating conditions would replaced by the sievert in accordance with Taylor's words, before they can dem- be too high even for humans fully out- recommendations of the International onstrate significant practical benefit in fitted in protective clothing. These jobs Organization for Standardization. One nuclear plant operations. But, as Taylor are usually deferred until scheduled re- sievert corresponds to 100 rem.

32 IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 Nuclear power and electronics

Corp. EPRI's analysis, conducted by that none could be performed robot- telligent master robots, controlling the Battelle, Columbus Laboratories, fo- ically without further technology de- work of stronger drones. cused on maintenance activities and velopment. Several robot prototypes are making attempted to identify potential avail- Using the net present value method, their debut in the recovery and cleanup ability improvements, as well as oppor- Battelle researchers found that robots of the damaged Three Mile Island Unit tunities to reduce radiation exposure. for reactor cavity cleanup and main- 2 nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, the site Each study attempted to quantify the tenance bolting activities would pay of a March 1979 loss-of-coolant accident cost in ORE and man-hours of a variety back in less than one year, while health that destroyed much of the reactor core of jobs that a robot system might be ca- physics survey applications would pay and left large areas of the reactor con- pable of performing; the costs were back in about three years. The results tainment building inaccessible to hu- then compared with those of the robot were then tested with a range of values mans. Remote inspection has shown and its associated support systems and for outage time and radiation exposure radiation fields as high as 3000 rad/h in personnel costs. some areas of the containment.* Surveillance and inspection tasks Even with the lowest values ($700 According to Adrian Roberts, a senior evaluated in the NRC study range from per man-rem exposure and $300 000 a program manager in EPRI's Nuclear detection of steam or water leaks, verifi- day outage time costs), robotization of Power Division and manager of its cation of valve positions, and reading maintenance bolting would pay back TMI-2 information and examination of gages to measurement of radiation in slightly more than one year, while program, the TMI cleanup effort has levels in components and various meth- health physics survey tasks would re- become a particularly strong spur to ro- ods of sampling to detect contamina- quire less than four years to pay back, botic equipment development. "At TMI tion. The EPRI study surveyed 22 tasks the study found. Overall, the study in- we have a challenge for robotics that is that are performed routinely or during dicated cost savings ranging from here and now, some of the jobs simply refueling, including control rod drive $100 000 to $1 million in net present can't be done other than remotely. And maintenance, steam generator tube value per robot, with the purchase because we can't wait for the ultimate repair, and repair or replacement of price for each robot projected at under robot, we're taking advantage of work various pumps and valves. $200 000. from a number of areas to develop Although the scope of activities ana- An important caveat noted by the robots that will get the jobs done. If lyzed were different, both studies con- Battelle researchers, however, is the robots are shown to be feasible for cer- cluded there were potentially signi- limited availability of commercial ro- tain jobs at TMI, they can be applied at ficant net positive economic benefits of botic equipment geared specifically to other nuclear plants." applying robots in nuclear plants The nuclear applications. Because the nu- Robots, in fact, have been tried at NRC study, based on application of a clear industry has not been a major various times at TMI since the accident. cost-benefit methodology to two exist- market for robot manufacturers, the In August 1982, a 25-lb (11-kg), remotely- ing plants, concluded that commercially business has generally been left to controlled, tracked, tanklike vehicle available robotic technology can be smaller entrepreneurial firms that can supplied by DOE and called SISI (for retrofitted into existing plants and will adapt robotic equipment for low-volume system in-service inspection) was used reduce both radiation exposure to applications. to photograph and obtain radiation workers and plant operating costs. The nuclear industry thus needs readings in areas surrounding the The NRC study cautioned, however, some way to fund these developments plant's water makeup and purification that benefits can differ significantly or to attract entrepreneurs who are system. The water system's filters are among plants because of dissimilar de- willing to financially shelter the tech- highly contaminated with fission prod- sign factors and operating histories. nology during its demonstration phase, ucts from the primary core cooling sys- The report encourages utilities to per- the study points out. This is in contrast tem. The following spring, a six-wheel form plant-specific cost-benefit anal- to the situation in Japan, where a coop- remotely-controlled device dubbed Fred yses, including consideration of all erative relationship between utilities was outfitted with a high-pressure costs of personnel entry into radiation and vendors has led to a more unified water spray and used to decontaminate areas, to determine whether robotic approach the walls and floor of a pump cubicle in applications for such inspections are the auxiliary building basement. Fred economical. Prototype development weighs in at 400 Ib (181 kg); its mechan- In the Battelle study for EPRI, poten- The core of EPRI's research in robotics ical arm can lift 150 Ib (68 kg) and ex- tial maintenance applications were is its participation in the development tend to a height of 6 ft (1.8 m). screened to identify candidate tasks and testing of several prototype robot The venerable Louie from Westing- common to many nuclear plants that systems that could be forerunners of house Hanford has been brought to account for a significant share of main- commercially available machines Some TMI to perform radiologic character- tenance costs and are amenable to per- of these robots could be used as trans- ization during decontamination of the formance within the limits of current port vehicles to carry other robotic water purification system. Officially robotic technology. Follow-on cost- equipment, such as a flange unbolter known as the remotely controlled trans- benefit analyses were performed for the or a steam generator tube-repair robot, porter vehicle, Louie will be used to application of robots to reactor cavity into a high-radiation area, set up the monitor radiation levels as the demin- cleaning, health physics surveys, and smaller device at work, and then mon- flange unbolting/rebolting. Despite the itor its activity. Some, on the other * In international usage, the rad has been amenability of these tasks to current hand, may be less capable of doing de- replaced by the gray. One gray corresponds robotic technology, it was concluded manding labor, but could be used as in- to 100 rad.

IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 33 Robots atTMI-2

Cleanup and recovery work at the damaged TMI 2 reactor in Pennsylvania presents a unique challenge for the application of robotics technology. Two remotely operated manipulators called Fred and SISI have already seen service in surveillance and decontamination tasks. The RRV, nicknamed Rover, has been assigned the job of inspecting the contaminated basement of the reactor containment building. A remote scabbling machine has been developed to remove contaminated layers from concrete floors. Louie, specially modified for the TMI work, is slated to monitor radiation levels as the plant demineralizer tank is decontaminated. Rosa, a versatile remote manipulator arm, has been proposed to lend a hand in defuelling the TMI 2 reactor core.

Rosa (core detuelingi

Remote scabbier Fred (decontamination) (decontamination!

34 IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 Nuclear power and electronics erali/er rvsins in the water system an1 flushed nut. I hough the robot's nearly KXXl-lb (454-kg) lifting strength will not be needed in this operation, its radiation-hardened television cameras will get a workout near the demineral- i/er tank, which has a contact reading ot 3000 rad/h. Perhaps the most ambitious effort to date to applv robotics in the I'Ml cleanup has been the EPRI-SUpported development by Carnegie-Mellon Univer- sity's (CMU's) Civil Fngineering and (. onstruction Robotics Laboratory ot the remote reconnaissance vehicle (KRV) to probe the basement ol the reactor containment building. The basement level, where no human has entered in over five years, remains highly contaminated with the radioactive sludge left trom some 600,000 gallons (2270 m1) of water, including primary cooling water, most ol which has since been pumped out. The RKV, nicknamed Rover by GI'U Nuclear Corp., the operating utility at IRIS - for Industrial Remote Inspection system — is a general-purpose robot for I'M I. has been assigned the task of en- hazardous environments. (Credit: EPRI) tering the dark and damp basement bv crane hoist, inspecting the scene with its three television cameras, and sur- of the cleanup work) in preparation machine that will do it all, so we are vwing the area radiologically with for lowering it into the containment looking at the evolution of a family of several on-board detection instruments. basement. these things. One mode might be a The six-wheel, 1000-lb KRV, devel- The RRV is the first of three similar fully configured RRV to supervise the oped in a cooperative effort involv- remote vehicles to be developed under activity of a drone that would earn' ing EPRI, CMU, C,PU Nuclear, DOE, the joint TMI recovery program. An im- tools only. Another possibility is a min- and the Hen l-'ranklin Partnership in portant feature of the design is that the iature version of the RRV that would Pennsylvania, was designed by CMU's frame mounted on the chassis can be operate radio-remote from the mother William Whittaker, an assistant pro- removed and other equipment added ship." fessor of civil engineering and director to the transporter. The second RRV Clearly, robotic equipment is proving of the robotics laboratory. It features an base vehicle, modified by 1'entek, Inc., to be a valuable tool in the TMI recov- innovative on-board umbilical reeling HPKI's site contractor at TMI, is out- ery effort. Other applications of robots system designed to permit the vehicle fitted with a pneumatically powered at the site are also planned. A manipu- to negotiate obstacles without dragging scabbling machine and vacuum system lator arm built bv Westinghouse Electric the umbilical. A stainless steel frame for removing the contaminated top Co. and known as Rosa (for remotely mounted atop the transporter base layer of concrete from floors in parts operated service arm) has been pro- carries the umbilical reel, cameras, ot the reactor building. posed for use in the defueling of the monitoring instruments, and control A third RRV remains at CMU's robot- 1 Ml reactor core, tentatively planned systems. The vehicle has also been de- ics laboratory for future development for next year. Rosa, which can also signed for quick decontamination with efforts. Other tasks proposed for future operate underwater, is already known water sprav after it is removed trom modifications of the prototype RRV in- among some utilities operating pressur- work areas. clude collection of liquid and sludge ized water reactors for its ability to auto- A two-person crew controls the RKV samples from the containment base- matically inspect and repair steam gen- from a ionsole equipped with television ment, collection of concrete core sam- erator tubes after it is mounted on the monitors that is located a safe distance ples from the floor and walls, and some steam generator by service personnel. away from the ha/ardous area (at TMI, minor structural dismantling. Waiting in the wings this distance is over 500 ft. or 150 m); "At TMI the interest is in working one person steers the craft and manipu- vehicles with high strength, reliability, In addition to the robots that have been lates the cameras while the other oper- and mobility," explains Whittaker, the deployed at TMI, EPRI is evaluating ates the umbilical reel learns of oper- RRV's designer. "The challenges at TMI two other prototype devices that could ators practiced maneuvering the RKV are very physical and active, and the prove useful in nuclear plant environ- for several months along an improvised equipment that will meet those chal- ments. These machines could become obstacle course in the adjacent turbine lenges will be similarly physical and cousins of the TMI machines in the ro- building (the staging area for much active. But there is certainly no one bot family that Whittaker envisions.

IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 35 Nuclear power and electronics

One of these, produced by Advanced potential applications," adds Gelhaus. tute of Technology, and CMU, involve Resource Development (ARD) Corp., Odetics has demonstrated Odex on nonmilitary as well as military-related is known as an industrial remote in- videotape around the country, includ- R&D. spection system (IRIS). Designed as a ing scenes of it lifting the end of a com- Irving Oppenheim, an associate pro- general-purpose surveillance and inspec- pact pickup truck. fessor of civil engineering at CMU, is tion robot for hazardous environments, Because each of Odex's articulators, working with EPRI on some aspects of IRIS is a relatively small (compared with or legs, uses its own 'microprocessor, the problem in a research project to as- the RRV) battery-powered, tracked with a seventh computer coordinating sess the potential for applying artificial transporter that can be equipped with overall movement, complex maneuvers intelligence in robots for construction optical, audio, and environmental sen- are possible under the control of either and maintenance work. The Japanese sors; manipulators; and communica- an operator or a remote computer. The already make significant use of auto- tions and control subsystems. machine can pirouette 360° while simul- made devices for various tasks in con- The 200-lb (91-kg) IRIS features a taneously advancing in any direction. struction, but, in general, these devices unique high-frequency wireless com- Its jointed legs permit it to assume six are not the smart type. Two elements munication system, specifically de- distinct profiles, ranging from a narrow that are needed to make robots autono- signed to operate in an environment stance for negotiating tight doors to a mous, according to Oppenheim, are the cluttered with physical barriers, as well low squat. Odex is outfitted with twin ability to logically detect and avoid as with signal interference, which al- TV cameras for visual transmission. obstacles and a way of modeling the lows it greater mobility and range than "Odex is a breakthrough in the state three-dimensional work environment of most robots developed to date. A tele- of the art," says Gelhaus, "but it will the robot so that its "world map" can scoping arm and a three-dimensional take some careful research to define be referenced as it proceeds on an as- television system with zoom lens and applications for it in a nuclear plant." signed task. microphones mounted on a pan-tilt pad EPRI's work with Odetics has led to "There"are some attempts at the bring the current payload to 70 Ib (32 conceptual design modifications that mathematics that will permit a robot to kg). Eventually, IRIS will contain some will enable Odex to negotiate a power find a configuration that avoids an ob- limited on-board intelligence, enabling plant's internal obstacle course. stacle, and we are working with the ex- it to retrace its steps backward even isting ones, testing them out, finding if normal control signals are lost or Future development their shortcomings, and modifying blocked by interference. Technologically, Odex may be close to them to accomplish some of the ob- According to Floyd Gelhaus, an EPRI the fully autonomous, intelligent robot jectives that these obstacle avoidance program manager who is evaluating that researchers say would represent capabilities are going to have," says IRIS and other robots for potential nu- the ultimate marriage between machine Oppenheim. "For example, we're test- clear applications, the current ARD automation and the developing field of ing whether a control algorithm can device has been designed strictly as artificial intelligence Its ability to ma- figure out how to command a robot to a remote surveillance vehicle. "Its abil- neuver around or over obstacles under reach around two pipes, then reach in ity to do robust tasks is limited," says the guidance of a remote operator ap- and touch a third pipe." Gelhaus, "but the mobility and unteth- proaches the level of computer control Progress in the second area of re- ered configuration of the transporter, integration that will be needed if a robot search—providing the robot with an with its ability to carry various pay- is to be capable of autonomously re- accurate, three-dimensional model of loads, make it a valuable member of a sponding to a programmed set of direc- its work environment—could some- robotics staff." tions by referencing a self-contained day lead to a robot's direct use of the Gelhaus plans to have technicians at data base for its location, destination, original and as-built design drawings EPRI's NDE Center put IRIS through its route, and tasks. of an entire nuclear plant Explains paces before taking the robot into a re- Consummating the union between Oppenheim. "There must be a data cently constructed, nonradioactive plant robots and artificial intelligence is a structure, a computer program, that environment. Duke Power Co. has agreed long-range research goal, however, be- stores all the plant dimensions, the to host the testing activities at its new cause the challenges involve advancing wall openings, solid areas, pipes, inter- Catawba nuclear unit. The final step will the frontiers of computer modeling of sections, and so on. be to test and evaluate the device in an solid geometry, as well as the struc- "There are two approaches to this operating plant. turing of large amounts of computer problem. One is to build a robot that Gelhaus is also considering possible data for logical access by the robot. has sensors all over it and simply keeps applications for what is probably the Various military and nonmilitary re- it eyes and ears open and doesn't touch most advanced robot developed so search programs around the country anything. The other way is to somehow far—a six-legged, free-walking machine are now focusing on the mathematical make use of all the dimensional data known as Odex. The Odex prototype, and computer science aspects that will that have already been recorded and built by Odetics, Inc., "represents a re- eventually be brought to bear on this are on drawings and computer-aided markable breakthrough in its strength- challenge. The military programs are design systems. We are exploring the to-weight ratio," comments Gelhaus, largely funded by the Office of Naval kind of computer data structure that is as it can lift more than five and a half Research and the Defense Advanced best suited to the problem." times its 370-lb (168-kg) weight. Almost Research Projects Agency. Others, in- Designing nuclear plants with robots any other robot can heft little more cluding programs at Stanford Univer- in mind is another area in which EPRI than one-twentieth of its weight. "With sity, Purdue University, the University has sponsored research. Many of the that kind of power, there are a lot of of Michigan, the Massachusetts Insti- difficulties involved in using a robot to-

36 IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 "Herman" is a mobile manipulator at the This radio controlled robot called "Kluge" Oak Ridge, Tennessee Y 12 plant used as ISIS, developed by Hispano Suiza, is was designed for surveillance and to carry a stand-by system to work in toxic or being used at France's Chinon A3 reactor different types of equipment. (Credit: radioactive environments. (Credit: for repairs. (Credit: Hispano Suiza) Cybernation Inc.) Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.)

Robotic evolution Although the robotics industry itself is less than two leading them through the motions; MSB are robots that decades old, the technology can broadly claim old and can be numerically controlled with a computer; and, distant relatives — from musical statuettes to mechanical ultimately, M4 are robots having "artificial intelligence" manipulators and programmable machines — around the that are capable of fully autonomous operation. world. Today the technology generally is considered to be Early Greeks, Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Chinese, for at the M3 stage, with research and development well into example, created a variety of moving figures that were the M4 level. Computer "chips", sensors, television powered by water and steam. Later, in the 18th and early cameras, and other electronic devices are fuelling the 19th centuries, Swiss craftsmen built life-like "automata" evolution. Economics, however, will dictate the extent that could write, draw, and play musical instruments; and of future applications, experts say. the French developed mechanical looms controlled by In the nuclear industry, mechanical cranes and mani- punched cards, introducing the first programmable machine. pulators used in the early days of development are among The term "robot" itself, however, was not widely the forerunners of today's more advanced remote used until 1921, when the play Rossum's Universal Robots systems and robotic technologies. One of the first robots opened in London. Written by Czechoslovakian dramatist for practical use was developed in 1958 by Hughes Aircraft Karel Capek, the play popularized the derivative of the to handle radioactive materials at nuclear facilities in the USA. Czech robota, which means forced labourer. Some indications of how far the technology has come Today the definition of the word "robot" illustrates in the nuclear industry emerged at an international seminar both rapid technological advances and modern expecta- last year convened jointly by the IAEA and the Nuclear tions. In the USA, the Robotics Industries Association Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co- defines a robot as a "reprogrammable multifunctional operation and Development. More than 200 participants manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or exchanged information detailing the advances in electro- specialized devices through variable programmed motions nics, optical/visual systems, and material technology that for the performance of a variety of tasks". In Japan, have combined to enable innovations and improvements. classifications are used: M1 are simple tele-operated (Proceedings of the Seminar on Remote Hand/ing in manipulators; M2A are devices that can be programmed Nuclear Facilities now are available from the OECD, to do fixed repetitions; M2B are those that can perform 2 rue Andre-Pascal, 75775 Paris, Cedex 16, France.) variable repetitions; M3A are more sophisticated devices Photos on these pages show some robotic systems in that can be taught a sequence of steps by an operator use today.

Information for this article is drawn from "Industrial Robots on the Line", by Robert Ayres and Steve Miller, Technology Review (May/June 1982), and from an article by T. Moore in EPRI Journal (November 1984).

Surveyor can be used to monitor radiation, A robot manipulator for use in Japan's The MF3. developed by CMS Technologies, listen for steam leaks, and read gauges. reprocessing plants and radioactive Inc., in the FRG, has been used at nuclear (Credit: Automation Technologies, Inc.) waste facilities. (Credit: PNC, Japan) plants over the past 10 years. (Credit: EPRI)

IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985 37 Nuclear power and electronics day stem from the fact that the plants reduced maintenance costs and lower clear. NRC may decide to regulate some were not built with such devices in occupational radiation exposure are aspects of plant maintenance, and the mind; advanced reactor plants of the breaking new ground in the application role of robots in licensing issues has future will likely have special features of robots to tasks with which most peo- not yet been defined. specifically to accommodate surveil- ple would rather not be burdened. De- "Ultimately it will all come down to lance or maintenance robots. spite the significant achievements to economics—are robots truly cost- Under an EPRI contract, Westing- date, however, researchers caution that beneficial?" asks Kolar. "Unless the house's Advanced Energy Systems much more progress must be made be- costs of robot systems come down, or Division studied the feasibility of using fore robots are seriously considered as someone offers to provide them as part robots in a large-scale prototype breeder reliable, economic tools. The entry of of a service package, I don't think we'll reactor. The analysis considered various robots into the nation's nuclear plants see widespread use of sophisticated ro- routine and nonroutine maintenance will not occur rapidly, but a trend in bots soon. For EPRI, the issue is to en- and inspection tasks and outlined de- industry thinking toward applying ro- sure that good technology gets into the sign factors that could enhance the ap- botic equipment when and where it is plants. But first, we have to find out plicability of robots These include pro- feasible is already clear. what these machines can do. If we suc- vision of adequate wp,rk and access Michael Kolar, until recently an EPRI ceed, robots just might make it." areas, lighting and power outlets, and senior program manager who was in- location of equipment and other poten- volved in the Institute's study of robotic Utilities are expressing increasing in- tial obstructions. applications since the effort began in terest in robots for nuclear plant ap- As more special-purpose robots are 1981, reflects the mixed viewpoints plications, and as a result, the R&D developed for-nuclear applications, the among many researchers in the field. community and the robot industry are job of technically evaluating these de- "There is some robotic technology responding with a range of devices and vices with utility requirements in mind that will let you do certain jobs, but it's machine capabilities The current activ- will also grow. EPRI's NDE Center may not at all clear that you'll see many of ity represents a model of cooperative take on expanded responsibilities in these machines in wide use in the near research, with both large and small this regard, having already participated future," says Kolar. "There are signi- companies, universities, government, and industry research groups working in the technical evaluation of IRIS. ficant unresolved uncertainties, relating not only to the technology's hardware together to advance the technology. If and software but also to other issues. recent success is any indication of the Breaking new ground Will the time required to train crews future, the outlook for robots to make a Directed R&D efforts and the immedi- and execute a job with robots be short significant contribution to improved ate needs in nuclear power plants for enough to be practical? That's not yet plant economics is encouraging.

For further reading . ..

Evaluation of Robotic Inspection Systems at Nuclear Power Plants, prepared for US Nuclear Regulatory Commission by Remote Technology Corp., NUREG/CR-3717 (March 1984).

Automated Nuclear Plant Maintenance, final report for RP2232-1, prepared by Battelle, Columbus Laboratories, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201 (1985).

"I ndustrial Remote I nspection System", by E.B. Silverman, Proceedings of the Robotics and Remote Handling in Hostile Environments, National Topical Meeting, American Nuclear Society (1984).

38 IAEA BULLETIN, AUTUMN 1985