S. Kirk K. Keogh
The maintenance and decommissioning of nuclear reactors requires the rapid cutting and welding of thick-walled pipework, to which laser processing is highly suited. However, the large size and stand-off of current laser heads precludes their use in space constrained areas and incorporation into in-bore processing tools. To address this, novel minia…
Preprint PublishedKeelan Keogh Steven Craig Stewart Hockley Paul Talbot Chris Lamb
As part of the development work performed under the ITER Robotic Test Facility (IRTF) the development and substantiation of the maintenance strategy for the Vacuum Vessel Pressure Suppression System (VVPSS) must be investigated. The VVPSS is a key safety aspect of the vacuum vessel of ITER. It ensures after a coolant leak, and subsequent pressure e…
Preprint PublishedT. Tremethick S. Kirk K. Keogh A. O’Hare E. Harford B. Quirk
As part of the European Research Roadmap to the Realisation of Fusion Energy, the DEMO reactor aims to show the feasibility of a fusion power plant. Due to the loss of revenue created by downtime and the potential for a breakdown to render a reactor inoperable, maintenance is “mission critical” for a power plant. The harsh environment of a fusi…
Preprint PublishedS. Kirk K. Keogh W. Suder T. Tremethick C. Allen I. Farquhar
The maintenance, replacement and decommissioning of future nuclear fusion reactors will require quick and reliable cutting and joining of in-vessel pipework. Initial design studies for nuclear fusion reactors for power generation have estimated cutting and welding could account for up to 60% of the maintenance duration using conventional in-situ pr…
Preprint Published