DISMANTLING OF GLOVEBOXES FOR MOX FUEL FABRICATION BY A GLOVEBOX DISMANTLING FACILITY

The Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) installed a glovebox dismantling facility (GBDF) in the Plutonium Fuel Production Facility (PFPF) of the Tokai works. The purpose of GBDF is to dismantle after-service gloveboxes for the MOX pellet fabrication process in PFPF (GBMPs) for safely storing and recovering the hold-up MOX powder from GBMPs. GBDF has a function of a glovebox for preventing scattering radioactive nuclides and is used for dismantling after-service gloveboxes repeatedly for decreasing the quantity of secondary wastes. Remote-controlled devices such as an arm-type robot, and plasma arc cutting systems are installed in it for the purposes of decreasing irradiation dose and increasing work efficiency respectively. Following items are considered as merits for the application of remote-controlled devices to the dismantling works in comparison with the ordinary dismantling method: improving working conditions, no capability of injury and inhalation contamination area; decreasing irradiation dose of workers; decreasing generation of secondary wastes; and decreasing personal cost