Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Hand-held laser for nuclear decommissioning

  1. #1
    Jon
    Jon is offline Jon has agreed the Seller's Terms of Service
    Administrator
    Supporting Member
    Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    26,484
    Thanks
    8,126
    Thanked 40,338 Times in 11,795 Posts

    Hand-held laser for nuclear decommissioning

    Hand-held laser for nuclear decommissioning. GIF and videos below.





    Here's a longer video of this same tool, with a different head, being used for concrete scabbling. Apparently nuclear contamination of concrete is generally limited to a depth of just a few millimeters, and the laser zaps off the top 10 millimeters or so. If you've ever ground a concrete floor you can appreciate this technology.



    Anyone know more about why lasers are so advantageous for this kind of job, as opposed to just mechanical means of demolition? Reduction of contaminated dust or vapor? Speed?

    More:

    Decommissioning Using Lasers
    Laser Scabbling
    Nuclear decommissioning on Wikipedia

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook
    Last edited by Jon; Sep 7, 2020 at 02:09 PM.
    New plans added on 12/04/2024: Click here for 2,613 plans for homemade tools.

  2. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jon For This Useful Post:

    blkadder (Jun 19, 2024), Seedtick (Jul 24, 2017)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,536
    Thanks
    362
    Thanked 6,564 Times in 2,162 Posts

    mklotz's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    Anyone know more about why lasers are so advantageous for this kind of job, as opposed to just mechanical means of demolition? Reduction of contaminated dust or vapor? Speed?
    Some guesses...

    Since laser is a non-contact tool there's no need to deal with the expense and disposal of mechanical tools that would contact the contaminated material. OTOH, I can't explain why the grinder dust-like residue produced by the laser is somehow better than the slag produced by a torch.

    If the laser is faster than other methods then the exposure time of the operator is reduced.

    Improved standoff distance while operating makes operator safer?

    Predictability of disassembly and accountability. Are there requirements to disassemble into a precise collection of pieces that precludes gorilla-like sledge hammering methods?

    Ease of finding demolition workers? There are literally thousands of Star Wars fans who would kill for this job.

    2,000+ Tool Plans
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Failure is just success in progress
    That looks about right - Mediocrates

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    Jon (Jul 24, 2017), PJs (Nov 21, 2018)

  5. #3
    Supporting Member NortonDommi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    North Island, New Zealand.
    Posts
    990
    Thanks
    1,800
    Thanked 533 Times in 319 Posts

    NortonDommi's Tools

  6. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to NortonDommi For This Useful Post:

    Jon (Jul 24, 2017), Moby Duck (Jul 24, 2017)

  7. #4
    Jon
    Jon is offline Jon has agreed the Seller's Terms of Service
    Administrator
    Supporting Member
    Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    26,484
    Thanks
    8,126
    Thanked 40,338 Times in 11,795 Posts
    New plans added on 12/04/2024: Click here for 2,613 plans for homemade tools.

  8. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jon For This Useful Post:

    PJs (Nov 21, 2018), Seedtick (Nov 20, 2018)

  9. #5
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,656
    Thanks
    2,196
    Thanked 9,161 Times in 4,378 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Something like that would be nice to have but I am seeing prices from 100,000 to 1,000,000 GBP. Probably won't be seeing one under this years tree or next.
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  10. #6
    Supporting Member MeJasonT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Lake District in UK
    Posts
    432
    Thanks
    456
    Thanked 281 Times in 163 Posts

    MeJasonT's Tools
    There are literally thousands of Star Wars fans who would kill for this job.
    Yep people working in the industry tend to die as well. A company i worked for repaired the robot/manipulator arms at Sellafield here in Cumbria. The arm was taken out the pot and decontaminated to work on, whilst one of our guys was working on it a drip of grease landed on him off one of the arm joints. Sadly he is is no longer with us. He got irradiated by the grease and was gone in 24 months.
    We also have the site of Windscale where Britain had its first nuclear disaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windscale_fire.

    I cant see a laser being used much to cut up reactor parts, the risk of causing a fire and the knock of effect of discharge into the environment/atmosphere would outweigh the benefits. Probably why the clip is the companies promo video.



    2,000+ Tool Plans
    Citizen of the "New democratic" Republic of Britain, liberated from the EuroNation

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •