Decommissioning and decontamination processes

This teaching unit will cover the various techniques available for dismantling and decontaminating nuclear facilities. After describing the challenges and operations involved in dismantling facilities and the measurement tools available (imagers, gamma spectrometers, etc.), the decontamination processes available will be presented according to the nature of the objects to be decontaminated (conventional decontamination processes or complex fluids). Several innovative techniques for decontaminating contaminated surfaces will be presented (conventional decontamination processes, micellar solutions, gels, foams, supercritical fluids).

Hourly volumes:

            CM: 12 p.m.

            Tutorial: 8 hours

The objective of this teaching unit is to address the issues and operations involved in dismantling nuclear facilities and to present the measurement tools used (imagers, gamma spectrometers, etc.). In addition, it will also describe the innovative processes available to undertake the various stages of decontamination depending on the nature of the objects to be decontaminated (conventional decontamination processes, micellar solutions, gels, foams, supercritical fluids).

Fuel cycle: from mining to waste management

Terminal control

• The dismantling of nuclear facilities
  • Introduction, history, key players, terminology
  • Protection of workers and the public: exposure regulations, radiation protection zoning, static and dynamic containment
  • Life cycle stages of a nuclear facility: French regulatory framework (classification of facilities—various decrees), preparatory operations for shutdown, decommissioning levels
  • Waste management: categories of nuclear waste (existing channels), waste studies (definition of waste zoning—reference zoning, operational zoning)
  • INB to be decommissioned in France and abroad: reactors, laboratories, and fuel cycle plants; decommissioning strategies
  • Feedback: completed projects
• Cutting tools for dismantling:
  • Characterization of tools, families, and examples of tools
  • Comparison and summary
  • Cutting concrete
• Radiological characterization and inventory tools applied to decommissioning
  • Reminders about radioactivity and radiation/matter interactions
  • Imaging devices: gamma camera, alpha camera, R&D projects
  • Gamma spectrometry measurement (CdTe probes – Projects – R&D)
  • Surface inspections: applications
  • Calculation codes (codes used - Associated characterization methods
• Micellar solutions, gels, and foams: innovative processes for the radiological decontamination of solids
  • Introduction: Radiological decontamination, objectives, and definitions
  • Objectives of solid decontamination and general principles
  • Conventional solid decontamination processes
  • New decontamination processes using complex fluids
• Micellar solutions for metal degreasing
• ASPIGELS gels: self-drying and fracturing gels for large flat surfaces (metals, concrete, etc.)
• GELIFOAM foams: static gel foams for the volumetric decontamination of large volumes with complex shapes, flotation foams for soil decontamination MONA foam for sodium destruction.
• Outlook

Administrative contact(s): Master's in Chemistry Secretariat

Master's degree in Chemistry @ umontpellier.fr