The Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) has developed a virtual remote dismantling system (simulator) to teach the use of lasers and plasma for cutting underwater reactor vessel internals (RVIs) during the decommissioning of NPPs.

The research team led by Dr Jeong Suh, principal researcher of the Busan Machinery Research Centre at KIMM (under the Ministry of Science), has developed a simulator that enables operators to virtually practise underwater laser and plasma cutting and to operate equipment in a condition, similar to the real dismantling environment.

The research team built a database containing the results of underwater laser and plasma cutting experiments and numerical analysis of molten pool behaviour based on the equipment and materials that simulate an underwater cutting environment by modelling the RVIs of unit 1 of the Kori NPP, which has been shut down for decommissioning.

In addition, the KIMM research team developed a remote cutting simulation algorithm for an underwater robot, and virtualised radiological elements based on dynamics analysis. The researchers also created a physical environment to perform actual underwater cutting with the development of an optimal dismantling process scenario including the cutting image of RVIs and radioactivity.

Dr Jeong Suh stated, “The Busan Centre at KIMM expects to contribute to establishing facilities for simulator training for nuclear decommissioning. As the centre is located near the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, the nuclear decommissioning research institute and our centre can cooperate more effectively. We will lay the groundwork for the development of the world’s best remote dismantling system.”

KIMM, founded in 1976, is a non-profit government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). These research efforts were carried out by Busan National University, Hanyang University, Sangmyung University, Kepco KPS, HK Co Ltd and Youl Systems, with the support of National Research Foundation of Korea under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT as part of the “Development of ICT-Based Remote Dismantling System by the Virtual Operation Technology” project.

Image: The training simulator for dismantling nuclear reactors (courtesy of KKIM)