Decontamination & decommissioning | IT & communications NUCLEAR ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL | www.neimagazine.com May 2015 28 Targeting emergent technologies for D&D Advances in wireless communications, data sharing technologies and scanning and pattern recognition capabilities could help to speed up and cut the costs of nuclear decommissioning projects. International research efforts are needed to bring promising technologies forward, says Harvey Farr. T he OECD/NEA report “R&D and Innovation Needs for Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities” was published in 2014. The report was the culmination of an effort that began in 2011, which involved the polling of member countries to identify decommissioning R&D needs and promising technologies in five themes: 1. Characterisation and survey prior to dismantling; 2. Technologies for segmentation and dismantling; 3. Decontamination and remediation; 4. Materials and waste management; 5. Site characterisation and environmental monitoring. The goal of this article is to update the information in the report with new and evolving technologies and their potential D&D applications. D&D managers are often reluctant to use new technologies and innovations. But if we are going to decrease the time and costs of decommissioning, it is essential that we start gaining knowledge and experience with technologies that are already available in order to capitalise on the rapidly expanding capabilities of emergent technologies over the next decade. There are two major objectives for the near term R&D initiatives: develop technologies for better, cheaper, faster D&D; and start and maintain a continuous improvement cycle. R&D initiative recommendations There are many technologies emerging in non-nuclear markets that can be adapted and deployed to benefit decommissioning efforts now, if the R&D costs are shared. Based upon the knowledge gained from the evaluation of emergent technologies, five “broad spectrum” R&D initiatives and 14 “theme specific” R&D initiatives are proposed for consideration by member states for collaborative focus and funding. The focus of this article is on the five broad spectrum initiatives. They have application across themes and provide capabilities and architecture to support other D&D innovations. They are centred around five rapidly emerging technological capabilities that are being integrated into nuclear reactor operations and construction projects. 1. Internet of Things – RFID Tags and WiFi Tags; 2. Location Aware Networks or Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS); 3. Building Information Models (BIM); 4. Neurosynaptic Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Pattern Recognition; 5. Expedited 3D CAD. BIMs are 3D CAD models of the site with data linked to coordinates. They allow project management planning and status to be maintained; users of tablet based work control systems know where they are within the BIM and have access to all the information about structures or components in their vicinity. These are also essential platforms for developing interlocks and operator assistance systems required to safely and efficiently deploy remotely operated, autonomous and semi-autonomous heavy equipment and advanced laser based cutting, characterisation and decontamination technologies and to integrate many other emergent capabilities into D&D. Neurosynaptic AI can data mine and process massive amounts of information from plant drawings, system descriptions, procedures and manuals and organise it within the BIM. It also will enable more autonomous equipment use because the faster, event driven processing and neurosynaptic architecture has resulted in robots that learn their environment from video feeds, spot patterns to identify objects like pedestrians or other equipment, and learn to perform tasks from corrections made by human operators such that over time less intervention and oversight is required to perform tasks. Pattern recognition coupled with location awareness will enable robots and operators in control centres to know where they are in the BIM, what objects are they are looking at and to pull all the information about that object from the BIM. Expedited 3D CAD will enable the BIM to be constantly updated, automating project management status and situational awareness and allowing IoT and RFID data to be tagged to up-to-date 3D CAD models. This will greatly increase the mapping of radiation and contaminant data and facilitate use of geostatistics and kriging to map levels in 3D. In addition to safety and logistical considerations, the emergence of these Plan project Define objectives & constraints. Bench mark previous experience. Review best available technologies. Project manager led multi- disciplinary integrated work plan & schedule development. Assess project performance Evaluate schedule, safety & work performance. Review suggestions/lessons learned & target those for implementation & further evaluation. Incorporate experience Research & evaluate targeted suggestions. Document evaluation and lessons learned results for benchmarking future projects. Perform project Approve work instructions, permits & schedule. Perform tasks. Capture negative and postive suggestions & lessons learned. D&D continuous improvement cycle Plan project Define objectives & constraints. Bench mark previous experience. Review best available technologies. Project manager led multi- disciplinary integrated work plan & schedule development. A A Assess project performance Evaluate schedule, safety & work performance. Review suggestions/lessons learned & target those for implementation & further evaluation. Incorporate experience Research & evaluate targeted suggestions. Document evaluation and lessons learned results for benchmarking future projects. D Perform project Approve work instructions, permits & schedule. Perform tasks. Capture negative and postive suggestions & lessons learned. D&D continuous improvement cycle Xerafy RFID tags are being used to locate containers at a French nuclear plant
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Decontamination & decommissioning | IT & communications
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL | www.neimagazine.com May 201528
Targeting emergent technologies for D&DAdvances in wireless communications, data sharing technologies and scanning and pattern recognition capabilities could help to speed up and cut the costs of nuclear decommissioning projects. International research efforts are needed to bring promising technologies forward, says Harvey Farr.
The OECD/NEA report “R&D and
Innovation Needs for Decommissioning
Nuclear Facilities” was published in
2014. The report was the culmination of an
effort that began in 2011, which involved
the polling of member countries to identify
decommissioning R&D needs and promising
technologies in five themes:
1. Characterisation and survey prior to
dismantling;
2. Technologies for segmentation and
dismantling;
3. Decontamination and remediation;
4. Materials and waste management;
5. Site characterisation and environmental
monitoring.
The goal of this article is to update the
information in the report with new and
evolving technologies and their potential
D&D applications.
D&D managers are often reluctant to use
new technologies and innovations. But if
we are going to decrease the time and costs
of decommissioning, it is essential that we
start gaining knowledge and experience with
technologies that are already available in
order to capitalise on the rapidly expanding
capabilities of emergent technologies over the
next decade. There are two major objectives
for the near term R&D initiatives: develop
technologies for better, cheaper, faster
D&D; and start and maintain a continuous
improvement cycle.
R&D initiative recommendationsThere are many technologies emerging in
non-nuclear markets that can be adapted
and deployed to benefit decommissioning
efforts now, if the R&D costs are shared.
Based upon the knowledge gained from the
evaluation of emergent technologies, five
“broad spectrum” R&D initiatives and 14
“theme specific” R&D initiatives are proposed
for consideration by member states for
collaborative focus and funding.
The focus of this article is on the five broad
spectrum initiatives. They have application
across themes and provide capabilities
and architecture to support other D&D
innovations. They are centred around five
rapidly emerging technological capabilities
that are being integrated into nuclear reactor
operations and construction projects.
1. Internet of Things – RFID Tags and WiFi
Tags;
2. Location Aware Networks or Real Time
Locating Systems (RTLS);
3. Building Information Models (BIM);
4. Neurosynaptic Artificial Intelligence (AI)
and Pattern Recognition;
5. Expedited 3D CAD.
BIMs are 3D CAD models of the site with
data linked to coordinates. They allow project
management planning and status to be
maintained; users of tablet based work control
systems know where they are within the BIM
and have access to all the information about
structures or components in their vicinity.
These are also essential platforms
for developing interlocks and operator
assistance systems required to safely
and efficiently deploy remotely operated,
autonomous and semi-autonomous heavy
equipment and advanced laser based cutting,
characterisation and decontamination
technologies and to integrate many other
emergent capabilities into D&D.
Neurosynaptic AI can data mine and process
massive amounts of information from plant
drawings, system descriptions, procedures and
manuals and organise it within the BIM. It also
will enable more autonomous equipment use
because the faster, event driven processing
and neurosynaptic architecture has resulted in
robots that learn their environment from video
feeds, spot patterns to identify objects like
pedestrians or other equipment, and learn to
perform tasks from corrections made by human
operators such that over time less intervention
and oversight is required to perform tasks.
Pattern recognition coupled with location
awareness will enable robots and operators in
control centres to know where they are in the
BIM, what objects are they are looking at and
to pull all the information about that object from
the BIM.
Expedited 3D CAD will enable the BIM
to be constantly updated, automating
project management status and situational
awareness and allowing IoT and RFID data
to be tagged to up-to-date 3D CAD models.
This will greatly increase the mapping of
radiation and contaminant data and facilitate
use of geostatistics and kriging to map levels
in 3D. In addition to safety and logistical
considerations, the emergence of these
Plan projectDe�ne objectives & constraints.Bench mark previous experience.Review best available technologies.Project manager led multi-disciplinary integrated work plan &schedule development.
Assess project performanceEvaluate schedule, safety & workperformance.Review suggestions/lessons learned& target those for implementation &further evaluation.
Incorporate experienceResearch & evaluate targetedsuggestions.Document evaluation and lessonslearned results for benchmarkingfuture projects.
Perform projectApprove work instructions,permits & schedule.Perform tasks.Capture negative and postivesuggestions & lessons learned.
D&D continuousimprovement
cycle
Plan projectDe�ne objectives & constraints.Bench mark previous experience.Review best available technologies.Project manager led multi-disciplinary integrated work plan &schedule development.
AAAAssess project performanceEvaluate schedule, safety & workperformance.Review suggestions/lessons learned& target those for implementation &further evaluation.
Incorporate experienceResearch & evaluate targetedsuggestions.Document evaluation and lessonslearned results for benchmarkingfuture projects.
DPerform projectApprove work instructions,permits & schedule.Perform tasks.Capture negative and postivesuggestions & lessons learned.
D&D continuous improvement cycle
Xerafy RFID tags are being used to locate containers
at a French nuclear plant
IT & communications | Decontamination & decommissioning
Individual cores can fail and yet, like the brain,
the architecture can still function. Cores on the
same chip communicate with one another via
an on-chip event-driven network via an inter-
chip interface leading to seamless scalability
like the cortex, enabling creation of scalable
neuromorphic systems. This technology is
already being used for pattern recognition in
live video feeds. IBM has a monitor streaming
video of Hoover Tower at Stanford University
looking down at the plaza, below. The system
is trained to recognise buses, cars, people, and
cyclists in the live video feed. As each shape
enters the scene, it’s briefly surrounded by a
splash of colour: purple for cyclists; green for
pedestrians; dark blue for cars; sky blue for
trucks; and yellow for buses.
These chips not only allow robots to
perceive their environment through pattern
recognition image processing, but to learn by
performing tasks while remotely controlled.
IBM’s neuromorphic team leader Dharmendra
Modha stated that neuromorphically
heightened perception will give robots
the wherewithal to navigate hazardous
environments, such as a damaged nuclear
reactor, “without guidance from a human
operator, beaming back data on radiation and
other conditions in real time.”
HRL Laboratories LLC is also working
on a neuromorphic chip, which can process
visual data fast enough to pilot a palm-sized
helicopter inside an office building and
recognise and explore rooms it has never
seen before. Another robot uses its video feed
to avoid furniture and make laps around an
office. If it bumps into someone’s leg and an
operator intervenes with a remote joystick to
steer it around legs, it learns and avoids them
on its own without intervention.
The same neurosynaptic architectures
that allow rapid pattern recognition from
images are being used to mine and organise
information. This technology has next
generation cloud and big data processing
applications as well. AI systems are being
used by DARPA to read thousands of peer
reviewed journals and formulate hypotheses
for investigation by researchers.
Examples of how neurosynaptic pattern
recognition technologies can be used in D&D
are:
1. Data mining applications such as
processing of blueprint and document
information to tag it to the 3D CAD/GIS
model of the BIM;
2. D&D pattern recognition capabilities
that will allow autonomous equipment
and their video feeds to control rooms to
identify objects, people, and equipment
to provide situation awareness, safety
interlocks, and progress updates;
3. Programming to train AI systems to
recognise components and equipment
using pattern recognition and BIM
coordinates. This will enable download of
information from the GIS database such as
drawings, material type, like component
weight, centre of gravity, etc.
In the same way that pattern recognition
technologies are being used to inventory
roadway assets, inventories of containers,
construction equipment, systems, and
structures can be developed using pattern
recognition algorithms for nuclear D&D
objects.
When these capabilities are coupled with
systems such as the Fukushima remotely
operated construction equipment, it is
easy to see why pattern recognition and
neuromorphic programming should be a high
priority R&D initiative for the global nuclear
decontamination and decommissioning
community. The use of remotely operated
or autonomous equipment will reduce the
planning and coverage required by removing
workers from the decommissioning work
zones. Intelligent autonomous equipment
with neurosynaptic processors could perform
many routine repetitive tasks.
IBM Research has built SyNAPSE University
to help interested parties build and program
complex neurosynaptic systems. It would be
worthwhile for the member states to consider
an R&D initiative that adapts the use of this
technology. The goal would be to develop
robotics capable of removing commodities
autonomously, eliminating the requirement
for scaffolding, tenting, local HEPA ventilation
radiation protection and industrial safety
coverage as well as all of the planning and
monitoring required to maintain compliance
with regulations to protect workers.
3D laser scanning of a nuclear plant by Russia’s NEOLANT
3D CAD model of Russia’s Rostov 3
Decontamination & decommissioning | IT & communications
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL | www.neimagazine.com May 201532
Expedited 3D CAD3D scanning technologies are also being used
to identify construction equipment patterns
that can be applied to pattern recognition
from video streams and are being developed
to automate updates of construction progress.
Developing such capabilities builds in
redundancy to RFID based and location
aware based BIM technologies for project
management, safety interlocks and for
deploying autonomous robots that will know,
for example, they are looking at a valve from
the live video feed, know which valve it is
based on the x, y, z, coordinates, and be able
to access all the information about it from the
BIM database in the cloud.
The ability to dynamically update the 3D
CAD/GIS BIM will be critical for efficient use
and deployment of the capabilities discussed
in this article. Current technologies such as
3D laser scanning are available and currently
being used. Russia has developed a BIM
system called Multi-D for nuclear facilities,
which uses 3D laser scanning (see NEI June
2014, p19). LED based scanning technologies
are being developed as an alternative to
laser scanning in order to provide smaller,
more dynamic 3D CAD imaging systems.
Photograph based 3D CAD modelling
capabilities are also being developed and
could facilitate the update of BIM CAD models
through video feeds and cameras on remotely
operated equipment, such as robots and
aerial drones. It may also be feasible to outfit
equipment with devices such as a Google
Project Tango tablet to more precisely update
and build 3D CAD environments.
Similarly the Fraunhofer Institute for
Applied Optics and Precision Engineering
IOF in Jena Germany is spearheading a
consortium whose goal is the combination
of competencies in optics/photonics, IT/
software engineering and electronics with
those from design, neuroscience, cognitive
science and human factors science. It may
one day be possible to use WiFi signals to
develop 3D CAD maps and sense changes
within the areas including human gestures
and falls, changes in equipment positions,
etc. These devices are also shrinking to chips
that process photos in an iPhone so that exact
replicas of small objects can be printed out on
a 3D printer.
Cheap, miniature 3D CAD mapping
together with pattern recognition and data
processing capabilities built on neurosynaptic
chips will unleash robotic technologies from
fixed position manufacturing applications
to dynamic complex applications such as
construction sites. Pattern recognition and
image processing coupled with location
aware BIM technologies will also be used to
automatically track and monitor construction
progress and schedule status.
A path forward for R&D initiativesExciting new technologies are emerging.
The next step is to adapt and develop
them, and integrate them for use in
decommissioning. This will require industry
consensus, collaboration, and focus. Broad
spectrum initiatives are necessary to lay the
groundwork. These capabilities must then be
paired with better project management and
interpretation tools such as paperless work
controls, geostatistics, and digital spatial
models. Developing such platforms now will
greatly assist in deploying and testing the
next generation of robotics and autonomous
equipment and other evolving technologies,
which need to be safely integrated into active
decommissioning projects.
The path forward to implement these
initiatives requires consensus among member
countries and sponsoring organisations
such as the OECD, IAEA, NDA, DOE and
EPRI. It would be advisable to assemble
a multinational team of seasoned D&D
specialists to identify lead technical experts
and companies on the applicable technologies
for each R&D initiative. Host DECON or
SAFSTOR facilities for field testing initiatives
should be solicited by the team and sponsors.
Personnel with experience in several
countries or on different continents could
lead multi-national teams of experts and
develop technologies that encompass
challenges unique to member countries,
such as waste minimisation, recycling and
reuse of materials. Organising such a team
and implementing the initiatives may be
better suited to a contractor or several such
firms in order to maintain focus and develop
technologies that integrate with one another.
Approved projects should be managed
and planned using an integrated multi-
disciplinary project planning process similar
to the ones adopted for outage management
and modification review and approvals
at commercial nuclear power plants (see
diagram above).
Project management personnel should
assemble and lead experts on the
technologies being developed and/or tested
to put together a scoping phase project,
plan, schedule, and budget that will meet
the needs of both the sponsors and the
host facility and if necessary provide a
basis for seeking additional sponsors for
funding. Upon approval and securing of
adequate funding, a detailed planning phase
resulting in a plan that integrates into the
host facilities decommissioning process will
be implemented. This plan will include an
implementation schedule/work breakdown
structure and provide metrics and details
by which performance can be measured for
meeting R&D objectives. ■
AcknowledgementsThe author would like to thank Gerard Laurent, Eric Darois, Greg Babineau, Mathew Darois, Nick Williams and Dave Fauver for their invaluable review and comments on this article.
About the authorHarvey Farr is Senior Project Manager & Health Physicist at Radiation Safety and Control Services. He was also a co-author of the OECD/NEA report “R&D and Innovation Needs for Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities.”
End End
StartStart
End End
Contractor providessuggested project
manager, teammembers, schedule
and budget
R&D sponsorreview andcomment
Contractorincorporates
sponsors commentsand submits to
sponsor
R&D sponsorrequest R&D
support
R&Dsponsor
preliminaryapproval
Sponsorapprovesproduct?
See projectexecution chart
Contractordrafts report
Contractorreview andcomment
Contractorincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto sponsor
Project kick-offSenior
personnel andexperts
assigned
Target andcontact host
facilities
Prepareschedule
Draft R&Dreport
Sponsor andstakeholders
commentR&D report
Prepare workbreakdown
structure andcost estimate
Draft detailedR&D plan,
WBS,schedule,
deliverables
Sponsorcomment ondetailed R&D
plan
Teamincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto EDF
Perform R&Dimplementcontinuous
improvement
Review R&Dproject capturelessons learned
Identifypotentialfundingsource
OECD/NEAIAEANDADOEEPRI
Prepare R&Dproposals
Submit tofundingsources
Sponsorreview andcomment
Determine�nancial
assurancesand incentives
required
Additionalfundingdesired?
Sponsorapprovesproject
Minor project?(Benchmarking literaturesearch, presentations,
etc.)
Contractorperforms workper scheluleand budget
End EndEnd End
End
On-sitetesting
desired?
Minor project?(Benchmarking literaturesearch, presentations,,
etc.)
Additionalfundingdesired?
On-sitetesting
desired?
Fundingsuf�cient?
Obtain hostfacility
authorizationto proceed
Teamincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto sponsor
Contractorperforms workper scheluleand budget
Contractordrafts report
Contractorreview andcomment
Contractorincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto sponsor
Project kick-offSenior
personnel andexperts
assigned
Target andcontact host
facilities
Prepareschedule
Draft R&Dreport
Sponsor andstakeholders
commentR&D report
Prepare workbreakdown
structure andcost estimate
Draft detailedR&D plan,
WBS,schedule,
deliverables
Sponsorcomment ondetailed R&D
plan
Teamincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto EDF
Perform R&Dimplementcontinuous
improvement
Review R&Dproject capturelessons learned
Identifypotentialfundingsource
OECD/NEAIAEANDADOEEPRI
Prepare R&Dproposals
Submit tofundingsources
Sponsorreview andcomment
Determine�nancial
assurancesand incentives
required
Obtain hostfacility
authorizationto proceed
Teamincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto sponsor
Teamincorporates
sponsorcomments
and submitsto sponsor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
How the multi-disciplinary project management process for R&D initiatives might work