Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: Wheelabrator Group
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 05 December 2005
Wheelabrator wins Italian
decontamination contract
Wheelabrator Group wins contract to supply equipment for decontaminating materials at one of Europe's nuclear facilities.
Wheelabrator Group has won a contract to supply equipment for decontaminating materials at one of Europe's nuclear facilities The company will supply a £350,000 abrasive blasting unit on behalf of RWE Nukem to the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 22 Nov 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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A Wheelabrator R3d (V) Euro Tumblast machine, traditionally used in heavy duty metal foundries, will be used to decontaminate metal components and concrete blocks as part of JRC-Ispra's decommissioning programme.
Slightly contaminated material is produced when active nuclear facilities are decommissioned at the end of their useful life.
The demolition of buildings creates large amounts of components, such as bricks, stone, steel and other structural material considered to contain low levels of radioactivity within the surface layer.
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Custom built at Wheelabrator Group's manufacturing facility in Ossett, near Wakefield, design modifications were required to the R3d (V) machine to fit the low headroom at its new home and enhance its safety features.
Seven people from Wheelabrator worked with engineers from Warrington-based RWE and JRC Ispra to tailor the machine.
Located in Area 40 at the Ispra site, the unit will replace the old and obsolete chemical baths.
A secondary containment wall and airlock will be added to the room to reduce noise levels and aid contamination control.
With a 700litre capacity, material to be processed in the machine will be sealed in 220litre drums and transferred to the machine via a hydraulic loader.
Operators will key in commands via a touchscreen console located safely outside the secondary containment wall.
The main chamber is equipped with two Ezefit blast wheels, each with six blades and driven by a direct couple motor, which propels the sharp steel grit onto the contaminated components, removing the surface layer including any contamination.
A heavy duty steel slatted mill creates a continuous tumbling action to ensure complete coverage of the components in one cycle.
Typically, 30min will remove contamination from metal components to below required clearance levels while 10min will be sufficient for concrete.
Cleaned off contaminants will be fed to collection bins and the dust created bagged in secure waste drums.
These can be disposed of in accordance with relevant legislation.
The steel grit will be recycled within the machine via an airwash separator with a second magnetic particle separator and cleaned air returned to the room after passing through primary filters and an additional Trox air conditioner.
A four-day training course will be provided onsite to all employees who will operate the machine.
Installation, proving, spares and service will be supplied by the group's aftersales specialists. Request free introductory details about products from Wheelabrator Group ...
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