Product Development of the Innovative Modular Tube Deployment System

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The hazardous and congested environments combined with difficult access, mean that decommissioning and dismantling radioactive nuclear cells and gloveboxes is a complex task. Manual decommissioning is hazardous for the operator and extremely time consuming and therefore the development of an effective remote deployment capability may facilitate safer, cheaper decommissioning and reduce secondary waste generation. Remote Maintenance Systems is developing a ground-breaking, Modular Tube Deployment System (MTDS) to enable access to hazardous nuclear environments efficiently and effectively, while keeping human operatives safely out of harm. The MTDS is a flexible modular solution that can reach diverse different areas within a hazardous environment via an entry point in the roof. Tools and equipment (up to 5kg in mass) can then be deployed into these areas via it, while the operator remains safely outside the area. It is made up of tubes and joints, connected in a series, assembled, and connected from outside the hazardous area using a deployment system. Flexibility of reach comes via the joints which allow +/- 30 degrees of articulation in 10-degree increments. It is infinitely and easily adaptable.This project will advance the MTDS to the next stage of development from Prototype to Commercial deployment but also develop new innovative functionality to make the MTDS even more useful for very challenging application and for more effective cleanup of nuclear facilities.