Advanced Inspection for Techniques for Graphite Core Reactors - Looking forward to the challenges of decommissioning

石墨慢化反应堆的拆除需要新型、高性能、安全和具有成本效益的拆除作业解决方案。这个博士项目将建立在EDF能源和大学在石墨芯检测无损检测领域的十年研究历史的基础上。虽然以前的工作集中在停机期间监测运行反应堆状况的新技术上，但这个博士项目现在将确定适应这些技术的挑战是什么，以及可以为退役开发哪些新的检查工具，以支持这一领域的国际努力。这一项目是一项工程研究，旨在产生科学认识和实际产出、建议和示范，这将有助于指导在拆除反应堆堆芯之前和可能在拆除过程中应用无损检测。这是为了通知行业计划退役的英国舰队的先进气冷堆（AGR）在未来十年开始。iCase学生将承担以下工作：参加核技术和非核技术等相关领域的培训课程破坏性试验。研究和审查AGR和Magnox堆芯拆除的当前和拟议方法。识别和分析NDT支持退役要求的特殊机会。分析当前AGR检查和方法及其在退役中使用的潜力。选择特定的传感模式，以进一步调查制作计算机模型，以调查NDT系统的潜在性能。建立实验室实验，以演示和评估每个拟议的NDT系统。比较测量和模拟结果，以验证建模，从而提供量化其性能的能力的信心。得出结论并酌情报告。在论文中记录结果，并在国家/地区报告研究结果。该项目将考虑在拆除前对石墨芯反应堆的状态进行无损检测的新技术概念。该研究将收集证据，以支持这些概念的原理证明，并使用计算和实验系统。这些是低技术准备水平的典型特征（例如TRL 2和3）。

Dismantling of graphite moderated reactors requires novel, high-performance, safe and cost-efficient solutions for dismantling operations. This PhD project will build on the history of ten-years research between EDF-Energy and the University in the area of non-destructive testing for graphite core inspection. While previous work has focussed on new techniques for monitoring the condition of operational reactors during outages, this doctoral project will now identify what the challenges of adapting these techniques are and which new inspection tools can be developed for decommissioning to support international efforts in this field. This project is an engineering study to produce both scientific understanding and practical outputs, recommendations and demonstrators, which will help direct the application of non-destructive testing prior to and possibly during the dismantling of the reactor core. This is intended to inform industry plans for decommissioning of the UK fleet of Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs) starting over the next decade.The iCase student will undertake the following work:Attend training courses on relevant areas such as nuclear technology and non-destructive testing.Study and review current and proposed methods for AGR and Magnox core dismantling.Identify and analyse particular opportunities for NDT to support the decommissioning requirementsAnalyse current AGR inspection and methods and their potential for use in decommissioning.Select particular sensing modalities for further investigationProduce computer models to investigate the potential performance of the NDT systems.Build laboratory experiments to demonstrate and assess each of the proposed NDT systems.Compare measured and simulated results to validate the modelling and hence provide confidence on the ability to quantify their performance.Draw conclusions and report as appropriate.Document the results in a thesis and report the research in national / international conferences in the fields and leading scientific journals.This project will consider new technology concepts for the non-destructive testing of the state of graphite cored reactors prior to dismantling. The research will gather evidence to underpin the proof-of-principle of these concepts, with computational and experimental systems. These are typically characteristics of low Technology Readiness Level (e.g. TRL 2 and 3).