NNUF-HR: National Nuclear User Facility for Hot Robotics

范围和运营愿景我们提出的设施将成为国际公认的核机器人和传感器合作研究的蜂巢。该设施将提供必要的基础设施和设备，以支持技术创新和文化方面的重大行业变革。与核机器人相关的补充设备和模型将设在英国的四个战略地点：位于Culham UKAEA的挑战性环境中的远程应用（RACE）；布里斯托尔大学位于布里斯托尔郊区的芬斯伍德设施；国家核实验室沃金顿实验室（NNL）；以及曼彻斯特大学道尔顿坎布里亚设施（DCF）。Hot Robotics设施将通过协调的“Hub and Spoke”方式运行，RACE是主要站点。这些设施将共同形成一个协调的国家核用户设施，用于热核机器人。我们的目标是让NNUF-HR在未来25年内成为一个国家设施，支持英国实现更便宜、更快退役、新建核反应堆、先进模块化裂变反应堆和未来聚变发电厂的雄心。设备概述我们的建议是机器人操纵器，地面车辆，飞行器，水下车辆，部署机器人，各种传感器和相机，工厂模型和支持基础设施的组合。通过在多个站点上提出如此广泛的设备，我们有信心在科学产出和用户基础方面具有尽可能广泛的影响和影响。为什么选择这四个地点？我们特别选择了四个站点来建立现有的基础设施和关系。就地理位置和现有能力的分布而言，本建议中有四个地点是至关重要的。如果将这一提议限制在一个单一的地点，将无法实现真正的全英国范围的利益。布里斯托尔的厂址是西南地区主要核部门活动的理想地点，例如欣克利角C的新建，麦格诺克斯厂址的退役（伯克利，温弗里斯和奥尔德伯里）以及与国家核学院（NCfN）在布里奇沃特和陶顿学院的南部厂址相关的实质性培训/技能事业。在Culham，以及UKAEA，在创新和技能方面，与Harwell （Magnox和其他核公司），AWE和牛fordshire LEP的支持都非常接近。在坎布里亚郡，DCF和NNL沃金顿是塞拉菲尔德的理想地点，也是NCfN在沃金顿湖学院的北部培训地点。用户如何使用设施及其设备？该设施将提供尖端机器人设备和专家，支持研究、创新、商业化和培训。将有两种访问模式：(1)大学及其工业合作伙伴将能够预订设施内的空间和设备，以支持实验、演示和技术认证。(2)用户还可以出租给他们自己的实验室或核设施，交钥匙的“集装箱化”机器人解决方案，以促进新功能、控制算法和传感附加组件的开发、集成和测试。后一种获取方式将使学术界和工业界的参与得以扩大，以充分利用该设施的资源。NNUF-HR的资金预计不会为塞拉菲尔德退役创建一个完整的退役工具包——这样的工具包将在几十年内花费20亿英镑。NNUF-HR的目标是展示什么是可能的，从而影响决策者，并使机器人在高风险工作中的常规使用成为可能。然而，我们设想，集装箱化退役工具包将是概念验证，能够随着行业投资的快速扩张。因此，NNUF-HR将创建原型设施以供更广泛的使用。

Scope and Operating VisionWe propose a facility that will become an internationally-recognised hive for collaborative research in nuclear robotics and sensors. The facility will provide necessary infrastructure and equipment to support significant sector change, both in terms of technology-innovation and culture. Complementary nuclear robotics-related equipment and mock-ups will be based at four strategic UK locations: Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) at UKAEA, Culham; the University of Bristol's Fenswood Facility on the outskirts of Bristol; the Workington Laboratory of National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL); and the University of Manchester's Dalton Cumbria Facility (DCF). The Hot Robotics facility will run via a coordinated "Hub and Spoke" approach, with RACE being the primary site. Together, these facilities will form a coordinated National Nuclear User Facility for hot nuclear robotics. Our aim is for NNUF-HR to be a national facility for the next 25 years, supporting UK ambitions for cheaper, faster decommissioning, nuclear new-build, advanced modular fission reactors and future fusion powerplants.Summary of EquipmentOur proposal is for a combination of robotic manipulators, ground vehicles, aerial vehicles, underwater vehicles, deployment robots, various sensors and cameras, plant mock-ups, and supporting infrastructure. By proposing such a breadth of equipment, across multiple sites, we are confident of having the widest possible reach and impact in terms of scientific output and user base.Why These Four Locations?We have specifically chosen four sites to build on existing infrastructure and relationships. It is essential, in terms of both geography and distribution of existing capabilities, that there are four sites in this proposal. Truly UK-wide benefits would not be able to be achieved by limiting this proposal to a single site. The Bristol site is ideally placed in respect of major nuclear sector activities in the South West, such as new-build at Hinkley Point C, Magnox site decommissioning (Berkeley, Winfrith and Oldbury) and substantial training/skills undertakings associated with the National College for Nuclear (NCfN) southern site at Bridgwater & Taunton College. At Culham, as well as UKAEA, there is close proximity to both Harwell (Magnox and other nuclear companies), AWE and support of the Oxfordshire LEP in terms of innovation and skills. In Cumbria, DCF and NNL Workington are ideally placed for Sellafield and also the NCfN northern training site at Lakes College, Workington.How Will Users Access the Facility and its Equipment?The facility will provide access to cutting-edge robotics equipment and experts, supporting research, innovation, commercialisation and training. There will be two modes of access: (1) Universities and their industrial partners will be able to book both space and equipment inside the facility for supported experiments, demonstrations and technology certification. (2) Users will also be able to hire-out, to their own laboratories or to nuclear sites, turn-key 'containerised' robotics solutions to facilitate development, integration and testing of new capabilities, control algorithms and sensory add-ons. This latter mode of access will enable a widening of academic and industrial participation to fully utilise the facility's resources.NNUF-HR funding is not expected to create a full decommissioning toolkit to decommission Sellafield - such a toolkit will cost £Bs over decades. NNUF-HR's ambition is to show what is possible and, hence, influence decision-makers and enable the routine use of robotics for high-hazard working. However, we envisage that the containerised decommissioning toolkit will be the proof-of-concept enabling rapid expansion with industry investment. Hence, NNUF-HR will create the prototype facilities for much wider use.