Status update on the design and construction of the Active Cells Facility and Remote Handling Systems

Abstract

The Remote Handling Systems at ESS are responsible for making sure that the radioactive waste from the target station monolith operation can, in a safe way for operators and public, be lifted and transported from the monolith vessel to the Active Cells Facility, adequately treated for interim storage and eventually shipped off site. Connected to the target station building, a mock-up and test stand area will be available that will be used for operator training as well as for monolith systems cold testing. This paper will report on the construction progress of the Active Cells Facility starting with first concrete casting quarter one of 2017. The design concepts and chosen technical solutions of the Active Cells Facility have previously been presented at ICANS XXI (The ESS target station hot cell facility and associated logistics). The internal casks and associated lifting devices as well as the mock-up and test stand facility are still in preliminary design. The casks are used for monolith maintenance and for transport of activated components from the monolith to the Active Cells Facility. The mock-up is a steel framework structure designed to support operators in training and system testing. This paper includes a status update on these systems as well as discusses safety classification on cranes and lifting equipment dealing with the radioactive monolith components.