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Continuous Hydrologic and Water Quality Monitoring of Vernal Ponds
Published on: November 13, 2017
Proposal to characterise legacy Sellafield ponds using SONAR and RadLine™
Sarah F Reddy1, Stephen D Monk, Daniel W Nye
1Engineering Department, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 4YR, UK. s.reddy@lancaster.ac.uk
Summary
Corroded nuclear waste in Sellafield
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Engineering
- Environmental Remediation
- Radiation Detection
Background:
- Sellafield Nuclear Reprocessing Plant contains 1950s storage ponds with corroded spent nuclear fuel.
- Removal of nuclear waste is complex due to high radiation and debris.
- Original purpose included reprocessing for plutonium production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a system for characterising nuclear waste in Sellafield's storage ponds.
- To create a 3D map of the physical and radiological environment.
- To aid in the safe removal and destruction of hazardous nuclear waste.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an ultrasonic SONAR system for physical pond mapping.
- Employed a scintillator-based radiation detector (RadLine™) for radiological mapping.
- Developed bespoke software to integrate physical and radiation data into a 3D source map.
Main Results:
- Successfully mapped the physical dimensions of the storage ponds.
- Generated a detailed radiological map of the pond environment.
- Integrated data to create a comprehensive 3D source map of nuclear waste.
Conclusions:
- The proposed system effectively characterises complex nuclear waste environments.
- 3D mapping aids in planning safe and efficient waste removal operations.
- Collaboration with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) was integral to the project.
