LESSONS LEARNED AND FINAL REPORT FOR HOUDINI? VEHICLE REMOTE OPERATIONS AT OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY

摘要

In 1996 the first hydraulically powered, remotely operated, track driven vehicle, commonly know asrnHoudini?, arrived at the U.S. Department of Energy - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Thisrnsystem supported radioactive waste retrieval for the Gunite Tanks Remediation Project. The Houdini?-Irnsystem underwent cold testing at the Robotics and Process Systems Division’s Tanks Technology ColdrnTest Facility at ORNL. The cold tests allowed the full integration of the Houdini?-I system with otherrnremotely operated equipment to complete the Radioactive Tank Cleaning System for the Gunite TanksrnRemediation Project.rnIn July 1997 the Houdini?-I remotely operated vehicle was deployed, and over the next 8 months thernHoudini?-I was operated inside two 25-ft diameter tanks in the North Tank Farm and one 50-ft diameterrntank at the South Tank Farm at ORNL in a harsh chemical and radiological environment. The systemrnsuccessfully accomplished a variety of tasks that were important for successful waste retrieval,rncompleting the “hot tests” conducted as part of a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensationrnand Liability Act (CERCLA) Treatability Study. During hot tests, many valuable lessons were learned,rnwhich were documented, and later communicated back to RedZone Robotics Inc., the manufacturer of thernHoudini? I system. A second system, Houdini?-II, was in its design stage during the hot tests. Lessonslearnedrnon the Houdini?-I drove the design and specifications for the second-generation Houdini?-IIrnsystem. Improvements were targeted at two main areas, reliability and maintenance. Thesernimprovements were implemented in order to meet As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA)rnexposure principle requirements, and further improve the Houdini? system for use in higher radiationrnenvironments. The main redesign focused on improving the ergonomics on the Tether Management AndrnDeployment System and modifying many of the electrical and plumbing features of the vehicle.rnThe Houdini?-II system arrived at ORNL in September 1998 for cold testing before its deploymentrnin the larger gunite tanks in the ORNL South Tank Farm. In January 1999 the vehicle was deployed intorntank W-7 under the Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC contract. The Houdini? -II system successfullyrncompleted waste retrieval operations in tanks W-7, W-8, W-9, and W-10. The Houdini?-II systemrnrequired less maintenance than the original Houdini?-I prototype. It proved reliable during wasternretrieval operations, helping to speed up the process, and its versatility proved valuable in completing thernGunite Tanks Remediation Project ahead of schedule.