Survey of Applications Requirements for Robotics within DOE-EM Focus Areas

摘要

This report provides an overview of applications across the DOE-EM complex which utilize or have been identified as candidates for the use of robotics technology to conduct operations. Each application area reviewed contains one or more representative tasks that contain hazardous conditions or are deemed highly impractical without the use of automation. Five major areas were investigated including: Mixed Waste Operations, Contaminant Automated Analysis, Tanks, Decontamination and Dismantlement and Automated Plutonium Processing. During this investigation, information was gathered from available literature, telephone interviews and onsite visits. This data provides design requirements and guidelines for the design of robotic systems suitable for these unique application areas. One area in particular, Automated Plutonium Processing, is examined in some detail. This specific information is used to develop a manipulator system which can be used to conduct automated transfer operations within Plutonium gloveboxes. The design issues surrounding this manipulator and its specifications are discussed in the final portion of this report and summarized in Table 1.