Diakont has introduced a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) that can be utilized in the inspection of boiling water reactors (BWR), the company announced on Wednesday.
The ROV units area able to perform inspection services that are currently carried out by divers, risking exposure to high amounts of radiation. The units area also able to safely reach areas of a reactor that a person could not; it can provide nearly instant readings on several areas of inspection.
“By offering an alternative to inspecting manually with a diver, Diakont’s BWR Torus inspection services greatly reduce inherent risks and personnel dose exposure," Keith Reeser, director of nuclear business development for Diakont’s Advanced Technologies Division, said. "In addition, the data collected by Diakont’s ROVs provide valuable digital records that can [be] used for trending and comparison during future refueling outages."
According to the company the use of these units in facilities will be able to save on inspection costs, time and reduce risk to individual divers. The robots are equipped to be able to perform a range of motions and are equipped with high-resolution color cameras that provide operators a clear visualization of what is occurring within a reactor.
Diakont specializes in developing and manufacturing technology for the nuclear energy industry to enhance safety and operations of nuclear power plants.
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