Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “HOT CELLS”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Radiation Effects on Line Heat Detection Cable AP Hot Cells Fire Detection at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Hot cells are used to safely shield workers from high radiation environments while allowing a process to take place within the cell's shielded enclosure, often with the assistance of remote manipulators. The interior of a cell may not be accessible by personnel for years at a time, either due to the lingering radiation environment or due to the constant use of these specialized pieces of equipment. High radiation levels are known to cause undesirable effects and changes to different materials in varying degrees. Selecting equipment for a radiation environment requires an evaluation of materials used (preferably completed assembles), to ensure all interactions of materials are known and ensure that the equipment will have a high degree of reliability and functionality over the intended life of the facility. Hot cells contain systems to support the primary purpose of the enclosure. Fire detection is one such support system. Safety of hot cell operations often establish limits on the amounts of combustibles with the cells, but the presence of some combustible materials is unavoidable. Fire detection is provided to quickly detect a fire and summon manual intervention before damage is too great. Detection may also be used to initiate fire suppression systems. As a safety system, fire detection needs to remain functional to protect the facility throughout the facility's life. Equally important is that the false alarms from the fire detection are minimized to retain confidence in the alarm system and avoid unnecessary interruptions in the hot cell operations. There are many types of fire detection available with various pros and cons. Not all types of fire detection are suited for hot cell application.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Monitoring the Caustic Dissolution of Aluminum Alloy in a Radiochemical Hot Cell Using Raman Spectroscopy

Chemical processing of highly radioactive materials commonly takes place in heavily shielded hot cells. The remote, real-time monitoring of chemical processing streams via optical spectroscopic techniques in hot cells may be particularly useful. Here in this paper, we describe the implementation of Raman spectroscopy and chemometric analysis to monitor the dissolution of aluminum-clad targets containing irradiated aluminum–neptunium oxide cermet pellets in caustic solutions in a hot cell environment. Partial least squares regression analysis was used to generate calibration models to quantify the concentration of dissolved aluminum, nitrate, and hydroxide in solutions within the radiochemical hot cell. This work explored a systematic approach to optimize a matrix of calibration standards using a D-optimal experimental design. The Design of Experiments-based regression model, in comparison to more traditional analytical approaches, was found to be the more practical method for building calibration models, with fewer samples, to obtain informative analytical data from Raman spectra.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Idaho National Laboratory’s Mobile Hot Cell Transportation: Engineering Solutions for Global Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources.

Title: Idaho National Laboratory’s Mobile Hot Cell Transportation: Engineering Solutions for Global Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources. Abstract: The Mobile Hot Cell (MHC), currently under development by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for the Off-Site Source Recovery Project (OSRP), is designed to help international partners meet the unique challenges of end-of-life radioactive material management. The MHC will provide a critical resource for countries that require assistance securing and disposing of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS) and orphaned sources in challenging environments, allowing these sources to be secured against misuse and nefarious activities. The MHC is a rapidly deployable system for conditioning and preparing end-of-life radioactive sources for transportation or storage. It is designed to handle sources of up to 1,000 Ci Co-60 equivalent while maintaining full radiological and biological containment. It will be deployable within 48 hours of an alert, making it ideal for emergency situations. The MHC features an operational suite for control, support racks for electronics, pneumatics, and welding systems, and a modular robust steel structure providing radiological shielding and internal robotic support. This design allows configurations for multiple device types to be conditioned and the ability to safely manage routine issues such as leaking or damaged sources. The MHC has been designed with the transportation challenges of rapid deployment to difficult environments in mind. The system weighs approximately 150,000 pounds, with individual systems breaking down into pieces not exceeding 20,000 pounds. Components are to be transportable on standard 20ft ISO containers, with shielding shells on 20ft flat racks. It is estimated that a total of eight containers and flat racks will be required. The use of 20ft containers, as opposed to 40ft containers, minimizes the impact on less developed road infrastructures, enabling the MHC to be positioned in constrained environments such as hospital parking lots. The system’s modularity also allows for deployment using smaller equipment, such as a 10-ton boom truck or forklift, which is crucial given the potential logistical challenges in different countries. This transportation strategy, evaluated in collaboration with Utah State University, ensures the MHC can be deployed via ground, rail, sea, or air, addressing the primary concern of international transport logistics.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Mobile Hot Cell for Conditioning Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources for Storage or Transportation

An innovative Mobile Hot Cell (MHC) has been developed for conditioning Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS) category 1 and 2 for storage or transportation. The MHC is designed to provide both Radiological and Biological containment with a maximum capacity of 1000 Ci Co60 or 5000Ci Cs137 source and can be transported via standard cargo containers. This project has been supported through the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) Offsite Source Recovery Program (OSRP). The project is intended for the international community rather than domestic although domestic use is a possibility. Many countries have significant stockpiles of these devices that are often stored in less-than-optimal circumstances. This necessitates that these devices be addressed expeditiously, and the sources secured. The MHC utilizes robotics, automation, and other non-traditional methods for disassembling, characterizing, and packaging these sources that have reached end of life or are otherwise not needed. These innovative approaches are necessary to facilitate an expedited timeline to efficiently and safely secure these sources in a non-proliferation effort. Conditioning efforts include disassembling the device such as a teletherapy head used for cancer treatment, or blood/research irradiators such that the radioactive sources may be removed safely. The sources are then characterized. Leak checks are performed, dimensions are verified, and serial numbers are confirmed. Upon completion, the sources are typically placed into a Standard Forms Capsule which is seal welded closed. It is leak tested and placed into a Long-Term Storage Shield (LTSS) which can either be secured for storage directly or loaded into an appropriate cask for transportation. Further innovations include multiple deployment scenarios that include a full deployment of MHC components, deployment of the MHC automation internal components to an existing hot cell, deployment of minimally required MHC components and incorporation of sand for shielding, and integration of the MHC for Silo Storage, or Bore Hole Storage efforts. The MHC has evolved from a very specific use case to a “Swiss Army Knife” type of a tool in that it can be readily adapted to a large variety of situations. Innovative approaches such as the use of robotics, Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machining centers, automated welding equipment, HDMI Cameras, and LED lighting are some of the developed technologies incorporated into the MHC design. Shielding is accomplished with a steel walled Base Box which is surrounded by four nesting doll shield shells which when combined limits the external dose rate to 5mr/hr when a 1000 Ci Co60 source is exposed inside.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Installation and Demonstration of CNC Machining for Mechanical Test Specimens in the IFEL Hot Cell

This report documents the installation and demonstration of computer numerical control (CNC) machining capabilities in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory hot cell facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). A modified Tormach PCNC 440 mill was integrated into the hot cell with custom fixturing, fines management, and manipulator-compatible interfaces to enable the fabrication of axial tension test (ATT) and ring tension test (RTT) specimens from irradiated cladding. The first irradiated specimens machined included ATT and RTT geometries harvested from the high-burnup 6XV fuel rod. Dimensional inspections confirmed that machined specimens met the ±0.025 mm tolerance envelope established in prior development; deviations were consistent with expected measurement scatter and inherent specimen variability, such as wall thickness gradients and eccentricity. Comparisons with out-of-cell metrology confirmed that in-cell machining performance aligns with baseline scatter observed under ideal conditions. This work establishes reproducible, end-to-end specimen preparation at ORNL, directly supporting the US Department of Energy’s Accident-Tolerant Fuel program by enabling reliable, traceable mechanical testing of irradiated cladding.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Intern Poster Session 08/13: Autonomous Nuclear Robotics: Applications in nuclear waste inspection and hot cell experiments

The nuclear industry is experiencing renewed interest in autonomous robotics, yet most deployed systems remain teleoperated with limited autonomy. This work presents two contributions toward fully autonomous nuclear robotic systems: autonomous waste inspection at the Hanford Site and an autonomous hot cell laboratory framework. Inspections of Hanford's underground waste storage tanks are performed manually at significant cost and personnel exposure. We developed a reinforcement-learning (RL) training pipeline for a custom-built inspection arm. In parallel, we are designing an autonomous laboratory framework for post-irradiation examination in hot cells at the Specimen Preparation Laboratory (SPL) that integrates computer vision, task and motion planning, hardware execution, and operator-in-the-loop control. These systems demonstrate a path toward safer, more efficient nuclear operations by reducing human exposure while maintaining rigorous human oversight at critical decision points.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mobile Hot Cell Digital Twin: End-of-life Management of Disused High Activity Radioactive Sources – 23598

Sealed radioactive sources are utilized for a wide range of applications across nuclear facilities, universities, hospitals, and industry. When these sources reach the end of serviceable life, they become waste. As waste, this radioactive material then goes through a process of recapture and then transfer to long term storage. With the advancement of technology in conjunction with better accessibility of technology, industries are exploring the use of digital automation to enhance productivity, efficiency, and safety while minimizing operation and maintenance costs, health and environmental risks, and uncertainty in the project life cycles. One area for exploration is the use of a digital twin to help design a robust, versatile, and safe solution for recapturing spent sources. We believe this avenue can also provide further advantages in the operations aspect of end-of-life management of spent radioactive sources by reducing the deployment time, increasing operator safety, and reducing operation & maintenance cost. We present a novel digital twin framework for end-of-life management of disused high activity radioactive sources. We have designed and developed a framework that houses a digital twin for visualizing and monitoring the recapture process to inform the engineering and design of a new Mobile Hot Cell. Furthermore, we demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed framework by providing a prototypical implementation, supporting the Mobile Hot Cell and human-machine interface's virtual replication.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Tracking Radioactive Isotopes in HVAC and Application for Hot Cell Analyses - 20155

In recent years, the surge in the number of isotope production facilities under design has increased the need to analyze isotope migration in facility Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) during normal operations and accident scenarios. These facilities are used to produce isotopes for medical, security, and industrial applications and as such are subject to license and regulatory requirements 10CFR20, 10CFR30, 10CFR50, and 10CFR70. GOTHIC, a general-purpose thermal-hydraulics software package, includes the ability to model isotopic tracers, radioactive decay and isotope migration as well as HEPA and charcoal filters for isotope retention. A GOTHIC model was developed by Zachry Nuclear Engineering (ZNE) to examine the effect of negative room pressure, HEPA filtration, and HVAC fluctuations on radiation areas, hot cells and gloveboxes. Radioactive tracers were used to simulate the concentration of spills within contaminated areas, track the migration of isotopes of interest, and determine the isotopic retention and buildup on facility HEPA filters. A variety of isotopes with concern to dose (e.g., Kr-85, Sr-90, I-131, etc.), including their decay and progeny, are included in the analysis. Negative pressures are maintained in the regions of interest by a representative central HVAC system equipped with a volumetric fan that exhausts to the environment after a series of isolation valves and HEPA filters. GOTHIC is an industry trusted tool for providing engineering solutions for a variety of applications, including fission product tracking, aerosol and particulate transport and ventilation assessments. The software provides an integrated analysis environment that includes a graphical user interface (GUI) for constructing analysis models, a numerical solver that includes parallel processing capabilities and a post-processor for evaluating simulation results. It solves the conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy for multicomponent, multi-phase flow in lumped parameter and multi-dimensional geometries (1, 2, or full 3D), including the effects of turbulence, diffusion and buoyancy. It has been developed and maintained under a Quality Assurance program in compliance with the requirements of 10CFR50 Appendix B and applicable portions of ASME NQA-1 since 1995. GOTHIC has been used for assessing both forced and natural convection conditions for a wide range of applications, including: - Tracking concentration of hazardous gases and chemicals for habitability and safety assessments - Determining ventilation and filtration requirements and optimizing location and arrangement of these systems - Room heat-up, including diverse and Flexible coping strategies for Extended Loss of AC Power (FLEX/ELAP) - Equipment Qualification (EQ) A distinctive feature of GOTHIC is the ability to track many different fields/substances in a simulation, including user defined tracer elements, in the liquid, vapor and droplet fields as well as surfaces and filters. This capability allows GOTHIC to model fission product transport and release or the removal of particulates or harmful toxins from exhaust gases using a spray scrubber or other types of filtration systems. GOTHIC also includes models for engineered equipment, such as fans, filters, charcoal filters, dryers/demisters, dampers, etc. The aerosols and other filtered material are removed or accumulated in these components. The range of aerosol and radiological applications that GOTHIC has been used for includes: - Source Term: Primary Coolant (Equilibrium) Activity; Non-Water Coolant Source/Leakage. - Conditions for Iodine Re-evolution: Sump/Suppression Pool Conditions and pH; - RWST Conditions and pH. - Isotope Removal Mechanisms: Containment Sprayed and Unsprayed Region Mixing; Charcoal Filter Heating due to Iodine decay. - Radionuclide Transport and Decay: Post-LOCA Release in containment; Transport between connected Compartments and vent systems; Groundwater transport of radionuclides. - Non-Newtonian Fluid modeling for sludge, waste tanks, etc. ADAMS ML071581053 (titled 'Best Practice Guidelines for the use of CFD in Nuclear Reactor Safety Applications') poses guidelines for applying single phase CFD codes in nuclear reactor safety problems and GOTHIC is listed as a 'tool for 3D flows' and 'dispersal and deposition of radionuclides.' The Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA) pedigree of GOTHIC is an important aspect for applications in the nuclear industry. The fundamental tracer models (convective transport, molecular and turbulent diffusion, removal mechanisms, etc.) have been verified using analytical solutions and validated against applicable separate effects tests. Also, GOTHIC has been benchmarked to many integrated effects tests, including Phebus FP (Fission Product). GOTHIC gives good agreement for the buildup and decay of fission products in Phebus Test 3. The model developed by ZNE demonstrates GOTHIC's applicability and acceptability for use in analyzing the migration and retention of radioactive isotopes and their progeny in normal operation and accident scenario analyses for isotope production facilities, hot cells, and gloveboxes. The tracer activities calculated by GOTHIC can then be used in downstream radiation transport and shielding codes like RADTRAD-NAI{sup C}, MCNP{sup R}, and MicroShield{sup R} to determine on-site and of-site doses. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Fork Experiments in the Hot Cell Using Spent Fuel Rods for International Nuclear Safeguards

This work leveraged the rare availability of 25 full-length pressurized water reactor spent fuel rods and 1 irradiated mixed-oxide rod at an Oak Ridge National Laboratory hot cell. This was done to collect measurement data with two Fork detectors to assess the detectors’ capability of verifying operator declaration data and detecting partial defects in spent fuel, which are the two primary goals of international safeguards on spent nuclear fuel. The data can also be used to benchmark the ORIGEN module, which has been adopted in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s)/European Atomic Energy Community’s (Euratom’s) Integrated Review and Analysis Program to predict the Fork detector count rates in real time. In this project, the authors first calibrated two Fork detectors—a standard one and a modified one—by using known strong neutron and gamma sources. Then, the authors measured all 26 fuel rods at multiple locations along the length. The fuel rods were then assembled into three arrays—2 × 2, 3 × 3, and 5 × 5—by using specially designed support grids to mimic fuel assemblies and measure the arrays with both detectors. For the 5 × 5 array, 4 and 8 fuel rods of the array were replaced in two separate cases with short stainless-steel rods to mimic two partial defect scenarios, and the arrays were measured before and after the replacements. Polyethylene blocks were used in this experiment to mimic water. The results show that the Fork detectors were able to verify operator declarations and detect partial defects in spent fuel, and the authors were the first to demonstrate this through experiments. A discovery was also made that determined the root cause of the nonlinear response to gamma dose in the ion chambers used in IAEA and Euratom’s Fork detectors. After the experiments, both detectors were retrieved from the hot cell for future use. The data collected in this project will be used in a parallel International Nuclear Safeguards Engagement Program (INSEP) project to enhance the safeguards in the Finnish spent fuel encapsulation plant, and the data will be useful to other projects in the future given the increased safeguards needs due to spent fuel transfer and disposal activities worldwide.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Remote Handled Hot Cell Facility and Other Research Transuranic Waste (Debris)

This acceptable knowledge (AK) Summary Report has been prepared for the Central Characterization Program (CCP) for remote-handled (RH) transuranic (TRU) waste generated and managed by Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The waste described in this report was predominately generated in the SNL/NM Hot Cell Facility (HCF) during the removal and packaging of experimental material and decontamination operations in Building 6580 at Technical Area (TA)-V. The waste stream also includes a very small amount of waste (estimated at less than 1 gram of fuel similar to that used for research at the HCF) originating from classified research at TA-I. In addition, the waste also includes secondary waste termed by SNL/NM as process generated waste (PGW), created during repackaging operations for this waste at the Auxiliary Hot Cell Facility (AHCF). The waste has been stored at the Sandia Pulsed Reactor (SPR) Dense Pack Storage Facility within TA-V or the Manzano Bunkers located at Manzano Base within Kirtland Air Force Base. All of the waste is being repackaged at the AHCF. This report was prepared in accordance with CCP-TP-005, CCP Acceptable Knowledge Documentation (Reference 1), to implement the AK requirements of DOE/WIPP-02-3214, Remote-Handled TRU Waste Characterization Program Implementation Plan (WCPIP) (Reference 2); Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Hazardous Waste Facility Permit, Waste Analysis Plan (WIPP-WAP) (Reference 3); and DOE/WIPP-02-3122, Transuranic Waste Acceptance Criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP-WAC) (Reference 4).

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hot Cell Manipulator Inventory and Recommendations

During the spring of 2021 repeated manipulator failures in the hot cells of Building 7920 contributed to significant delays in Californium-252 ( 252 Cf) mission execution and loss of rapidly decaying 252Cf product. At the same time, funds became available in the 252 Cf program budget for equipment purchases and upgrades. Accordingly, the 252 Cf program manager requested (1) an inventory of the manipulators used in six Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) buildings (7920, 7930, 4501, 3047, 3025E, and 3525), (2) an inventory of spare manipulators, and (3) a recommendation on whether to invest 252 Cf funds to purchase additional or upgraded manipulators.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mobile Hot Cell Digital Twin: End-of-life Management of Disused High Activity Radioactive Sources

Sealed radioactive sources are used in various settings such as nuclear facilities, universities, hospitals, and industry. When these sources reach the end of their lifespan, they become waste and are recaptured and stored long-term. A digital twin can be used in the design of a solution for recapturing spent sources, offering benefits in deployment time, operator safety, and cost reduction. We propose a digital twin framework for managing the end-of-life process of disused high activity radioactive sources and have created a prototype implementation to demonstrate its feasibility.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mobile Hot Cell Digital Twin using Immersive Virtual Environment

Sealed radioactive sources are utilized for a wide range of applications across nuclear facilities, universities, hospitals, and industry. When these sources reach the end of their serviceable life, they become waste. This radioactive waste then goes through a process of recapture and then transfer to long term storage. With the advancement of technology in conjunction with better accessibility of technology, industries are exploring the use of digital automation to enhance productivity, efficiency, and safety while minimizing operation and maintenance costs, health and environmental risks, and uncertainty in the project life cycles. One area for exploration and the use of Digital Twin for providing a robust, versatile, and safe solution for recapturing spent sources.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Qualification of Continuous Fiber Reinforced 3D Printed Material for use in Hot Cell Environments

The ability to employ additively manufactured polymers in highly radioactive environments facilitates rapid prototyping as well as emergency replacement of various equipment components contained in-cell. A technical evaluation (TEV) exists seeking to qualify 3D printed polymers and carbon reinforcements for use in-cell, the data generated in this project seeks to support the TEV. The goal of the study is to determine if the loss in mechanical properties is low enough to justify semi-permanent use in-cell.

3D printing↗