DECOMMISSIONING | AUTOMATING CHARACTERISATION & SORTING
Measurement and sorting of materials
Decommissioning of nuclear power plants involves managing perhaps thousands of tonnes of concrete and building materials in a lengthy and costly process. An automated characterisation and sorting technology is demonstrating a new approach.
By Dr. Christoph Klein, Senior Engineer/Physicist, Felix Langer, Technology Officer, and Dr. Marina Sokcic-Kostic, Principal Engineer at NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH
DECOMMISSIONING OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES AND management of radioactive materials are some of the most complex and costly challenges in the nuclear industry. A key aspect of this process is the handling of contaminated concrete and building materials. Concrete structures within the containment of nuclear installations can amount to thousands, or even tens of thousands, of tonnes requiring decommissioning and release. This is particularly true for structures in close proximity to the reactor, such as the bio-shield or the support structure of the reactor, which might be significantly contaminated and activated. Furthermore, all concrete and building structures within nuclear installations must undergo radiological characterisation, proper removal, sorting and appropriate release. Given the large volume of material at each site, optimising this step can significantly reduce overall costs, time, and the amount of radioactive waste generated, for the operator. The standard approach for remediating such materials
involves multiple in-situ measurements on the standing structures as pre-measurements. This is followed by removal, potential crushing, and final release or
characterisation measurements. Depending on specific site conditions, it may be beneficial to crush the material at the earliest possible stage to simplify transport and facilitate processing as bulk material. The Free Release Measurement System (FREMES) developed by NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH offers a solution by integrating radiological characterisation and sorting into a single automated process. Conducting characterisation and sorting in a single
automated step can significantly enhance efficiency. In this scenario, time-intensive pre-measurements can be minimised while still ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the contamination, including the determination of nuclide vectors. This technology significantly enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and ensures compliance with regulatory standards, making it a transformative approach for the decommissioning of nuclear sites. Comprehensive pre-measurements are not required for 100% of the structures. Instead, the FREMES processes the demolished and crushed building materials, delivering results in a single step by:
Above: NUKEM was commissioned to conduct a feasibility study to assess the use of the FREMES at the Mühleberg nuclear power plant in Switzerland 34 | October 2025 |
www.neimagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
