The European CLEANDEM project, led by ENEA and industrial partners, employs advanced robotics and digital twin technology to make nuclear plant decommissioning safer, faster, and more sustainable
A digital twin to make nuclear plant decommissioning safer. By reducing the need for direct human intervention and relying on drones and digitalization. This system has been developed by ENEA, in collaboration with a consortium of research institutions and industrial players (including Italian companies Ansaldo and Sogin), within the framework of the European CLEANDEM project. The new system will be tested at the EUREX site in Saluggia, where 2,885 m³ of radioactive waste were still stored in 2022.
Currently, human presence is still essential for most tasks carried out during the various phases of nuclear plant deactivation and decommissioning. These operations range from the initial phases, following shutdown, which involve significant radiation levels, to the intermediate and final stages, where radioactivity is gradually removed, culminating in complete decommissioning when residual radioactivity is minimal.
The project has three main objectives:
- Support and enhance the training of personnel involved in Dismantling & Decommissioning (D&D) activities.
- Improve the management of D&D operations.
- Conduct checks during the final characterization and release phases of nuclear sites.
A Technological Breakthrough in Nuclear Plant Decommissioning
The project, which began in March 2021, involves several stages, including the development of advanced, low-cost radiological sensors for neutrons (MiniSiLiF) and gamma rays (MiniRadMeter), the creation of a cryogenic system to monitor carbon-14 (a task carried out by ENEA), and the integration of the new instrumentation into the RB-VOGUI platform, an unmanned system equipped with a robotic arm, to which Ansaldo also contributed.
The next step is the creation of the digital twin, which will continuously update the available radiological information. Finally, the system will be tested and validated through field demonstrations, which will take place in Italy. Sogin has selected the EUREX facility in Saluggia for these tests.
“The project aims to promote a technological breakthrough in the field of deactivation and decommissioning operations at nuclear sites, using an unmanned robotic platform (UGV – Unmanned Ground Vehicle) to study sites, design necessary activities, handle operator training, and manage the overall D&D operations,” highlights Luigi Lepore, researcher at the Radiological Characterization and Radioactive Waste Management Laboratory and project lead for ENEA. “The goal is to save time, reduce costs, minimize environmental impact, and limit human intervention to improve the safety of workers and the population,” he adds.
