Laser cutting hazards of nuclear infrastructure decommissioning and dismantling

Laser cutting for nuclear decommissioning and dismantling presents unique challenges in aerosol hazard control and radiation safety. The UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, responsible for Europe's largest nuclear decommissioning program, has identified laser cutting as a suitable process for decommissioning. However, the generation of hazardous aerosolized by-products during laser cutting limits its implementation as a nuclear decommissioning tool. Current control methods rely heavily on human intervention during waste filter loading and unloading, potentially introducing unnecessary radiation exposure that could be mitigated through engineering controls. Lasers are known to generate a range of aerosols during the cutting process. The high temperatures and gas pressures of the laser process can cause the volatile breakdown of metals and the formation of particles < Ø 1 μm. While these can be challenging to control in the manufacturing environment, they increase the complexity of extraction and filtration during nuclear decommissioning and dismantling. This paper incorporates previous studies into the effect of gas dynamics on the generation mechanisms of laser fume, transportation mechanics of laser-generated aerosols, and the effects of laser particulate on filtration systems. It identifies a range of laser-generated aerosol hazards from the laser cutting of steel infrastructure. It presents a set of recommendations for the cutting process and ventilation systems to improve the risk assessment of laser cutting for nuclear decommissioning and dismantling.