Design and experimental assessment of an innovative vacuum end-effector for irradiated graphite handling

The decommissioning of graphite-moderated nuclear reactors presents considerable obstacles, primarily due to the handling of large volume of irradiated graphite that must be safely extracted and managed. In response to these difficulties, this work focuses on the design and validation of a novel vacuum-based system specifically engineered for the brick-by-brick retrieval of graphite components during reactor decommissioning. The proposed solution aims to overcome limitations of earlier methods, particularly those related to graphite cracking and the generation of secondary waste. The system developed is a proprietary end-effector that enhances suction-based lifting, achieving up to seventeen times increase in lifting power compared to existing industrial counterparts. This design has undergone testing and experimental trials under diverse operating conditions, replicating the handling of Magnox graphite blocks. The system’s capabilities were assessed using key performance indicators such as lifting strength, safety margin, and adaptability under different operational scenarios. Results demonstrated a safety factor of 7 and the capability to lift damaged and broken blocks. The system also proved effective under less-than-ideal airflow conditions, maintaining high safety standards and demonstrating its robustness for real-world decommissioning tasks.