R&D of the fuel debris removal technologies by plasma arc cutting technology

Nakamura, Yasuyuki ; Tezuka, Masashi  ; Iwai, Hiroki ; Sano, Kazuya 

It was reported that Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F) had been lost the function of cooling the reactor by the Tohoku Earthquake. It is assumed that the original shapes of the internal core are not be kept and the inside of the reactor make so narrow in the space, however the fuel debris and the molten internal core will have to be removed for the decommissioning of 1F. The cutting methods for those removal works will have to be selected depending on the situation of the inside of the reactor. In consideration of above situations, the plasma-arc cutting method, Fugen has much data of underwater cutting for the reactor dismantling and there are experiences of the reactor dismantling in both domestic and international, will be being developed for the fuel debris removal works and so on.