Developing the technique to monitor the spatial size distribution of radioactive micro/nano dust during laser decontamination

Kosuge, Atsushi  ; Ando, Kota*; Nakajima, Takashi*

The decommissioning of a nuclear reactor results in the generation of a large amount of radioactive waste. In recent years, laser decontamination has emerged as a promising approach for the safe and efficient decontamination of low-level radioactive waste. Because the micro/nano dust generated during laser decontamination is radioactive, the collection of the dust is of significant importance. Since dust is collected using a dust collector, it is essential to develop a method for real-time, in-situ dust measurement in spatial regions distant from the target (approximately 100 mm). This research aims to accurately understand the spatial distribution and particle size distribution of dust. In this presentation, we report on the measurement of the shape of dust particles at a distance from the target and the pulse duration dependence of particle velocity using laser scattering by irradiating an uncontaminated metal sample with a nanosecond pulse laser.