Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) is a remote handling and robotics test facility located at Culham Science Centre near Oxford, UK, operated by UKAEA. As part of the UK Government's Robotics and Autonomous Systems Strategy (RAS) this is one of the initiatives that is supporting development and growth in remote handling. RACE uses the broad range of expertise from UKAEA and CCFE's past experience in remote handling used on JET (Joint European Torus). RACE defines a ‘challenging environment’ as one in which conditions make it impossible or unacceptable for people to conduct useful work. The physical challenges to overcome might include high radiation, extreme temperatures, limited access, operation in vacuum and magnetic fields. Combinations of such conditions are routinely found in sectors including nuclear, space, petrochemical, construction and mining. RACE is partnering with industry and academia to use other skills in robotics and remote handling to develop solutions that work reliably, safely and cost effectively in the most extreme environments imaginable. RACE's long-term goal is to design and operate plant and machinery for long periods with zero manual intervention.
History While its current form was created in 2014, RACE traces its origins to UKAEA Remote Handling (also known as Telerobotics) teams which have supported the Joint European Torus nuclear fusion experiment since the 1980s. Remote operations in-vessel at JET have included, cutting, welding, bolting and handling of approximately 7000 components in the change of all the tiles in JET to the ITER-like wall.
Directors 2014–present: Dr Rob Buckingham
Current activities
Typical RACE activities Use extensive design, application and operations expertise to develop solutions that work reliably, safely and cost effectively. Develop complete operational management systems that allow critical, delicate and complex components to be maintained and replaced, reliably and remotely. Collaborate with academia to create an innovation pipeline for new ideas. Partner with industry, offering technical consultancy, mechanical design, control systems and operations expertise.
Supporting the Remote Handling of JET JET is the world's largest operation experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. Bombardment by high-energy neutrons produced in the nuclear fusion reactions are able to activate some components and support structures, rendering them radioactive for long periods of time. This was most severe after the first DT (Deuterium/Tritium) experiments on JET in 1997. Furthermore, many plasma facing tiles are covered in beryllium, which, if breathed in as dust, poses a further hazard to anyone working inside the reactor. Therefore, JET has always placed great emphasis on its Remote Handling, to ensure a maximum of tasks can be carried out fully remotely. Two 12m long snake-like booms reach into the vacuum vessel delivering cameras and tools to enable operators to work remotely. The primary tool is MASCOT, a haptic Local-Remote manipulator, that allows the operator to feel every action, such as carrying a new component or tightening a bolt. Nine shutdowns have been completed using this system. The JET machine is a complex device where the detailed configuration changes as the physics experimental requirements dictate. The Remote Handling system is required to fulfil two functions:
Repair of any system failure stops the experiment Modification of torus components for new experiments Experience shows that Remote Handling interventions achieve higher precision and introduce less impurities than sending people inside the torus as they did in the past. JET is a challenging environment for robotics: high radiation dose, elevated temperatures, limited access, large complex equipment and some critical path inspection and maintenance procedures that must be completed reliably and without failure.
Development for ITER RACE will be developing robotics solutions for the ITER international fusion experiment in Cadarache, France. Remote operations and maintenance will be critical for the effective and efficient operation of the ITER machine in the full nuclear phase. Some areas that require inspection or maintenance will not be manually accessible due to radiation and lack of space and will require deployment of bespoke remote maintenance systems. RACE is supporting industry in the development of a number of critical remote handling systems including the Divertor Remote Handling System (RHS), Neutral Beam RHS and Cask & Plug RHS.
Developing the Remote Handling strategies for DEMO DEMO is the conceptual demonstration fusion power plant using all of the knowledge gained in nuclear fusion to create a commercial power plant. After ITER, DEMO will supply fusion electricity to the grid and will demonstrate fusion's feasibility as a power source. RACE plays a leading role in developing DEMO's Remote Handling concepts. It is recognised that remote maintenance will be device defining and mission critical for future fusion power plants. A fusion reactor must be designed to be maintained remotely by bespoke remotely operated tools. Furthermore, during operations any failure of these tools will affect plant availability and hence impact commercial viability. RACE has refurbished a large manipulator, called the Telescopic Articulated Remote Manipulator (TARM), to use as a research test bed for heavy payload manipulation with a flexible, hyper redundant mechanism. This research will establish whether the concepts have potential to be developed into validated engineering designs that can be delivered within cost and reliability parameters required to deliver commercially viable base load electricity from fusion.
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