ISOsort

This project will deliver a full-scale demonstrator of an integrated and modular robotic system that is proposed to be operated on real nuclear waste.

Wastes will be itemised and characterised by mass, volume and material type. Scanning each item with a 3D gamma imaging device, a 3D activity map of each solid will also be produced before being sorted by categories of most interest for potential recycling. A robust record will be produced as the waste passes through the system's process and is finally efficiently packed into an appropriate container.

Our team is composed of four member companies, all known for their innovative approach and bringing complementary skills and technologies.

The project will aim to develop its solution into a modular ISO Freight container system. This will allow the consortium to offer a modular system to cater for the many and highly varied nuclear waste applications. This concept will therefore be capable of either sorting legacy packaged waste or deal with waste at the point of production, creating an adaptable solution which will allow to maximise waste segregation at source and eliminate incurring additional cost and safety risk observed with the current methods of double handling waste.

This process will perform approximately 2.5 times faster than teleoperation, cost 3 times less and be intrinsically safe with operators withdrawn from exposure LLW and ILW will be properly segregated, maximising safe reconditioning and recycling.