Investigation of the dissipation of cutting byproducts during underwater dismantling of steel parts from nuclear installations in view of selection and optimization of filtering systems to separate cutting byproducts

Dismantling is necessary in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. For reasons of high levels of radioactivity the structures of the primary circuit of boiling water- and pressurized water reactors have to be dismantled under water. There are different mechanical and thermal tools which might be used for this work. A selection of a tool for a given task has to consider not only the design and equipment of the tool but also the handling of the generated secondary waste. The aim of this research was to collect all generated cutting by-pro-ducts in air and water for underwater plasma arc cutting, as an example of a thermal cutting technique, and for underwater grinding, as an example of a mechanical cutting technique, to apply to various filter systems and to measure their efficiencies and finally make proposals for air and water filter systems appropriate for the cutting of radioactive materials