France-based industrial conglomerate AREVA’s Back End business group (BG) teams have developed and delivered two innovative solutions to map and decontaminate the 20K exclusion zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.
The first solution is a mini submarine called Remotely Operated underwater Vehicle (ROV).
ROV investigates by taking readings under water and transmits them to be processed and draws a map of contamination spots. The solution will be used to map contamination spots in the lakes around Fukushima power plant.
AREVA in partnership with GRS Valtech has developed the second innovative solution, an automated mobile unit, which can sort soils with low levels of radionuclide contamination.
The automated mobile unit will separate clean earth from contaminated soils at the rate of 100 metric tons per hour.
AREVA along with its Japanese partners ATOX, Chiyoda Technol and SKS will test the unit at the region.
The two solutions join a trailer that measures contamination on the roads and a drone that maps difficult-to-reach contaminated areas.
The two prototypes have been operating for several months in the Fukushima region.