[en] Throughout the lifetime of nuclear facilities, radiological inspections are of vital importance, as controlling the radiological state of these facilities is necessary to ensure that their operations remain safe. These inspections are equally important during dismantling and decommissioning (D and D). Inspections of facilities that have contained radionuclides, particularly high activity cells, and very high activity cells are the first step when planning to carry out maintenance and D and D operations. Therefore, the development of investigation robots for hostile environments is a strategic approach in the nuclear field in order to meet these needs. The CEA and CYBERIA have worked together to develop the RICA robot (Robot d'Inspection pour Cellules Aveugles, or blind cell inspection robot), which can locate and measure the activity of radioactive sources. Since 2007, RICA is one of the strategic apparatuses that the CEA has been using for dismantling operations in its nuclear facilities. This small tracked robot was developed to offer a good level of modularity in terms of the onboard equipment able to carry out inspection and sampling missions in extremely hostile environments. To be able to do this, it can be operated either with a complete unit of radiological measurement tools or with a remote-handling arm. The measurement unit consists of a gamma camera, a gamma spectrometer, and a dose rate detector. This innovative radiological measurement unit enables in situ activity quantification and the collection of all the information necessary to interpret the radiological spectra. On the other hand, when equipped with a remote-handling arm, the unit can be used to carry out samplings, which will then be analyzed in a laboratory. This paper first presents the RICA robot, giving its main technical features. The innovative radiological measurement unit is described, explaining each of its bricks. The gamma irradiator tests that qualified the robot's functioning under irradiation are described, and the dose resistance results are analyzed. Lastly, examples of tasks in which RICA has been used in CEA nuclear facilities illustrate the robot's modularity. (authors)

[en] During cleanup and dismantling programmes, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has undertaken to standardise tools to characterise radiological data on the basis of robotic systems. Each is made up of a mobile robot for work on the floor of the area concerned, and a remote piloting system for the inspection platform. We suggest categorising them with regard to deployability, defined as the way in which the operators can manage the robot at the entrance to the operation zone. Three categories can be defined: - Man-packable: robots that can be handled by one or two operators wearing suitable protective clothing and equipment. The robot's physical features must not upset the handler's centre of gravity. - Man-portable: robots that can be handled by one or two operators wearing suitable protective clothing and equipment. - Maxi: bulky or heavy robots that require an additional handling system to be set up for their management. Each of these robot categories means different environmental constraints concerning the system's entrance and retrieval for the operating zone involved. In collaboration with Cyberia, the CEA has developed a series of three blind cell inspection robots or RICA robots (French abbreviation for 'Robot d'Inspection pour Cellules Aveugles'). RICA 1 and 2 are man-packable. They can be handled by one or two operators when they need to be inserted or retrieved from site, and were developed to investigate cells where access is a major issue. RICA 3 is man-portable. This enables it to carry a set of heavier, larger radiological detectors (dose rate sensor, gamma camera, gamma spectrometer). It is also possible to fit the RICA 3 with a remote arm so the operator can interact with the robot's environment. All three RICA robots use a cable tether rather than wireless linkup to avoid limiting possible inspection duration. In order to keep the number of lines to a minimum, the wires for high and low voltages are multiplexed in a single coaxial cable tether. Each of the platforms is fitted with a cable winder used to manage this coaxial cable. The three platforms all have identical piloting stations. (authors)

[en] On the occasion of its 50. Anniversary, the A.T.S.R is holding its 5. European Forum on the theme of Decommissioning. Dismantling a plant or a site is a key milestone that involves many actors and partners as well as related companies, methods and savoir-faire. In order to reach this milestone successfully, it is important to demonstrate the ability to master the following: Safety, Security, Economic and Media related stakes, Technical and Human challenges. Radiophysicists must adapt to the wide range of partners and activities that always require more performing tools. It is also necessary to take radiation protection into account as early as possible and as much as possible, in the earliest days of a project to ensure appropriate monitoring both of plants and employees and to limit radiological impacts. The objective of this event is to offer all professionals of the nuclear industry the opportunity to discuss specific themes such as challenges of decommissioning operations, feedbacks, tools and techniques used to ensure compliance with radiation safety requirements. This document gathers the 37 available presentations of this event: 1 - Dismantling of nuclear facilities at the CEA-DEN (Nuclear Energy Direction); 2 - The nuclear safety authority (ASN) and the control of cleansing operations; 3 - The 2013/59/Euratom directive transposition in the French labor code; 4 - The organisation of CEA workers' radiation protection in the occupational safety; 5 - The radiation protection certification: experience feedback; 6 - Training evolutions in dismantling and cleansing; 7 - Challenges of an asbestos removal site; 8 - The CEA Marcoule asbestos removal pilot workshop of building 214; 9 - The asbestos risk in Marcoule's dismantling sites; 10 - Asbestos in nuclear areas and its laboratory analysis; 11 - Experience feedback of an open ground waste recovery and management; 12 - Radiation protection experience feedback during the dismantling and decommissioning of the LURE facility (INB 106); 13 - Report of 15 years of radiation protection at dismantling sites; 14 - Dismantling of the SVAFO research reactors R2 and R2-0 in Sweden; 15 - Validation principle of the dynamic containment of operation enclosures in contaminated environment; 16 - Visual survey and radiological measurements using drones (Intre Group); 17 - Airborne gamma mapping with Helinuc^TM; 18 - Presentation of the calculation methods from the book 'Calculation of doses generated by ionizing radiations' (EDP Sciences 2012); 19 - Radiological characterization of 232 coils from the CERN's Proton Synchrotron (PS) before being eliminated by the Andra; 20 - Development of reinforced intermediate canisters; 21 - Radiological mapping means; 22 - Kartotrak, an integrated software solution; 23 - Simulation for radiation protection; 24 - Manuela, a 3D real-time mapping and radiological tool; 25 - In situ lab for the on-site characterization of dismantling samples; 26 - Measurements and expertises; 27 - Business combinations: chance or necessity? 28 - Making the invisible visible for a better radiation protection during the entire life of EDF's nuclear facilities; 29 - Implementation of the Radiation Protection European Directive at CERN; 30 - CADOR: a structured approach applied to biological protections setting up; 31 - Maintenance and upgrade of Cern's accelerators: optimization of handling operations in radioactive environment; 32 - Radiological investigation of the RNG reactor with OSL/FO dosimetry prior to its dismantlement; 33 - Dismantling of the big components of the Phenix reactor; 34 - Innovations in control and measurement operations; 35 - Integrated Operational Dosimetry system at CERN; 36 - Investigation of 71.21 A, B and C tanks at Marcoule's UP1 facility; 37 - Implementation of the augmented reading time method of the residual signal for the dose reevaluation in thermoluminescence dosimetry