Trawsfynydd’s Sludge Solidification Building is a central part of the site’s decommissioning efforts where active waste is encapsulated into 3m³ Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) drums.
Safe handling of the drum linings, lids, and secondary containment vessels (SCV) necessitated a remotely operated nuclear handling solution incorporating a bespoke lifting grapple that could transport payloads from the process building, onto dedicated transfer vehicles for long-term storage elsewhere.
SCX supplied a modified-off-the-shelf (MOTS) system with a purpose-built latch plate that attaches itself via electrically operated twistlocks. This is operated in a control room through static-mounted CCTV cameras that provide sight of procedures.
The solution has been designed and tested to cope with the high number of stops and starts associated with heavy-duty industrial applications and benefits from increased reliability through the use of standardised components.