The Challenge
The brief was to collaborate with managers, designers and operators involved in trying to improve the efficiency and safety of tools used to recover Special Nuclear Material (SNM) residue powders from the ‘glove boxes’ used by operators to safely handle hazardous materials.
Our Solution
Based around a modified off-the-shelf vacuum cleaner and other commercially available components, the CE-marked system can be posted into any glove box via a 6” glove port and used to collect SNM residue powders as part of the decommissioning POCO process. Power, communications and control are all delivered externally via a modified glove port bung, reducing reliance on existing glove box infrastructure and production of secondary waste. Furthermore, a flexible attachment allows operators to access glove box areas that would normally be out of sight or reach.
Benefits to the client
Until now, glove box cleaning has been a painstaking process carried out manually by operators. RED’s solution delivers a major step forward by making the job easier and allowing operators to work more efficiently and hence reducing overall working times in hazardous areas.
