Reactor Vessel Removal

The pressure vessel was carbon steel with a stainless clad and a maximum thickness of 2-inches (50mm). Because the reactor was imbedded in the concrete bio-shield an intact removal was considered cost prohibitive. Mechanical segmentation was performed dry by Wachs Technical Services. Because of low dose rates all cutting was done hands on. Most of the cutting was done using "Wall Mills" (a type of milling machines used successfully on commercial nuclear reactors and their internals for decades). Because the outer vessel wall was wrapped in asbestos, Wachs supervised personnel provided by the abatement contractor during these final cuts. Final cutting of the reactor was done using thermal methods.