Advanced tools for dismantling of Sodium Cooled Reactors

Main description

The robots Charli and Éloise are innovations designed by Framatome for dismantling fast Sodium Cooled reactor vessels, based on SuperPhenix feed back as being the largest nuclear reactor currently under decommissioning in the world. Specially. The purpose of this operation was to eliminate the residual sodium in order to guarantee optimum gas distribution in the vessel during the carbonation phase. The robot Charli is capable of working inside confined pipework structures and withstanding very harsh environments – with high temperatures, high levels of radiation and high concentrations of sodium and argon. Derived from the laser robot Charli, also designed by Framatome, Éloise is a new generation equipped with 2 cameras and a specific, lightweight orbital laser head.