Design of the four-wheeled mobile robotic platform for decontamination tasks

Abstract

This article presents the design of a four-wheeled mobile platform for a special service robot, intended to clean contaminated areas in the hot gas chamber of a nuclear power plant reactor. The reactor, KS-150, was part of Czechoslovakia's early nuclear energy development and encountered two significant accidents, leading to its decommissioning. Decommissioning efforts now require the removal of contaminated deposits from the reactor's hot gas chamber, a challenging task due to restricted access and radiation levels. The proposed solution involves using a mobile service robot to replace human workers in hazardous conditions, ensuring safety and efficiency. Five chassis designs were evaluated based on criteria such as energy consumption, structural complexity, contamination risk, and maneuverability. The selected design is a four-wheeled chassis with two steered wheels. The robot's mobility subsystem is a fundamental part of the overall design, supporting various attachments, including a robotic arm, a front brush, and a detachable container for waste removal. The design offers a robust and efficient solution for cleaning contaminated environments, contributing to safer decommissioning processes in nuclear facilities.