Can Japan Send In Robots To Fix Troubled Nuclear Reactors?

Electronic computer chips do not like radioactivity. Robots use electronic computer chips to operate, therefore, conventional robots cannot easily be used in areas of high levels of radioactivity.

Manufactures make what is called Rad-Hard electronic components just for this scenario and for satellites and space vehicles.

That would be the last line of defense since it is relatively easy to shield the whole electronics anyway.

They did this very successfully for Three Mile Island using specialized robots to do tasks that were never supposed to be done or needed inside the reactor vessel.

I am sure that the technology has only improved since then. So the answer to the original question is a resounding YES.

There is a "robotic" water cannon arriving from Australia to be used to cool the reactor. First plane load arrived yesterday, second plane is in the air.

This will mean that the brave individuals currently operating the fire trucks can move back to safer locations.

From what I saw, it's a system used in mining of alluvial materials. Delivery line seems to be 150mm pipe.

"Why can't Japan use robots to fix the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Dai-1 nuclear power plant?"

What does "fix" mean? There is no way that they will put the plants back into service. They were scheduled for decommission anyway.

However, you can bet they will use robots to clean up the plant and to decommission the plant just as they did for Three Mile Island.

Here is an excellent article on the robots developed to clean up Unit 2 using robots. Over 100 tons of radioactive fuel was removed by robots.

AH,

I think you for got to add a link to the excellent article. I'm anxiously waiting as I enjoy excellent articles.

Sorry, the link did not take.

Try this

or copy and paste.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=three-mile-island-robots

Thanks