Why is it necessary to develop the decommissioning direction? Why is it conceptually crucial?
If we digress from the specific feature of atomic topic, where it is a safety requirement only and evidence of responsible attitude of atomic community to development, the topic of decommissioning, disposal, utilization will be one of the key issues, one of the global challenges for the humankind, for engineering thought in nearest years and decades. We will need to dispose the consequences of previous research programs, technological platforms, trials and mistakes in all the spheres of activity, to bury them in ideal and material senses of this word.
Decommissioning in atomic sphere, as many things within it, is a progressive direction, a search zone, one of the most complicated objects of thinking and acting.
What do actions on decommissioning imply? Why is it difficult?
Practically nothing existing was developed in order to be decommissioned one day. Many things were built “for perpetuity” or there was just no time to think over it – everybody hurried up, as it was, for example, with first military reactors. Now we have a) objects, which were not intended for decommissioning; b) many things have happened with them within 40−50−60 years. It is not for nothing that a key motto when working directly on decommissioning is “Expect the unexpected!”
What kind of new requirements are set for science, engineering, invention process by decommissioning direction?
Currently, an atomic power station is one of the most sophisticated objects. And, when conducting decommissioning, the object becomes 2 times more complicated.
From the technological point of view we should learn how to produce unique devices batchwise, to establish mass production of clever and multifunctional single-pieces.
What should be undertaken to be a leader in this direction in Russia and in the world?
First of all today Russia has such chance! Although it is about the fact that we have relatively huge amount of problems in this sphere and, consequently, if we tackle these challenges successfully, we can occupy leading positions in the world.
What are the prospects for further development of decommissioning technologies?
Talking not about atomic branch, but in general decommissioning technologies are the source of tomorrow’s resources. When all the natural resources run short, their production will be extremely expensive, and we will be forced to recycle the stuff, which we damp now, in all the spheres of life.
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