A hot cell is a heavily shielded room (usually with walls of concrete or metal that are a meter or more in thickness) in which radioactive materials can be handled remotely using robotic or otherwise remote manipulators and viewed through specially shielded windows. Hot cells are employed to inspect spent nuclear fuel rods and to work with other items that are high-energy gamma ray emitters.
Hot cells are used to test methods of treating radioactive waste by removing the most toxic elements to reduce overall toxicity, fissile content, and volume before being placed into permanent disposal containers for an underground repository. Hot cells are also used to provide a simple, efficient, and safe way for the transfer of radioactive waste from a transfer cask to the large shipping containers used for shipment to the waste's final repository off site.
Hot-Cell Technicians operate the remote-controlled equipment employed in the hot cell. They control the slave (or robotic) manipulators from outside the cell to remove metal or chemical material from shielded containers inside the hot cell, placing the material on a bench or equipment work station within the hot cell. They test the chemical or metallurgical properties of materials according to standardized procedures, and observe the reactions to the testing through the protective cell window. They set up and operate machines to cut, lap, and polish test pieces, following blueprints, X-ray negatives, and sketches.
Hot-Cell Technicians test physical properties of irradiated materials, using equipment, such as tensile testers, hardness testers, metallographic units, micrometers, and gauges. They immerse test samples in chemical compounds to prepare them for testing. They place irradiated nuclear fuel materials in environmental chambers within the hot cell to check reactions to temperature changes. They perform mechanical (using lathe, cutters, drills, and other equipment within the hot cell), metallurgical, and chemical processing of radioactive materials. Throughout all their testing, they record results for further analysis by nuclear engineers and scientists.
They place specimens used in shielded containers for removal from the hot cell by using manipulators controlled by them from outside the hot cell. They participate in the cleaning and decontamination of the hot cell during periods of maintenance shutdown. They may devise (or modify existing) adapters and fixtures used in the hot cell operations, and may supply technical support to engineering and scientific personnel relative to work done within the hot cell. They normally interface with facility supervisors, work associates, and others requesting support services at the facility. They usually labor with minimum supervision, exercising independent judgment relative to the techniques and methods employed in hot cell processes and experiments.
According to industry sources, median earnings for Hot- Cell Technicians range from beginning salaries for technicians with one to four years' experience of US Dollars 14 an hour (or about US Dollars 29,000 annually) to over US Dollars 29 an hour (or US Dollars 60,000 or more annually) for technicians with 15 or more years of experience.
Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article. Webworldarticles.com is a free articles resource thus practically any visitor can submit an article. However if you notice any copyrighted material, please contact us and we will remove the article(s) in discussion right away.
This article was sent to us by:
John Dresher at
07212010
1. Marketing Director of the web site department job description
All articles in this directory are property of their respective authors. Additionally, read our Privacy Policy
© 2010 WebWorldarticles.com - All Rights Reserved. Partners: Gunblade Saga