Nuclear Physics Group wins Sellafield contract

Published: 23 May 2014

The Nuclear Physics group in the College of Science and Engineering has won a research contract from Sellafield Ltd, in collaboration with the National Nuclear Laboratory. It is to develop an imaging system that could impact future storage policy.

The storage of ‘legacy’ nuclear waste is a challenging issue for the UK Nuclear Industry.  The Nuclear Physics group at the University of Glasgow has recently been awarded a research contract from Sellafield Ltd, in collaboration with the National Nuclear Laboratory, to develop an imaging system that has the potential to make a significant impact upon future storage policy and contribute to the continuous improvement  of safety at the Cumbria site.‌

Sellafield (copyright Sellafield Ltd)The imaging system utilises naturally occurring muons which are produced when cosmic rays impact on the Earth’s atmosphere. This project follows on from a proof-of-principle project that successfully demonstrated  the concept.

The potential impact of this technology for the UK’s nuclear industry  is considerable:

  • Cost savings to Sellafield Ltd. (and the Nuclear Decommissioning  Authority) of the order of £100’s million
  • Direct impact on mitigating risk for the long term storage of nuclear waste container within a future UK GDF (Geological Disposal Facility)
  • Significant societal/environmental impact with direct influence on strategic decisions related to the storage of nuclear waste by Sellafield  Ltd. (and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority)

For more information, contact Professor David Ireland. Tel: 0141 330 2223, School of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science and Engineering.

First published: 23 May 2014

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