July last year saw the beginning of pilot operation of the New Safe Confinement. Monitoring the state of the NSC buildings and structures is one of the activities provided for during this period. To obtain as much necessary data as possible and a more precise understanding of the situation, the staff of the Shelter Object (NSC) Operation Shop (hereinafter - SO(NSC)OS) carry out 3D-scanning of the main NSC volume.
The above activities are provided for by the Pilot Operation Programme approved by the regulating authority.
For safe performance of three-dimensional survey of buildings and structures of the main NSC volume with a laser 3D-scanner, a special programme was developed containing both short-term and long-term objectives. A short-term objective is identifying the feasibility of using the scanner to monitor the geometry of under-crane beams and under-crane walkways of the main crane system, as well as monitoring of buildings and structures of the main NSC volume.
In the long run, initial scanning will allow making the work plan for dismantling of unstable Shelter structures more specific. Therefore, this will allow for reducing the time of personnel's staying in areas of high radiation impact and thus reducing their radiation exposure.
«Like most of the works, this activity requires thorough preparation. Following the performance of 3D-survey, the conclusions are then processed using special software», — commented Gintaria Padun, engineer of the SO(NSC)OS, on the scanning procedure. She emphasized that the SO(NSC)OS is currently the only ChNPP shop having a license to perform the scanning.
Read more: Project «New Safe Confinement Construction»
«It's a brand new activity that we had to learn, and consult experts in the area. But nevertheless, we are handling this, and doing our best to improve our knowledge and skills all the time», — said Gintaria to sum up.
FYI: The New Safe Confinement is a protective facility, consisting of a complex of technological equipment for removal of fuel containing materials from the destroyed Reactor 4 of Chornobyl NPP, and management of radioactive waste, as well as other systems designed to carry out activities to transform this power unit into an environmentally safe system and to ensure the safety of personnel, general public, and the environment.
