"Gatling gun" robot to clean up Britain's Windscale nuclear accident site
Last week marked the 50th anniversary of the Windscale fire, the worst nuclear accident in British history, and it looks like regulators are gearing up to finish dismantling the site within the next 12 years -- beating estimates of a further 40 years. The plan centers around the use of a robot nicknamed the "Gatling gun" to remove 15 tons of damaged nuclear fuel rods from inside the Pile 1 building, which investigators weren't even able to enter until last year due to health concerns. The robot, which gets its name from its distinctive shape, won't be deployed until several other parts of the plant are decommissioned in about four years, but that's still far sooner than researchers previously thought cleanup was possible. If all goes well, the robot's developer, US-based SA Robotics, says the site will be a useable "brownfield" by 2030 -- but we'll stick to our "greenfields," thanks much.
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil Perman @ Oct 16th 2007 3:26PM
"Brownfield" simply means land that has been built on before, personally I'd much rather it was used than "Greedfield" sites that would eat away into our quickly vanishing countryside.
charlie @ Oct 16th 2007 4:12PM
Seriously, you might prefer a different (slightly less) brown field, but not a greenfield.
bombastinator @ Oct 16th 2007 4:31PM
Plus theres all those vampires at the Renfield sites.
Timothy @ Oct 16th 2007 3:46PM
Yeah yeah yeah... but does it blend?
I thought this website was about gadgets, not nuclear cleanup equipment. Slow day?
bombastinator @ Oct 16th 2007 4:31PM
but... ROBOTS! Big shiny robots! *points* It's even got MACHINE GUNS in it!.. well sort of..
How can you go wrong with robots AND machine guns?
You need to watch more transformers... and Gundam. Don't forget Gundam.
Seriously. We're going to have to take away your Otaku registration.
John B @ Oct 16th 2007 4:57PM
Mmmm.... robots....
Actually, as a nuclear supporter who lives only 15 miles or so from Three Mile island I had never heard of this particular accident and found the story of the Windscale accident quite fascinating.
dataminer49er @ Oct 16th 2007 3:53PM
Will Greenpeace open this sucker up and check for hazerdous componets?
paul34 @ Oct 16th 2007 6:58PM
The real question is, will California sue England for having hazardous materials in its country?
Darayz @ Oct 16th 2007 4:00PM
I don't like the idea of naming a robot "Gatling gun." Might give it bad ideas when it becomes self-aware ...
TrentD @ Oct 16th 2007 4:09PM
Number 5...Alive!
Tucker @ Oct 16th 2007 4:10PM
They had to bring in a gatling gun to get rid of all the radioactive monsters that started roaming the grounds with a thirst for English blood.
noza @ Oct 17th 2007 2:42PM
Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman.
And so forth, and so on...
BananaBoat @ Oct 16th 2007 5:52PM
I prefer Strawberry Fields. Forever
strider_mt2k @ Oct 16th 2007 7:14PM
At least they're cleaning the site up, and ahead of time estimates too.
No reason to dis those efforts.
No reason at all.
jimmyfinch @ Oct 16th 2007 8:27PM
The sooner I can get in there and start measuring earthworm growth, the better.
Lt_Ladle @ Oct 16th 2007 8:55PM
just watch out for giant, green, fire-breathing monsters when you do!
DarkAardvark @ Oct 16th 2007 11:34PM
*in a justin timberlake-like voice*
"ah hear theyve got a gattlin' gun"