Development of Disaster Management Robots for Use in Investigating Nuclear Accidents

Abstract

Nuclear accidents have occurred at Japan’s fast-breeder reactor Monju and in Tokai Village etc., and incidents involving nuclear reactors damaged due to natural disasters such as earthquakes are anticipated. In this case, conditions such as leakage of radioactivity must be grasped as soon as possible without exposing anyone to radiation. The Monju accident occurred near Tsuruga City in Fukui Prefecture in December 1995. Liquid sodium used as coolant leaked and a fire broke out. The Tokai Village incident occurred at a uranium processing plant in Tokai Village, Naka County, Ibaraki Prefecture, in September 1999. In this case, a uranium solution went critical and two subcontracted employees workers died of radiation exposure.