Barrnon has leveraged the success of its Mechanical Waste Gathering System (MWGS) to win a major contract at Dounreay.
The site, one of Britain’s biggest nuclear facilities on the north coast of Scotland, wanted help removing contaminated concrete from its ponds.
It put the scope out onto a Game Changers Challenge process and Barrnon beat scores of competitors with its technology demonstration.
Barrnon designed and built the MWGS, but a core part of it is Rotocutter TM — a device needed to help scabble the contaminated walls and floors.
The Dounreay contract will take the proven Rottocutter TM technology and re-design it — with potential scope for future deployment on to other sites such as Sellafield.
Owner Andy Barr said: “This is a major step forward for our team and business. And further recognition of the robustness of our products in solving complex environmental challenges.”
The technology will enable efficient removal of contaminated concrete by using a remotely deployed digging boom. The remote deployment will protect worker safety by limiting radiation exposure compared to existing solutions.
The system not only scabbles and removes the concrete from pond surfaces but also vacuums it to the desired location for inclusion in to an appropriate waste stream. “We are committed to supporting Dounreay in its mission,” added Andy.