Application of chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) for dismantling of nuclear facilities

Abstract

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) has developed the first product of COIL (the maximum output power : 1.5kW in the standard operation mode) for industry in the world, and the maximum output power successfully reached to 10kW in the demonstration commercial equipment constructed in KHI in October, 1996. Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) is of great advantage to application to the dismantling of the components, considering low transmission loss in optical fibers due to the wave length of 1.315 μ m, high quality beam due to the low pressure gas laser medium, high power emission possibility based on its chemical reaction, and large energy absorption on material due to the short wave length. This paper describes the feature of COIL and cutting performance of stainless steel by COIL, and application of COIL for dismantling of nuclear facilities.