Sarah Reade, PhD Student

Robot Reactions

It is seen by many as a clean and safe solution to the world’s growing demand for affordable energy, free from the environmentally damaging carbon emissions associated with fossil fuels.

But while nuclear fusion – which is a process when two light atoms like hydrogen combine to form a single heavier such as helium – does indeed release a huge amount of energy and produce substantially less radioactive waste, it does still require the removal of this material, which is particularly important in those reactors earmarked for decommissioning.

This is where Sarah Reade’s research is hoping to make a difference. “Due to contamination in the reactors, there is the need to send in robotic units to deal with this waste material, and this is what my research is looking to develop – a walking robotic manipulator that can help with the decommissioning of large fusion nuclear reactors,” explains Sarah, who is a PhD student based in the School of Engineering.

“We are looking at building an efficient autonomous robot that can be instructed to do certain tasks inside the reactor to help speed up the process of decommissioning, as this can be really slow, taking around 16 years to complete.”

Theory Into Practice

Sarah is currently developing simulation software to test the viability of the proposal. She will then start working on building a prototype unit and start actual operational tests.

“The robotics facilities here at Lincoln are very good,” says Sarah. “And the engineering technicians are fantastic. They are helping us to create a test environment for the prototypes, which will include a cage that can simulate the interior of a reactor so we can see how the walking robotic manipulator can deal with different tasks.

"Of course, my project and supervisory teams are making this possible. This includes Dr Manu Nair, Professor Marc Hanheide, Tabia Bechir from United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and specfically Professor Mini Rai, who secured this PhD and the collaboration with UKAEA."

As part of her PhD, Sarah has also had the chance to see a fusion reactor for herself, visiting the Joint European Torus (JET) nuclear fusion facility in Oxfordshire, which is the site of the newly decommissioned tokamak reactor. She said the experience was “one of the highlights of her studies so far.”

Sharing Expertise

As well as working with colleagues in the School of Engineering, Sarah is a member of L-CAS, the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems, which is the University’s cross-disciplinary research centre for robotic systems. “L-CAS offers great support to students and researchers at Lincoln,“ says Sarah. “The team holds regular talks and presentations, where you can share your research and knowledge and meet and network with other researchers from lots of disciplines.

“One of our postgraduate researchers was even given the chance to practice their viva at a recent event, which provided them with invaluable experience and advice ahead of what can be a testing time during your PhD.”

Sarah is also a member of the LCASTOR RoboCup Team, which regularly participates in international events that promote the ever-evolving field of autonomous systems.

Future Ambitions

“I've really enjoyed my time so far at Lincoln," says Sarah. "It's good taking part in the different research activities and getting involved with our research groups. They give you lots of opportunities to develop your research skills while at university."

So what does the future hold for Sarah? “Well, I really want to use all the knowledge and experiences I gain during my studies and apply them in industry, possibly in fusion robotics or in robotics in the agricultural sector."