AMEC provides technology, experimental and developmental support services to national and international power and process clients, within the nuclear reactor operations, decommissioning, waste management and defence sectors

Laboratory services

Our technical and laboratory support services range from on-site assistance through to specialist consultancy advice, and our unique test facilities are supported by highly skilled and experienced staff.

Our unique services and capabilities are described below:

Sample retrieval and characterisation

Obtaining representative waste samples to enable robust analysis of their radiochemical, chemical, and physical properties
Sampling to classify waste, mitigate hazards, obtain data for decommissioning, or to support a safety case or plant lifetime extension
Typical locations include reactors, plants, legacy waste stores, contaminated land, tanks, ponds, vaults, silos, direct/restricted access, or via remote handling operations
Typical samples include most active/non-active and irradiated/non-irradiated materials; including contaminated oils, active effluents, sludges, powders, ion-exchange resins, solids and fuel debris-
Design of bespoke fit-for-purpose solutions to deal with legacy wastes
On-site radiological support; including RPA and RPS services- Implementation of support tools to facilitate better, faster, and more cost-effective methods of sampling and analysis.

Analytical services

Through NIRAS, AMEC operates one of the UK's largest radiochemical laboratories
Provide independent testing facilities for all aspects of radiochemical analysis
Conduct analysis for a range of customers including nuclear operators, decommissioning contractors, contaminated land consultants, local authorities, regulators, water companies and defence establishments
NIRAS is a UKAS accredited laboratory (no.1011)- For more information please visit www.niras.co.uk .

Waste compliance

Experience of working closely with the NDA Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) (formerly NIREX)
Wasteforms; Cement (conventional or alternative) formulations and alternative encapsulants (polymers, glasses, ceramics)
Treatment options and practical solutions for difficult wastes; formulation trials
Waste package/wasteform longevity issues
Reactive metals and the effects on the wasteform
Compatibility of wasteforms with the repository environment and materials; near field interactions
Letters of Compliance support and generic geological disposal advice.

Waste handling, treatment and processing

Remote waste handling and retrieval
Sludge removal and separation, immobilisation and storage
Decontamination and effluent control
Experimental trials
Encapsulation
Volume reduction, dissolution and waste minimisation.

Remote inspections, operations and technologies

On-site support for remote plant inspection and intervention
Developing new systems and techniques to address emergent remote inspection and operations issues
Whole project tasks from initial studies through to equipment specification, development, trials, staff training, and ultimately site deployment.

Chemistry, materials and corrosion

Material selection, corrosion prevention/rectification; advice on environmental control measures
Experimental / test work, modelling plant ageing effects and developing improved inspection and monitoring systems, and supporting existing inspection techniques
Plant chemistry support (e.g. reactors)
Aqueous filtration and ion-exchange resin testing, boiler/feed water analysis
Computational modelling, simulation, flowsheets, fluid dynamics
Vessel storage and corrosion issues- Plant operating and storage guidelines
Alkali metals
Strong links to the international technical community and UK universities.

Technical training

Gas-side steel corrosion
Waste management, processing, disposal and decommissioning
Metallurgy
QA and chemical safety
Plant storage and cooling water system corrosion
Lubricant technology
Radiochemistry
Ion-exchange technology and theory
Water chemistry and aqueous corrosion of steels.

Testing and laboratory facilities

Extensive facilities which can accommodate large test rigs
Comprehensive test rig design, build and operate capability
Active and inactive laboratories
A wide range of analytical equipment & instrumentation support
Waste technology laboratory
Environmental curing facility
Ion-exchange resin testing laboratory
Largest UK alkali metal laboratory outside of Dounreay
Unique high temperature oxidation facility
Corrosion loops
ILW shielded cell (*being installed - to further enhance capability)

Mechanical testing

Failure investigations
On-site plant data acquisition and analysis
Noise, vibration and related assessment and modelling services

Remote leak sealing

Unique specialist application used to seal holes in inaccessible pipe work
Cost effective alternative to replacing or repairing pipe work in inaccessible areas when, for example, it is buried in concrete, located underground or in radioactive areas
Proven effective in sealing over 500 leaks at over 40 sites worldwide
Technology is based on several products including clays, water miscible epoxies and fibres
No effect on the heat transfer capabilities of the pipes
Can be used for many different applications across a variety of industries including oil, gas and petrochemical
Many previously intractable leak problems have been solved by the leak sealing team - some avoiding enforced plant shutdowns.

Latest technology news

AMEC technical specialists recently took part in a technology workshop at Sellafield Visitors’ Centre, at the invite of Sellafield Ltd, where the focus fell on potential technical support available from AMEC to help the Sellafield site address key technology challenges as part of its continued drive to optimise plant performance and safely address clean-up and legacy issues.

Highlight

NIRAS is one of the UK's largest commercial radiochemical analysis laboratories, providing independent testing facilities for all aspects of radioactivity analysis
NIRAS Analytical Services

Contact

Greg Willetts
Director of Laboratory Services
Tel: +44 (0)1925 675654
Greg.willetts@amec.com

Mike Smith
Manager, Technology Services
Tel: + 44(0)1925 675531
mike.smith4@amec.com

Harold Ashurst
Communications Manager – Nuclear
Tel: +44 (0)1565 684503
harold.ashurst@amec.com

Sonia Jarvis
Sales Manager for NIRAS
Tel: +44 (0)1925 675636
sonia.jarvis@amec.com