APPLICATION OF CHEMICAL OXYGEN-IODINE LASER (COIL) FOR DISMANTLING OFNUCLEAR-FACILITIES

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.(KHI) has developed the first product o f COIL (the maximum output power : 1.5kW in the standard operation mod e) for industry in the world. and the maximum output power successfull y reached to 10kW in the demonstration commercial equipment constructe d in KHI in October, 1996. Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) is of g reat advantage to application to the dismantling of the components, co nsidering low transmission loss in optical fibers due to the wave leng th of 1.315 mu 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 nu clear facilities. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.