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DOE OSTI2012

Tank Farms and Waste Feed Delivery - 12507

The mission of the Department of Energy's Office of River Protection (ORP) is to safely retrieve and treat the 56 million gallons of Hanford's tank waste and close the Tank Farms to protect the Columbia River. Our discussion of the Tank Farms and Waste Feed Delivery will cover progress made to date with Base and Recovery Act funding in reducing the risk posed by tank waste and in preparing for the initiation of waste treatment at Hanford. The millions of gallons of waste are a by-product of decades of plutonium production. After irradiated fuel rods were taken from the nuclear reactors to the processing facilities at Hanford they were exposed to a series of chemicals designed to dissolve away the rod, which enabled workers to retrieve the plutonium. Once those chemicals were exposed to the fuel rods they became radioactive and extremely hot. They also couldn't be used in this process more than once. Because the chemicals are caustic and extremely hazardous to humans and the environment, underground storage tanks were built to hold these chemicals until a more permanent solution could be found. The underground storage tanks range in capacity from 55,000 gallons to more than 1 million gallons. The tanks were constructed with carbon steel and reinforced concrete. There are eighteen groups of tanks, called 'tank farms', some having as few as two tanks and others up to sixteen tanks. Between 1943 and 1964, 149 single-shell tanks were built at Hanford in the 200 West and East Areas. Heat generated by the waste and the composition of the waste caused an estimated 67 of these single-shell tanks to leak into the ground. Washington River Protection Solutions is the prime contractor responsible for the safe management of this waste. WRPS' mission is to reduce the risk to the environment that is posed by the waste. All of the pumpable liquids have been removed from the single-shell tanks and transferred to the double-shell tanks. What remains in the single-shell tanks are solid and semi-solid wastes. Known as salt-cakes, they have the consistency of wet beach sand. Some of the waste resembles small broken ice, or whitish crystals. Because the original pumps inside the tanks were designed to remove only liquid waste, other methods have been developed to reach the remaining waste. Access to the tank waste is through long, typically skinny pipes, called risers, extending out of the tanks. It is through these pipes that crews are forced to send machines and devices into the tanks that are used to break up the waste or push it toward a pump. These pipes range in size from just a few inches to just over a foot in diameter because they were never intended to be used in this manner. As part of the agreement regulating Hanford cleanup, crews must remove at least 99% of the material in every tank on the site, or at least as much waste that can be removed based on available technology. To date, seven single-shell tanks have been emptied, and work is underway in another 10 tanks in preparation for additional retrieval activities. Two barriers have been installed over single-shell tanks to prevent the intrusion of surface water down to the tanks, with additional barriers planned for the future. Single and double-shell tank integrity analyses are ongoing. Because the volume of the waste generated through plutonium production exceeded the capacity of the single-shell tanks, between 1968 and 1986 Hanford engineers built 28 double-shell tanks. These tanks were studied and made with a second shell to surround the carbon steel and reinforced concrete. The double-shell tanks have not leaked any of their waste. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2017

Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste: First Feed Flowsheet - 17108

In support of hot commissioning of the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) and the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) LAW facility, the First Feed Flowsheet was initiated to project process stream characteristics and unit operation performance. The First Feed Flowsheet uses flowsheet models to simulate the preparation of the first feed campaign in Tank Farms and the subsequent feeding of the waste to the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) and the WTP LAW facility. Three different models were used: a chemistry model of waste transfers developed in the Environmental Simulation Program (ESP), Washington River Protection Solutions' (WRPS') dynamic gPROMS{sup TM} LAWPS flowsheet model, and WTP's Dynamic G2 flowsheet model. Information from all three models showed favorable comparison of the waste feeds and secondary liquid wastes against waste compatibility assessment and waste acceptance criteria at multiple stages in the flowsheet. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2017

Video Camera Improvements to Support Hanford Tank Farms - 17141

Hanford Tank Farms consist of 177 underground storage tanks that contain 56 million gallons of radioactive waste. The current mission is to safely manage this waste in preparation to feed the Waste Treatment Plant. Fulfilling this mission includes inspecting each tank regularly to ensure tank integrity and support ongoing operations such as transferring waste from older single-shell tanks to the newer double-shell tanks. Video cameras derived from commercially available equipment have provided the ability to remotely see inside the tanks, reducing some of the challenges of fulfilling this mission. However, there are many challenges and limitations with the currently used video systems. Among some of the challenges are limited tank interior entry points for camera deployment, high radiation dose rates, limited equipment longevity in the environmental conditions, need for high resolution image quality, low light conditions, and in-tank obstructions. Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has identified and tested new video systems that will effectively manage these challenges and increase capability, efficiency, and improve safety. The new camera systems are planned for deployment to support the next Single Shell Tank Retrieval Project in the A/AX tank Farm complex. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2017

Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System Bench-Scale Testing: Supporting Integrated Testing and Facility Safety Analyses - 17171

The Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) is being designed to enable the direct feed of waste to the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Low Activity Waste (LAW) facility to be immobilized. Prior to construction of the LAWPS, pilot-scale integrated testing of the key unit operations (crossflow filtration, ion exchange using spherical resorcinol-formaldehyde (sRF) resin) will be conducted by a team led by Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) to increase the technology maturation level of the facility's critical technology elements. As a part of this effort, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has conducted a series of tests to perform two major objectives: (1) support pilot-scale integrated testing of the LAWPS by supplying information or performance data in advance of operating the pilot-scale facility (1/9. scale); and (2) collect data needed to establish or confirm assumptions/approaches planned for implementation in the LAWPS safety basis. The first objective was focused in two technical areas: developing simulants that are representative of expected waste feed and can be produced at larger scales, and using these simulants in a bench-scale crossflow filter to establish expected solid-liquid separation performance. The crossflow filter was also used to observe the efficacy (with respect to filter production rate) of selected operational strategies. The second objective also included two technical areas: measuring the effect of sRF resin on hydrogen generation rate under irradiation, and demonstrating that the planned hydrogen management approach is effective and robust. The hydrogen management strategy involves fluidization of the sRF resin bed in the ion exchange columns and recirculating the liquid, a scenario that is planned for testing at full column height. The full height tests at PNNL also supported full-scale IX column testing conducted as part of the technology maturation plan. The experimental approaches used at PNNL in these four technical areas are summarized and selected key preliminary results are provided. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2017

Design, Fabrication and Start-up of Test Facilities for the LAWPS Full-Scale IX Column Test and Engineering Scale Test - 17418

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection's (ORP) primary mission is to retrieve and treat Hanford's tank waste and close the Tank Farms to protect the Columbia River. Mixed radioactive waste is stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site as reported in DOE/ORP 2003-02, Environmental Impact Statement for Retrieval, Treatment, and Disposal of Tank Waste and Closure of the Single Shell Tanks at the Hanford Site, Richland WA, Inventory and Source Term Data Package. The 177 underground tanks are estimated to contain about 56 million gallons of waste. The Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) Project provides for the early production of immobilized low activity waste (ILAW) by feeding LAW directly from Tank Farms to the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant's (WTP's) LAW Facility, bypassing the Pretreatment Facility. Prior to the transfer of feed to the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility, tank supernatant waste will be pretreated in the LAWPS to meet the WTP LAW waste acceptance criteria. The LAWPS will also facilitate the return of secondary liquid wastes from the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility to the Tank Farms. In November of 2015 DOE's Tank Operations Contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), awarded a contract to the AECOM Team to design, fabricate and operate two test platforms to generate performance data at two different scales and demonstrate technology maturation. The first platform models the ion exchange (IX) columns at full scale, and the second platform models the integrated flowsheet (cross flow filter (CFF) and IX) at 1/9. scale. Both test platforms underwent shakedown and start-up testing in August 2016 and moved into actual testing and NQA-1 data generation shortly thereafter. This paper covers the engineering design, procurement, construction, installation, and acceptance testing of the test platforms (which are now operational) under an aggressive fast track schedule, and initial test data as available. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Disposition of Hanford Tank Waste sludge from tank 241-AY-102 and the 241-Aa/241-AX farm tanks - 15298

WRPS must retrieve the waste from double-shell tank 241-AY-102 and the single-shell tanks in the 241A and -AX Tank Farms, while finishing the ongoing retrieval of tanks in the 241-C Tank Farm. Given the limited availability of double-shell tank space, the challenge is to identify an optimum combination of double-shell tanks that can safely and efficiently serve as receiver tanks for the combined inventory of sludge wastes from these source tanks. A multiple-criteria, weighted-sum decision-making process, in conjunction with sensitivity analysis and a Pareto evaluation, was used to determine the optimum set of receiver tanks. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Progress of the enhanced Hanford single shell tank (SST) integrity project - 15497

To improve understanding of the single-shell tanks (SSTs) integrity, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS), the US DOE Hanford Site tank contractor, developed an enhanced Single-Shell Tank Integrity Project (SSTIP) in 2009. An expert panel on SST integrity, consisting of various subject matter experts in industry and academia, was created to provide recommendations supporting the development of the project. This panel developed 33 recommendations in four main areas of interest: structural integrity, liner degradation, leak integrity and prevention, and mitigation of contamination migration. In late 2010, seventeen of these recommendations were used to develop the basis for the M-45-10-1 Change Package for the Hanford Federal Agreement and Compliance Order, which is also known as the Tri-Party Agreement. The change package identified two phases of work for SST integrity. The initial phase was focused on efforts to envelope the integrity of the tanks. The initial phase was divided into two primary areas of investigation: structural integrity and leak integrity. If necessary, based on the outcome from the initial work, second phase would be focused on further definition of the integrity of the tanks and liners. Combined these two phases are designed to support the formal integrity assessment of the Hanford SSTs in 2018 by an Independent Qualified Registered Engineer. As the initial phase of this work completes in early 2015, this paper summarizes the project formation and status the work of the past few years associated the implementation of the Phase one recommendations. Work in the initial phase to further define the DOE's understanding of the structural integrity SSTs involved preparing a modern Analysis of Record (AOR) using finite element analysis. Structural analyses of the SSTs have been conducted since 1957, but these analyses used analog calculations, less rigorous models, or focused on individual structures. As such, an integrated understanding of all of the SSTs has not been developed to modern expectations. In support of this effort, other activities addressed the visual inspection of tank internal conditions and the collection of concrete core samples from the tanks, including a full height tank sidewall core, for analysis of current mechanics properties. The work on the liner leak integrity has examined leaks from 25 tanks with known liner failures. Individual leak assessments were developed for each tank to identify the leak cause and location and estimate historic leak rates. A common cause/failure analysis study was performed to take data from individual tanks to look for trends in the causes of failure. A separate activity is being conducted to examine the propensity for corrosion in select SSTs with aggressive waste layers. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Hanford double-shell tank extent-of-condition construction review - 15498

During routine visual inspections of Hanford double-shell waste tank 241-AY-102 (AY-102), anomalies were identified on the annulus floor which resulted in further evaluations. Following a formal leak assessment in October 2012, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) determined that the primary tank of AY-102 was leaking. A formal leak assessment, documented in RPP-ASMT-53793, Tank 241-AY-102 Leak Assessment Report, identified first-of-a-kind construction difficulties and trial-and-error repairs as major contributing factors to tank failure. To determine if improvements in double-shell tank (DST) construction occurred after construction of tank AY-102, a detailed review and evaluation of historical construction records was performed for Hanford's remaining twenty-seven DSTs. Review involved research of 241 boxes of historical project documentation to better understand the condition of the Hanford DST farms, noting similarities in construction difficulties/issues to tank AY-102. Information gathered provides valuable insight regarding construction difficulties, future tank operations decisions, and guidance of the current tank inspection program. Should new waste storage tanks be constructed in the future, these reviews also provide valuable lessons-learned.(authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Analysis of erosion/corrosion data for high-level waste pipelines at Hanford - 15519

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has implemented a fitness-for-service program which will evaluate the degraded condition of the tank farm waste transfer system. The Tank Farms Waste Transfer System Fitness-for-Service Requirements and Recommendations, includes a requirement to inspect primary piping, encasements, and jumpers for corrosion/erosion. The 242-A Evaporator pump room was upgraded by adding instrumentation to the feed and return jumpers, prior to running the next campaign. As part of this upgrade, several jumpers were removed for disposal and a total of five jumpers were selected for ultrasonic thickness (UT) inspection. The jumpers selected were the following: 18-4, C-4 and 5, J-13A, 13-K, and 19-5. All of these jumpers will be removed permanently except for jumper 19-5 which will be reinstalled for further service. As part of this study, several jumpers from the AW-02E Feed Pit were also removed for disposal and two were selected for UT inspection. The jumpers selected were the 1-4 and B-2 which were packaged and sent to the 222-S Laboratory for UT assessments. This paper includes details of each jumper as well as the estimated remaining useful life (ERUL), if applicable, for its components based on the wall thinning measured in elbows and straight sections. The jumper's ultrasonic thickness measurements are plotted and trends are assessed based on the volume of fluid transferred or time of service. Variability in thickness is generally evaluated in two approaches, radially around the circumference of the pipe or component and longitudinally along the length. The paper also explains the analysis procedure for evaluating the different components. In particular, issues related to thinning from manufacturing different types of elbows (long radius, five diameter bend radius) are presented. Analysis techniques are developed for elbows that differentiate thinning from erosion/corrosion and manufacturing which is critical for this analysis. Results demonstrate that in most components, the thickness measurements are still greater than the manufactured nominal thickness. For the cases in which the thickness is below the nominal thickness, the ERUL well exceeds the life needed for servicing the Waste Treatment Plant. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Erosion and corrosion analysis of waste transfer components in the POR104 valve box at Hanford - 15715

At the United States Department of Energy Hanford Site in Richland, Washington, waste is being transferred to storage tanks in preparation for treatment at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Regulatory committees have concerns regarding the structural integrity of the waste transfer components being used. Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has employed a Fitness-for-Service program, which is a multi-disciplinary engineering approach that is used to determine if equipment is fit to remain in operation for a specified projected period. An approach to monitor aging equipment is to take thickness measurements of components when feasible, to evaluate if there is any appreciable degradation in the integrity of the components. The thickness measurements can be used to determine if erosion or corrosion is occurring and predict the remaining lifespan of the components. These predictions can also be used to develop design modifications for new piping and pipe jumpers. Analysis of thickness measurements have been conducted on four floor nozzles in the POR104 valve box located in the C-Tank Farm at Hanford. The data for the floor nozzles of the valve box does not show signs of wear, but there are variations in thicknesses which are likely due to manufacturing processes. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Integrated Waste Feed Qualification Program for Direct LAW Feed to WTP - 16421

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is a one-of-a-kind facility being designed and constructed for DOE by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI) and principal subcontractor URS, to process and vitrify radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford Site. The Tank Operations Contractor (TOC), Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), has the responsibility to retrieve, stage, pretreat, and deliver feed directly to the WTP Low Activity Waste (LAW) Vitrification Facility. The Direct Feed LAW (DFLAW) scenario is being considered by DOE as a strategy to treat Hanford tank wastes as soon as practicable. Extensive planning is underway by One System, an effort with joint participation by WTP and TOC personnel. The initial focus of One System is to achieve the required integration to ensure the waste feed meets acceptance requirements for processing in the TOC Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) and WTP LAW facilities. The integrated waste feed qualification program approach for DFLAW was defined by One System during a four-day workshop. The effort resulted in a feasible approach for integrating LAWPS and LAW feed acceptance requirements to vitrify low-activity waste while complying with facility design basis, safety basis, waste acceptance criteria, and glass product compliance. The defined qualification program will provide a systematic approach to test newly staged feed campaigns at bench-scale using actual tank waste samples. The required integration and basis for obtaining sufficient and necessary data to qualify the feed for DFLAW facilities are discussed in this paper. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

One System Overview - 16579

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for managing and completing the River Protection Project mission, which is to 'safeguard the nuclear waste stored in Hanford's 177 underground tanks, and to manage the waste safely and responsibly until it can be treated in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant for final disposition'. The Office of River Protection's work scope is currently performed through two primary contracts: - The Tank Operations Contract, held by Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, (WRPS) includes the construction, operation, and maintenance activities necessary to safely store, retrieve, and transfer tank wastes; provide supplemental tank waste treatment; provide storage and/or disposal of primary and secondary waste streams; design, construction and commissioning of the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System; and support ORP to integrate Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) completion and startup with Tank Farms operations. - The WTP Contract, held by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), includes the design, construction, and commissioning of a Pretreatment Facility, two vitrification facilities (one for high-level waste and one for low-activity waste), a dedicated analytical laboratory, and supporting facilities to treat radioactive tank wastes by immobilizing them into a stable glass waste form. One System was established as a means to improve the integration between the tank farms and the WTP project to support its safe and successful startup. One System's scope and purpose focus on mission integration consistent with DOE's plans to treat tank waste in phases, starting with direct feed of the low-activity waste stream to the WTP's Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Vitrification Facility (referred to as DFLAW). The One System organization now has four major focus areas: - Flowsheet Integration? Integrated River Protection Project (RPP) flowsheet development and management; developing a gaps, risks, and opportunities management plan and technical roadmap; and waste feed qualification. - Mission Analysis and Planning? Strategic planning, system planning, and modeling integration. - WTP Startup, Commissioning, and Operations Integration? Interface Control Document (ICD) management, coordinating facilities startup-to-commissioning-to-operations, contract directives and standards identification, and DFLAW program integration. - Project Integration and Controls? Integrated schedule, metrics/dashboards monitoring, and One System risk register. ORP established the DFLAW Program Office in February 2015 as one of its key performance goals. ORP staff, along with contractor managers, have identified roles and responsibilities for the each of the four major focus areas. One System has established an Executive Council and Governance Board to drive program progress and make decisions on DFLAW. This approach allows appropriate government and contractor senior management involvement in the DFLAW Program. Monthly critical path analysis on the integrated DFLAW schedule is being performed. Interface control documents specific to DFLAW have been developed, and system planning and modeling tools are being used to help define the DFLAW flowsheet. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Direct Feed Low Activity Waste Integrated Permitting - 16642

An overall Hanford permitting strategy for the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) is being developed to support the Direct Feed Low- Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program. The strategy identifies new permits and modifications of existing permits, as well as major regulatory approvals to support the startup and operation of nuclear systems necessary to feed low activity tank waste, pretreat the waste, operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Low Activity Waste (LAW) facility to treat tank waste, and dispose of waste streams. Types of permits include hazardous waste, toxic air, and radiological air licenses. Four different Contractors manage operations at Tank Farms, WTP, Utilities/Infrastructure, and Waste Disposal. Due to this complexity and the number of interfaces required, the need to have a strategic overview of all permits was evident. Approximately 25 permits and 4 major regulatory approvals are identified to implement DFLAW. The strategy will help guide integrated planning, scheduling and sequencing of permits and regulatory approvals to support DOE ORP's overall schedule for construction, commissioning and operation of DFLAW. Development of the strategy included extensive collaboration and coordination of an Integrated Permitting Team with staff and management representation from DOE, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Contractor (CHPRC), Washington River Protection Solutions LLC (WRPS), and Bechtel National Inc. (BNI). Information sessions and briefings have been conducted with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in the development of this overall strategy. Additionally, interface meetings are held with Ecology and DOH on specific projects early in the design phase to validate the permitting approach, identify key issues and information, and discuss requirements and assumptions. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2018

Application of an AREVA Mobile Evaporator Design Used Successfully at NRC Licensed U.S. Commercial Nuclear Sites to Support Hanford Site Operations - 18134

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection (ORP), manages the River Protection Project at the Hanford site in the South Eastern corner of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The mission of the River Protection Project is to retrieve and treat Hanford's tank waste and close the tank farms to protect the Columbia River. The Site Tank Operations Contractor (Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS)) via its site operations teams creates additional space in the Double Shell Tanks (DSTs) using the site's only remaining operational evaporator - 242-A. The current 242-A Evaporator has long been identified as a potential single point of failure that in the event of a major breakdown, could significantly impact retrieval operations at the Hanford Site. Areva has experience both on the Hanford site as an integrated subcontractor to the mission and in the design, procurement and construction of a mobile forced circulation evaporator unit designed to be used on Nuclear Regulatory Commission commercial nuclear utility sites. The mobile unit has been used at the following nuclear power plants: SONGS, Salem, Davis Besse, Waterford and Palo Verde. It was designed to take spent Water-EDTA based chemical cleaning solvent and evaporate water off to reduce the volume of waste required to go through downstream processes. It was further designed to fit inside ISO shipping containers. A multi-step approach will be used to: 1. review lessons learned from the previous DOE study for deploying a mobile evaporator on the Hanford sit, 2. evaluate the proposed waste streams and the required throughput and waste arising, sizing the evaporator appropriately, 3. develop a concept design requirements document for the use of a customized evaporator to meet the Hanford need 4. Design, and build a mobile evaporator and 5. Test, install and commission at a site to be agreed with WRPS/DOE. With an overall budget for the approach described of around $35 m, an operational evaporator could be delivered to site in 18-24 months from the approval of a detailed design package. Potential befits include the elimination of the 242-A evaporator as a single point failure, the creation of additional DST tank space and the elimination of the need to stage waste at the 242-A evaporator by moving the mobile unit to a location where is could be deployed at or close to the tank such as in 200W. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2018

Determining the Efficiency of the Hanford Waste End Effecter through Proof of Concept Testing - 18165

The ability to effectively retrieve aged and hardened waste from leaking underground storage tanks at the Hanford Site is critical to achieving tank closure and Tank Farm mission success. DOE's Tank Operations Contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is currently developing with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) a confined sluicing end effecter known as the Hanford Waste End Effecter (HWEE). The HWEE is a high-pressure rotating multi water-jet (for waste dislocation) with an eductor transfer system that is designed to both mobilize and extract the eroded waste settled on tank bottoms. This technology development is planned to be accomplished in four phases: 1) HWEE proof of concept testing using cold simulants (based on known Hanford tank waste hardness characteristics); 2) HWEE retrieval system development and testing using cold simulant; 3) full scale HWEE system testing using cold simulant; and 4) deployment into an actual Hanford Tank with the intent to successfully retrieve remaining waste in the tank. This paper discusses the viability of the HWEE based on how well it removed the simulated hardpan and the amount of liquid left in the test bed during Phase 1. Water usage and retrieval rate were closely monitored. This paper only discusses Phase 1 testing and results completed in October 2017. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2018

Real-time Erosion-Corrosion Detection in Waste Transfer Pipelines using Guided Wave Ultrasonic Sensors - 18368

A Fitness-for-Service (FFS) program for the Waste Transfer System has been implemented by the United States Department of Energy Hanford Site Tank Farm to examine structural parameters of the waste transfer systems in order to develop erosion/corrosion rates for relevant system components. The FFS information is acquired from opportunistic evaluations of pipelines that have been removed from service. The objective is to deliver more realistic estimates to the remaining useful life of the components and incorporate those estimates into future design/testing plans across the DOE complex. To aid to this objective, previous efforts at Hanford included the installation of sensors on some of the POR 104 components, to provide real time pipe wall thickness measurements. Due to certain limitations, alternative approaches for remote permanently mounted pipe wall ultrasonic thickness measurement systems have been investigated by FIU. Present research work is a supportive effort by FIU-ARC for DOE and WRPS, which investigates the option for remote-permanently mount guided wave ultrasonic transducer (UT) systems for HLW pipe wall thickness measurements. Specific applications include straight sections, elbows and other fittings used in jumper pits, evaporators, and valve boxes. The proposed method will provide information that will assist engineers with understanding the failure potential of HLW transfer components due to corrosion and erosion. This information can assist in determining if and when lines need to be removed, saving time and resources on the unneeded excavation of transfer lines. This information will also assist engineers with designing new transfer systems by establishing more detailed/accurate guidelines governing the life expectancy of the transfer system and its components. In the previous work, FIU has investigated the use of various ultrasonic systems that are either commercially available or used previously at Hanford and selected the most promising systems for further evaluation. The down-selected system is the guided wave UT sensor system from Permasense which is a UK based manufacturer. It is an integrated wireless sensor network system which used a patented technology for the acoustic wave propagation and has proven applications in the oil and gas industries. Scope of the present research includes the initial verification and validation of the Permasense Guided Wave sensor system as a potential erosion/corrosion detection system for carbon steel pipelines under static conditions. In future, the real-time erosion/corrosion detection will be investigated by measuring the thinning of the pipe sections by circulating simulants and continuous monitoring. This is achieved by passing abrasive and caustic solutions through an in-house designed pipe loop system. Results obtained provide realistic wear rates on 2 inch and 3 inch carbon steel pipes with straight sections and elbows using the Permasense UT sensor system. Thus, the present research delivers solutions for sensor evaluations, conducts bench scale testing followed by data acquisition and analysis for corrosion and erosion assessment. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2018

Hanford Under-tank Inspection with Ultrasonic Volumetric Non-destructive Examination Technology - 18470

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Hanford Site Tank Operations Contractor Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) are sponsoring a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technology development program to identify and mature volumetric (non-visual) NDE technology that will enable the examination of Hanford double-shell tank (DST) bottoms. NDE technology for Hanford under-tank examination will be made possible through technology maturation that includes adaptation of NDE sensor technology to overcome access challenges presented by tank risers and refractory pad air-slots, followed by integration with robotic delivery systems, and ultimately qualification and deployment of the inspection systems. The stages of technology maturation and the testing and evaluation required to support the process are organized under three program phases: Phase I - NDE Capability Testing: Identify and down-select NDE technologies based on flaw detection and characterization abilities only; Phase 2 - NDE Delivery System Testing: Mature promising NDE technologies to adapt transducer hardware and robotic delivery system to address access challenges; Phase 3 - Full-scale Demonstration of Integrated NDE System: Demonstrate adapted NDE technologies in a cold test platform to challenge flaw detection and navigation abilities. Phase I of the program, which was initiated and completed in FY2017, focused on completing the following five key activities: 1. Identifying a broad cross section of potentially applicable NDE volumetric inspection technologies for under-tank examination. 2. Down-selecting the broad set of NDE technologies to a set of strong candidates based on initial flaw detection performance and potential to be adapted/matured to overcome primary tank access challenges posed by access risers and/or refractory pad air-slots. 3. Evaluating the flaw detection performance of the candidate sensors through testing. 4. Using the test results to baseline sensor performance against the flaw detection requirements established for high-level waste tanks. 5. Assessing the trade-offs and vulnerabilities of the candidate sensors that would negatively impact sensor performance reliability or complicate tank inspection operations. The completion of the first three key activities satisfied the first two Phase I test objectives, which were to complete Technology Screening and Sensor Effectiveness Testing. Completion of the fourth key activity satisfied the final test objective of Phase I, which was to determine the extent to which the sensors can satisfy high-level waste tank flaw detection requirements. Sensor flaw detection performance testing yielded several suitable sensor technology options, although each has specific risks or challenges that would need to be accepted or overcome. Thus, the fifth key activity was performed to evaluate sensor risks and challenges for consideration with flaw detection performance. The Phase I evaluation outcomes will be used to support the Phase I programmatic objective, which is to identify one or more NDE sensor technologies for adaptation and maturation for the DST environment. Selection of one or more sensors will mark the culmination of Phase I of the NDE Technology Development Program and allow progression to Phase II.

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DOE OSTI2018

Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Transportation System - 18496

The transportation of radioactive immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) containers at the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford site is planned with a new ILAW transporter system. A project will design, procure, and fabricate components to support the safe and efficient transport of the radioactive ILAW containers, generated at the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), Low-Activity Waste (LAW) production facility, to the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) final disposal site. Prototype design was completed in fiscal year (FY) 2017. Fabrication of the transportation trailer/pallet system is occurring in FY2018, with testing to be completed in early FY2019. Any design modification will be incorporated into the design, and procurement of additional systems will then occur, to support WTP LAW hot commissioning, as soon as 2022. This project is implemented by the DOE tank farm contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC (WRPS), with primary prototype design and fabrication being performed by SNC-Lavalin (Atkins). (authors)

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