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At least 37 records · Page 2

Scalable Reasoning System (SRS)

SRS is a web-based and mobile toolkit for information visualization and collaboration. It includes server-side components in the form of web services that provide analytical functions such as data clustering and temporal analysis. The SRS client is accessed via a web browser and uses asynchronous javascript and XML (AJAX) to interact with and visualize the results of these web services. Users of SRS can query data sources that are connected to the SRS backend, and query results are presented in the form of coordinated visual displays in a web browser that depict temporal, topical, and spatial relationships in the results. SRS also includes an early stage graphical reasoning diagram interface that helps analysts express and test hypotheses. This software was developed with funding from the Science and Technology Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Pike, William↗

SRS Computer Animation and Drive Train System

The spinning rocket simulator (SRS) is an ongoing project at Oral Roberts University. The goal of the SRS is to gather crucial data concerning a spinning rocket under thrust for the purpose of analysis and correction of the coning motion experienced by this type of spacecraft maneuver. The computer animation simulates a virtual, scale model of the component of the SRS that represents the spacecraft itself. This component is known as the (VSM), or virtual spacecraft model. During actual physical simulation, this component of the SRS will experience a coning. The goal of the animation is to cone the VSM within that range to accurately represent the motion of the actual simulator. The drive system of the SRS is the apparatus that turns the actual simulator. It consists of a drive motor, motor mount and chain to power the simulator into motion. The motor mount is adjustable and rigid for high torque application. A digital stepper motor controller actuates the main drive motor for linear acceleration. The chain transfers power from the motor to the simulator via sprockets on both ends.

Arthun, Daniel↗

Achieving groundwater monitoring optimization at SRS: a core team process based on rigorous technical assessment - 15273

The optimization of groundwater monitoring at Savannah River Site (SRS) was achieved through a core team process based on the application of a comprehensive, technical evaluation of individual regulated groundwater units. Groundwater monitoring at SRS is required at dozens of waste sites and includes about 4,000 samples annually. The expected longevity of groundwater contamination and associated groundwater monitoring and reporting constitutes a significant long-term cost to the environmental management budget. The core team, consisting of representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA); and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), recognized that monitoring needs for individual plumes evolve as remediation work progresses. The technical evaluation plan was generally based on the availability of many years of monitoring data. In addition, it was recognized that the well network, sampling frequency, and analytical suite had been the same for years and warranted evaluation to determine if the existing monitoring was meeting the current objectives. In order to systematically evaluate monitoring at eighteen different groundwater units, SRS developed a decision-logic analysis using flow sheets to address five areas of optimization identified with core team agreement, including: (1) current monitoring vs regulatory requirements, (2) spatial optimization, (3) temporal assessment, (4) analyte assessment, and (5) reporting assessment. The evaluation resulted in SRS proposing changes in the spatial, temporal, analyte, and reporting aspects of groundwater monitoring for fifteen of the eighteen individual groundwater units evaluated. Overall, these changes have resulted in annual savings of $370 K to date, with an additional $200 K in annual savings pending. Early and frequent core team deliberations helped ensure the success of this optimization effort. The technical evaluation was conducted after receiving core team buy-in for the goals and methods of the project. Technical evaluations for each unit were proposed to the regulators in unit-specific regulatory submittals. The technical justifications and core team decisions were all documented and implemented in accordance within the framework of the SRS Federal Facility Agreement or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit process. This optimization approach can be expected to be highly successful for sites with rich historical data sets and where the requirements in regulatory monitoring plans can be negotiated. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Bioremediation of copper in sediments from a constructed wetland ex situ with the novel bacterium Cupriavidus basilensis SRS

The H-02 constructed wetland was designed to remove metals (primarily copper and zinc) to treat building process water and storm water runoff from multiple sources associated with the Tritium Facility at the DOE-Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC. The concentration of Cu and Zn in the sediments has increased over the lifetime of the wetland and is a concern. A bioremediation option was investigated at the laboratory scale utilizing a newly isolated bacterium of the copper metabolizing genus Cupriavidus isolated from Tim’s Branch Creek, a second-order stream that eventually serves as a tributary to the Savannah River, contaminated with uranium and other metals including copper, nickel, and mercury. Cupriavidus basilensis SRS is a rod-shaped, gram-negative bacterium which has been shown to have predatory tendencies. The isolate displayed resistance to the antibiotics ofloxacin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, select fungi, as well as Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ . Subsequent ribosomal sequencing demonstrated a 100% confidence for placement in the genus Cupriavidus and a 99.014% match to the C. basilensis type strain. When H-02 wetland samples were inoculated with Cupriavidus basilensis SRS samples showed significant (p < 0.05) decrease in Cu 2+ concentrations and variability in Zn 2+ concentrations. Over the 72-h incubation there were no significant changes in the inoculate densities (10 6 –10 8 cells/ML) indicating Cupriavidus basilensis SRS resiliency in this environment. This research expands our understanding of the Cupriavidus genus and demonstrates the potential for Cupriavidus basilensis SRS to bioremediate sites impacted with heavy metals, most notably copper.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

SU-E-T-300: Spatial Variations of Multiple Off-Axial Targets for a Single Isocenter SRS Treatment Plan in ExacTrac 6D Robotic Couch System

Purpose: To evaluate the spatial variations of multiple off-axial targets for a single isocenter stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment plan in ExacTrac 6D robotic couch system (BrainLab AG). Methods: Five metallic ball bearing (BB) markers were placed sparsely in 3D off-axial locations (non-coplanar) inside a skull phantom as the representatives of multiple targets mimicking multiple brain metastases. The locations of the BB markers were carefully chosen to minimize overlapping of each other in a port imaging detector plane. The skull phantom was immobilized by a frameless mask and CT scanned with a BrainLab Head and Neck Localizer using a GE Optima MDCT scanner. The CT images were exported to iPlan software (BrainLab AG) and a multiple target PTV was drawn by combining all the contours of the BBs. The margin of the MLC opening was selected as 3 mm expansion outward. Two coplanar arc beams were placed to generate a single isocenter SRS plan to treat the PTV. The arc beams were delivered using Novalis Tx system with portal imaging acquisition mode per 10% temporal resolution. The locations of the BBs were visualized and analyzed with respect to the MLC aperture in the treatment plan similar to the Winston-Lutz test. Results: All the BBs were clearly identified inside the MLC openings. The positional errors for the BBs were overall less than 1 mm along the rotational path of the two arcs. Conclusion: This study verified that the spatial deviations of multiple off-axial targets for a single isocenter SRS treatment plan is within sub-millimeter range in ExacTrac 6D robotic couch system. Accompanied with the Winston-Lutz test, this test will quality-assure the spatial accuracies of the isocenter as well as the positions of multiple off-axial targets for the SRS treatment using a single isocenter multiple target treatment plan.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TU-F-BRE-01: A High Resolution Micro Fiber Scintillator Detector Optimized for SRS and SBRT in Vivo Real Time Treatment Verification

Purpose: We have built a high resolution real time scintillating fiber detector prototype to determine in real time the accuracy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) treatments when only a fraction of the planned dose was delivered. The motivation of this work is to enhance dose delivery accuracy and to achieve error free radiosurgery. Methods: A high density array of scintillating fibers and a high speed photo detectors array were integrated to implement a high resolution real time dosimeter that can sample with high resolution pulsed SRS and SBRT beams cross sections. The high efficiency of the developed system allows to read each linac pulse in real time and to compute the accumulated dose and dose errors when only a fraction of the beam was delivered. The fibers are highly packed in a substrate that is directly coupled to two 128 pixel arrays with a pitch matching the fiber spacing to achieve accurate spatial localization. The small cross section of the fiber array allows stacking multiple fiber arrays to measure independent angular profiles that are digitally processed in parallel for real time dosimetry. Results: We implemented a high density array detector prototype with a pitch of 0.5 mm, readout speed of 1.2 msec, and a response time of 0.5 usec. The fast reading speed has the capability to determining the dose in flattening free filter beams. The detector can be installed in transmission mode at the output port of a micro-MLC. Treatment deviations smaller than 3% are detected when less than 1/100 of the planned dose was delivered. Conclusions: We built a prototype of a high resolution fiber scintillator array detector for SRS and SBRT in vivo dosimetry. Results show that the developed detector has the potential to assure error free SRS and SBRT treatments.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-F-T-559: High-Resolution Scintillating Fiber Array for In-Vivo Real-Time SRS and SBRT Patient QA

Purpose: A high-resolution scintillating fiber detector was built for in-vivo real-time patient specific quality assurance (QA). The detector is designed for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to monitor treatment delivery and detect real-time deviations from planned dose to increase patient safety and treatment accuracy. Methods: The detector consists of two high-density scintillating fiber arrays layered to form an X-Y grid which can be attached to the accessory tray of a medical linac for SBRT and cone SRS treatment QA. Fiber arrays consist of 128 scintillating fibers embedded within a precision-machined, high-transmission polymer substrate with 0.8mm pitch. The fibers are coupled on both ends to high-sensitivity photodetectors and the output is recorded through a high-speed analog-to-digital converter to capture the linac pulse sequence as treatment delivery progresses. The detector has a software controlled 360 degree rotational system to capture angular beam projections for high-resolution beam profile reconstruction. Results: The detector was validated using SRS cone sizes from 6mm to 34mm and MLC defined field sizes from 5×5mm2 to 100×100mm2. The detector output response is linear with dose and is dose rate independent. Each field can be reconstructed accurately with a spatial resolution of 0.8mm and the current beam output is displayed every 50msec. Dosimetric errors of 1% with respect to the treatment plan can be identified and clinically significant deviations from the expected treatment can be displayed in real-time to alert the therapists. Conclusion: The high resolution detector is capable of reconstructing beam profiles in real-time with submillimeter resolution and 1% dose resolution. This system has the ability to project in-vivo both spatial and dosimetric errors during SBRT and SRS treatments when only a non-clinically significant fraction of the intended dose was delivered. The device has the potential to establish new standards for in-vivo patient specific QA.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-F-T-576: Characterization of Two Dimensional Liquid Filled Detector Array(SRS 1000) in High Precision Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery System

Purpose: The aim of the study is to characterize a two dimensional liquid filled detector array SRS 1000 for routine QA in Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery system. Methods: SRS 1000 consists of 977 liquid filled ionization chambers and is designed to be used in small field SRS/SBRT techniques. The detector array has got two different spacial resolutions. Till field size of 5.5×5.5 cm the spacial resolution is 2.5mm (center to center) and after that till field size of 11 × 11 cm the spacial resolution is 5mm. The size of the detector is 2.3 × 2.3 0.5 mm with a volume of .003 cc. The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is a frameless stereotactic radiosurgery system in which a LINAC is mounted on a robotic manipulator to deliver beams with a high sub millimeter accuracy. The SRS 1000’s MU linearity, stability, reproducibility in Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery system was measured and investigated. The output factors for fixed and IRIS collimators for all available collimators (5mm till 60 mm) was measured and compared with the measurement done with PTW pin-point ionization chamber. Results: The MU linearity was measured from 2 MU till 1000 MU for doserates in the range of 700cGy/min – 780 cGy/min and compared with the measurement done with pin point chamber The MU linearity was with in 3%. The detector arrays stability and reproducibility was excellent and was withinin 0.5% The measured output factors showed an agreement of better than 2% when compared with the measurements with pinpoint chamber for both fixed and IRIS collimators with all available field sizes. Conclusion: We have characterised PTW 1000 SRS as a precise and accurate measurement tool for routine QA of Cyberknife Robotic radiosurgery system.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-F-T-584: Investigating Correction Methods for Ion Recombination Effects in OCTAVIUS 1000 SRS Measurements

Purpose: PTW’s Octavius 1000 SRS array performs IMRT QA measurements with liquid filled ionization chambers (LICs). Collection efficiencies of LICs have been shown to change during IMRT delivery as a function of LINAC pulse frequency and pulse dose, which affects QA results. In this study, two methods were developed to correct changes in collection efficiencies during IMRT QA measurements, and the effects of these corrections on QA pass rates were compared. Methods: For the first correction, Matlab software was developed that calculates pulse frequency and pulse dose for each detector, using measurement and DICOM RT Plan files. Pulse information is converted to collection efficiency and measurements are corrected by multiplying detector dose by ratios of calibration to measured collection efficiencies. For the second correction, MU/min in daily 1000 SRS calibration was chosen to match average MU/min of the VMAT plan. Usefulness of derived corrections were evaluated using 6MV and 10FFF SBRT RapidArc plans delivered to the OCTAVIUS 4D system using a TrueBeam equipped with an HD- MLC. Effects of the two corrections on QA results were examined by performing 3D gamma analysis comparing predicted to measured dose, with and without corrections. Results: After complex Matlab corrections, average 3D gamma pass rates improved by [0.07%,0.40%,1.17%] for 6MV and [0.29%,1.40%,4.57%] for 10FFF using [3%/3mm,2%/2mm,1%/1mm] criteria. Maximum changes in gamma pass rates were [0.43%,1.63%,3.05%] for 6MV and [1.00%,4.80%,11.2%] for 10FFF using [3%/3mm,2%/2mm,1%/1mm] criteria. On average, pass rates of simple daily calibration corrections were within 1% of complex Matlab corrections. Conclusion: Ion recombination effects can potentially be clinically significant for OCTAVIUS 1000 SRS measurements, especially for higher pulse dose unflattened beams when using tighter gamma tolerances. Matching daily 1000 SRS calibration MU/min to average planned MU/min is a simple correction that greatly reduces ion recombination effects, improving measurements accuracy and gamma pass rates. This work was supported by PTW.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Maxdose-SR and popdose-SR routine release atmospheric dose models used at SRS

MAXDOSE-SR and POPDOSE-SR are used to calculate dose to the offsite Reference Person and to the surrounding Savannah River Site (SRS) population respectively following routine releases of atmospheric radioactivity. These models are currently accessed through the Dose Model Version 2014 graphical user interface (GUI). MAXDOSE-SR and POPDOSE-SR are personal computer (PC) versions of MAXIGASP and POPGASP, which both resided on the SRS IBM Mainframe. These two codes follow U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) Regulatory Guides 1.109 and 1.111 (1977a, 1977b). The basis for MAXDOSE-SR and POPDOSE-SR are USNRC developed codes XOQDOQ (Sagendorf et. al 1982) and GASPAR (Eckerman et. al 1980). Both of these codes have previously been verified for use at SRS (Simpkins 1999 and 2000). The revisions incorporated into MAXDOSE-SR and POPDOSE-SR Version 2014 (hereafter referred to as MAXDOSE-SR and POPDOSE-SR unless otherwise noted) were made per Computer Program Modification Tracker (CPMT) number Q-CMT-A-00016 (Appendix D). Version 2014 was verified for use at SRS in Dixon (2014).

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Review of Mercury in the SRS Tank Waste Storage and Treatment Processes for Applicability to Hanford Waste Processing

The Savannah River Site (SRS) and Hanford produced large quantities of plutonium and other radioisotopes. The separations processes recovered plutonium and produced large quantities of High- Level Waste (HLW) that accumulated at each site in large, underground storage tanks. SRS has been retrieving the stored HLW, pretreating the waste for immobilization, and immobilizing the waste in glass or grout waste forms since the mid-1990s. Treatment of the waste at Hanford is expected to start in the early 2020s. Mercury is present in both the SRS and Hanford tank waste. SRS has recently completed an evaluation of mercury speciation throughout the tank waste treatment and immobilization flowsheet. This study was reviewed to determine what information from the study can be applied to the Hanford tank waste treatment program.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Commercial Submersible Mixing Pump For SRS Tank Waste Removal - 15223

The Savannah River Site Tank Farms have 45 active underground waste tanks used to store and process nuclear waste materials. There are 4 different tank types, ranging in capacity from 2839 m 3 to 4921 m 3 (750,000 to 1,300,000 gallons). Eighteen of the tanks are older style and do not meet all current federal standards for secondary containment. The older style tanks are the initial focus of waste removal efforts for tank closure and are referred to as closure tanks. Of the original 51 underground waste tanks, six of the original 24 older style tanks have completed waste removal and are filled with grout. The insoluble waste fraction that resides within most waste tanks at SRS requires vigorous agitation to suspend the solids within the waste liquid in order to transfer this material for eventual processing into glass filled canisters at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). SRS suspends the solid waste by use of recirculating mixing pumps. Older style tanks generally have limited riser openings which will not support larger mixing pumps, since the riser access is typically 58.4 cm (23 inches) in diameter. Agitation for these tanks has been provided by four long shafted standard slurry pumps (SLP) powered by an above tank 112KW (150 HP) electric motor. The pump shaft is lubricated and cooled in a pressurized water column that is sealed from the surrounding waste in the tank. Closure of four waste tanks has been accomplished utilizing long shafted pump technology combined with heel removal using multiple technologies. Newer style waste tanks at SRS have larger riser openings, allowing the processing of waste solids to be accomplished with four large diameter SLPs equipped with 224KW (300 HP) motors. These tanks are used to process the waste from closure tanks for DWPF. In addition to the SLPs, a 224KW (300 HP) submersible mixer pump (SMP) has also been developed and deployed within older style tanks. The SMPs are product cooled and product lubricated canned motor pumps designed to fit within available risers and have significant agitation capabilities to suspend waste solids. Waste removal and closure of two tanks has been accomplished with agitation provided by 3 SMPs installed within the tanks. In 2012, a team was assembled to investigate alternative solids removal technologies to support waste removal for closing tanks. The goal of the team was to find a more cost effective approach that could be used to replace the current mixing pump technology. This team was unable to identify an alternative technology outside of mixing pumps to support waste agitation and removal from SRS waste tanks. However, the team did identify a potentially lower cost mixing pump compared to the baseline SLPs and SMPs. Rather than using the traditional procurement using an engineering specification, the team proposed to seek commercially available submersible mixer pumps (CSMP) as alternatives to SLPs and SMPs. SLPs and SMPs have a high procurement cost and the actual cost of moving pumps between tanks has shown to be significantly higher than the original estimates that justified the reuse of SMPs and SLPs. The team recommended procurement of “off-the-shelf” industry pumps which may be available for significant savings, but at an increased risk of failure and reduced operating life in the waste tank. The goal of the CSMP program is to obtain mixing pumps that could mix from bulk waste removal through tank closure and then be abandoned in place as part of tank closure. This paper will present the development, progress and relative advantages of the CSMP.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Preliminary Design of Mu2E Spill Regulation System (SRS)

Direct μ→e conversion requires resonant extraction of a stream of pulsed beam, comprised of short micro-bunches (pulses) from the Delivery ring (DR) to the Mu2e target. Experimental needs and radiation protection apply strict re-quirements on the beam quality control and regulation of the spill. The objective of the Spill Regulation System (SRS) is to maintain the intensity uniformity of a stream of ~25k pulses as 1e12 protons are extracted at 590.08 kHz over a 43 ms spill period. To meet the specified perfor-mance, two regulation elements will be driven simultane-ously: a family of three zero-harmonic quadrupoles (tune ramp quads) and a RF Knock-Out (RFKO) system. The SRS will use two separate control loops to control each regulation element simultaneously. It will be critical to co-ordinate the SRS processes within the machine cycle and within each spill interval. The SRS has been designed to have a total Gain-Bandwidth product of 10 kHz, which can be used to mitigate several sources of ripple in the spill pro-file.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

SRS Defense Waste Processing Facility - the Nation's Only Operating Vitrification Facility - Completes 20 Years of Radioactive Operations - 17407

Savannah River Remediation (SRR) is the current Liquid Waste contractor at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS), located near Aiken, South Carolina, and operates the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF), along with the other SRS liquid waste facilities. The DWPF, the nation's only operating vitrification facility, completed 20 years of radioactive operations in 2016. During this period, DWPF has safely treated the high-level liquid waste at this DOE facility since radioactive operations began with the first transfer of sludge waste feed to DWPF on March 12, 1996. A little over a month later, on April 29, 1996, the first radioactive canister was poured. DWPF poured its 4,000. canister of vitrified waste on December 31, 2015. As of September 30, 2016, DWPF has removed approximately 59.9 million curies from the liquid waste system at SRS and placed them in 4,106 canisters. SRS has operationally closed 8 high-level waste tanks. The DWPF melter has poured nearly 7.14 million kg of molten glass, and the facility has used only two melters in its lifetime. Melter 1 poured 1,339 canisters (1996-2002), while melter 2 to date (September 30, 2016) has poured 2,767 canisters (2003-present). Melter 2 continues to safely and efficiently operate. In order to achieve these accomplishments, the facility has chronicled a history of continued operational improvements such as the installation of bubblers in the melter to increase production, incorporation of glass compositions to achieve higher waste loadings, and improvements to melter design to extend melter life. As SRR moves forward to the next 20 years, continued improvements as well as maintaining the aging infrastructure through a proactive system health program are key priorities. This paper chronicles 20 years of challenges, improvements and accomplishments, and discusses future operations and infrastructure upgrades including implementation of a key flowsheet change to significantly reduce hydrogen generation in the Chemical Process Cell. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Commercial submersible mixing pump for SRS tank waste removal - 15223

The Savannah River Site Tank Farms have 45 active underground waste tanks used to store and process nuclear waste materials. There are 4 different tank types, ranging in capacity from 2839 m{sup 3} to 4921m{sup 3} (750,000 to 1,300,000 gallons). Eighteen of the tanks are older style and do not meet all current federal standards for secondary containment. The older style tanks are the initial focus of waste removal efforts for tank closure and are referred to as closure tanks. Of the original 51 underground waste tanks, six of the original 24 older style tanks have completed waste removal and are filled with grout. The insoluble waste fraction that resides within most waste tanks at SRS requires vigorous agitation to suspend the solids within the waste liquid in order to transfer this material for eventual processing into glass filled canisters at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). SRS suspends the solid waste by use of recirculating mixing pumps. Older style tanks generally have limited riser openings which will not support larger mixing pumps, since the riser access is typically 58.4 cm (23 inches) in diameter. Agitation for these tanks has been provided by four long shafted standard slurry pumps (SLP) powered by an above tank 112 kW (150 HP) electric motor. The pump shaft is lubricated and cooled in a pressurized water column that is sealed from the surrounding waste in the tank. Closure of four waste tanks has been accomplished utilizing long shafted pump technology combined with heel removal using multiple technologies. Newer style waste tanks at SRS have larger riser openings, allowing the processing of waste solids to be accomplished with four large diameter SLPs equipped with 224 kW (300 HP) motors. These tanks are used to process the waste from closure tanks for DWPF. In addition to the SLPs, a 224 kW (300 HP) submersible mixer pump (SMP) has also been developed and deployed within older style tanks. The SMPs are product cooled and product lubricated canned motor pumps designed to fit within available risers and have significant agitation capabilities to suspend waste solids. Waste removal and closure of two tanks has been accomplished with agitation provided by 3 SMPs installed within the tanks. In 2012, a team was assembled to investigate alternative solids removal technologies to support waste removal for closing tanks. The goal of the team was to find a more cost effective approach that could be used to replace the current mixing pump technology. This team was unable to identify an alternative technology outside of mixing pumps to support waste agitation and removal from SRS waste tanks. However, the team did identify a potentially lower cost mixing pump compared to the baseline SLPs and SMPs. Rather than using the traditional procurement using an engineering specification, the team proposed to seek commercially available submersible mixer pumps (CSMP) as alternatives to SLPs and SMPs. SLPs and SMPs have a high procurement cost and the actual cost of moving pumps between tanks has shown to be significantly higher than the original estimates that justified the reuse of SMPs and SLPs. The team recommended procurement of 'off-the-shelf' industry pumps which may be available for significant savings, but at an increased risk of failure and reduced operating life in the waste tank. The goal of the CSMP program is to obtain mixing pumps that could mix from bulk waste removal through tank closure and then be abandoned in place as part of tank closure. This paper will present the development, progress and relative advantages of the CSMP. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Decommissioning of a facility in a historical reactor at SRS: achieving both historical significance preservation and effective in-situ decommissioning - 15275

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is an 802 square-kilometer United States Department of Energy (US DOE) nuclear facility located along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina, where Management and Operations are performed by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC (SRNS). In 2004, US DOE recognized SRS as a structure within the Cold War Historic District of national, state and local significance because it is composed of the first generation of facilities constructed and operated from 1950 through 1989 to produce plutonium and tritium for our nation's defense. US DOE agreed to manage the SRS 105-C Reactor Facility as a potentially historic property due to its significance in supporting the U.S. Cold War Mission and for potential for future interpretation. The Disassembly Basin (DB) in C Reactor was evaluated for action under CERCLA. Data indicated there were over 830 curies of radioactivity associated with the basin sediments and approximately 9.1 million (M) liters (L) of contaminated water, not including a large quantity of activated reactor equipment, scrap metal, and debris on the basin floor. The release of DB water could potentially migrate to the aquifer and contaminate groundwater. The need for an action was identified to reduce risks to personnel in the facility and to eliminate the possible release of contaminants into the environment. In-situ decommissioning was selected as the remedy. The remedial action proceeded in stages: -Above-grade modifications to the interior of DB building -Relocation of irradiated scrap and reactor components to the deepest segments of the DB - Construction of a metal building to house evaporators - Forced evaporation of the DB's radiologically contaminated water - Grouting with special hybrid grouts - Removal of the evaporators and temporary building. Since the building itself was not demolished and will remain unchanged in appearance with the exception of filling the DB with grout, this ISD removal action/methodology did not adversely impact the historical significance of the 105-C Reactor Building, in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, nor did it adversely affect the ability to determine the full extent and details of preservation at some later date. Both special hybrid grout materials met all requirements. Overall average 7-day compressive strength for the dry area mix was 1.54 MPa (223 psi) and for the underwater mix 2.94 MPa (427 psi).Overall 28-day compressive strength for the dry area mix was 2.88 MPa (417 psi) and for the underwater mix 4.99 MPa (724 psi). A limited amount of testing was also performed at 91 days, where the overall compressive strength for the dry area mix was found to be 9.40 MPa (1363 psi) and for the underwater mix 13.98 MPa (2028 psi). All compressive strength values far exceeded the 0.34 MPa (50 psi) minimum requirements. The special, flowable-fill grouts designed and used for P- and R-Reactor ISD and used again for this 105-C ISD removal action resulted in considerable labor, cost, and schedule savings versus conventional materials. As an added bonus/benefit, the CO{sub 2} footprint of the SRS C-Reactor DB ISD was minimized by using a small amount of cement and byproduct material to produce the structural fill materials. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Synergetic Interactions between Uranium, Humic Acid, Silica Colloids and SRS Sediments at Variable pH - 16524

The Savannah River Site (SRS) was constructed during the 1950's and became one of the major producers of plutonium for the United States during the Cold War. During its production life, the F/H Area Seepage Basins received approximately 1.8 billion gallons of acidic waste containing radionuclides and dissolved heavy metals. This led to the creation of a highly contaminated groundwater plume with uranium (VI) as a key contaminant of concern within the plume. Now, as a designated hazardous waste management facility, the main activities taking place at the site are nuclear storage and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater from radionuclides. Humic substances (HS) are major components of soil organic matter having the ability to influence migration behavior and fate of heavy metals and are being investigated for potential use in environmental remediation at SRS. Essentially, HS are polyfunctional organic macromolecules formed by the chemo-microbiological decomposition of biomass or dead organic matter. HS are able to interact with both metal ions and organic compounds based on solubility. Humic acid (HA) represents the fraction of HS soluble at pH greater than 3.5. HA carries a large number of functional groups, provides an important function in ion exchange and is a metal complexing ligand with a high complexation capacity. Silica is the term applied to solid forms with the stoichiometric composition of SiO{sub 2}. The colloidal silica used in this work is amorphous and non-porous in suspension; silica's net surface charge for pH values higher than 3 is negative, due to the isoelectric point being 1.5 - 2.5. Humic acid has been previously used in remediation techniques and silica is found naturally in the soil. This investigation studied the synergistic interactions between four key components: U(VI), humic acid (HA), colloidal silica and SRS sediment under varying pH conditions ranging from 3 to 8. Multi-component batch systems were constructed to effectively analyze the removal of U(VI). The batches were pH adjusted, left to equilibrate for a minimum of 48 hours on a shaker, and then centrifuged. A set of samples, filtered to remove any colloids in suspension, and a set of unfiltered samples were analyzed. For the samples at acidic pH, the uranyl cation is the dominant species; with increasing pH, the mononuclear and polynuclear hydrolyzed uranyl ions become dominant based on speciation modeling. In filtered samples, uranium removal is highest at low pH with the negatively charged moieties of HA readily binding to the uranyl cation. Percent removal of U(VI) steadily decreased with an increase in pH and then remained comparable at a neutral/alkaline pH with the change in uranyl speciation. The percentage of colloidal silica removal was observed to be approximately 80% for both sediment- and non-sediment-bearing samples. As the pH increased, the silica removal in the non-sediment set showed a slight decrease and was in the range of 70% - 75%. Uranium removal in the unfiltered samples showed similar trends as compared to the filtered samples; however, the removal of uranium in the unfiltered samples was slightly lower compared to the filtered samples. Colloidal silica removal in non-sediment-bearing batches showed a decline with increasing pH, from 90% to 50%; conversely, the silica removal remained constant for the sediment-bearing batches at approximately 60%. Colloidal silica does not seem to have a significant effect on the removal of U(VI) before filtration due to U(VI) bound to colloidal silica remaining in suspension. The presence of humic acid, silica colloids, and SRS sediment was shown to synergistically effect the removal of U(VI). (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

A simple method of measuring the effective SRS coefficient in single-mode optical fibres and its applicability limits

This paper describes techniques for measuring the SRS coefficient in a wide spectral range, including the region of small Stokes shifts. A simple, approximate method is proposed for evaluating the SRS coefficient near a gain peak. Spectral dependences of the SRS coefficient are presented for various telecom fibres. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗