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DOE OSTI2021

Results for the Second Quarter Calendar Year 2021 Tank 50 Salt Solution Sample

In this Technical Report, the chemical and radionuclide contaminant results from the Second Quarter Calendar Year 2021 (CY21) sample of Tank 50 salt solution are presented in tabulated form. The information from this characterization will be used by Savannah River Remediation (SRR) for the transfer of aqueous waste from Tank 50 to the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF), where the waste will be treated and disposed in the Saltstone Disposal Facility. This Technical Report compares results, where applicable, to SPF Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Limits and Targets that were established at the time the Tank 50 sample was obtained. The chemical and radionuclide contaminant results from the characterization of the Second Quarter CY21 sampling of Tank 50 were requested by SRR personnel via a Task Technical Request (TTR) and details of the testing are presented in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP). This Technical Report is part of Deliverable 2 relating to Task 1 from the SRR request. Data pertaining to the regulatory limits for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals per Task 2 from the SRR request, will be obtained semi-annually for the 1QCY21 and 3QCY21 Tank 50 samples.

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DOE OSTI2022

Results for the January 2022 Semiannual Tank 50 Salt Solution Sample

In this Technical Report, the chemical and radionuclide contaminant results from the January 2022 Semiannual sample of Tank 50 salt solution are presented in tabulated form. The information from this characterization will be used by Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) for the transfer of aqueous waste from Tank 50 to the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF), where the waste will be treated and disposed in the Saltstone Disposal Facility. This Technical Report compares results, where applicable, to SPF Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) LIMITS and TARGETS that were established at the time the Tank 50 sample was obtained. The chemical and radionuclide contaminant results from the characterization of the January 2022 semiannual sampling of Tank 50 were requested by SRMC personnel via a Task Technical Request (TTR) and details of the testing are presented in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP). This Technical Report is part of Deliverable 2 relating to Task 1 from the SRMC request. Data pertaining to the regulatory limits for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals per Task 2 from the RMC request, will be obtained semiannually for the January 2022 and July 2022 Tank 50 samples.

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DOE OSTI2022

Results for the July 2022 Semiannual Tank 50 Salt Solution Sample

In this Technical Report, the chemical and radionuclide contaminant results from the July 2022 Semiannual sample of Tank 50 salt solution are presented in tabulated form. The information from this characterization will be used by Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) for the transfer of aqueous waste from Tank 50 to the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF), where the waste will be treated and disposed in the Saltstone Disposal Facility. This Technical Report compares results, where applicable, to SPF Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) LIMITS and TARGETS that were established at the time the Tank 50 sample was obtained. The chemical and radionuclide contaminant results from the characterization of the July 2022 semiannual sampling of Tank 50 were requested by SRMC personnel via a Task Technical Request (TTR) and details of the testing are presented in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP). This Technical Report is part of Deliverable 2 relating to Task 1 from the SRMC request. Data pertaining to the regulatory limits for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals per Task 2 from the SRMC request, will be obtained semiannually for the January 2022 and July 2022 Tank 50 samples.

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DOE OSTI2024

Design and Materials of Reference Electrodes for Radioactive Waste Tank Service – A Literature Review

The Hanford site stores approximately 55 million gallons of radioactive and chemically hazardous wastes from the production of weapons materials. The wastes are stored in 177 underground, carbon steel storage tanks, 149 of these are single shell tanks (SSTs) and 28 of these are double shell tanks (DSTs). The DSTs provide critical retrieval and interim storage before the waste is vitrified in the Waste Treatment and Isolation Plant (WTP). The DSTs have been in service for 38 to 56 years and current plans indicate that WTP operations will be completed in 2075. Thus, the tanks will need to remain in service far beyond the initial 40-year life expectancy. For life extension of the tanks, effective corrosion control practices must remain in force. This effort includes direct measurements of the extent of corrosion (e.g., ultrasonic measurements and corrosion coupons) and electrochemical processes (e.g., linear polarization measurements).

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DOE OSTI2025

Tank 48H Phase 1 Initial Testing Using Sodium Permanganate to Decompose Tetraphenylborate: Simulant Studies with Shaker Oven and 2-L Vessel

Tank 48H currently holds legacy material including organic tetraphenylborate (TPB) compounds from the operation of the In-Tank Precipitation process. The large quantity of TPB is not compatible with the waste treatment facilities at SRS and must be removed or undergo treatment to oxidize the organic compounds before the tank can be returned to routine Tank Farm service. Tank 48H currently holds approximately 270,000 gallons of legacy material comprised of decontaminated salt solution, approximately 20,000 kilograms of TPB solids, 3,400 kilograms of sludge solids, and 1,800 kilograms of monosodium titanate (MST).

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NASA NTRS2014

Sinda/Fluint Stratfied Tank Modeling

A general purpose SINDA/FLUINT (S/F) stratified tank model was created and used to simulate the Ksite1 LH2 liquid self-pressurization tests as well as axial jet mixing within the liquid region of the tank. The S/F model employed the use of stratified layers, i.e. S/F lumps, in the vapor ullage as well as in the liquid region. The model was constructed to analyze a general purpose stratified tank that could incorporate the following features: Multiple or singular lumps in the liquid and vapor regions of the tank, Real gases (also mixtures) and compressible liquids, Venting, pressurizing, and draining, Condensation and evaporation/boiling, Wall heat transfer, Elliptical, cylindrical, and spherical tank geometries. Extensive user logic was used to allow for tailoring of the above features to specific cases. Most of the code input for a specific case could be done through the Registers Data Block.

Sinda/Fluint↗

NASA NTRS2015

Preliminary Simulations of the Ullage Dynamics in Microgravity during the Jet Mixing Portion of Tank Pressure Control Experiments

The results of CFD simulations of microgravity tank pressure control experiments performed on the Space Shuttle are presented. A 13.7 liter acrylic model tank was used in these experiments. The tank was filled to an 83 percent fill fraction with Freon refrigerant to simulate cryogenic propellants stored in space. In the experiments, a single liquid jet near the bottom of the tank was used for mixing the tank. Simulations at a range of jet Weber numbers were performed. Qualitative comparisons of the liquid and gas interface dynamics observed and recorded in the experiments and those computed are shown and discussed. The simulations were able to correctly capture jet penetration of the ullage, qualitatively reproduce ullage shapes and dynamics, as well as the final equilibrium position of the ullage.

jet mixing↗

NASA NTRS2015

Preliminary Simulations of the Ullage Dynamics in Microgravity During the Jet Mixing Portion of Tank Pressure Control Experiments

simulation↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Validation and Development of a Fast-Running CFD Model for the No-Vent Fill of Liquid Propellant Tank

Cryogenic fluids, while offering higher energy density than storable propellants, present several handling challenges, including gradual boil-off and tank self-pressurization. Transferring these propellants between tanks can be problematic, as the receiving tank's temperature and pressure often lead to flashing and rapid boil-off upon injection. The No-Vent Fill (NVF) technique mitigates these risks by preventing liquid fuel from being expelled overboard. By controlling tank pressure and ensuring appropriate condensation in the ullage region, the NVF process avoids exceeding vent pressure limits. In this study, Loci/STREAM-VOF simulations were compared with data from NASA K-site test runs on a 2.1 cubic meter tank with a bottom orifice under various no-vent fill conditions, including different wall temperatures, flow rates, and inlet liquid temperatures. The effort demonstrated that Loci/STREAM-VOF is capable of quantitatively capturing the important physics of NVF with submerged jets: (1) validation of the liquid-vapor interface turbulence velocity using previous experimental data showed good agreement at different fill levels; (2) validation of the CFD Stanton number for mass transfer provided an adequate mass transfer coefficient range; (3) consistent pressure agreements were found in the pressure history for both cold and warm conditions; and (4) the variations of final pressure with flow rate and inlet liquid temperature were well predicted by the CFD simulation. The application of NVF for low-gravity conditions will be studied in future work.

CFD↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Behavior of Ullage Bubbles During Blowdown in Low-g Experiment (BUBBLE): Overview of a Cryogenic Tank Depressurization Test

Behavior of Ullage Bubbles during Blowdown in Low-g Experiment (BUBBLE) is a cryogenic tank depressurization drop tower experiment currently being designed at NASA Glenn Research Center. There is a need for liquid level rise data while venting a cryogenic propellant tank below the liquid saturation pressure in a reduced gravity environment. When a cryogenic tank is vented to a vapor pressure below the liquid saturation pressure, bubbles become entrained in the liquid causing the bulk liquid-vapor interface to rise. In reduced gravity, bubble rise velocity is diminished leading to a larger liquid level rise compared to a 1g environment. The purpose of the experiment is to gain further understanding of tank depressurization fluid physics and obtain high-fidelity data for model validation in 1g and reduced gravity environments. On-orbit cryogenic propellant tanks operating at high fill levels must efficiently manage venting operations to avoid the risk of liquid entrainment in the vent line, which could lead to asymmetric control thruster loads, freezing and clogging, and loss of liquid propellant. Validated models could be used to design settling and venting profiles to reduce risk and increase efficiency for cryogenic storage and transfer operations.

tank venting↗

DOE OSTI2011

SAVANNAH RIVER SITE INCIPIENT SLUDGE MIXING IN RADIOACTIVE LIQUID WASTE STORAGE TANKS DURING SALT SOLUTION BLENDING

This paper is the second in a series of four publications to document ongoing pilot scale testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of mixing processes in 85 foot diameter, 1.3 million gallon, radioactive liquid waste, storage tanks at Savannah River Site (SRS). Homogeneous blending of salt solutions is required in waste tanks. Settled solids (i.e., sludge) are required to remain undisturbed on the bottom of waste tanks during blending. Suspension of sludge during blending may potentially release radiolytically generated hydrogen trapped in the sludge, which is a safety concern. The first paper (Leishear, et. al. [1]) presented pilot scale blending experiments of miscible fluids to provide initial design requirements for a full scale blending pump. Scaling techniques for an 8 foot diameter pilot scale tank were also justified in that work. This second paper describes the overall reasons to perform tests, and documents pilot scale experiments performed to investigate disturbance of sludge, using non-radioactive sludge simulants. A third paper will document pilot scale CFD modeling for comparison to experimental pilot scale test results for both blending tests and sludge disturbance tests. That paper will also describe full scale CFD results. The final paper will document additional blending test results for stratified layers in salt solutions, scale up techniques, final full scale pump design recommendations, and operational recommendations. Specifically, this paper documents a series of pilot scale tests, where sludge simulant disturbance due to a blending pump or transfer pump are investigated. A principle design requirement for a blending pump is UoD, where Uo is the pump discharge nozzle velocity, and D is the nozzle diameter. Pilot scale test results showed that sludge was undisturbed below UoD = 0.47 ft{sup 2}/s, and that below UoD = 0.58 ft{sup 2}/s minimal sludge disturbance was observed. If sludge is minimally disturbed, hydrogen will not be released. Installation requirements were also determined for a transfer pump which will remove tank contents, and which is also required to not disturb sludge. Testing techniques and test results for both types of pumps are presented.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2011

SLUDGE RETRIEVAL FROM HANFORD K WEST BASIN SETTLER TANKS

In 2010, an innovative, remotely operated retrieval system was deployed to successfully retrieve over 99.7% of the radioactive sludge from ten submerged tanks in Hanford's K-West Basin. As part of K-West Basin cleanup, the accumulated sludge needed to be removed from the 0.5 meter diameter by 5 meter long settler tanks and transferred approximately 45 meters to an underwater container for sampling and waste treatment. The abrasive, dense, non-homogeneous sludge was the product of the washing process of corroded nuclear fuel. It consists of small (less than 600 micron) particles of uranium metal, uranium oxide, and various other constituents, potentially agglomerated or cohesive after 10 years of storage. The Settler Tank Retrieval System (STRS) was developed to access, mobilize and pump out the sludge from each tank using a standardized process of retrieval head insertion, periodic high pressure water spray, retraction, and continuous pumping of the sludge. Blind operations were guided by monitoring flow rate, radiation levels in the sludge stream, and solids concentration. The technology developed and employed in the STRS can potentially be adapted to similar problematic waste tanks or pipes that must be remotely accessed to achieve mobilization and retrieval of the sludge within.

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DOE OSTI2013

An Initial Evaluation of Characterization and Closure Options for Underground Pipelines within a Hanford Site Single-Shell Tank Farm - 13210

The Hanford Site includes 149 single-shell tanks, organized in 12 'tank farms,' with contents managed as high-level mixed waste. The Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order requires that one tank farm, the Waste Management Area C, be closed by June 30, 2019. A challenge to this project is the disposition and closure of Waste Management Area C underground pipelines. Waste Management Area C contains nearly seven miles of pipelines and 200 separate pipe segments. The pipelines were taken out of service decades ago and contain unknown volumes and concentrations of tank waste residuals from past operations. To understand the scope of activities that may be required for these pipelines, an evaluation was performed. The purpose of the evaluation was to identify what, if any, characterization methods and/or closure actions may be implemented at Waste Management Area C for closure of Waste Management Area C by 2019. Physical and analytical data do not exist for Waste Management Area C pipeline waste residuals. To develop estimates of residual volumes and inventories of contamination, an extensive search of available information on pipelines was conducted. The search included evaluating historical operation and occurrence records, physical attributes, schematics and drawings, and contaminant inventories associated with the process history of plutonium separations facilities and waste separations and stabilization operations. Scoping analyses of impacts to human health and the environment using three separate methodologies were then developed based on the waste residual estimates. All analyses resulted in preliminary assessments, indicating that pipeline waste residuals presented a comparably low long-term impact to groundwater with respect to soil, tank and other ancillary equipment residuals, but exceeded Washington State cleanup requirement values. In addition to performing the impact analyses, the assessment evaluated available sampling technologies and pipeline removal or treatment technologies. The evaluation accounted for the potential high worker risk, high cost, and schedule impacts associated with characterization, removal, or treatment of pipelines within Waste Management Area C for closure. This assessment was compared to the unknown, but estimated low, long-term impacts to groundwater associated with remaining waste residuals should the pipelines be left 'as is' and an engineered surface barrier or landfill cap be placed. This study also recommended that no characterization or closure actions be assumed or started for the pipelines within Waste Management Area C, likewise with the premise that a surface barrier or landfill cap be placed over the pipelines. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Hanford double-shell tank AY-102 radioactive waste leak investigation update - 15302

Tank AY-102 was the first of 28 double-shell radioactive waste storage tanks constructed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, near Richland, WA. The tank was completed in 1970, and entered service in 1971. In August, 2012, an accumulation of material was discovered at two sites on the floor of the annulus that separates the primary tank from the secondary liner. The material was sampled and determined to originate from the primary tank. This paper summarizes the changes in leak behavior that have occurred during the past two years, inspections to determine the capability of the secondary liner to continue safely containing the leakage, and the initial results of testing to determine the leak mechanism. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Leak Testing with Simulated Waste of Hanford Tank Farm Valves Utilized for Double Valve Isolation - 16108

The existing Hanford Tank Farms Waste Transfer System has several models of ball valves used for double valve isolation (DVI) that have been installed for 10 or more years. The safety function of the safety-significant valves is to limit leakage of waste past the valves in order to decrease the consequences of a fine spray release due to a transfer misroute. While previous leak testing of the valves has been conducted, the testing did not address concerns in the Documented Safety Analysis concerns about the impact on valve operation and service life of the potential abrasive/erosive properties of the tank waste on the valves when cycled. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) conducted DVI tests at their Multi-Phase Transport Evaluation Loop Facility. Testing evaluated the leak rate of safety-significant isolation valves for DVI as a function of simulated operating cycles. PNNL developed a performance-based simulant specifically for this test program. The test environment simulated the abrasive characteristics of the Hanford Tank Farms Waste Transfer System during single-shell tank retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. The testing consisted of periodically measuring leak rates and maximum operational torques on the DVI valves after prescribed numbers of valve operational cycles (open and close). The test results from the simulant cycle tests provide Washington River Protection Solutions with performance characteristics that can be used to verify compliance with the Documented Safety Analysis limits for valve seat leakage. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Technetium Management for Hanford Tank Waste Processing and Disposition - 16399

Technetium-99 (Tc) generated from the fission of {sup 235}U and {sup 239}Pu in high yields is one of the most difficult contaminants to be addressed at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site. Among radioactive constituents in the tank waste, Tc presents a unique challenge in that it is radio-toxic (β = 292 keV), has a long half-life (T{sub 1/2} = 2.11x10{sup 5} y), and exists predominantly in the liquid fraction of the alkaline tank waste, generally in the anionic form of pertechnetate TcO{sub 4}{sup -}, which is highly volatile at low-activity waste vitrification melter temperatures and mobile in the subsurface environment. This makes immobilization of Tc into high-durability waste forms a critical technical challenge for nuclear waste management. The complex behavior of Tc under storage, treatment, and immobilization conditions significantly affects its management options. The overall objective of the Technetium Management program is to provide the DOE Office of Environmental Management with practical solutions to Tc needs encountered in the processing of Hanford tank waste. To reduce the technical uncertainty associated with the long-term environmental impact of Tc, a systems-based approach is needed to address Tc management needs by evaluating and developing science and engineering options for treatment, immobilization, and disposition of Tc contained in Hanford tank wastes. This paper describes major elements of Technetium Management program, including: - Identifying the chemical forms of Tc in tank waste through analytical speciation of low-valent Tc(I) species in alkaline solutions. - Performing proof-of-concept demonstration for detection of low-valent Tc(I) by fluorescence spectroscopy. - Identifying alternative non-glass Tc immobilization methods. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2019

Cesium Ion Exchange Testing Using Crystalline Silicotitanate with Hanford Tank Waste 241-AP-107 - 19104

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been tasked with demonstrating the unit operations for the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) with Hanford tank waste. Washington River Protection Solutions requested that Hanford tank waste collected from tank 241-AP-107 be processed using conceived pretreatment steps (suspended solids removal by filtration, Cs removal by ion exchange), then vitrified. Bench-scale ion exchange testing with approximately 9 L of filtered AP-107 supernate was conducted using crystalline silicotitanate (CST) ion exchange media. Batch contact testing was performed to evaluate CST performance on tank waste prior to processing it in the LAWPS. Subsequently, column testing was performed using prototypic LAWPS operations in a lead-lag column arrangement using 10-mL CST beds. Loading continued until the lag column reached the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant waste acceptance criteria (WAC) for receiving supernatant waste for vitrification (a function of the Na and {sup 137}Cs concentrations). The Cs effluent from the lag column reached the WAC after processing half the feed volume. To keep the subsequent product effluent below the WAC, a new lag column was needed to continue processing and the original lag column was moved to the lead position. Greater than 99% of the Cs processed through the ion exchange system was collected on the CST in the columns. The AP-107 feed and column processing effluent underwent extensive characterization to better define waste characteristics and assess fractionation to the CST. Selected batch contact and lead column samples were analyzed to assess selected metal analyte load characteristics. Results of these analyses will be discussed. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2019

Filtration Options for Hanford Tank Waste - Actual Waste Demonstrations - 19105

The U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors are evaluating options for treatment of supernate streams to provide feed for the Low-Activity Waste vitrification facility at the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Several options are currently under evaluation. These options include various processes for filtering the supernate in preparation for ion exchange testing. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has performed filtration testing with samples from Hanford tanks AP-105 and AP-107 to provide some basis data regarding the filtration performance of these tank waste materials. Samples were received directly from the AP-105 and AP-107 tanks into the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory at PNNL. These samples were then filtrated through a variety of filtration media to provide data on both cross-flow and dead-end filtration rates. Because the samples were taken from clarified supernate well above the solids layer in the tanks, they contained relatively small quantities of solids. However, there were sufficient solids to significantly impact filtration behavior. The results filtration behavior and solids characterization will be reported. (authors)

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