A refined safety analysis approach for closure of the Hanford Site flammable gas unreviewed safety question

Conference · Fri Dec 12 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:10148093

Bratzel, D R

Following a 1990 investigation into flammable gas generation, retention, and release mechanisms within the Hanford Site high-level waste tanks, personnel concluded that the existing Authorization Basis documentation did not adequately evaluate flammable gas hazards. This declaration was based primarily on the fact that personnel did not adequately consider hydrogen and nitrous oxide evolution within the material in certain waste tanks and subsequent hypothetical ignition in the development of safety documentation for the waste tanks. The US Department of Energy-Headquarters subsequently declared an Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ). Although work scope has been focused on closure of the USQ since 1990, the DOE has yet to close the USQ because of considerable uncertainty regarding essential technical parameters and associated risk. The DOE recently approved a Basis for Interim Operation to revise the Authorization Basis for managing the tank farms, however, the USQ remains open. The two fundamental requirements for closure of the flammable gas USQ are as follows: development of a defensible technical basis for existing controls; development of a process to assess the adequacy of controls as the waste tank mission progresses.

• Research Organization: Fluor Daniel Hanford Inc., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-96RL13200
• OSTI ID: 10148093
• Report Number(s): HNF-SA--3218-FP; CONF-980307--; ON: DE99050525; BR: EW3120071
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
FLAMMABILITY
GASES
HANFORD RESERVATION
HAZARDS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
SAFETY ANALYSIS
STORAGE FACILITIES
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE