Removal of the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor - 13031
- CH2M HILL, Inc. (United States)
- US-DOE (United States)
- Meier Engineering Inc (United States)
The 309 Facility housed the Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor (PRTR), an operating test reactor in the 300 Area at Hanford, Washington. The reactor first went critical in 1960 and was originally used for experiments under the Hanford Site Plutonium Fuels Utilization Program. The facility was decontaminated and decommissioned in 1988-1989, and the facility was deactivated in 1994. The 309 facility was added to Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) response actions as established in an Interim Record of Decision (IROD) and Action Memorandum (AM). The IROD directs a remedial action for the 309 facility, associated waste sites, associated underground piping and contaminated soils resulting from past unplanned releases. The AM directs a removal action through physical demolition of the facility, including removal of the reactor. Both CERCLA actions are implemented in accordance with U.S. EPA approved Remedial Action Work Plan, and the Remedial Design Report / Remedial Action Report associated with the Hanford 300-FF-2 Operable Unit. The selected method for remedy was to conventionally demolish above grade structures including the easily distinguished containment vessel dome, remove the PRTR and a minimum of 300 mm (12 in) of shielding as a single 560 Ton unit, and conventionally demolish the below grade structure. Initial sample core drilling in the Bio-Shield for radiological surveys showed evidence that the Bio-Shield was of sound structure. Core drills for the separation process of the PRTR from the 309 structure began at the deck level and revealed substantial thermal degradation of at least the top 1.2 m (4LF) of Bio-Shield structure. The degraded structure combined with the original materials used in the Bio-Shield would not allow for a stable structure to be extracted. The water used in the core drilling process proved to erode the sand mixture of the Bio-Shield leaving the steel aggregate to act as ball bearings against the core drill bit. A redesign is being completed to extract the 309 PRTR and entire Bio-Shield structure together as one monolith weighing 1100 Ton by cutting structural concrete supports. In addition, the PRTR has hundreds of contaminated process tubes and pipes that have to be severed to allow for a uniformly flush fit with a lower lifting frame. Thirty-two 50 mm (2 in) core drills must be connected with thirty-two wire saw cuts to allow for lifting columns to be inserted. Then eight primary saw cuts must be completed to severe the PRTR from the 309 Facility. Once the weight of the PRTR is transferred to the lifting frame, then the PRTR may be lifted out of the facility. The critical lift will be executed using four 450 Ton strand jacks mounted on a 9 m (30 LF) tall mobile lifting frame that will allow the PRTR to be transported by eight 600 mm (24 in) Slide Shoes. The PRTR will then be placed on a twenty-four line, double wide, self powered Goldhofer for transfer to the onsite CERCLA Disposal Cell (ERDF Facility), approximately 33 km (20 miles) away. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9-332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22225506
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-13-WM-13031; TRN: US14V0271046470
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2013: Waste Management Conference: International collaboration and continuous improvement, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 24-28 Feb 2013; Other Information: Country of input: France
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
CONCRETES
DRILL CORES
MIXTURES
PIPES
PLUTONIUM
PRTR REACTOR
REMEDIAL ACTION
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SHIELDS
STEELS
TEST REACTORS
THERMAL DEGRADATION
UNDERGROUND
US SUPERFUND