Underground storage tank waste retrieval strategies using a high-pressure waterjet scarifier
- Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
The Retrieval Process Development and Enhancements Program (RPD&E) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and Technology to investigate existing and emerging retrieval processes suitable for the retrieval of high-level radioactive waste inside underground storage tanks. This program, represented by industry, national laboratories, and academia, seeks to provide a technical and cost basis to support site-remediation decisions. Part of this program has involved the development of a high-pressure waterjet dislodging system and pneumatic conveyance integrated as a scarifier, Industry has used high-pressure waterjet technology for many years to mine, cut, clean, and scarify materials with a broad range of properties. The scarifier was developed as an alternate means of retrieving waste inside Hanford single-shell tanks, particularly hard, stubborn waste. Simulant materials representative of tank waste have been used to test the performance of the scarifier over a wide range of waste types. This technology has been shown to mobilize and convey the waste simulants at desired retrieval rates while operating within the space envelope and the dynamic loading constraints of proposed deployment devices. A testing program has been initiated to investigate system deployment techniques to determine appropriate mining strategies, level of control, sensor requirements, and address integration issues associated with deploying the scarifier by a long robotic manipulator arm. A test facility denoted the Hydraulics Testbed (HTB) is being constructed to achieve these objectives and to allow longer-duration, multiple-pass tests on large waste fields using a versatile gantry-style manipulator. Mining strategy tests with materials simulating salt cake and sludge waste forms will be conducted. This paper will describe the testbed facility and testing program and present initial test results to date.
- OSTI ID:
- 476606
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960804-Vol.3; TRN: 97:009144
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SPECTRUM `96: international conference on nuclear and hazardous waste management, Seattle, WA (United States), 18-23 Aug 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the international topical meeting on nuclear and hazardous waste management (SPECTRM `96): Volume 3; PB: 843 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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