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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Upgrade activities for the Criticality Safety Program of Hanford High-Level Radioactive Waste Tank Farm

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7190058

This document describes the plan for implementing the findings and recommendations made by a team of experts for the US Department of Energy in their Nuclear Criticality Safety Review Of Hanford High-Level Radioactive Waste Tank Farms. The team was chartered to review the nuclear criticality safety of the tank farms and recommend programmatic changes where appropriate, including the specific incident leading to an Unusual Occurrence Report filed in June 1991 on the 241-C-104 specification violation. Although no imminent risks of criticality were found, the review team identified several problems with respect to nuclear criticality safety. Primary among the problems is the Tack of dofinitive knowledge of the fissile material inventory and distribution within the tanks. The lack of good characterization data prompted Westinghouse Hanford Company to declare an Unreviewed Safety Question with respect to criticality safety. Activities by the responsible Hanford Site contractor that address each of the findings, recommendations, and activities required to resolve the Unreviewed Safety Question are described. Schedules and estimated costs are also included with the plan.

Research Organization:
Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-87RL10930
OSTI ID:
7190058
Report Number(s):
WHC-EP-0563; ON: DE93001667
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English