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Title: Fabrication of a Sludge-Conditioning System for Processing Legacy Wastes from the Gunite and Associated Tanks

Abstract

The Sludge Conditioning System (SCS) for the Gunite and Associated Tanks (GAATs) is designed to receive, monitor, characterize and process legacy waste materials from the South Tank Farm tanks in preparation for final transfer of the wastes to the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs), which are located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SCS includes (1) a Primary Conditioning System (PCS) Enclosure for sampling and particle size classification, (2) a Solids Monitoring Test Loop (SMTL) for slurry characterization, (3) a Waste Transfer Pump to retrieve and transfer waste materials from GAAT consolidation tank W-9 to the MVSTs, (4) a PulsAir Mixing System to provide mixing of consolidated sludges for ease of retrieval, and (5) the interconnecting piping and valving. This report presents the design, fabrication, cost, and fabrication schedule information for the SCS.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (US)
OSTI Identifier:
760342
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-2000/222
TRN: US0004326
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1 Aug 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON- RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; ORNL; RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES; FABRICATION; SLUDGES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; WASTE RETRIEVAL; REMEDIAL ACTION; STORAGE FACILITIES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE

Citation Formats

Randolph, J. D., Lewis, B. E., Farmer, J. R., and Johnson, M. A.. Fabrication of a Sludge-Conditioning System for Processing Legacy Wastes from the Gunite and Associated Tanks. United States: N. p., 2000. Web. doi:10.2172/760342.
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Randolph, J. D., Lewis, B. E., Farmer, J. R., & Johnson, M. A.. Fabrication of a Sludge-Conditioning System for Processing Legacy Wastes from the Gunite and Associated Tanks. United States. doi:10.2172/760342.
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Randolph, J. D., Lewis, B. E., Farmer, J. R., and Johnson, M. A.. Tue . "Fabrication of a Sludge-Conditioning System for Processing Legacy Wastes from the Gunite and Associated Tanks". United States. doi:10.2172/760342. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/760342.
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@article{osti_760342,
title = {Fabrication of a Sludge-Conditioning System for Processing Legacy Wastes from the Gunite and Associated Tanks},
author = {Randolph, J. D. and Lewis, B. E. and Farmer, J. R. and Johnson, M. A.},
abstractNote = {The Sludge Conditioning System (SCS) for the Gunite and Associated Tanks (GAATs) is designed to receive, monitor, characterize and process legacy waste materials from the South Tank Farm tanks in preparation for final transfer of the wastes to the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs), which are located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SCS includes (1) a Primary Conditioning System (PCS) Enclosure for sampling and particle size classification, (2) a Solids Monitoring Test Loop (SMTL) for slurry characterization, (3) a Waste Transfer Pump to retrieve and transfer waste materials from GAAT consolidation tank W-9 to the MVSTs, (4) a PulsAir Mixing System to provide mixing of consolidated sludges for ease of retrieval, and (5) the interconnecting piping and valving. This report presents the design, fabrication, cost, and fabrication schedule information for the SCS.},
doi = {10.2172/760342},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2000},
month = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2000}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (0.60 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/760342
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  • The purpose of this report is to describe and document the function, operational performance, problems encountered, lessons-learned, and overall assessment of the performance of the waste conditioning system (WCS) in the Gunite{trademark} and Associated Tanks (GAAT) remediation project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The GAAT are located in the main plant area of ORNL in the North and South Tank Farms. These tanks were constructed in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Each tank in the South Tank Farm (STF) has a 50-ft inside diameter and a capacity of {approx}170,000 gal. Each Gunitemore » tank in the North Tank Farm (NTF) has a 25-ft inside diameter with a capacity of {approx}44,000 gal. The GAAT were designed to receive radioactive and chemical wastes from ORNL processes. The tanks were constructed of Gunite, which is created by pneumatically spraying concrete over a wire mesh. Following construction, the site was backfilled so the domes of the tanks were covered with {approx}6 ft of earth. The STF tanks (W-5, -6, -7, -8, -9, and -10) are set in a 2 x 3 array with an east-west axis. The two GAAT in the NTF are on the north side of Central Avenue, and the STF is across the street. One additional Gunite tank, TH-4, is located {approx}300 ft east of the STF. TH-4 is a smaller, 20-ft inside diameter tank with a capacity of {approx}14,000 gal. Approximately 90% of the sludge inventory was removed from the STF tanks during a sluicing campaign in 1982-84 (Autry et al., 1990). Over 95% of the residual from the original sluicing was removed during the GAAT Remediation Project of 1997-2000. The NTF and STF tanks, as well as tank TH-4 were remediated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) with regulatory oversight by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).« less

  • This record of decision (ROD) presents the selected interim remedial action for removing mixed transuranic (TRU) waste sludge from eight tanks in the Gunite and Associated Tanks (GAAT) Operable Unit (OU). The tanks are located in Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 1. The selected interim remedial includes removal of the sludge and subsequent transfer to the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVST). The plans for removing GAAT sludge will be included in the remedial design and remedial action documentation. The selected remedy was developed considering the TRU waste strategy (i.e., consolidate, treat, and ship waste to themore » Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) or the Nevada Test Site (NTS)) and the strategy to evaluate residual contamination in the OU after waste removal as part of the Bethel Valley Watershed remediation. After removal of sludge, samples of the tank shell will be collected to provide contaminant levels for consideration during future closure evaluations, as part of the Bethel Valley Watershed remediation.« less

  • ;
    Functions and requirements for the Waste Dislodging and Conveyance System to be deployed in Gunite and Associated Tanks (GAAT) and tested and evaluated as a candidate tank waste retrieval technology by the GAAT Treatability Study (GAAT TS).

  • ;
    Since the mid 1940s, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have conducted research and development activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in support of urgent national interests in the fields of nuclear weaponry and nuclear energy. Some of these activities resulted in radiologically hazardous waste being temporarily deposited at ORNL, Waste Area Grouping 1. At this location, waste is stored in several underground storage tanks, awaiting ultimate final disposal. There are tanks of two basic categories. One category is referred to as the gunite tanks, the other category is associated tanks. The ORNLmore » Gunite and Associated Tanks Treatability Study (GAAT TS) project was initiated in FY 1994 to support a record of decision in selecting from seven different options of technologies for retrieval and remediation of these tanks. As part of this decision process, new waste retrieval technologies will be evaluated at the 25-foot diameter gunite tanks in the North tank farm. Work is currently being conducted at Hanford and the University of Missouri-Rolla to evaluate and develop some technologies having high probability of being most practical and effective for the dislodging and conveying of waste from underground storage tanks. The findings of these efforts indicate that a system comprised of a dislodging end effector employing jets of high-pressure fluids, coupled to a water-jet conveyance system, all carried above the waste by a mechanical arm or other mechanism, is a viable retrieval technology for the GAAT TS tasks.« less