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Title: Decontamination and size reduction of plutonium contaminated process exhaust ductwork and glove boxes

Abstract

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Decommissioning Program has decontaminated and demolished two filter plenum buildings at Technical Area 21 (TA-21). During the project a former hot cell was retrofitted to perform decontamination and size reduction of highly Pu contaminated process exhaust (1,100 ft) and gloveboxes. Pu-238/239 concentrations were as high a 1 Ci per linear foot and averaged approximately 1 mCi/ft. The Project decontamination objective was to reduce the plutonium contamination on surfaces below transuranic levels. If possible, metal surfaces were decontaminated further to meet Science and Ecology Group (SEG) waste classification guidelines to enable the metal to be recycled at their facility in oak Ridge, Tennessee. Project surface contamination acceptance criteria for low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), transuranic waste, and SEG waste acceptance criteria will be presented. Ninety percent of all radioactive waste for the project was characterized as LLRW. Twenty percent of this material was shipped to SEG. Process exhaust and glove boxes were brought to the project decontamination area, an old hot cell in Building 4 North. This paper focuses on process exhaust and glovebox decontamination methodology, size reduction techniques, waste characterization, airborne contamination monitoring, engineering controls, worker protection, lessons learned, and waste minimization. Decontamination objectives aremore » discussed in detail.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
463584
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-97-254; CONF-970335-39
ON: DE97004449; TRN: 97:009995
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Waste Management `97, Tucson, AZ (United States), 2-7 Mar 1997; Other Information: PBD: 15 Nov 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
05 NUCLEAR FUELS; EXHAUST SYSTEMS; GLOVEBOXES; DEMOLITION; LANL; CUTTING; DECONTAMINATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; RADIATION MONITORING; RADIATION PROTECTION; MINIMIZATION; PLUTONIUM 238; PLUTONIUM 239; CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS

Citation Formats

LaFrate, P, Elliott, J, and Valasquez, M. Decontamination and size reduction of plutonium contaminated process exhaust ductwork and glove boxes. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
LaFrate, P, Elliott, J, & Valasquez, M. Decontamination and size reduction of plutonium contaminated process exhaust ductwork and glove boxes. United States.
LaFrate, P, Elliott, J, and Valasquez, M. 1996. "Decontamination and size reduction of plutonium contaminated process exhaust ductwork and glove boxes". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/463584.
@article{osti_463584,
title = {Decontamination and size reduction of plutonium contaminated process exhaust ductwork and glove boxes},
author = {LaFrate, P and Elliott, J and Valasquez, M},
abstractNote = {The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Decommissioning Program has decontaminated and demolished two filter plenum buildings at Technical Area 21 (TA-21). During the project a former hot cell was retrofitted to perform decontamination and size reduction of highly Pu contaminated process exhaust (1,100 ft) and gloveboxes. Pu-238/239 concentrations were as high a 1 Ci per linear foot and averaged approximately 1 mCi/ft. The Project decontamination objective was to reduce the plutonium contamination on surfaces below transuranic levels. If possible, metal surfaces were decontaminated further to meet Science and Ecology Group (SEG) waste classification guidelines to enable the metal to be recycled at their facility in oak Ridge, Tennessee. Project surface contamination acceptance criteria for low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), transuranic waste, and SEG waste acceptance criteria will be presented. Ninety percent of all radioactive waste for the project was characterized as LLRW. Twenty percent of this material was shipped to SEG. Process exhaust and glove boxes were brought to the project decontamination area, an old hot cell in Building 4 North. This paper focuses on process exhaust and glovebox decontamination methodology, size reduction techniques, waste characterization, airborne contamination monitoring, engineering controls, worker protection, lessons learned, and waste minimization. Decontamination objectives are discussed in detail.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/463584}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Fri Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}

Conference:
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