SRR Marks Record Months in Salt Solution Processing, Waste Canister Production
November 4, 2011
AIKEN, S.C. – To empty and operationally close giant waste tanks, the contents of sludge and liquid salt waste first must to be removed for treatment. At the Savannah River Site (SRS), the liquid waste contractor, Savannah River Remediation (SRR), is making record progress in doing just that.
SRR employees established a new record salt waste processing month in October by treating 136,188 gallons of low-activity salt solution in one month. The previous record was 131,613 gallons processed last June. As of October 31, 2011, the ARP MCU has processed over 2,184,000 gallons of salt solution, since beginning operations in April 2008.
Interim salt processing is a critical component of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) closing the circle on treatment of liquid tank waste, according to Terrel Spears, Assistant Manager for Waste Disposition Project, DOE-Savannah River Operations Office.
"Salt waste processing is key to emptying and closing waste tanks at SRS," said Spears. "Our salt processing technologies, which have proven very effective in removing the radioactive constituents from salt waste, are an integral part of DOE's strategy to complete tank closures and protect workers, human health, and the environment."
Removing and processing salt waste, which constitutes 90 percent of the total waste inventory stored in the Site's two tanks farms, is performed through a salt removal process known as Interim Salt Disposition Processing (ISDP). The ISDP is referred to as "interim" because it was designed to remove nearly all radioactivity from salt waste solutions while the Site's Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) is being constructed. The ISDP will continue evaluating its processes and making improvements to extend operations until the SWPF becomes operational, which is scheduled for October 2014.
In addition, employees at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) poured 32 canisters of glassified sludge waste in August, the most canisters poured on one month than any previous month in the 15-year history of the facility. The previous record of canisters poured in a month was 31 canisters poured last February.
At the DWPF, employees convert the most contaminated liquid waste into a solid glass form, which is poured into stainless steel canisters that are suitable for safe, long-term storage. By immobilizing the radioactivity in glass, DWPF reduces the risks associated with liquid waste at SRS and prepares the waste for permanent disposal.
Since DWPF began operations in March 1996, employees have poured over 12.5 million pounds of glass in more than 3,200 canisters.
Record processing of both salt waste and radioactive sludge continues to enable SRR to accelerate its mission of operationally closing SRS waste tanks and both activities were met with congratulations from SRR President and Project Manager Dave Olson.
"We have said it before, but it is worth repeating. SRR employees are the best in the world at what they do and what they have done over the last few months has been nothing short of amazing," said Olson.
SRS is owned by DOE. The SRS Liquid Waste contract is managed by SRR, a team of companies led by URS Corp. with partners Bechtel National, CH2M Hill and Babcock & Wilcox. Critical subcontractors for the contract are AREVA, Energy Solutions and URS Safety Management Solutions.
Point of Contact: Dean Campbell, Manager, Public Affairs, (803) 208-8270, dean.campbell@srs.gov