Washington River Protection Solutions

Reinvestment Act Funds Construction of Hanford’s Second Tank Farm Interim Barrier

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Retrievals Begin on Another Hanford Single-Shell Tank

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), a prime contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection, has started retrieving radioactive and chemical waste from another of Hanford’s aging single-shell tanks, making it the 12th such tank to undergo waste retrieval.

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Arc of Tri-Cities Capital Campaign

WRPS donates $100,000

The Arc is pleased to announce the generous donation from WRPS for $100,000.

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Washington River Protection Solutions donates $500,000 to WSU Tri-Cities, CBC

WRPS announced today $500,000 in contributions to benefit local higher education programs.

Local Small Business Benefit from WRPS Subcontracts, Recovery Act Work

News_Release_WRPS_small_business_subcontracts_11-19-09.pdf

Robotic Arm to Speed Hanford Tank Waste Removal

Hanford, Washington – Testing is under way at Hanford on a new piece of equipment that, for the first time, will give tank operations personnel a single tool that will remove waste from Hanford’s aging single-shell tanks.

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WRPS Completes Removal of Waste Transfer Lines in Two Hanford Tank Farms

Hanford, Washington – U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has met its commitment to remove eleven waste transfer lines from two Hanford tank farms by Sept. 30.

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WRPS Year-End Safety Statistics Show Significant Improvement

WRPS year end safety statistics show significant improvement

Richland, WA – Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), the Hanford Tank Operations Contractor, has achieved a substantial reduction in worker injuries during its first year at Hanford.

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Hanford Tank Cleanup Update September 2009

Overview of Hanford Tank Operations Contractor Activities.

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Updated EMS policy

Updated EMS policy

Department of Energy Praised for Protecting Hanford Workers

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242-A Evaporator Campaign Creates 940,000 Gallons of Hanford Double-Shell Tank Storage Capacity

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Upgraded 242-A Evaporator Begins Processing Two Million Gallons of Hanford Tank Waste

Hanford's only nuclear processing facility, the 242-A Evaporator, has begun an operating campaign that will process more than two million gallons of high-level radioactive waste from two double-shell storage tanks. Processing the waste to remove excess water will create more than 900,000 gallons of additional storage space in Hanford's double-shell storage tanks for waste transferred from aging single-shell tanks.

The evaporator's last waste processing campaigns were in 2007, when it reduced the waste volume in the double-shell tanks by more than 1.2 million gallons. A series of upgrades to the evaporator have since been completed. Upgrades include modernizing the ventilation system, updating the monitoring and control system and rebuilding one of two main pumps.

 "The 242-A Evaporator is critical to the safe and timely cleanup of the Hanford site," said Rebecca Raven, the 242-A Facility Operations Manager for Washington River Protection Solutions, the Hanford tank operations contractor. "It's our job to make storage space in the double-shell tanks. Without the evaporator, we would have no storage space and, without storage space, we can't retrieve waste from the old single-shell tanks. That's why it is so critical to upgrade and maintain the facility."

In the evaporator, liquid tank waste is heated under vacuum so it will evaporate at a temperature of about 125 degrees F.  Water vapor from the boiling waste is captured, condensed, filtered, sampled and sent to the nearby Liquid Effluent Retention Facility for further treatment and disposal.  The concentrated waste is returned to the double-shell tanks.

Since it began operating in 1977, the 242-A Evaporator has reduced the total volume of waste in Hanford's tanks by 66 million gallons - the equivalent volume of 66 double-shell tanks - helping avoid the cost of building new storage tanks at Hanford.

The evaporator was originally expected to operate for about 10 years, but several upgrades have kept the facility operating safely for more than 30 years. Major upgrades completed in 1987 extended the evaporator's life to 2010. Additional upgrades, completed between 1989 and 2004, further extended the facility's life to 2018. A series of additional upgrades now under way will keep the facility operational until 2035.

 

 

Environmental Management System

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has developed and is in the process of implementing the WRPS Environmental Management System (EMS). The EMS is a tool that will be used by WRPS for developing, maintaining, reviewing and improving its approach to addressing environmental issues. EMS is the structured approach which incorporates environmental considerations into day-to-day operations throughout WRPS and is designed to promote “continual environmental improvement.” View our EMS Policy here.

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Second Expert Panel Workshop on Single-Shell Tank Integrity

Single-Shell Tank Integrity Workshop

The second Expert Panel Workshop on Single-Shell Tank Integrity was convened on January 26-28, 2009. Presentations are now available.

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Hanford Tank Cleanup Update

January 2009

Hanford Tank Cleanup Update. PDF Brochure

Waste Retrieval Operations Resume In Eleventh Single-Shell Tank at Hanford

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has resumed removal and transfer of waste from another of Hanford’s aging single-shell underground waste storage tanks. Waste retrieval from tank C-110 halted in September 2008 to allow for modifications within and to the double-shell waste receiving/storage tank AN-106. Retrieval is restarting approximately six months ahead of schedule. This is the first waste retrieval campaign since WRPS assumed responsibility for the Hanford Tank Operations Contract on Oct. 1, 2008.

“Everyone involved in this project did an outstanding job preparing for it and are committed to the safe and efficient removal of the waste from this tank,” said Mark Lindholm, WRPS single-shell tanks retrieval and closure manager.

Tank C-110 is one of 16 tanks located in C Farm in the 200 East Area near the center of the 586- square-mile Hanford Site. It is a 530,000 gallon tank, built in 1946, and currently holds approximately 126,000 gallons of sludge and other radioactive and chemical waste materials.

Waste from C-110 is being transferred to storage in tank AN-106, a newer and safer double-shell tank. The waste is being moved through temporary, above-ground hose-in-hose transfer lines to the double-shell tank approximately 900 feet away. The above-ground transfer lines meet environmental regulations and avoid the high cost of installing permanent infrastructure.

Retrieval of waste from C-110 is expected to take approximately four months.

Retrieval resumed earlier than originally planned thanks to the innovative efforts of WRPS engineers. Sludges were building up on the bottom of AN-106 and threatening the ability of the pump to re-circulate liquids used in emptying C-110. A two-piece collar was devised to raise the pump above the solid material, which avoided the cost and time involved to replace it.

Retrieval is being conducted with a number of improvements intended to enhance safety and environmental protection. Changes include the installation of improved methods to detect small waste leaks along the waste retrieval transfer route. This includes not only detection but also being able to visually verify the post-leak conditions prior to sending people into the area.

Tank C-110 is the eleventh single-shell tank at Hanford to undergo retrieval, which is being accomplished using a technique known as modified sluicing. This technique uses high-pressure nozzles to spray the waste with liquid to dissolve it or otherwise break it up and move it to a pump for removal.

“This is a well-proven technique to retrieve waste from these tanks. Everything we do is focused on worker safety and protection of the environment and this job is no exception,” said Bill Johnson, WRPS president and project manager.

WRPS, a company owned by URS Corporation and EnergySolutions, is a prime contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection and is responsible for reducing the risk posed by the waste stored in Hanford’s aging underground tanks. The waste is contained in 149 single-shell tanks, many of which date back to the beginning of the Hanford Site during World War II. There are also 28 newer, safer double-shell tanks.

“Removing the waste from the single-shell tanks and upgrading the aging infrastructure in the tank farms is a top priority for the Department of Energy, a necessary step to protect the Columbia River, and key to providing tank waste feed to the Hanford vitrification plant in 2019,” said Office of River Protection Manager Shirley J. Olinger. “In preparing to resume this important work at Hanford, our team demonstrated a commitment to safety, efficiency, innovation and cost effectiveness.”

To date seven single-shell tanks have been emptied. The Washington State Department of Ecology has determined that six meet the retrieval criteria established in the Tri-Party Agreement which governs Hanford cleanup. The other tank is under review. Waste retrieval operations have begun in three other single-shell tanks in addition to C-110.

Washington River Protection Solutions pledges $1 million to Hanford Reach Interpretive Center

RICHLAND , Washington – Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), the company recently selected to take over remediation of underground waste tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site, has pledged $1 million to the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center (http://visitthereach.org/) to fund construction and educational exhibits for this world class facility to be built on Columbia Point.

The gift was announced at a ceremony in Richland this morning. The pledge will be paid over the next five years.

"Washington River Protection Solutions is excited about helping so grand a project as The Reach move closer to the day it opens its doors and begins to share stories of our community and region,” said WRPS President and Project Manager Bill Johnson. “The Reach’s integration of education, environmental stewardship and economic development activities is a great match with our company’s goals for investment in the community.”

 

Washington River Protection Solutions (www.wrpstoc.com) is a company formed by the Washington Division of URS Corporation and EnergySolutions with AREVA serving as a dedicated subcontractor. It was awarded the Hanford tank farm operations contract in May by the Department of Energy and assumes responsibility for the project Oct. 1. The WRPS team will be responsible for safely retrieving, treating, storing and disposing of Hanford ’s tank farm waste and closing underground tanks to protect the Columbia River.

The Reach is a $40.5 million, 61,000-square-foot facility designed to serve as a gateway to the Hanford Reach National Monument. It was designed by Seattle architecture firm Jones & Jones, who also designed the Seattle Children's Museum and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

The Interpretive Center will contain exhibits and educational programs for adults and children. Construction will begin when the Reach has raised 80 percent of the money needed for construction. To date, the Reach has raised nearly $24.2 million toward its goal, with $2.3 million coming from Battelle, which operates the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA for the Department of Energy. “When Battelle gave a corporate gift to the Reach of $1.3 million in January of this year, it came with a challenge. That was to raise an additional $4 million through other corporate donors,” said Mike Kluse, Battelle Senior Vice President. “Washington River Protection Solutions’ gift is a major milestone in meeting that challenge. We appreciate Washington River Protection Solutions’ leadership and vision in making this important community asset a reality.”
“The history of the Columbia River basin and its people is centuries old and vitally important,” added CEO Kimberly Camp. “The Reach will show the unique land-to-people relationship – how it evolved from a region shaped by the Ice Age Floods, to a shrub-steppe environment inhabited by Native Americans, to its role in shaping the 20th Century. Our challenge is to encourage others to help us to bring the Reach to fruition and step up to the plate with their pledge of support.”

WRPS Assumes Corporate Sponsorship for Leadership Tri-Cities

Issued 08.2008
Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has joined Leadership Tri-Cities as its corporate sponsor for 2008-2009. Leadership Tri-Cities is an educational program that provides a forum to examine issues that face our region and provides valuable experience and tools that develop knowledgeable leaders to serve our community with continued learning opportunities through its Alumni Association. The course is made up of nine sessions that focus on various issues and aspects of the Tri-Cities region.

“We are pleased to be a part of this exciting program that helps develop and enrich the skills and understanding of current and future leaders of the Tri-Cities,” said WRPS External Affairs Manager Jerry Holloway.

The Leadership Tri-Cities mission is to produce a cadre of skilled leaders who will be catalysts for positive change in the community and who will mentor others towards this end. It also seeks to facilitate an exchange of ideas and solutions for problems best addressed at local and regional levels.

WRPS is one of the newest contractors on the Hanford Site and has a strong commitment to support education and economic development in the Columbia Basin. “Giving something back to the community is an important aspect of our company, and this is one of the ways we can accomplish this goal,” Holloway said.

Leadership Tri-Cities participants are selected based on a published list of criteria and seeks applicants diverse in age, community, ethnicity, professional background and community volunteer experience.

Details about Leadership Tri-Cities can be found on their Web site at www.leadershiptc.org

Safety, Enormity of Cleanup Task Stand Out On First Visit to Site

Martin Schneider, Editor-in-Chief

From our office in Washington, D.C., we spend a lot of time writing about milestones and lawsuits, contracts and budgets, policy decisions and appropriations bills - and rightly so. But the view from inside the beltway doesn’t always provide the best vantage point for the Department of Energy’s cleanup program, as I saw first-hand during a three-day tour of Hanford in early April.

It was my first trip to the site and, setting aside for a moment my natural journalistic skepticism, I was truly moved by the work going on there. Many of our readers have spent a good part of their lives working at high-hazard nuclear sites like Hanford, but for someone who is much more comfortable navigating the halls of the U.S. Capitol than, say, walking the grating above the K-East Basin, several things jumped out at me. Most notably, I was impressed by how seriously safety is taken. As many times as I have heard Assistant Secretary Rispoli - and his predecessors - emphasize that working safely is the Department’s top priority, it is a topic that tends to get glossed over unless something bad happens.

Total recordable case rates and lost-time accident figures are hard to interpret from afar. But when it’s your turn to don coveralls, booties and three layers of gloves - all sealed with masking tape, of course - and head out into a contaminated area, those statistics start to hit home. I “dressed out” twice during my visit, once for an hour-and-a-half walkthrough of the C Tank Farm and once for a tour of the K-East Basin. I was struck by the rigorous planning that goes into even the smallest task, the safety briefings I received before I entered any facility and the numerous checks and double-checks required before I set foot in a radiation control area. If that level of preparation goes into merely having me walk around, I can only imagine the work needed to prepare a team to perform more invasive tasks. As I said, impressive.

During my time at Hanford, I was able to spend time examining a wide variety of projects at the site, including D&D work at the 300 Area, retrieval operations at the 618-7 burial grounds, groundwater remediation at 100-N, recent grouting work at K-East Basin, C tank farm, the Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility, the Canister Storage Building, the Waste Receiving and Processing Facility, the Cold Test Facility, the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility and the Integrated Disposal Facility. The visit was capped off by a two-hour walking tour of the Waste Treatment Plant, practically a small city unto itself. Throughout my time at Weapons Complex Monitor, we’ve published hundreds of articles cataloguing the ups and downs of these projects. But seeing them in the aggregate - and sometimes driving an hour in between projects - gave me a new perspective on the complexity of the cleanup task at Hanford.

First, it gave me a real sense of the progress that has been made at the site. The fact that the leak-prone K-East Basin has been emptied of fuel and is set be dismantled in the coming months is truly amazing. Equally significant is that, with the right funding, the River Corridor cleanup could be finished by 2015, allowing DOE to focus its energies on the center of the site. Most importantly, though, I walked away overwhelmed by the complexity and sheer size of the work yet to be done, especially when it comes to retrieving and vitrifying the liquid waste. Walking through the cavernous Pretreatment and Low-Activity Waste Facilities that are the most complete portions of the Waste Treatment Plant, I found it hard to get my head around the level of precision it will take over the next decade to install the thousands of miles of piping that will be necessary for the bulk of the vit plant’s operations. The challenge of tank retrieval also resonated with me, especially after getting a chance to walk inside a mock waste tank and see the actual tanks from above.

In these pages, you’ll find all manner of articles detailing procurement issues, disputes over funding cuts, regulator concerns, and Congressional criticism. You’ll read about new and innovative approaches to cleaning up the complex, projects that are behind schedule and projects that are being finished quicker than expected. But in the midst of all the back-and-forth, it’s nice to be reminded why everyone is so passionate. The mission at Hanford and across the complex is worth the attention.

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DOE Recertifies Tank Farm Operations VPP Star Status

Richland, Washington - - Tank Farm Operations was recognized today as an industry leader in safety by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which has recertified the firm’s Analytical Technical Services group’s Voluntary Protection Program Star status.

DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) encourages and recognizes excellence in occupational safety and health protection. The program emphasizes systematic and creative approaches involving cooperative action among government, industry and labor in the area of worker health and safety. Achieving Star status indicates outstanding performance.

The Tank Farm Operations Analytical Technical Services group operates and maintains Hanford’s 222-S Laboratory. The organization has about 190 employees who are responsible for sampling of high-level radioactive waste from Hanford’s tanks, testing waste samples, disposing of wastes from operations, and performing engineering, maintenance and upgrades at the nuclear laboratory. Hazards include radiation exposure, handling radioactive materials, chemical hazards and a full range of industrial hazards associated with an operating facility.

The Analytical Technical Services organization first received VPP Star status in 2003 and was recertified in 2005. A team of five experts from DOE’s Office of Health, Safety and Security conducted a review from January 7th to the 17th to determine if the organization is performing at a level deserving of VPP Star recognition. Based upon interviews with about 100 workers and managers, extensive observation of work activities, and inspection of worksites and facilities, the team determined that Tank Farm Operations “has maintained the exceptionally strong safety culture expected of a VPP site.”

The team concluded that the Analytical Technical Services team was “led by a proactive and energetic Vice President, managers and employees embody the principles of total teamwork, complete employee empowerment, and equal ownership of and participation in the safety and health program. A commitment to safety excellence and continuous improvement is evident from the Vice President himself, to the newest member of the workforce.”

The report also concluded, “It is evident that employees feel very strongly that upper management supports a strong safety culture, one which employees feel empowered to resolve health and safety concerns without fear of reprisal.”

Star status is the core of the DOE Voluntary Protection Program. By achieving Star status, a company demonstrates truly outstanding protection of employee safety and health.

Washington River Protections Solutions is a prime contractor to the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) and is responsible for safely managing 53 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site, located in south-central Washington State.

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2007 Accomplishments

Many accomplishments in 2007 encompassed tank waste retrieval and reduction, technical innovations, vadose zone/groundwater characterization, regulatory compliance, outstanding safety performance, and cost and schedule savings. Here are just a few highlights of those accomplishments.

Waste Retrieval
Tank Farm Operations transferred 294,000 gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste from single-shell tanks to safer double-shell tanks. The waste material contained over 1.14 million curies of radioactivity. We conducted field work or preparation for seven tank retrieval projects.  A total of seven tanks have been emptied to-date, including all C-200 series tanks.

Waste Transfers
Field crews moved 6.3 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste between tanks and through miles of pipe via the Cross-Site Transfer System. The transfers make tank space available for retrieval projects and will support waste feed to the Waste Treatment Plant.

Optimized Tank Space
In two evaporator campaigns, we processed more than 2 million gallons of waste, reducing the waste volume in the double-shell tanks by more than 1.2 million gallons.

Milestones for TPA Compliance
We completed eight regulatory milestones, including: ultrasonic testing of the double-shell tanks (M-48-15), a comprehensive integrity assessment of the doubleshell tanks (M-48-00),  an assessment of the catch tank liquid level (M-23-26),  interim measures to control contaminant sources in the vadose zone (M-45-56), four interim stabilization reports (D-001-00-R)

Health and Safety
Our strong safety performance was evident in declining rates of injuries and illness. Our Total Recordable Case rate dropped to 0.87, well below the national average of 7.1. Our lost work day rate was 0.52 cases per 200,000 hours worked, compared to the industry average of 2.9 cases. Our people achieved three Million-Hour Milestones, working without an injury or accident.

Groundwater Protection
Through the Vadose Zone Program we completed 35 direct push investigations, drove 7,000 feet of pipe and 139 probe holes, collected 54 soil samples, 4,850 feet of gross gamma logging data, and 1,309 feet of moisture logging data.

DOE “Best-in-Class”
DOE recognized two of our projects as “Best-in-Class” for pollution prevention. DOE honored work conducted in our Vadose Zone Program and at our 222-S Laboratory.

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2007 Annual Review

Hanford Tank Farm Mission

This year we safely executed over 5,000 work packages, transferred 9,000,000 gallons of waste, and dramatically improved the tank farm infrastructure. We made notable technological advances and gains in productivity. What’s more, our team set unprecedented safety records, earning for us the 2007 distinction as one of America’s Safest Companies.

Yet even with this impressive performance, we are constantly working to raise the bar. Tank Farms is committed to operational and safety excellence. We have an outstanding workforce, and we are constantly finding innovative solutions to challenges. By remaining focused on the job, alert to the risks, and open to improvement, we will attain our goals. We will achieve the highest levels of safety and quality in our work and help DOE meet its commitments for Hanford cleanup.

John Fulton
President and CEO
CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc.

Highlights of FY 2007

Waste Retrieval - Tank Farm Operations has transferred over 294,000 gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste from single-shell tanks to safer double-shell tanks. The waste material contained over 1.14 million curies of radioactivity. We conducted field work or preparation for seven tank retrieval projects. A total of seven tanks have been emptied to date, including all C-200 series tanks.

Optimized Tank Space - In two evaporator campaigns, we processed more than 2,000,000 gallons of waste, reducing the waste volume in the double-shell tanks by more than 1.2 million gallons.

Health and Safety - Our strong safety performance was evident in declining rates of injuries and illness. Our Total Recordable Case rate dropped to 0.87, well below the national average of 7.1. Our lost work day rate was 0.52 cases per 200,000 hours worked, compared to the industry average of 2.9 cases.

Our people achieved three Million-Hour Milestones, working without an injury or accident.

Tank Farm Operations was named one of America’s Safest Companies by Occupational Hazards magazine.

DOE selected two of our projects as “Best-in-Class” for pollution prevention. The recognition honored work conducted in our Vadose Zone Program and at our 222-S Lab.

Groundwater Protection - Through the Vadose Zone Program we completed 35 direct push investigations; drove 7,000 feet of pipe and 139 probe holes; and collected 54 soil samples, 4,850 feet of gross gamma logging data, and 1,309 feet of moisture logging data.

Milestones for TPA Compliance - We completed 8 regulatory milestones, including:

• ultrasonic testing of the double-shell tanks (M-48-15)
• a comprehensive integrity assessment of the double-shell tanks (M-48-00)
• an assessment of the catch tank liquid level (M-23-26)
• interim measures to control contaminant sources in the vadose zone (M-45-56)
• four interim stabilization reports (D-001-00-R)

Advanced Technology - Tank Farms developed and deployed many innovations for waste retrieval and treatment.

For Bulk Vitrification, we successfully completed a 10,000-liter fullscale dryer test and a full-scale integrated dryer and melt test. We passed two key objectives and provided DOE with valuable decision support data.

Lab-scale tests of Fractional Crystallization demonstrated effective separation of specific tank chemicals from radioactive materials.

At tank S-102, we used the Rotary Viper to set a record for speed in removing 35,000 gallons of waste in three days.

In tank S-112, we used the Alligator to capture 1,400 grams of residual waste samples in 1.5 hours to meet state regulatory requirements.

Vapor Solutions - To ensure workforce protection, we collected and analyzed 4,414 vapor samples from the various work sites.

Cost and Schedule Performance - Our cost performance index improved to 1.07, due to retrieval efficiencies in S and C Tank Farms, double-shell tank isolation, transfers, and the SY_PPP Line replacement. Similarly, our schedule performance index grew to 1.08 due to accelerated waste retrievals and transfers, early completion of FY09 Bulk Vitrification work, and early completion of Phase 2 SY and AW upgrades.

Certification and Accreditation - Our Strategic Planning and Project Control group obtained Earned Value Management System certification to meet a contract requirement. Our 222-S Laboratory received international accreditation from the American Industrial Hygiene Association for analyzing organic chemicals in samples.

Tank Farm Cleanup

WRPS’s mission at Hanford is to safely manage 53 million gallons of highly radioactive and hazardous waste stored underground in 149 single-shell tanks and 28 double-shell tanks.

The single-shell tanks are long past their intended service life, and many have leaked. Furthermore, they are only a few miles from the Columbia River and within a 50-mile radius of 200,000 residents. Thus, retrieving the waste from these tanks is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) in order to demonstrate environmental compliance and provide long-term protection for public health.

Tank Farms is transferring the waste from the older single-shell tanks to the more durable double-shell tanks. The waste will remain in the double-shell tanks until it can be treated for permanent disposal.

Tank Retrievals Advance Cleanup

In FY 2007, Tank Farm Operations safely retrieved 294,000 gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste from Hanford’s underground liquid radioactive waste storage tanks. The waste material, which contained over 1.14 million curies of radioactivity, was transferred from leak-prone single-shell tanks to safer double-shell tanks.

Throughout the year we were engaged in field work, preparation, or planning for retrievals at seven tanks: S-112, S-102, C-108, S-109, C-109, C-110 and C-104. With completion of the tank S-112 retrieval, Tank Farms has emptied seven single-shell tanks.

Other completed retrievals include tanks C-106, C-203, C-202, C-201, C-103, and C-204.

The retrieval projects are focused on safe removal of saltcake, sludge, and solids that remain in the tanks after Tank Farm Operations transferred all pumpable liquids to the doubleshell tanks in 2004. That interim stabilization of the waste was a significant milestone in Hanford cleanup.

Retrieval of the fifth tank, C-103, was completed this year using Modified Sluicing technology, which applied recycled waste water to break up the waste and mobilize it so it could be pumped out. Tank C-204, the sixth completed retrieval, was emptied with Vacuum Retrieval technology, which is particularly effective for tanks suspected of leaking. It was the last in the group of four C-200 series tanks to emptied

The seventh tank, S-112, had especially stubborn waste forms, requiring a multi-modal approach. We used Modified Sluicing to remove the thick layer of sludge. For the remaining 23,000 gallons of hardened heel, we developed a more aggressive technology, the Salt Mantis. With the highpressure water stream of the Salt Mantis, we were able to dislodge the heel and remove it from the tank.

Retrievals in FY 2008 will focus on tanks C-108, S-102, S-109, C-109, C-110, and C-104.

Reducing Cost

With each project, we are reducing the cost of retrieval through operational efficiencies and innovative technology. In FY 2004, it cost ~$50 million for the first retrieval at Tank C-106, which established a cleanup model and closure pathway for the other 176 tanks. Now, in FY 2007, we are emptying tanks at a fraction of that cost. Several recent retrievals were completed at less than $10 million each.

Tank S-102 Cleanup

Maneuvering around numerous obstacles, Tank Farms project teams have worked thousands of hours to safely remove waste from tank S-102. Despite the tank’s thick, intractable waste, which has clogged pumps and disrupted operations, crews have persevered, devising a sequence of creative solutions to facilitate retrieval.

Teams deployed Modified Sluicing technology, a Variable- Height Pump, and the Rotary Viper mixing system. With each solution work resumed, and crews even set records for speed of waste removal early this year. By the end of the second quarter, 91% of the waste had been removed from tank S-102.

However, in July another pump problem brought operations to a halt at the tank. Workers were attempting to clear a clog remotely when waste backed up into the raw water line and ~85 gallons of waste leaked out of the hose onto the ground. No workers were contaminated, and there was no spread of contamination beyond the spill site.

Both DOE and Tank Farm Operations conducted thorough reviews of all operational factors and the event response. As is Tank Farms practice, the findings and lessons learned were shared throughout the organization and are being transformed as lessons learned into process improvements that will benefit all retrieval operations. As the year concluded, workers had completed safe cleanup of the spill site and the team was making plans to install new equipment at the tank to resume retrieval in FY 2008.

Waste Transfer

With extensive planning and following strict safety protocols, Tank Farms successfully completed twelve waste transfer projects in FY 2007. Field crews moved 6,300,000 gallons of radioactive and chemical waste between tanks and through miles of pipe via the Cross-Site Transfer System. The transfers make tank space available for retrieval projects and support waste feed to the Waste Treatment Plant.

The complicated transfers require technical precision to accommodate diverse waste chemistry and make efficient use of available space. By monitoring waste chemistry, we protect tanks from excessive corrosion and avoid accumulation of flammable gasses such as hydrogen. By managing tank space, we optimize the infrastructure and support effective management of the program and costs.

Setting Safety Records

We are engaged in extremely hazardous work at Hanford. Yet, with a staff committed to safety, we are successfully managing the risks. Three times this year, our employees achieved a million-hour safety milestone for work without a lost-time accident. Our work groups had many notable accomplishments, helping our company set safety records for low injury-accident rates.

Waste Feed Operations worked a full year (700,639 hours) without a lost-time injury, conducting maintenance and moving 9,300,000 gallons of waste. The Vadose Drilling and Sampling Field Crew completed an intensive sevenmonth project without a single Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) case. 

We attained success by staying focused on safety and constantly working to improve it. During periodic breaks, employees reflected on safe work practices and identified opportunities for improvement. The safety pauses generated a host of suggestions from traffic control improvements to office hazard reductions.

Employee safety teams also contributed to a strong safety record. Teams focused on ergonomics, heat stress, traffic, employee wellness, cold weather, electrical hazards, insects, hoisting and rigging, ALARA, and chemical vapors.

As a result of these and other activities, we had many occasions for celebrating safety accomplishments, and recognizing safety champions is yet another way we made safety a highly visible and active part of our work culture

Industrial Hygiene Accreditation

In August, Tank Farms Operations Analytical Process Development Group at the 222-S Laboratory received international accreditation for analyzing organic chemicals in samples. The accreditation from the American Industrial Hygiene Association gives the group expanded capabilities for analysis that protects tank farm workers.

The two-year effort to earn accreditation required development of extensive quality assurance plans and procedures as well as training of laboratory personnel to new standards. The group successfully passed an audit and two tests, accurately identifying chemical contaminants in air samples and earning the accreditation.

The industrial hygiene accreditation is required for analyzing high-level radioactive waste and prepares us for earning accreditations that will support future remediation activities and decontamination and decommissioning.

Chemical Vapors

Continuing the Vapors Solution Initiative, Tank Farms conducted vapor sampling in the tank farms to determine levels of known and anticipated chemicals of potential concern (COPCs). Monitoring validated vapor conditions at specific sites during work activities. The data help minimize health risks and manage the hazards of chemical exposures.

Last year, from extensive sampling, Tank Farms found that concentrations of COPCs were well below hazard levels in areas five feet or more from the source site. As a result, respiratory protection is no longer required in most of these areas inside the tank farms. However, respiratory protection is worn in hazard areas; and continued monitoring and sampling is used to determine appropriate levels of protection for the work sites.

Staff at our 222-S Laboratory developed extensive protocols for analyzing the compounds, with the fewest calibration runs and the greatest confidence in detection. Staff S A F E T Y worked overtime to process over 1,400 samples for the S Farm and even more for A and C Farm characterizations.

In April, technicians collected samples in U Farm prior to installation of Surface Geophysical Exploration to map contaminant plumes. Sampling was then directed to T Farm, followed by TX, TY and B-complex Farms.

Radiation Monitor

In a productive collaboration, staff from several craft groups developed a remote radiation monitor for protecting tank farm workers. The development arose out a safety concern for technicians that have to negotiate a steep slope to collect radiological data during retrieval operations. With the new device, the work site can be safely monitored from a distance.

Developers started with offthe- shelf hardware and added a casing that prevents overheating during intense summer heat and a weighted tripod that can withstand strong winds. An extendedlife battery pack provides three months of service between battery changes

Ultimately, they created a state-of-the-art, self-contained, remote-reading radiation monitor unlike anything else on the market. The unit is lightweight and easy to move about the site.

Our people developed the monitor for just $1,500 per unit. Vendor proposals ranged from $16,000 to $20,000 per unit.

In August, five of the monitors were tested along a tank waste transfer line that runs down a steep slope between C Farm and AN Farm. The units fed continuous data on radiation readings to an outlying control center where health physics technicians could monitor the site with greater safety. Plans are to mount the unit on a 1/8-scale, remote-controlled all-terrain vehicle (ATV) for even greater mobility.

Wireless Dosimeter

Another wireless innovation helped Tank Farms Operations strengthen worker protection in the tank farms. Installed in the top hat that sits over a tank riser, a Remote-Reading Beta Dosimeter provides real-time surveys of radiation dose on equipment before it is removed from the tank.

In the past, when long-length equipment was removed from a tank, it passed through a wash ring then out through the top hat. The wash ring removes much contamination, but not all of it. Health physics technicians would survey the equipment with a hand-held counter to measure remaining contamination. If readings were higher than anticipated, the equipment was returned to the tank, and work was suspended until additional controls were in place.

By incorporating the wireless dosimeter into the top hat, we can detect radiation levels on the equipment before it is extracted and before workers are exposed. The readings are transmitted to computers where health physics technicians monitor the dose remotely. Because the sensors can detect both beta and gamma radiation, the new system is ideal for any long-length equipment removal task. It will provide improved worker safety throughout the tank farms.

Safety Awards

Tank Farms Operations was named one of America’s Safest Companies by Occupational Hazards magazine, the nation’s authoritative journal for safety, health and industrial hygiene professionals. The award was bestowed at the National Safety Council’s Annual Congress and Expo in Chicago.

The honor recognized our entire organization for its success in creating and maintaining a safe workplace. Our company was singled out for achieving a safety record that is one of the best in the DOE complex and the nation. In FY 2007, our recordable injury rate dropped to less than one, while the industry average is more than seven cases per 200,000 hours worked.

In other recognition, DOE selected two of our projects as “Best-in-Class” for pollution prevention. One project, using Direct Push technology, minimizes worker exposure. The other laboratory analysis project determined contaminated soil qualified for costsaving, low-level waste disposal.

In December, the Eastern Washington Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers honored members of our staff. Our Bulk Vitrification project team was recognized for excellence in hazardous materials management. The team also received awards for its innovative approaches to permitting and for its strong working relationship with Washington State regulatory agencies.

The local chapter of the Health Physics Society recognized three of our workers for contributions to effective radiation safety programs, excellence in radiation safety, and technical contributions to the health physics profession.

Bulk Vitrification

Tank Farms continued testing and development of Bulk Vitrification as a supplemental technology for treating lowactivity tank waste. Work focused on the performance and integration of components in the vitrification system.

A series of engineering-scale tests were conducted at the mixer/dryer manufacturer’s test facility in Kentucky. The tests used a 130-liter mixer/ dryer and various formulations to determine optimal operations for a continuous liquid feed stream. The tests provided operational data and confirmed we can control moisture during continuous waste feed.

Later in the year, a full-scale test of the Bulk Vitrification mixer/dryer, conveyor system, and melt box evaluated the integrated systems. The text confirmed the mixture of glass-forming materials will adequately entrain molten ionic salts that form when the waste mixture is heated. Bulk Vitrification will melt tank waste with Hanford soil inside a large container using electrical current. The final product will be similar to glass logs produced by the Waste Treatment Plant.

The next step is designing and building a bulk vitrification plant in Hanford’s tank farms. If bulk vitrification technology proves feasible, the technology could potentially treat up to 25 million gallons of tank waste.

Fractional Crystallization

Our engineering staff worked with universities and other technical experts on design and testing of Fractional Crystallization. Tank Farm Operations is investigating the technology for its potential cost-saving benefits in pre-treating Hanford tank waste.

Fractional Crystallization uses evaporation and crystallization to separate sodium and sulfate salts from liquid waste, leaving behind cesium and other highly radioactive isotopes. The waste portion with salt compounds would be treated as low_activity waste. 

Because salt compounds make up a large part of tank waste, their removal would significantly reduce the volume of high-level material treated at the Waste Treatment Plant.

In the latest tests, the technology performed even better than anticipated. By re_dissolving and reprocessing the salt crystals, the concentration of cesium and other contaminants was reduced by more than 18,000 times.

Based on the successful tests, we are preparing for pilot-scale testing using an existing evaporator test loop at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. With a few modifications, the system offers a cost-effective system for testing in FY 2008.

Retrieval Technologies

Several recent developments are helping us complete our mission.

Camera-Equipped Robotic Arm - Giving operators a better view inside the tanks, the Camera-Equipped Robotic Arm significantly aids retrieval activities. The five-axis robotic arm can squeeze through a four-inch riser and move freely around obstacles to peer in and around the tank. It gives operators a view of tank conditions in real time, which helps throughout the retrieval activities.

Off-Riser Sampler - Another mobile sampling tool gives operators a broader reach inside the spacious tanks. The remotecontrolled Off- Riser Sampler is small enough to fit through a 12-inch riser and rugged enough to perform reliably in a radioactive environment. The system maneuvers across the floor of the tank, even through debris, to scout for residue and collect samples. It can successfully collect samples that previously were beyond our reach.

Alligator - The small clam shell device was developed for collecting residual tank waste samples for regulatory closure requirements. The self-powered tool can be lowered into the tank on a thin cable. The Alligator’s powerful jaws grab a “mouthful” of sludge and then clamp down for secure retrieval. All required samples can be collected quickly, and it operates at substantially less cost and with reduced worker exposure than previous sampling methods.

Rotary Viper - The high-pressure mixer proved especially helpful for removing ultra-thick waste that is exceedingly difficult to pump out of the tanks. The rotating spray system is mounted on a long shaft that can be inserted directly in the waste. Rotating up and down, the Viper injects water into the waste at 32,000 psi and a flow rate of ~12 gpm, delivering a powerful mixing force. It thins and stirs the waste so it can be pumped out. Operators also can use it to remove clogs from the pump screens.

Innovative Solutions

Retrieving radioactive and hazardous chemical waste is tremendously challenging, requiring multiple technologies to address the unique characteristics of the tank waste.

Retrieval systems must meet stringent safety and performance requirements. They must be remotely controlled and sufficiently agile to reach the far sides of a 75-foot-diameter tank. They must be rugged enough to perform reliably in the tanks’ radioactive environs and powerful enough to dislodge materials as hard as saltcake and as bulky and heavy as chunks of concrete.

Also, because some tanks are known to leak, liquids used to dislodge the waste must be carefully managed to prevent further leaking. The job demands innovation, ingenious engineering, and, in many cases, groundbreaking approaches never used before in the nuclear industry.

Efficiency and Cost Savings

Tank Farm Operations strives to work safer, faster, and cheaper in everything we do. Sometimes the best ideas for improvements come from employees in the field who recognize a need and offer a simpler, better way to do the work.

Drain Assembly - Workers developed a more efficient and less expensive drain seal for use in the tank transfer pits. They added an extension handle for easy opening and closing of the stopper. They fashioned a rounded point to guide it into the drain hole. The improved assemblies, which plug the drain in the floor, fit tightly and perform reliably during double-shell tank waste transfers. They cost less and have a longer service life. Furthermore, because the seals do not have to be replaced as often, they reduce worker exposures to radiation.

Radial Filters - The development of the Radial Filter started as an ALARA effort, i.e., to keep radiation exposure “As Low As Reasonably Achievable.” Engineers devised a small filter that offers cost savings and improved ergonomics for field work. Installed on seven tanks, the new filter replaces bulky, heavy breather filters that required heavy equipment for installation and annual maintenance. The smaller radial filters have been recommended for use throughout the DOE complex.

Rail Transportation - An initiative to use Hanford rail lines and a specialized railcar has helped reduce hazards and save disposal dollars. In the past, large or odd-shaped items classified as low-level waste or mixed low-level waste were disassembled and shipped by truck to a local waste processing facility. With the special rail car, we can load oversized contaminated equipment as-is, minimizing the hazards of handling and saving time and money. The savings per shipment is about $300,000.

Evaporator Reduces Waste

In two back-to-back campaigns, operators at the 242-A Evaporator processed 2,061,000 gallons of tank waste, evaporating off liquids and reducing the waste volume by 59% or ~1.2 million gallons.

Concentrating the waste through evaporation reduces the volume of waste that must be stored in the space-limited double-shell tanks. We are essentially freeing up storage space, which eliminates the need and associated cost of building additional tanks to receive waste from the aging single-shell tanks.

The campaigns were conducted in two phases to manage differences in the waste fed from tanks AW-102 and AP-104. In the Evaporator, a total of 3,730,000 gallons of waste was processed.

By blending and recycling the waste, we prevented waste stratification and reduced accumulated solids in the feed tank. This approach improved the overall waste volume reduction and minimized the total operating time.

Running the campaigns in sequence facilitated scheduling of needed hardware and software upgrades. The upgrades will enhance facility controls and provide a new simulator for use in training operators.

Vadose Zone Investigations

Tank Farm Operations launched an expanded program designed to increase understanding of the nature and extent of soil contamination in and around the tank farms. The Vadose Zone Program uses new technologies to characterize subsurface contamination and mitigate its impacts to the environment.

The program focuses on contaminants in the vadose zone, which is the area beneath the surface of the ground and above the groundwater. Records show that 67 single-shell tanks leaked up to a million gallons of waste to the surrounding soil. Also, years ago, it was an accepted practice to discharge contaminated liquids to the soil through ditches and cribs adjacent to tank farms.

Two technologies, Surface Geophysical Exploration and Direct Push, have proven highly effective in detecting and mapping underground plumes of contaminants. With Surface Geophysical Exploration, workers insert into the soil an array of probes that provide data on the extent and movement of the plumes.

The technology offers a safe way to characterize waste plumes without exposing workers to contaminants. The technique has effectively mapped contaminants at several tank farms (B, BX, BY, C, U, T, TX, and TY farms) and at many waste sites outside the farms.

The Direct Push technology uses a hydraulic hammer to drive a hollow rod deep into the soil vertically or at an angle. Sensors inside the rod can detect radioactive contaminants and soil moisture. Unlike conventional borehole drilling, Direct Push does not bring contaminants to the surface, thus minimizing worker exposure and eliminating treatment and disposal.

We are sharing information from the Vadose Zone Program with Hanford contractors investigating other areas on the site. The integrated data support tank farm management and decisions on optimal remediation approaches.

Interim Barrier

Project teams began construction of an Interim Barrier over a known plume in T Farm. The barrier features a sprayed-on polyurea liner that prevents moisture from infiltrating the ground and driving contaminants down to the groundwater. This preventative approach will provide added protection for human health and the environment.

Scheduled for completion in Spring 2008, the barrier covers ~64,000 square feet of the T Farm surface, including all or part of nine tanks and the plume from tank T-106. Tank T-106 leaked ~115,000 gallons of waste into the surrounding soil in 1973. The plume is ~75 yards in diameter and has migrated to 90 feet below the tank. The water table is ~200 feet below the tank.

A Caring Community

Tank Farms is committed to making our community a better place to live. Through corporate donations, leadership, volunteerism, and the generosity of our employees, we are a force of giving and goodwill. We support education, the arts, economic development, health, and human services. This past year we were involved in many initiatives and programs that helped in meeting local needs.

Through our ongoing involvement with Junior Achievement, our employees inspired and engaged students in learning about business and economics. The innovative school and community activities gave 7,000 local children fun ways to learn and grow.

Tank Farm employees contributed over $250,000 to the Annual United Way campaign. The pledge included our company’s 25% donation match.

Wide grins on the faces of children and 150 volunteers reflected the mutual rewards of our annual Partners ‘N Pals Horseback Riding event. Once again, Tank Farms sponsored and organized the affair to help the ARC of the Tri-Cities provide horseback riding, games, and activities for 100 children with special needs.

Donating to the American Red Cross Blood Drive, employees helped our local chapter provide vital health care for patients at area hospitals.

Tank Farm employee teams put in some miles to support the annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica walk-a-thon held at Columbia Park in Kennewick.

For the third year in a row, Tank Farms sponsored Canstruction Tri-Cities. The event brought in over 12,000 cans of food for Second Harvest, a local food charity.

Tank Farm Operations presented Washington State University - Tri-Cities with an unrestricted gift of $600,000. This year’s contribution makes Tank Farm’s total contribution to WSU_TC more than $2 million. In addition, we provided $60,000 in scholarships to incoming freshmen. The scholarships were distributed equally to ten students.

To benefit the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission Women’s Shelter, we partnered with the AFL/CIO Metal Trades Department and Central Washington Building and Construction Trades Council in sponsoring the Annual Tri_Cities Charity Golf Tournament. Together we raised over $11,000 for the shelter.

Encouraging budding scientists and engineers, our technical staff worked with Boy and Girl Scouts to complete the requirements of their Chemistry Merit badge. The program was conducted at Columbia Basin College.

Small Business Support

Tank Farm Operations awarded $43 million in contract work to small businesses, far exceeding our socioeconomic goals established with the DOE. Using small business is a practical way to gain overall project efficiency in advancing the tank farm mission. At the same time, it benefits the local economy, creating opportunities for business growth and development.

Support Our Troops

In a colossal Support Our Troops campaign, Tank Farm workers filled and shipped over 1,400 care packages for troops serving overseas. Good planning and an efficient assembly line helped employees quickly fill boxes with beef jerky, chips, candy, playing cards, stationery, and other gift items.

The worker-led initiative raised more than $40,000 for the gifts, and Tank Farm Operations corporate offices paid the shipping costs. The care packages were distributed to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tank Farms worked closely with American Citizens Encouraging Support (ACES) to arrange shipping and distribution.

Thank-you letters from the troops made it all worthwhile.

News Release (PDF)

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