The Bechtel Hanford Inc./PNNL Partnershipa summary of Contributions for FY03

CONTENTS

Decommissioning .................................................1PNNL identified technology-based improvements and provided testprocedures to evaluate contaminant fixative options for the excavationof the 105-H Reactor fuel storage basin.

Reactors Interim Safe Storage ............................1

Remedial Action and Waste Disposal .....................2PNNL applied the Enhanced Site Characterization System at the618-5 burial ground. PNNL identified options for handling 618-7burial ground drums and stabilizing the pyrophoric chips to supportthe remediation planning.

Burial Ground Remediation ...............................2

Technical Assistance ..............................................3PNNL provided technology-related information for remediationproject managers.

618-5 Burial Ground

105-H Reactor

1

The Bechtel Hanford Inc./PNNL Partnershipa summary of Contributions for FY03

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), as part of theBechtel Hanford Inc. Technology Application function, hassupported the Environmental Restoration Contractor since fiscalyear (FY) 1996 by assessing science and technology oppor-tunities to improve on the Environmental Restoration Projectbaseline, identifying viable technology solutions, facilitating thedeployment and demonstration of technologies, and providingtechnical assistance for technology-related issues. Specificsupport provided by PNNL in FY03 is summarized below.

DecommissioningReactors Interim Safe StorageThe 105-H Reactor fuel storagebasin (FSB) is a reinforced-concrete basin (approximately7,000 ft2 and 20 ft deep) thatwas used as a collection,storage, and transfer facility forirradiated fuel elementsdischarged from the reactor.Excavation of contaminatedmaterials from the 105-HReactor FSB was completed inFY03. PNNL identifiedtechnology-basedenhancements and providedtest procedures to evaluatecontaminant fixative options.

The Remote Retrieval Systemwas used to remove high doseitems from the bottom of fuelstorage basins

2

The Bechtel Hanford Inc./PNNL Partnershipa summary of Contributions for FY03

Remedial Action andWaste DisposalBurial Ground RemediationThe wide variety ofwastes disposed in burialgrounds and inadequatewaste disposal recordsmake burial groundremediation technicallychallenging. A key issuefor burial groundremediation ischaracterization prior toexcavation to determineif any problematic wasteforms are present. TheEnhanced SiteCharacterization System(ESCS) had beensuccessfully deployed byPNNL at the 618-4 burialground in FY99 to definethe outline of drummeduranium waste. In FY03,PNNL applied ESCS at the 618-5 burial ground prior toexcavation. The ESCS characterization produced a map of thetypes of buried objects in the burial ground. Using the ESCS,PNNL successfully determined that there were no problematicwaste forms (e.g., drums) in the burial ground. The map wasthen used to guide excavation activities.

Drums containing pyrophoric zircaloy chips are in the618-7 burial ground. Zircaloy chips must be stabilized afterexcavation for subsequent disposal at the EnvironmentalRestoration Disposal Facility. PNNL identified technologyoptions for handling the drums and stabilizing the pyrophoricchips to support the remediation planning for this burial ground.

PNNL deployed the Enhanced SiteCharacterization System to produce amap of buried objects to guideexcavation activities

3

The Bechtel Hanford Inc./PNNL Partnershipa summary of Contributions for FY03

Technical AssistancePNNL supported a variety of remediation decisions by providingtechnology-related information to the project engineers. Specificletter reports produced in FY03 are shown in the table.

Fiscal Year 2003 Technology Review Reports

Project Report Subject

Interim Safe Storage Fixative Technologies

Interim Safe Storage Arsenic Soil Treatment Options

Interim Safe Storage Dust Suppression Alternatives

Decommissioning Fogging Technology Alternatives

Decommissioning Metal Decontamination Review

Remedial Action and Zircaloy Treatment OptionsWaste Disposal

Remedial Action and 100-BC Subsurface PipelineWaste Disposal Alternatives

Remedial Action and Portable Metal Analyzers ReviewWaste Disposal

Remedial Action and 618-4 Hydrocarbon TreatmentWaste Disposal Options

4

The Bechtel Hanford Inc./PNNL Partnershipa summary of Contributions for FY03

Other examples of PNNL support to the EnvironmentalRestoration Project are as follows:

• Obtained information on the leachability of graphitecarbon-14 for use by the Interim Safe Storage (ISS) Project indetermining whether Environmental Restoration DisposalFacility would accept carbon-14 contaminated waste from105-H Reactor.

• Provided the Decommissioning Project the technical basisfor disposal for metal components by evaluatingdecontamination techniques versus EnvironmentalRestoration Disposal Facility disposal.

• Obtained information for the ISS Project on a rock/concretebreaking technique called the “Rockracker.” The techniqueuses small charges in boreholes to generate high-pressuregases that crack the rock/concrete as the gases expand. Thecharges used are much lower in energy than those normallyused for demolition. The technique is being consideredto use in demolition of the 105-H Reactor GasVentilation Wing.

Environmental RestorationDisposal Facility

PNNL-SA-40632

For More Information, Contact:

Terry WaltonEnvironmental Management(509) 372-4548Terry.Walton@pnl.gov