Engineers at the Savannah River Site (SRS) have developed a 3D-printed tool that could shorten the tank waste sampling process by several months, according to Savannah River Mission Completion.
SRMC, the liquid waste contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management, treats and disposes of millions of gallons of radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the site.
Before an emptied tank can be filled with grout and closed, crews clean the tank and collect samples of any residual material to ensure no significant high-level radioactive waste remains.
Traditionally, sampling could not begin until waste inside the tank had dried through evaporation, a step that often took six months or longer.
The new tool uses a centrifuge to eliminate the need for evaporation, allowing sampling to begin sooner and moving the tanks toward operational closure more quickly, according to a press release from SRS.
Engineers designed and refined the centrifugal sampler using 3D-printed components, creating what SRMC described as a more cost-effective and efficient process.
The tool recently proved successful in Tank 9 and is expected to shorten future sampling schedules by removing the drying wait time, according to a press release from SRS.
To collect samples, workers lower the tool and a 3D-printed transport basket into a tank through an access port, or riser. A remote crawler retrieves the basket, carries it to the sampling location, then positions and activates the tool.
“This team thought outside the box and gave us an innovative way to make a significant leap forward in the tank closure process,” SRMC President and Program Manager Thomas Burns Jr. said.
Tony Robinson, acting assistant manager for waste disposition at DOE-Savannah River, said the tool helps build momentum toward tank closure and reducing the risks associated with legacy waste.
“This new sampling tool and the preliminary cease waste removal (PCWR) milestones will significantly advance the SRS liquid waste program safely and efficiently,” he said.
PCWR is a regulatory milestone confirming that preliminary information shows reasonable assurance that closure performance objectives can be met.
SRMC recently completed PCWR for seven old-style tanks years ahead of the Savannah River Site’s Federal Facility Agreement schedule, according to a press release from SRS.
