Tank Side Cesium Removal System Project and Technology Maturation Program - 20101

Abstract

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is the Tank Operating Contractor (TOC) for the U.S. Department of Energy-Office of River Protection (DOE-ORP) on the Hanford Site. The Hanford Site stores an estimated 56 million gallons of mixed radioactive and chemically hazardous waste in large underground tanks. WRPS is in the process of designing the Tank Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system to produce a Low Activity Waste (LAW) feed from existing mixed Hanford tank waste. The LAW will be transferred to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) LAW Vitrification Facility, where it will be immobilized in a durable glass waste form for disposal. The TSCR Project demonstrates a tank-side treatment system for providing feed to the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility. This system removes undissolved solids and cesium from tank waste supernatant using non-elutable ion exchange media to meet the applicable waste acceptance criteria for the WTP. In support of the project, technology testing has been performed to answer design questions and reduce risk. The project scope and technology testing approach are presented. (authors)