Comparison of Proposed BARCT Design for the Supplemental Treatment Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (DBVS) with BARCT Design Accepted for the Waste Treatment Plant.
The US Department of Energy-Office of River Protection (ORP) has created aggressive initiatives to accelerate the closure of single-shell tanks (SSTs) containing mixed radioactive and dangerous waste at the Hanford Site. To meet the 'Hanford Federal Facilities Agreement and Consent Order' milestones M-45-00 and M-62-00 for completing retrieval of SSTs by 2018 and completing tank waste treatment by 2028, ORP is evaluating optimizing the Hanford Site Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) vitrification in addition to treating waste using bulk vitrification as a supplemental technology. Further testing using Hanford tank waste is needed to provide data to support the bulk vitrification supplemental technology efforts. The ORP is proposing to install and operate a Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (DBVS) project under a Research, Development, and Demonstration permit application. The DBVS will process up 1,355,500 L (300,000 gal) of LAW from Tank 241-S-109 located in the 200 West Area of the Hanford Site. For all new construction of emission units, Best Available Radionuclide Control Technology (BARCT) shall be used in accordance with WAC 246-247, Radiation Protection-Air Emissions.