Legacy Tritium Storage Bed Disposal: Campaign …...Introduction to TI Tradebe Inutec are based on a...
Transcript of Legacy Tritium Storage Bed Disposal: Campaign …...Introduction to TI Tradebe Inutec are based on a...
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Legacy Tritium Storage Bed Disposal:
Campaign Summary
Tritium Focus Group Meeting, October 2016
Dr Dario C. Castiglione
This document is of United Kingdom origin and contains proprietary
information which is the property of the Secretary of State for Defence.
It is furnished in confidence and may not be copied, used or disclosed
in whole or in part without prior written consent of Defence Intellectual
Property Rights DGDCDIPR-PL - Ministry of Defence, Abbey Wood,
Bristol, BS34 8JH, England.”
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AWE
Tritium Technology
Frontline Workers
Facility Engineering
Uranium and Tritium
Chemistry
Facility Management
Tritium Technology
Tritium Accountancy
Tritium Analysis
Legacy Management
Tritium Technology
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AWE has a history of
working with tritium
dating back to the 1960’s
Fundamental tritium-
materials research and 1H/2D/3T isotope effects
AWE set up and ran the
UK Tritium Users Group
from 2003-2014
An old tritium research
facility (pictured) prior to
decommissioning
Tritium @ AWE
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A purpose built science facility with consent to operate from NII (now the ONR) Dec 2002
Undertakes work on tritium programmes in support of CASD
Key Design Features Distributive Control System to monitor
plant condition
Monitoring of workspace, containments and discharges
Remotely operated process lines
HVAC system
Inert gas gloveboxes
Gas Clean Up Plant
Also houses legacy tritium items from other facilities
Tritium @ AWE
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Depleted uranium-based solid storage Finely divided DU provides high surface area (but is pyrophoric)
Highly reactive with hydrogen isotopes → UQ3
Tritiated steel and other materials
Legacy Examples – Tritium Storage Beds
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BAT Assessment and MoD approval
Best Available Technique recommendation to dispose of these via specialist RA waste contractor – Tradebe Inutec (Magnox Winfrith Site)
MoD was petitioned by AWE to dispose of 219 items containing 24.265 kg DU and estimated 3H activity of 72.8 TBq
Subsequently identified 9 additional items, included in the BAT assessment (228, 25.750 kg DU, 77.25 TBq 3H)
A further 8 items were reclassified as waste late in the contract and, subject to being in scope, would also be disposed of (236, 26.502 kg DU, 77.25 TBq 3H)
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Introduction to TI
Tradebe Inutec are based on a Nuclear Licensed site at Winfrith, Dorset, UK
35 year history originally as part of UKAEA
TI have been treating TSBs for over 20 years and provide the only service of this type in Europe
Other tritium-based work; washing and detritiation of reactor desiccants, detritiation of mercury, thermal detritiation of metals and incineration of tritiated soft wastes
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AWE-Tradebe Inutec Contract
Disposition contract including capability development costs
Planning since 2011/12, work commenced in 2013
Six proposed shipments
Estimated processing time by the contractor after shipping was 12 months (but allowed 18-24 months to complete)
Safety/activity limits for the items
Offgassing rate/headspace limits
Photos reproduced with kind permission of Tradebe Inutec
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Schematic of the capability
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Preparation Detritiation Passivation Oxidation Sampling Analysis Encapsulation Disposal
Schematic reproduced with kind permission of Tradebe Inutec
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Major Challenges
Every item required assay Some were too active to send (>0.01g or >0.01g + >15TBq)
Shipping container validation TI supplied IP-2 containers but they also needed AWE validation –
quicker than certifying a completely new container
Regulatory and legislative DG Transport, RA consigning, waste compliance, health physics –
cross company support was invaluable
Operational Restrictions and Safety Case uplift Restricted operations for ca 1 year after successful Shipment 1
During this time all processes were thoroughly reviewed
AWE still had to pay maintenance costs during the hiatus
Significant effort to return to fully operational status
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Major Challenges (cont.)
Lots of similar items but a few very quirky ones too Suspected breached container
Confirmed breached containers
Glass (some broken)
Suspected asbestos
Too big to fit in calorimetry/shipping containers
Each shipment required independent safe method of work Confidence, technical competence, processes optimised – it got
simultaneously easier and harder the more work we did
Time frames were tight Shipment 6 was spilt into 6a and 6b to allow for more pre-packing
preparation works
AWE >> Pressure to deliver! << Tradebe Inutec
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TSB Preparation Flowsheet
Identify TSB in glovebox and
confirm estimate legacy inventory
Remove TSB from glovebox
Allow to off-gas
Surface decontamination to
<4 Bq cm-1
Transfer to calorimetry container
(check off-gassing rate if required)
Perform assay by calorimetry
Update legacy database with
confirmed inventory
Transfer to fume cupboard for further
off-gassingPack for shipment
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TSB preparation examples
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Packing for Shipment
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Tradebe Inutec Receipt Results
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TSB numberTAM reading MBq
m-3
Al Bag
TAM reading MBq m-3
Blue
can
TAM reading MBq m-3
Black
Drum
AWE/206 439.8 0.9
AWE/207 1.2
AWE/208 - 7.62
25.3
AWE/209 -
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AWE/210 -
AWE/211 -
AWE/212 -
AWE/213 -
AWE/214 -
AWE/215 25.2 1.2
0.9AWE/216 14.91.2
AWE/217 20.3
AWE/218 0.1
0.2
1.6
AWE/219 0.1
AWE/220 0.1
AWE/221 0.1
0.2AWE/222 0.1
AWE/223 0.1
AWE/224 0.1
AWE/225 - 0.1 In Blue can only
Data reproduced with kind permission of Tradebe Inutec
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Tradebe Inutec process improvements
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Single heater unit to 10 heater unit
Manually controlled to automated
Housed in single fume hood to purpose built fully abated containment
Plant can now treat up to 10 TSBs concurrently, operate 24/7, automated oxidation and fully abated for tritium
OLD NEW
Photos reproduced with kind permission of Tradebe Inutec
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Tradebe Inutec processing experience
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Item Number Total Measured Tritium Activity (Bq)
TS
Bs
Re-o
rdere
d fo
r Pro
ces
sin
g
Item Number Total Tritium Thermally Removed (Bq) Residual 3H in Depleted Uranium (Bq) Residual 3H in Steel Shell (Bq)
AWE001
<5.50E+11 (LOD)
AWE001
3.94E+10
2.08E+06 8.21E+07
AWE002 AWE002 2.64E+06 8.25E+07
AWE003 AWE003 1.62E+06 8.10E+07
AWE004 AWE004 2.08E+06 8.66E+07
AWE005
<5.50E+11 (LOD)
AWE005
7.08E+10
2.20E+06 2.80E+06
AWE006 AWE006 1.20E+06 2.76E+06
AWE007 AWE007 1.80E+06 2.78E+06
AWE008 AWE008 2.50E+06 2.70E+06
AWE009
6.21E+11
AWE014 2.10E+06 2.75E+06
AWE010 AWE009
1.32E+10
2.70E+05 2.81E+06
AWE011 AWE010 1.70E+06 2.90E+06
AWE012 AWE011 1.80E+06 2.74E+06
AWE013 AWE012 2.00E+06 2.82E+06
AWE014 AWE013 6.90E+05 2.76E+06
AWE015 AWE015
3.12E+10
1.08E+06 9.30E+05
AWE016 AWE016 1.08E+06 9.50E+05
AWE017
7.25E+11
AWE017 1.08E+06 9.20E+05
AWE018 AWE018 1.08E+06 1.46E+06
AWE019 AWE019 1.08E+06 9.10E+05
AWE020 AWE021
3.06E+08
1.29E+06 9.00E+03
AWE021
8.81E+11
AWE022 1.36E+06 9.00E+03
AWE022 AWE023 1.41E+06 9.00E+03
AWE023 AWE024 1.30E+06 9.00E+03
AWE024 AWE025 1.25E+06 8.00E+03
AWE025
1.13E+12
AWE020
1.59E+12
1.08E+06 9.10E+05
AWE026 AWE026 1.08E+06 4.00E+05
AWE027 AWE027 1.08E+06 7.60E+05
AWE028 AWE028 1.08E+06 7.30E+05
AWE029 AWE029 1.08E+06 8.10E+05
AWE030 AWE030
4.18E+11
4.58E+05 4.61E+06
AWE031 AWE031 4.58E+05 4.96E+06
AWE032 AWE032 4.58E+05 5.07E+06
AWE033
7.60E+11
AWE033 4.58E+05 4.87E+06
AWE034 AWE034 4.58E+05 5.89E+06
AWE035 AWE035
4.62E+11
7.50E+05 1.05E+06
AWE036 AWE036 4.80E+05 8.00E+05
AWE037 AWE037 6.70E+05 4.95E+07
AWE038 AWE038 2.31E+06 3.27E+08
AWE039 AWE039 4.80E+05 3.62E+06
AWE040 AWE040 3.55E+08 4.50E+05 1.64E+08
Total 5.22E+12 Totals 2.63E+12 5.06E+07 9.42E+08
Data reproduced with kind permission of Tradebe Inutec
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Major Achievements
MoD initially gave permission for the disposal of 219
legacy assets containing 24.265 kg DU and an estimated
72.8 TBq 3H
Through agreement with MoD we have disposed of more
items and more DU (225 and 24.552 kg respectively)
whilst retaining a greater amount of the asset of interest by
only disposing of 55.66 TBq 3H
Reduced facility fire loading with respect to legacy
pyrophoric DU
Completed in 18 months (not counting the hiatus)
Costs within budget over project duration.
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Future Work
Tritiated targets BAT assessment to support disposal via Tradebe Inutec
11 TSB’s remain Remove the tritium and sentence the remaining waste
An enduring legacy programme to tackle the remaining items Molecular sieve and their containers
‘Cleaning’ of tritium contaminated He-3
Tritiated plastics and rubbers
Legacy containers and their contents
Other special interest materials
The capability could be utilised for future waste streams as programmes develop
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End Result
Questions?
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Thanks to everyone involved!
Tritium Technology – Dario Castiglione, Chris Knott, Bryan Garney, Josh Mancey, Tony Provenzano, Malcolm Pizey, Damaris Roffey (and formerly
Aaron Roffey, Martin Venn, Scott Bazley and Steve Kitching)
Frontline Workers – Chris Farmer, Victoria Stanbridge, Tom
Holmes (and formerly Tom Ledran)
Uranium and Tritium Chemistry –Nicki Fletcher, Jon Northall, John
Knowles and Dave Pezet
Facility Management– Russell Garman, Brian Breslin, Paul Pounder (and formerly Paul
Lonsdale)
Facility Engineering – Andy Piper, Charlie Butfoy, Paul
James (and formerly Gerry Fay)
Environmental Monitoring and Work Control – Karl Clifford (and formerly Janet Cross and Mick
Quane)
Health Physics – Alan Murfitt, Richard Goss, Pauline Cripps, Dave Oxlade, Ashley Clarke,
Carol Ferneyhough, Jim Cronogue, Julie Grant
Nuclear Materials Management –John Bailey, Alan Bremner,
Dominic Brown, Malcolm Sawyer, John Castle, Andrew
Nichols, John Harvey, Roy Wake, Jim Brook
Environment, Safety and Health – Steve Bucksey and Angie
Anfield
Programme – Rob Sibley, Richard Bourne, Heather
Krauesslar
MoD – Stephen WelchSupply Chain Management–
Simon Round and Justin HearnWaste Services – Paul Langham,
Rachel Tott and Steph JonesEnvironmental – Jemma Hepworth, Tom Hibbert
Logistics and Transport – Sally Weedon and her group, Tim
Denning, Simon Lister and all the drivers
Containers Group – Chris Bates, Zia Shaikh, Marek Rarok
Safety Case – Jennie Costello, Adam Swales
Tradebe Inutec – Andy Anderson, Andy Bland, Will
Kelly, Jimi Moore, Mike Twissell
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Bryan Garney
Particular thanks to
our Principal Scientist
who retired after 43 ½
years service
Bryan was
instrumental in the
legacy work and even
delayed his retirement
to see this programme
through to completion
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Contact Details
For AWE
Dario C. Castiglione, Team Leader – Tritium Technology [email protected]
Chris Knott, Tritium Scientist and Legacy Specialist [email protected]
Tony Provenzano, Head of Delivery [email protected]
For TRADEBE Inutec
Andy Anderson, Head of Operations [email protected]
Andy Bland, UK Rad Waste Sales Manager [email protected]
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