EM Update | Vol. 10, Issue 10 | March 13, 2018

• New DUF6 Contractor Receives “Good” Rating for First Evaluation Period
• Oak Ridge Tears Down Two Higher-Risk Buildings
• Rod Rimando on Robotics and Cleanup
• Historic 1980s Robin Robot to be on Display at WM2018
• Idaho Site Contractor to Rehabilitate Solvent-Contaminated Wells
• Repeat Winner at DOE Regional Science Bowl
• Engineers Of Tomorrow Participate in Fluor Idaho Engineering Day
• EM Speaker Presents at Women's History Event

New DUF6 Contractor Receives “Good” Rating for First Evaluation Period

DUF6 Facility at the Paducah Site.

DUF6 Facility at the Portsmouth Site.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mid-America Conversion Services (MCS), which assumed operation of two depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) conversion and storage facilities in southern Ohio and western Kentucky in February 2017, earned an award fee of $1,098,247 during its first annual performance evaluation by EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO).

   The award includes a “good” grade – 70 percent of available fee – for specified “subjective” measures under the new contract to process and manage DOE’s 700,000 metric tons of legacy depleted uranium material at DOE’s Piketon, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky plants. The contractor earned approximately $468,000 of $676,000 in these subjective categories, including “very good” marks for management, and “good” overall ratings for quality of work and regulatory compliance, according to a recently released fee scorecard. MCS’s utilization of small-business subcontractors earned an “excellent” grade, while scheduling and cost-control were deemed “satisfactory.”

   MCS partially met its “objective” Performance-Based Incentives, indexed largely to conversion output, during the period due to ongoing interrupted operations that preceded the contract. MCS earned approximately 40 percent of the $1.58 million available relative to these criteria, or approximately $630,000. 

   MCS is led by Atkins Global Nuclear Secured, with Westinghouse Government Services and Fluor Federal Services as partners. 

   PPPO Manager Robert Edwards noted that the contractor has undertaken considerable efforts to promote procedure-driven operations, an important safety objective.

   “The contractor was successful in managing a significant culture change in Project maintenance and operations,” Edwards said. “We believe their focus on nurturing a robust nuclear safety culture at the two sites will result in safe, long-term production at the DUF6 facilities.”

   Performance objectives are incorporated into the DUF6 Project’s Performance Evaluation and Measurement Plan. The DOE releases information relating to contractor performance and fee determinations to further transparency in its Environmental Management program.  Scorecards summarizing the fees, along with performance criteria, can be accessed here.

   Combined, the DUF6 conversion facilities at Portsmouth and Paducah have converted 61,696 metric tons of DUF6 since they began operations in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The conversion process results in the more stable compound of uranium oxide for reuse or disposal, and hydrofluoric acid for recycling to industrial use.

-Contributor: Brad Mitzelfelt

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Oak Ridge Tears Down Two Higher-Risk Buildings

Crews take down Building 9743-2 at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge is home to more higher-risk excess contaminated facilities than any other DOE site in the nation, but recent demolition projects are helping change that. This month, the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) eliminated two buildings from the higher-risk list.

   The projects were part of DOE’s Excess Contaminated Facilities Initiative, an effort to stabilize facilities, reduce risks, and in some cases accelerate demolition schedules. Oak Ridge is of particular interest since the site houses 297 “excess” facilities— facilities that are no longer operational or serving the Department’s missions. As of December 2016, Oak Ridge contained 60 of DOE’s inventory of 203 higher-risk excess facilities.

   “These projects are highlighting EM’s value as crews are removing risks and clearing land for DOE’s important ongoing missions,” said OREM Federal Project Director Brian Henry. “Tearing down these high-risk facilities is a first step with many more planned in the years ahead.” 

OREM recently removed two higher-risk excess contaminated facilities. Oak Ridge contains more higher-risk facilities than any other DOE site.

   Both buildings, the Radiation Source Building and another used for biological research, were part of the Y-12 National Security Complex’s Biology Complex. The buildings, which are owned by the Office of Science at a National Nuclear Security Administration site, have been vacant since 2000, and they are deteriorated due to their age. Additionally, the location can be used for modern national defense missions. 

   Originally constructed to recover uranium from process streams, the complex later housed DOE’s research on the genetic effects of radiation from the late 1940s. When operational, the facilities once housed more individuals with doctorates than anywhere in the world. These men and women radically enhanced the world’s knowledge in biology, including the discovery of the Y chromosome.

   The Biology Complex previously consisted of 12 buildings until OREM demolished four of them in 2010 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. With last week’s activities now only six remain. The goal is to complete demolition in the early 2020s.

-Contributor: Ben Williams

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Rod Rimando on Robotics and Cleanup

Rod Rimando, Director of Technology Development at the Office of Environmental Management.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The 2018 Waste Management Symposia that gets under way Sunday in Phoenix will feature the development and application of robotics to address radioactive waste challenges. EM Update spoke with Rod Rimando, director of the EM Office of Technology Development, about the uses of robotic technology and potential benefits to the cleanup mission.

Over the past several years, EM has been examining the use of robotic technologies to aid cleanup. Where do you see such technologies providing the most benefit?

The use of robotic technologies will only be successful if there are demonstrable benefits to the EM mission. I envision benefits in enhanced worker safety by, for example, reducing radiation dose and reducing the rate of workplace injuries. I envision our workers being able to perform their tasks much easier and more efficiently using robotic tools and other remotely operated assistive devices. EM's technology thrust in robotics and remote systems has always been rooted improving the “quality of work.”

EM’s top priority is ensuring the safety of the workers at cleanup sites, the public and the environment. Are there opportunities for robotic technologies to help further strengthen safety performance during cleanup?

Robotic technologies hold the promise of greatly enhancing worker safety. According to the Computerized Accident Incident Reporting System, as of March 6, 38% of all work-related EM injuries to date in 2018 are from bodily reaction exertion. This is preventable with the use of robotic Personal Protective Equipment that can protect workers from sustaining internal injuries.

If there is an opportunity for our workers to avoid handling radioactive materials and waste or working in challenged environments, then we must exploit those opportunities and pursue robotics and remote technologies.

How would you assess where robotic technology is today in being able to be employed at EM sites? Are there any “game changers” on the near-term horizon? What further advances are needed?

There are commercially available robotic solutions available to us now. We have successfully deployed robots to perform the most challenging tasks in the liquid waste program at the Savannah River Site. However, such systems are typically single-use, one-off applications. So, unless there is a special need, we don’t use robots. We are a long way from robotic tools being a tool in our toolbox.

We are about to deploy a truly state-of-the-art robot that can automatically perform direct, more accurate measurements of uranium deposits inside the enrichment process pipes at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The current baseline technology calls for measurements outside of pipes and then making conservative estimates on the amount of residual uranium. With over 15 miles of large-diameter pipes that require assaying, this integrated robotic solution, named RadPiper has the potential to realize significant cost savings for the Portsmouth cleanup, and also could be used for eventual decommissioning activities at the former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, as well. 

What has been EM’s role in helping to further the development of robotic technologies for use in cleanup activities?

I believe we, in EM, have sparked a “movement” in the robotics community. There has not been a singular focus on robotics that is exclusive to workers and industrial applications. The market offers many solutions for manufacturing, which demands high-automation, high-autonomy, high-output, 24/7 solutions, but not for general industry. The Department of Defense continues to develop robots, but for high-specialized military applications. Likewise, NASA develops robots for their various space exploration programs.

Showing Carnegie Mellon University's modular robots in snake- and spider-like configurations during a briefing to the Congressional Robotics Caucus. The snake robot was used in search and rescue operations immediately after the earthquake in Mexico City in September 2017.

This year’s Waste Management Symposia topic is Nuclear and Industrial Robotics, Remote Systems and Emerging Technologies.  What is EM’s involvement in forming that program?

I believe we are a catalyst. In year’s past, WMS featured different countries at their annual conference. This year, there is no featured country; instead there is a featured technology – and that technology is robotics. 

What is the most important message that you want conference-goers to take away from this event?

Robots are no longer tools of the future; these tools are here now. Our EM mission involves high-risk, high-hazard, high-consequence, high-exposure work that demands the use of robotics and remote systems. In each and every domain where EM operates, there is a potential application. So, I hope conference-goers recognize both the need and possibilities of robots.

What do you think will most surprise people at the showcase?

Folks will likely be drawn to the Robotic Pavilion where there will be a wide variety of robotic tooling and designs. On display, we will have Robin, which is an odd-looking, six-legged robot that Savannah River Laboratory tested for nuclear applications in the mid-1980s, even before EM was formed. We will also have NASA’s Valkyrie on display and doing live demonstrations. It is a humanoid robot designed to advance deploy and set up camp before our astronauts arrive on Mars. Of course, we are nowhere near deploying a humanoid robot for EM cleanup, but we are very interested in manipulation capabilities and robotic arms for use in our gloveboxes and hot cells.

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Historic 1980s Robin Robot to be on Display at WM2018

Robin Robot was built around 1983 for use in DOE nuclear facilities.  Members of the Savannah River Lab Robotics group worked with Robin over the years to develop techniques and procedures for use in radiation areas and emergency response situations. 

AIKEN, S.C. – Along with the latest developments in robotic technology, attendees at the 2018 Waste Management Symposia in Phoenix will have the opportunity to see up close the historic Robin Robot, a “relic” of the 1980s that was one of the most advanced robots of its time. 

   Today Robin Robot is a member of the Savannah River Site (SRS) Cold War Historic Preservation collection.  It arrived at SRS in June 1986, built for use in Department of Energy nuclear facilities by Odectics, Inc., with specifications from the Savannah River Lab Robotics group. The hexapod was built circa 1983 upon the Odex 1 research platform, which is presently part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection.  

   Robin, whose name was derived from it being a “ROBotic INsect,” was capable of lifting up to 1500 lbs., twice its own weight.  It was capable of reconfiguring its shape to be tall and slender or short and squat, and was able to walk in either configuration. Its onboard computer could be operated remotely and the robot moved under its own power.

Robin Robot garnered attention as one of the most advanced robots of its time in the 1980s.  The robot, to be displayed at the 2018 Waste Management Symposia, is an artifact of the Savannah River Site (SRS) Cold War Historic Preservation Collection.

   Robin featured a camera system enabling remote users a visual view of its surroundings. Each of its six legs had its own minicomputer providing a high degree of dexterity and the ability to navigate unlevel surfaces and stairs. However, the most significant feature added for the DOE mission was the telescoping, jointed arm mounted on a rotating turret enabling the robot to do work. The robot was borrowed by NASA in the early 1990’s for evaluation and returned to SRS in 1994.

   Members of the Savannah River Lab Robotics group worked with Robin over the years to develop techniques and procedures for use in emergency response and maintenance-type situations. Robin’s high price tag saved her from use in actual radiation areas and dangerous missions where she could face contamination or damage. However experimentation with Robin provided the basis for many future robotic systems used and developed at the Savannah River Site. 

   “It is interesting that Robin pre-dates the EM program,” said Rod Rimando, director of the EM Office of Technology Development. “The need to do work remotely because of hazards like ionizing radiation was recognized well before we started our cleanup efforts. Yet here we are, nearly 30 years since our (EM) program began in 1989, and robotics is still regarded by many as a new technology. At WM2018, where robotics is the featured technology, I hope that mindset changes.” 

-Contributors: Jean Plummer, Melissa Jolley

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Idaho Site Contractor to Rehabilitate Solvent-Contaminated Wells

Sampling at the first deep aquifer monitoring well that tested positive for perchloroethylene.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Deep aquifer monitoring wells at the DOE’s Idaho Site, the first of which tested positive for an industrial solvent more than two years ago, will be rehabilitated this summer for use by the environmental restoration program of EM cleanup contractor Fluor Idaho.

   The wells are important for understanding how deep site-generated contaminants are located within the aquifer and the speed at which they move in water.

   Since detections of perchloroethylene (PCE) first surfaced in a specialized, multi-port well in November 2015, two more multi-port wells tested positive for the solvent. Because the wells are sealed and have multiple ports to retrieve groundwater samples, the contaminant was likely inadvertently introduced after they were constructed during a sampling event. 

   Engineers ruled out the aquifer as the source of the solvent because the wells, during their construction, were initially filled with clean water that later became contaminated. Water is added to the well casing (or shaft) to prevent its collapse by balancing out the external pressures. Water remains sealed in the well; therefore, PCE present in the wells is not a threat to the aquifer. 

   Over the last year and a half, engineers investigated one of the wells that provided the clean water during well construction and determined its water was free of PCE. They also investigated the sampling logs, locations where sampling equipment was stored, the equipment, and lubricants used for maintaining the equipment.

   “Based on our research, we believe the introduction of this contaminant into the wells was likely a one-time occurrence,” Fluor Idaho groundwater expert Jeff Forbes said.

   The third well was drilled after the previous two wells. Due to its much lower concentration of PCE, it likely was sampled with the same sampling equipment as the previous two wells on a later date, which could have cross-contaminated the previously clean water in the well.

   In its close-out investigation report, Fluor Idaho proposed to rehabilitate the wells. DOE, the Environmental Protection Agency, and State of Idaho agreed.

   “These wells are valuable to us and other agencies that sample them,” Forbes said.

   Fluor Idaho environmental engineers are now drafting a proposal with possible alternatives for well rehabilitation, which would result in the removal of the PCE from the wells. Since the initial cost to install each well was as much as half a million dollars, rehabilitating them is preferred to drilling new wells. If accepted by the agencies, well rehabilitation could begin by this summer and could be completed this field season or next.

-Contributor: Erik Simpson

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Repeat Winner at DOE Regional Science Bowl

Wheelersburg’s winning team, from left: Coach Paul Boll, Jacob Lewis, Seth Pertuset, Gus Shoemaker, Aaron Bundy; with EM’s Greg Simonton from the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office.

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – For the second consecutive year, Wheelersburg High School won the South Central Ohio Regional Science Bowl that was held Friday, March 9, at Shawnee State University.

   The Wheelersburg Pirates repeated against 31 teams from 19 southern Ohio high schools. The team earned a trip to the National Science Bowl, which is scheduled for April 26-30, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

   “This one is really an honor,” said Jacob Lewis, Wheelersburg’s 18-year-old senior captain who also captained last year’s champion. “Some people might have thought last year was a fluke, but this one shows that we come here to compete.”

   The National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students’ knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. Teams are comprised of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as advisor and coach.  The teams are quizzed in a fast-paced contest involving biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, physics, energy, and mathematics.

More than 150 southern Ohio high school students competed in the 2018 South Central Ohio Regional Science Bowl at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, on Friday, March 9.

   The South Central Ohio Regional Science Bowl is one of 64 regionals across the United States. More than 9,000 students will compete in the program with fewer than 350 reaching the national event.

   “We want to thank our volunteers, Shawnee State, our sponsors and the school officials who are essential partners in this effort,” said Greg Simonton of DOE’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. “DOE is proud to organize this competition to emphasize STEM-related fields to young people, which helps address a national need while providing opportunities to local students.”

   DOE’s Office of Science manages the NSB Finals competition. More information is available on the NSB website here.

-Contributors: Rick Greene, Michelle Teeters

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Engineers Of Tomorrow Participate in Fluor Idaho Engineering Day

Fluor Idaho employee Chris Graham holds Ethan Herrera steady as he rides the "calcine crawler," a robotic device designed to sweep material out of a calcine tank.

Fluor Idaho employee Jessica Anderson and her daughter Ellie working together to build a mechanical dinosaur arm. 

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – It was engineered chaos at the Museum of Idaho for Fluor Idaho Engineering Day. 

   More than 500 children and attentive parents participated in the second annual event, designed for students to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math through hands-on experiences. While kids and parents may not have had advanced calculus or quantum physics on their minds, it was evident that everyone found interest in the STEM concepts presented at the museum.

   Sponsored by Fluor Idaho, Engineering Day exposed students to STEM concepts related to the clean up mission at the DOE-Idaho Site. Fluor Idaho’s Engineering Group set-up six activities and three exhibits for kids to learn more about simple machines, robotics, and applied engineering.

   “This second Engineering Day built on the success of last year and was an outstanding opportunity to help students become more aware, and appreciative of STEM education,” said Museum of Idaho Director of Education Chloe Doucette. “We’re so fortunate to have companies, such as Fluor Idaho, willing to share the expertise of their employees with the students, and parents, of our community.”

-Contributors: Rick Dale and Danielle Miller 

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EM Speaker Presents at Women's History Event

WASHINGTON, D.C. – EM's Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Resource Management Melody Bell was the keynote speaker at a recent event sponsored by DOE in celebration of Women’s History Month. Bell traced a timeline from the 1909 International Women’s Day to congressional and presidential support starting in 1987 to designate March to highlight the contributions of women in history and in the present day.        Bell highlighted women such as civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks and Malala Yousafza, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Bell, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a former Air Force officer, also discussed women pioneers of aviation and space, such as Amelia Earhart, Jacqueline Cochran, Bessie Coleman, Mae Jemison, Ellen Ochoa, Christa McAuliffe and Sally Ride.     “The lives and work of these women and many more certainly inspire girls and women to achieve their full potential and encourage boys and men to respect the diversity and depth of women’s experience,” Bell said.     Bell also shared the story of her own mother, who as a single working mother with four young children, went back to school to obtain her college degree, demonstrating the value she placed on education.    Bell said the women all were defined by their courage, and closed her remarks with a quote from Maya Angelou:  “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” -Contributors: Jeanne Beard, Leslie Trevethan Back to Top

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