Environmental Research Provides Key Insights for Mercury Cleanup; Virtual Capabilities Help Engineers Design Hanford Tank Farm Surface Barrier; and much more!

DOE Office of Environmental Management sent this bulletin at 02/05/2019 02:29 PM EST

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

EM Update | Vol. 11, Issue 5 | Feb. 5, 2019

Environmental Research Provides Key Insights for Mercury Cleanup
Virtual Capabilities Help Engineers Design Hanford Tank Farm Barrier
Oxidants Neutralize Waste Solvents in Savannah River Site Aquifer
West Valley Achieves One Million Work Hours Without Lost-Time Accident
Hanford Leadership Energized for DFLAW Operations, Other Transitions
Worker Enjoys Dual Job Challenge of Learning and Teaching at Hanford
EM Marks Waste Disposal Milestone at WIPP
Hanford Site Energy Efficiency Incentives Soar
Innovation Leads to Efficient Resolution of SRS Equipment Issue

Environmental Research Provides Key Insights for Mercury Cleanup

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists gather sampling data from the East Fork Poplar Creek.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Through support from DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM), researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) Aquatic Ecological Laboratory are advancing the understanding of mercury’s impact on fish, wildlife, and streams.

For more than 70 years, scientists at this DOE Office of Science national laboratory have been at the forefront of environmental research and discovery, including leading some of the longest-running studies of small streams in the world.

Now, they have partnered with OREM to conduct remediation research, including assessments of remedial performance and ecosystem recovery. They also support EM’s goal of developing new technologies and remedial solutions for future mercury cleanup in soil, sediments, and creeks.

Working together, EM and the Office of Science are gaining a deeper understanding of the local environment and finding answers to aid cleanup in Oak Ridge.

“The science we are learning is helping direct management actions, but it is also revealing less intrusive remedies where we can manipulate the ecology to address contaminated areas without incurring big cleanup costs,” Aquatic Ecology Group Leader Mark Peterson said.

Artificial intelligence assists researchers by identifying invertebrate community structures within the images taken of water samples.

Native fresh water mussels have shown the ability to significantly improve water quality. Within hours, they can filter the water in the tank, pictured, and make it clear.

For example, native freshwater mussels have shown the ability to significantly improve water quality. They remove inorganic mercury from the water and may prevent the element from entering the food chain and being converted into its most hazardous form — methylmercury.

The group is also making progress identifying the most effective sorbent materials to extract mercury from the East Fork Poplar Creek banks downstream from the Y-12 National Security Complex. This research enables OREM to find new tools and approaches that could be more effective, reduce costs, and accelerate cleanup schedules to address the site’s complex mercury challenge.

“This partnership between EM and the Office of Science highlights the advances and benefits that are possible when we pair the resources and incredible talent within these two vital DOE programs,” OREM Manager Jay Mullis said.

Mercury cleanup is EM’s highest priority at Y-12. Operations used large amounts of mercury during the 1950s and 1960s, and a portion was lost into the environment. OREM is constructing the Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment facility as part of its cleanup approach, which will help fulfill regulatory commitments to reduce mercury levels in the creek and enable large-scale cleanup and demolition to start at Y-12.

Researchers measure mercury levels of fish in the laboratory before returning them to the East Fork Poplar Creek.

The ORNL scientists are using sampling methods that bring in more data on the levels of organic mercury or methylmercury in the fish. Researchers collect fish from the creek, measure their mercury levels and growth rates in the laboratory, and return them to the creek. If a fish is caught again, team members can compare mercury concentrations to gauge trends and how fish respond to various changes in the watershed.

OREM is continuing this strong partnership and funding an expansion of the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory that will open later this year. The expansion will allow mercury-contaminated stream water to flow through the facility so researchers can test mercury removal technologies in flowing water in a controlled laboratory setting.

-Contributor: Ben Williams

Virtual Capabilities Help Engineers Design Hanford Tank Farm Barrier

From left, Matt Miller, Alexander Pappas, and Eric Riel of Washington River Protection Solutions recently collected 360-degree photos of TX Farm. The photos were compiled into a virtual inspection to be used by surface barrier design engineers.

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Office of River Protection and its tank farms contractor are set to use virtual capabilities to inspect an upcoming project, improving safety and efficiency.

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) created 3-D scanning technology for engineers designing the interim surface barrier for the TX Farm, one of the Hanford Site’s largest with 18 single-shell tanks. Design work takes place this year, with construction scheduled to begin in 2020.

The technology allows the engineers to view every above-ground detail of the tank farm from their computers, zooming in and out of a 360-degree high-definition rendition of the area.

The barriers help prevent rain and snowmelt from intruding into the underground tanks or percolating into the soil and driving contaminants toward groundwater.

“On the last project of this type in SX Farm, our design team was unable to account for actual conditions on the surface that weren’t captured in the design drawings we were working from,” said Alex Pappas, WRPS closure and interim measures engineer. “Missing were the as-built details as they differed from the original design. The virtual walkdown technology gives us on-demand access to those items.”

This is the first use of the technology in WRPS field work. Pappas said its benefits are twofold.

“It’s cost effective, because it saves the cost of training engineers to go into the farms or hiring subcontractors,” he said. “More importantly, it minimizes risk by having fewer people in the tank farm and for shorter times. This was a huge win for us that will pay off as we move to the construction phase.”

Rather than enter the farm to collect the missing elements for TX Farm, which would have added cost, delayed work, and put workers at risk, the team collected all needed photos in an hour, stitched them together, and delivered them to the engineering team by week’s end.

Steve Eklund, WRPS human performance improvement facility visualization lead, said the virtual images of buildings or farms have many potential applications, including pre-job and post-job reviews, work planning, and employee training.

Last year, Eklund created a virtual inspection of the 242-A Evaporator. Viewers are taken through doors, up and down stairs, and can zoom in on equipment as needed, all remotely.

“That capability came in handy recently when an outside inspector who didn’t have the training or badging to enter the evaporator was able to get an up-close view of the equipment he needed to inspect without going inside,” Eklund said.

-Contributor: Hal McCune

Oxidants Neutralize Waste Solvents in Savannah River Site Aquifer

EM and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions are using oxidants to neutralize solvents found in groundwater beneath the Savannah River Site in a field-scale test. The oxidants destroy the waste solvents, producing non-toxic byproducts.

AIKEN, S.C. – EM and the management and operations contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are making significant progress towards removing solvents from the groundwater beneath the site.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) has completed the first phase of testing a promising new approach developed at SRS that uses oxidants to neutralize the solvents, according to SRNS Area Cleanup Projects Manager Mike Griffith.

"Removing or destroying these solvents and restoring the aquifer to its original state is a goal we are effectively working towards," Griffith said. "This long-term project has required the synergistic use of several different cleanup methods, processes, and specialized equipment — a toolkit of groundwater cleanup methods."

During the Cold War at SRS, the solvents were used to remove grease from nuclear components being produced to support the creation of plutonium for nuclear defense and, later, NASA deep space missions. Clay-bottom basins were initially used to store this waste.

The oxidant approach entails a two-step injection of different oxidants specifically designed for the sediments where the contaminated water resides. The portion of the Lost Lake Aquifer below SRS currently being treated has sand and clay sections. Waste solvents in the clay portions have proven difficult to remove.

The first step uses an aggressive oxidant known as potassium permanganate to clean up the more easily reached contaminants in the sandy zones. EM Savannah River National Laboratory testing shows that once the solvents have been eliminated from the aquifer’s sandy portions, solvents in the harder-to-treat clay zones will disperse. Once free from the clay, the solvents can be attacked using sodium persulfate, injected in the same set of wells used for the first step. The long-lasting sodium persulfate seeps into the clay to treat more solvent.

According to SRNS geologist Jeff Ross, data to be gathered through October 2019 from monitoring will determine how the formula of oxidants and concentrations should be modified for treatment during a second injection and monitoring campaign set for 2020.

"Working closely with the Savannah River National Laboratory during the extensive laboratory testing prior to the start of the campaign has shown the effectiveness of this two-step process and given us a high level of confidence," Ross said. "We believe this multi-year injection campaign and evaluation will be highly effective."

In this project, samples will be taken frequently from groundwater monitoring wells located at various distances up to 500 feet from the injection site, where a well was placed to draw oxidants through the targeted area of contaminants.

According to Ross, it's not unusual for potassium permanganate or sodium persulfate to be used separately to attack degreasing chemicals. What’s innovative is the use of these oxidants in combination, back to back, to treat hard to reach solvents locked in the clay.

-Contributor: DT Townsend

West Valley Achieves One Million Work Hours Without Lost-Time Accident

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – EM’s cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Site recently surpassed one million work hours without a lost-time accident or illness. “This and other work at the West Valley Demonstration Project only happens because of the skills and commitment of our employees to complete work in a safe and compliant manner,” EM WVDP Director Bryan Bower said of CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV) and its subcontractors. “This work, safely performed, brings many benefits to the ongoing cleanup and future closure of our EM site.” CHBWV crews pictured here use a large crane to load a section of a shield door from the site’s vitrification plant during demolition activities. Workers successfully demolished the 10,000-square-foot plant in September, marking EM’s largest and most complex environmental cleanup achievement at the site to date.

-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere

Hanford Leadership Energized for DFLAW Operations, Other Transitions

EM Office of River Protection Manager Brian Vance speaks to more than 80 senior leaders from more than 14 Hanford Site organizations during a recent operations leadership workshop.

RICHLAND, Wash. – More than 80 senior federal and contractor leaders met recently to discuss direct feed low-activity waste (DFLAW) operations and other advancements as part of the Hanford Site moves from a long-term construction site to an operational nuclear cleanup facility.

“We have to think differently about our future, not just for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), but also the tank farms and the rest of the site,” EM Office of River Protection (ORP) Manager Brian Vance said. “In less than two years, we’ll actually be transitioning to an operational mode at the site for waste treatment. We’re here today to communicate our perspective about what that transition means.”

Virtually every organization at the site will be impacted by the increase in operations, and they need to work together to meet those challenges, Vance said.

“This is not just an ORP deliverable or a WRPS deliverable or a BNI deliverable,” Vance said, referring to ORP tank farms contractor Washington River Protection Solutions and WTP contractor Bechtel National Inc. “It’s a DOE-Hanford community deliverable.”

Valerie McCain, BNI principal vice president and WTP project director, echoed Vance’s comments.

“It’s a great time to be a part of this mission and I can tell you the tempo and pace of the project has really picked up,” she said. “There is a sense of urgency. We’re not talking years, we’re talking months and days on the project.”

The DFLAW approach is expected to allow treatment of low-activity radioactive waste, which makes up the bulk of waste in the tank farms, to begin by 2023.

Jason Vitali, WRPS chief technology officer, challenged participants in the operations leadership workshop to address potential weaknesses in the DFLAW program.

“Do we have the capability, or is there a fragile point in the process that we need to start tracking?” he asked. “From a capacity standpoint, that’s not just supporting startup and commissioning operations. Looking forward to operations and full capacity throughput, we have to make sure we have full capacity within our systems.”

Rick Holmes, Waste Treatment Completion Company general manager and WTP site director, said most utility infrastructure construction for DFLAW operations is complete. Additionally, crews turned the Analytical Laboratory over to plant management and commissioning of the low-activity waste facility operations annex will soon begin.

Richland Operations Office Assistant Manager for Mission Support Jeff Frey said other infrastructure changes are needed as the site moves closer to waste treatment operations.

“We now have to reconfigure all the infrastructure and support services from the original setup to a new set of facilities in a smaller footprint, so it’s a very different challenge,” he said. “We have to reconfigure how the lines go and water feeds — the capacity needed. We also have to right-size them for sustained operations. We need to make some investments in the infrastructure.”

Vance encouraged leaders to reimagine relationships.

“I think what you heard today should cause you to think differently about where we are going as a site and how we can work together as a community to deliver on what many have been working on for such a long time,” he said. “We’re not just focused on commissioning, and then we all high-five each other and walk away. We’re focused on operations.

“Once those melters are operating, we don’t want to stop them,” Vance said. “We want to keep things moving forward.”

-Contributor: Gary Younger

Worker Enjoys Dual Job Challenge of Learning and Teaching at Hanford

RICHLAND, Wash. – For Ben Vannah, with the EM Richland Operations Office (RL), commitment to his job is all about the people and the environment.

“I enjoy the environmental cleanup,” said Vannah, who joined EM at the Hanford Site in 2014. “I feel like we’re making a difference.”

Working on one of the largest nuclear cleanups at a site with such a rich history during World War II and the Cold War is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, Vannah said.

He is the project engineer for the remediation of a highly contaminated waste site beneath a former laboratory just north of Richland and only a few hundred yards from the Columbia River, as well as the eventual demolition of the building itself.

After joining RL, Vannah quickly learned from co-workers who were ready to help their new teammate learn about Hanford cleanup.

“Everyone’s very receptive to new people coming in, asking questions, and they’re more than willing to mentor and give guidance,” said the South Florida native, who has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in environmental engineering.

EM Richland Operations Office (RL) Project Engineer Ben Vannah stands outside the RL building in Richland, Washington.

Ben is the type of person you want in a new employee,” said Mark French, federal project director for the RL project and facilities division. “He’s smart, driven, and dedicated to the mission. I believe he will be a future leader in DOE.”

When Vannah has the opportunity to share advice with Hanford newcomers, he recommends they ask questions and seek a mentor.

“Some of my co-workers have been at Hanford longer than I’ve been alive,” Vannah said. “They’re eager to share their knowledge and see you succeed.”

Vannah also has a message for those who aren’t affiliated with Hanford Site cleanup.

“Our priority is cleaning up the environment and keeping people safe, and that’s the exciting part about coming to work,” he said.

-Contributor: Mark Heeter

This is the first in a series of stories focusing on early career professionals in the EM complex.

EM Marks Waste Disposal Milestone at WIPP

Employees emplace transuranic waste 2,150 feet underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for permanent, safe disposal.

CARLSBAD, N.M. – EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) recently marked a milestone when a room in the facility reached capacity with transuranic (TRU) waste.

“This is another step in WIPP continuing to accomplish its mission of safely and compliantly disposing of the nation’s TRU waste,” EM Carlsbad Field Office Manager Todd Shrader said. “The workforce takes great pride in what they do, and it shows every day.”

WIPP’s underground waste disposal panels, mined at a depth of 2,150 feet in an ancient salt layer, contain seven rooms each. Each room is approximately 13 feet high, 33 feet wide, and 300 feet long, and is separated by a 100-foot beam of salt.

The latest waste emplacement accomplishment occurred in Room 5 of Panel 7. Emplacement activities begin in Room 7 of each panel, working backward to Room 1. Panel 7’s rooms 1, 2, and 3 remain to be filled. Room 4 is barricaded and entry is prohibited, the result of a decision to no longer continue ground control activities there. Emplacement will continue in the access drifts that connect all of the rooms, eventually reaching Room 3.

Panel 8 is being mined ahead of Panel 7 being filled. Panel 7 is expected to be at capacity in spring 2021. Emplacement in Panel 7 and mining in Panel 8 both began in 2013. Each panel normally takes up to 2.5 years to be mined and outfitted, which includes installation of electricity and monitoring equipment, and air-regulating bulkheads, which are used to direct and control airflow throughout the underground.

WIPP received more than 310 waste shipments in 2018, exceeding the 2017 total of 133. Since beginning operations in 1999, WIPP has received more than 12,300 shipments. The facility has safely emplaced over 175,000 waste containers in the underground for permanent disposal.

-Contributor: Roy Neese

Hanford Site Energy Efficiency Incentives Soar

Lana Strickling, Greg Sullivan, and Christian Seavoy with EM Richland Operations Office contractor Mission Support Alliance work with contractors across the Hanford Site to identify projects that qualify for the Bonneville Power Administration’s regional energy efficiency incentive program.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Contractors at the Hanford Site are expected to earn more than $1.1 million in government incentives for saving energy over the past four years, thanks to a collaborative effort led by contractor Mission Support Alliance (MSA) for the EM Richland Operations Office (RL).

The incentives are offered through a Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) energy efficiency program. As the site services contractor, MSA works with other Hanford contractors to identify qualifying projects and administer submittals to the BPA.

During the four-year period that ends this year, Hanford contractors are expected to save approximately 4.25 million kilowatt hours and earn incentives exceeding $1.1 million. The money from the energy incentives is reinvested at Hanford.

That compares with Hanford’s first four years participating in the program, from 2012 through 2015, when the total energy savings were approximately 100,000 kilowatt hours, and contractors received more than $32,000 in incentives.

“MSA has made significant progress on improving the site’s energy management program over the last few years,” RL Assistant Manager for Mission Support Jeff Frey said. “This is one of many ways we are continuing to reduce costs at Hanford.”

Christian Seavoy, MSA’s certified energy manager, said the contractors are achieving the savings in part by installing more energy efficient lighting, and upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

Hanford contractors are also earning incentives on larger infrastructure projects by upgrading electrical transmission systems and replacing electrical transformers.

-Contributor: Ginger Benecke

Innovation Leads to Efficient Resolution of SRS Equipment Issue

AIKEN, S.C. – Innovative engineers found a cost effective fix for equipment used in EM’s spent nuclear fuel processing at the Savannah River Site (SRS).

An unfamiliar noise alerted operators to a problem with a system used for unloading fuel shipping casks. The system shields personnel from spent nuclear fuel within the casks.

The engineers employed multiple tools to identify the problem. Using a camera, they discovered a small indentation on the end of the casks was intermittently catching on a small post from a plate at the bottom of the shielded transfer system.

The engineers then used 3D software modeling to determine the point of interference and find a solution. They designed a thin sheet of metal closed with clamps that would fit along the bottom of the system. Much like a spring form pan used in baking, this metal kept the cask indentation from catching on the plate post. The model was then used to validate the design and ensure no additional interferences were created. EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory manufactured the piece.

“The Department of Energy appreciates the work of the L Area engineers for finding an inexpensive and operationally simple fix to the shielded transfer system adaptor plate issue, and for implementing it while not impacting processing,” EM Nuclear Materials Manager Maxcine Maxted said.

The plate at the bottom of the shielded transfer system helps align fuel shipping casks into the system.

Savannah River Site engineers designed a thin sheet of metal that attaches with clamps to the bottom of a fuel shipping cask, keeping the plate at the bottom of the shielded transfer system from lifting with a fuel shipping cask.

Once the solution was implemented, workers found no issues processing several casks, according to L Area Spent Fuel Project Engineering Manager Stephanie Hudlow.

“This fix saved the time and costs associated with construction workers having to make a confined space entry to reposition the adaptor plate when it was lifted,” Hudlow said.

L Area operations include the safe receipt and storage of a variety of spent nuclear fuel assemblies from domestic and foreign research reactors. The fuel is then sent to the site’s H Canyon for processing into low enriched uranium.

-Contributor: Lindsey MonBarren

Follow EM on Twitter at: @EMAssistantSec

Like EM on Facebook at : https://www.facebook.com/DOEEnvironmentalManagement