RICHLAND, Wash. - EM Office of River Protection (ORP) contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) recently completed the first operating campaign of the year at Hanford ’s 242-A Evaporator, creating approximately 200,000 gallons of double-shell tank storage space.
“Evaporator campaigns are a key part of the safe and timely cleanup of Hanford tank waste," said Glyn Trenchard, acting ORP assistant manager for the tank farms project.
During the 16-day campaign, approximately 540,000 gallons of liquid waste from feed tank AW-102 was transferred to the evaporator where it was heated to a boil under a vacuum.
Liquid from the boiling waste was collected, condensed, filtered, and sent to Hanford’s Effluent Treatment Facility for treatment and disposal, resulting in the tank waste volume reduction of roughly 200,000 gallons. The remaining concentrated waste was transferred to double-shell tank AP-104.
Prior to processing waste through the evaporator, the waste is analyzed to determine its key constituents. The data is used to determine how the waste will behave during and after the evaporation process, and to establish how much water can be safely removed from the waste.
The evaporator runs under strict environmental regulations, stringent operational controls, and requires extensive maintenance and operator training to maintain the facility in a fully operable condition.
ORP replaced the facility’s ventilation system and upgraded its monitoring and control system as part of improvements in recent years. In June, workers extended the evaporator’s ventilation stack from a height of 63 feet to 111 feet above ground to enhance chemical vapor emission controls during operating campaigns.
“With continued integrity assessments, equipment upgrades, and a proactive maintenance strategy, we expect the evaporator to operate safely for many more years," said Mark Lindholm, WRPS president and project manager.
Since it began operating in 1977, the evaporator has removed 86 million gallons of water from Hanford tanks. The next evaporator campaign is scheduled for next month.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
