RICHLAND, Wash. - It’s a modest 12-foot-by-12-foot metal structure that sits just outside of Hanford ’s AP Tank Farm, but it plays a key role in ensuring the site’s tank waste is managed safely and efficiently.
The AP-801 service water building houses a system that provides flush water to Hanford’s double-shell tank farms for use after waste transfers, which involve the movement of waste between double-shell tanks through underground piping.
EM Office of River Protection (ORP) Program Manager Richard Valle said the facility plays a significant supporting role in Hanford’s tank waste management efforts even though it doesn’t get a lot of attention.
“These upgrades will enable the system to do its job more efficiently while ensuring the safety of the operators," Valle said.
ORP and its tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) recently completed refurbishing the building, replacing many critical components, and reconfiguring piping to meet operational requirements for preventing water hammer. That occurs when the water is shut off suddenly, bringing the water rushing through the pipe to a quick halt and creating a pressure surge and hammering noise.
The new components include a pressure control valve, backflow preventer, flow meter, flow totalizer, globe valve for throttling flow, and a control panel. The system also features a hookup for hot water. The upgraded system can throttle flow, provide instantaneous flow rates, and record total flow. Installation of the new equipment will extend the service life and increase the accuracy and efficiency of throttling water flow.
Previously, workers used a gate valve to throttle the flow of water to 40 gallons per minute before securing flow to prevent water hammer. A flow totalizer and a stop watch were used to determine flow rates. This required on-the-fly calculations to be performed in the field.
WRPS Project Manager Dustin May credited the entire project team for its work to upgrade the system.
“We had a lot of people contribute," May said. “EM representatives, WRPS Design Services, Engineering, Safety, Quality Assurance, Environmental, and our construction contractor worked together to make the project a success."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
