Executive SummaryThe Hanford Site in Washington State manages 177 underground storage tanks containing approximately 250,000 m 3 of waste generated during past defense reprocessing and waste management operations. These tanks contain a mixture of sludge, saltcake and supernatant liquids. The insoluble sludge fraction of the waste consists of metal oxides and hydroxides and contains the bulk of many radionuclides such as the transuranic components and 90 Sr. The saltcake, generated by extensive evaporation of aqueous solutions, consists primarily of dried sodium salts. The supernates consist of concentrated (5-15 M) aqueous solutions of sodium and potassium salts. The 177 storage tanks include 149 single-shell tanks (SSTs) and 28 double-shell tanks (DSTs).Ultimately the wastes need to be retrieved from the tanks for treatment and disposal. The SSTs contain minimal amounts of liquid wastes, and the Tank Operations Contractor is continuing a program of moving solid wastes from SSTs to interim storage in the DSTs. The Hanford DST system provides the staging location for waste feed delivery to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection's (ORP) Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP is being designed and constructed to pretreat and then vitrify a large portion of the wastes in Hanford's 177 underground waste storage tanks.The retrieval, transport, treatment and disposal operations involve the handling of a wide range of slurries. Solids in the slurry have a wide range of particle size, density and chemical characteristics. Depending on the solids concentration the slurries may exhibit a Newtonian or a non-Newtonian rheology.The extent of knowledge of the physical and rheological properties is a key component to the success of the design and implementation of the waste processing facilities. These properties are used in engineering calculations in facility designs. Knowledge of the waste properties is also necessary for the development and fabrication of simulants that are used in testing at various scales. The expense and hazards associated with obtaining and using actual wastes dictates that simulants be used at many stages in the testing and scale-up of process equipment. The results presented in this report should be useful for estimating process and equipment performance and provide a technical basis for development of simulants for testing.The purpose of this document is to provide an updated summary of the Hanford waste characterization data pertinent to safe storage, retrieval, transport and processing operations for both the tank farms and the WTP and thereby identify gaps in understanding and data. Important waste parameters for these operations are identified by examining examples of relevant mathematical models of selected phenomena including: The data sets in (UDS composition and particle density, UDS primary particle size and shape, UDS particle size distributions [PSDs], and estimated particle size and density distributions [PSDDs]) and Poloski et al. (2007) ...

One of the events postulated in the hazard analysis at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities is a breach in process piping that produces aerosols with droplet sizes in the respirable range. The current approach for predicting the size and concentration of aerosols produced in a spray leak involves extrapolating from correlations reported in the literature. These correlations are based on results obtained from small engineered spray nozzles using pure liquids with Newtonian fluid behavior. The narrow ranges of physical properties on which the correlations are based do not cover the wide range of slurries and viscous materials that will be processed in the WTP and across processing facilities in the DOE complex.Two key technical areas were identified where testing results were needed to improve the technical basis by reducing the uncertainty due to extrapolating existing literature results. The first technical need was to quantify the role of slurry particles in small breaches where the slurry particles may plug and result in substantially reduced, or even negligible, respirable fraction formed by high-pressure sprays. The second technical need was to determine the aerosol droplet size distribution and volume from prototypic breaches and fluids, specifically including sprays from larger breaches with slurries where data from the literature are scarce.To address these technical areas, small-and large-scale test stands were constructed and operated with simulants to determine aerosol release fractions and net generation rates from a range of breach sizes and geometries. The properties of the simulants represented the range of properties expected in the WTP process streams and included water, sodium salt solutions, slurries containing boehmite or gibbsite, and a hazardous chemical simulant. The effect of antifoam agents was assessed with most of the simulants. Orifices included round holes and rectangular slots. For the combination of both test stands, the round holes ranged in size from 0.2 to 4.46 mm. The slots ranged from (width × length) 0.3 × 5 to 2.74 × 76.2 mm. Most slots were oriented longitudinally along the pipe, but some were oriented circumferentially. In addition, a limited number of multi-hole test pieces were tested in an attempt to assess the impact of a more complex breach. Much of the testing was conducted at pressures of 200 and 380 psi, but some tests were conducted at 100 psi. Testing the largest postulated breaches was deemed impractical because of the much larger flow rates and equipment that would be required.This report presents the experimental results and analyses for the aerosol measurements obtained in the small-scale test stand. It includes a description of the simulants used and their properties, equipment and operations, data analysis methodologies, and test results. The results of tests investigating the role of slurry particles in plugging small breaches are reported in Mahoney et al. (2012). The results of the...

Malvern Insitec-S instruments were used to measure the size distribution and volume concentration of the aerosol. The total spray volume was calculated using differential mass and flow measurements. Measure the pressure and flow in the piping. Met: The pressure and flow in the piping were measured and recorded with a data acquisition system. Characterize the viscosity or rheology, particle size distribution, bulk density, and surface tension of each simulant tested. Met: The simulants tested were characterized prior to testing and in many cases after testing (Chapter 4). Calculate the test chamber volume from internal dimensions. Met: The volume of the test chamber was calculated using the AutoCAD software and as-built measurements. v S.3 Quality Requirements The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Quality Assurance (QA) Program is based on the requirements defined in the DOE Order 414.1D, Quality Assurance, and 10 CFR 830, Energy/Nuclear Safety Management, and Subpart A-Quality Assurance Requirements (a.k.a., the Quality Rule). PNNL has chosen to implement the following consensus standards in a graded approach:

Executive SummaryPacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been tasked by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) on the River Protection Project-Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WTP) project to perform research and development activities to resolve technical issues identified for the Pretreatment Facility (PTF). As part of this, the Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) is designed and constructed as part of a plan to respond to issue M12, "Undemonstrated Leaching Processes," raised by the WTP External Flowsheet Review Team (EFRT). The PEP replicates the WTP leaching process using prototypic equipment and control strategies. The approach for scaling PEP performance data to predict WTP performance is critical to the successful resolution of the EFRT issue. This report describes the recommended PEP scaling approach. Results and Performance Against ObjectivesThis report describes the scale-up methodology for PEP results as authorized through Subcontract Change Number SCN-26. The technical approach was a set of internal objectives that were satisfied as summarized in Table ES.1. Review the rationale for the PEP scale of 4.5. YesThe rationale for the PEP scale of 4.5 was reviewed, documented, and endorsed.Define the technical basis for the approach in scaling PEP performance data to predict WTP performance. YesThe unit operations of the WTP replicated in the PEP were analyzed to define scaling approaches based on established engineering analysis techniques.Define how PEP performance data will be used to predict WTP performance.Yes Anticipated PEP performance data were analyzed and cross-referenced to the appropriate WTP performance parameters.Analyze the PEP system to identify scaling issues and consider their potential impacts and mitigation approaches. YesThe PEP design was considered in terms of scale-up based on maintaining similitude. A number of scaling issues were identified. A mitigating test approach was recommended.Provide input to test conduct and data requirements.Yes A test approach was recommended based on scaling issues. Quality RequirementsPNNL implements the RPP-WTP quality requirements by performing work in accordance with the River Protection Project -Waste Treatment Plant Support Program (RPP-WTP) Quality Assurance Plan (RPP-WTP-QA-001, QAP). Testing and analytical activities were performed to the quality requirements of NQA-1-1989 Part I, Basic and Supplementary Requirements, NQA-2a-1990 Task MethodologyThe task described in this report essentially involved three activities:1. A review of the applicable WTP unit operations and the PEP design and operational approach to achieve the desired M12 objectives. The PEP design was well-advanced when this task was initiated, so there was no opportunity to effect design changes. In particular, the scale factor of 4.5 (meaning the PEP is 4.5 linear times smaller than the WTP) was already established, but a review indicates its selection is sound. A review of the fundamental theory underpinning the applicable processes and physical and chemical phenomena (leaching...

One of the events postulated in the hazard analysis at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities, is a breach in process piping that produces aerosols with droplet sizes in the respirable range. The current approach for predicting the size and concentration of aerosols produced in a spray leak involves extrapolating from correlations published in the literature. These correlations are based on results obtained from small engineered spray nozzles using pure liquids with Newtonian fluid behavior. The narrow ranges of physical properties on which the correlations are based do not cover the wide range of slurries and viscous materials present in the WTP and across processing facilities in the DOE complex.Two key technical areas were identified where testing results were needed to improve the technical basis by reducing the uncertainty introduced by extrapolating existing literature results. The first technical need was to quantify the role of slurry particles in small breaches in which the slurry particles may plug and result in substantially reduced, or even negligible, respirable fraction formed by high-pressure sprays. The second technical need was to determine the aerosol droplet size distribution and volume from prototypic breaches and fluids, specifically including sprays from larger breaches with slurries where data from the literature are largely absent.To address these technical areas, small-and large-scale test stands were constructed and operated with simulants to determine the aerosol release fractions and aerosol generation rates from a range of breach sizes and geometries. The properties of the simulants represented the range of properties expected in the WTP process streams and included water, sodium salt solutions, slurries containing boehmite or gibbsite, and a hazardous chemical simulant. The effect of anti-foam agents (AFA) was assessed with most of the simulants. Orifices included round holes and rectangular slots. Much of the testing was conducted at pressures of 200 and 380 psi, but some tests were conducted at 100 psi. Testing the largest postulated breaches was deemed impractical because of the much larger flow rates and equipment that would be required.The purpose of the study described in this report is to provide experimental data for the first key technical area, potential plugging of small breaches, by performing small-scale tests with a range of orifice sizes and orientations representative of the WTP conditions. The simulants used were chosen to represent the range of process stream properties in the WTP. Testing conducted after the plugging tests in the small-and large-scale test stands addresses the second key technical area, aerosol generation. The results of the small-scale aerosol generation tests are included in Mahoney et al. (2012). The area of spray generation from large breaches is covered by large-scale testing in Schonewill et al. (2012). S.1 Objective S.2 Results and Performance Against Success Criteria...

One of the events postulated in the hazard analysis for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities is a breach in process piping that produces aerosols with droplet sizes in the respirable range. The current approach for predicting the size and concentration of aerosols produced in a spray leak event involves extrapolating from correlations reported in the literature. These correlations are based on results obtained from small engineered spray nozzles using pure liquids that behave as a Newtonian fluid. The narrow ranges of physical properties on which the correlations are based do not cover the wide range of slurries and viscous materials that will be processed in the WTP and in processing facilities across the DOE complex.To expand the data set upon which the WTP accident and safety analyses were based, an aerosol spray leak testing program was conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). PNNL's test program addressed two key technical areas to improve the WTP methodology (Larson and Allen 2010). The first technical area was to quantify the role of slurry particles in small breaches where slurry particles may plug the hole and prevent high-pressure sprays. The results from an effort to address this first technical area can be found in Mahoney et al. (2012). The second technical area was to determine aerosol droplet size distribution and total droplet volume from prototypic breaches and fluids, including sprays from larger breaches and sprays of slurries for which literature data are mostly absent. To address the second technical area, the testing program collected aerosol generation data at two scales, commonly referred to as small-scale and large-scale testing. The small-scale testing and resultant data are described in Mahoney et al. (2013), and the large-scale testing and resultant data are presented in Schonewill et al. (2012). In tests at both scales, simulants were used to mimic the relevant physical properties projected for actual WTP process streams.Examination of the results from the initial (subsequently referred to as Phase I) aerosol spray leak testing described in the preceding paragraph highlighted some uncertainties in evaluating aerosol generation that remained after the original scope of work was completed. Specifically, there was uncertainty with respect to aerosol behavior (namely aerosol release fraction and generation rates) for:  simulant(s) near the WTP rheological boundaries of (6 Pa/6 mPa·s and 30 Pa/30 mPa·s)  simulant(s) with solids loadings greater than 20 wt%  simulant(s) with a small solids fraction of particles that have a relatively high density  lower spray pressures (i.e., specifically 100 and 200 psig in the small-scale tests)  in-spray measurements.The need for additional (subsequently referred to as Phase II) aerosol spray leak testing was identified. The purpose of the study described in this report is to provide experimental data and analyses to supplement the results obtained during P...

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Pulse jet mixer technology has been selected for implementation in the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant. However, processing non-Newtonian fluids using this technology is not mature. Experiments were conducted at several scales to develop an understanding of the scaling mechanisms that govern this type of mixer performance.