A nuclear weapon has a primary assembly that contains a pit subassembly surrounded by HE. The nuclear material in a pit, typically plutonium, is encased in a shell of nonnuclear metal such as stainless steel. Fabricating and processing the plutonium, and assembling the pit components, is the task that LANL or SRS would perform under this option. For both pit fabrication and intrusive modification, plutonium would be supplied from existing pits that have been retrieved and disassembled.
In order to fabricate replacement pits, the plutonium from disassembled pits first would be processed (dissolution, purification, reduction to metal). Processing also provides means to convert manufacturing scrap and residue (oxides) to metal usable in fabrication operations. Plutonium fabrication involves foundry and mechanical operations, including casting, shaping, machining, bonding, assembly, inspection, and packaging. Intrusive modification would disassemble an existing pit, keeping the plutonium component intact. Modification would be made external to the plutonium and a new outer shell applied. These operations are similar to the assembly and inspection functions for replacement pit fabrication.
Waste management and analytical chemistry activities would also be required for all of the plutonium operations. The block flow diagram of pit fabrication is shown in figure A.3.3-1. In addition to the actual operational aspects of plutonium fabrication, several other important processing functions are required. For example, the plutonium metal is under strict accountability for security and safeguard reasons. These security and safeguard requirements influence some of the facility and personnel needs at LANL or SRS to accomplish this task. Also, the nuclear weapons design/production process includes pit certification and qualification, which influences the facility and personnel needs.
Process Descriptions
Pit Fabrication. Pit fabrication involves preparation of plutonium components (casting, machining, inspecting, and cleaning), assembly of the pits (assembling the plutonium and nonnuclear components then hermetically sealing the pit with a weld), and post-assembly processing of the pits to the stockpile configuration.
Plutonium Processing. Plutonium processing consists of disassembly and metal preparation (obtaining stockpile pits, extracting the plutonium, and purifying the plutonium metal to a reusable form) and chloride and nitrate processing (recovering plutonium from residues generated by the manufacturing processes by using either the chloride or nitrate plutonium recovery processes).
Waste Management. Waste management includes taking waste generated by the manufacturing processes and placing it in a form suitable for final disposal. Wastes to be managed would consist of liquid or solid, TRU or LLW, and may include hazardous or mixed waste.
Analytical Chemistry. Analytical chemistry consists of all analytical measurements required to support pit manufacturing. These chemical evaluations include metal samples from the metal preparation area, plutonium components, samples from the plutonium processing unit processes, all samples that support the disposition of waste, and samples required to maintain physical and administrative control of special nuclear material. Samples supporting waste disposition must meet standards set by the RCRA and EPA.
Storage. Storage would include interim storage of retired stockpile pits awaiting disassembly and new pits awaiting shipment to the nuclear weapons assembly facility, as well as long-term storage of plutonium and oxide.
Currently, LANL processes plutonium for RD&T and stockpile support purposes on site. Reconfiguring and upgrading these existing plutonium laboratory facilities in TA-55 is the proposed approach to provide a Pit Fabrication and Intrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility. Other nuclear facilities to be used for this effort are located in TAs -3, -8, -35, -50, and -54 (as shown in figure A.3.3.1-1). Within TA-55 is the Plutonium Facility (PF-4), which includes a Pit Fabrication Facility in the 300 Area and facilities for plutonium and waste processing in the 400 Area (as shown in figure A.3.3.1-2). TA-3 is a key area; it contains the Sigma Complex, Chemistry and Metallurgy Research building, and main machine shop. Another key area, TA-35, has the physical vapor deposition coating building. Nondestructive evaluation is carried out in a facility in TA-8. Radioactive waste is treated in TA-50 (liquid) and TA-54 (solid). The facilities that are currently used by stockpile surveillance activities would be shared with the pit fabrication group until dedicated facilities become available. The current stockpile Pit Rebuild Program at LANL would be absorbed within the pit fabrication effort as the activity is the same; only the number of pits produced would change. The number of pits fabricated annually is projected to be from 20 to 50 (depending on equipment availability), but could be about 80 if surge mode (multiple shifts, personnel overtime, and use of equipment to full capacity) were exercised. The key building descriptions for the Pit Fabrication and Intrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility at LANL are shown in table A.3.3.1-1.
|
|
|
Material Permitted |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
TA-55, PF-4 | 14,000 | 2 | Yes | Concrete post and beam with concrete masonry unit in-fill walls |
TA-55, PF-4
|
|
| Yes | Concrete post and beam with concrete masonry unit in-fill walls |
TA-3, SM-29
| 51,100 | 3 | Yes | Concrete post and beam with concrete masonry unit in-fill walls |
TA-3, SM-141
| 1,860 | 1 | No | Concrete post and beam with concrete masonry unit in-fill walls |
TA-3, SM-66
| 15,800 | 1 | No | Concrete post and beam with concrete masonry unit in-fill walls |
TA-3, SM-39
| 7,660 | 1 | No | Concrete post and beam with concrete masonry unit in-fill walls |
LANL 1995g. | ||||
The pit fabrication process flow at LANL would begin with old pits from the weapons retirement process being routed to a disassembly area. The plutonium metal from disassembled pits would be purified before transfer to the fabrication area. Residues generated in the disassembly/metal purification areas are primarily chloride salts, crucibles, and chloride-contaminated scrap. The bulk of the residual plutonium would be purified and converted to plutonium metal in the chloride recovery area. Recovered plutonium metal would also be sent to the fabrication area. During fabrication, plutonium metal would be cast into the desired near-net-shape and machined to the final shape with desired tolerances. The finished components would then be assembled with other nonplutonium materials into the new weapon pit component.These new pits would then be sent to the weapon assembly facility. During the casting and machining operations, a number of residues would be generated that require processing and would subsequently undergo nitrate recovery operations. In nitrate recovery, the residues are purified and converted to oxide for return to the reduction operations. Solid and liquid wastes from processing areas would be routed to waste management facilities for processing into a disposable waste form. Analytical laboratories provide chemical analyses of plutonium metal, oxides, solutions, and wastes.
Tables A.3.3.1-2 and A.3.3.1-3 summarize resource requirements for facility modification and operation of the Pit Fabrication Facility. Table A.3.3.1-4 summarizes the bulk quantities of chemicals that would be used in the pit fabrication processes. These quantities assume the surge mode of 80 new pits per year.
|
|
|---|---|
Material/Resource | |
Electrical energy (MWh) |
Minimal |
Peak electrical demand (MWe) |
Minimal |
Concrete (m 3 ) |
Minimal |
Steel (t) |
Minimal |
Gasoline, diesel, and lube oil (L) |
Minimal |
Industrial gases 1 (m 3 ) |
Minimal |
Water (L) |
Minimal |
Land (ha) |
None |
Employment | |
Total employment (worker years) |
216 |
Peak employment (workers) |
138 |
Construction period (years) |
3 |
|
|
|---|---|
Resource |
|
Electrical energy (MWh) |
5,480 |
Peak electrical demand (MWe) |
0.7 |
Liquid fuel 2 (L) |
None |
Natural gas 3 (m 3 ) |
30,900 |
Water (L) |
30,200,000 |
Plant Footprint (ha) |
NA 4 |
Employment 5 (Workers) | 628 |
|
(kg) |
|---|---|
Solid Chemicals | |
Aluminum nitrate |
2,041 |
Aluminum sulfate |
2,041 |
Bentonite |
1,021 |
Calcium fluoride |
62 |
Calcium carbonate |
1,021 |
Calcium chloride |
227 |
Diatomaceous earth |
45,360 |
Ferrous ammonium sulfate |
5 |
Hydroxylamine hydrochloride |
23 |
Iron, magnesium, calcium |
11 |
Magnesium hydroxide |
340 |
Oxalic acid |
748 |
Portland cement |
45,360 |
Resins |
23 |
Sodium carbonate |
57 |
Sodium hydroxide |
28 |
Sodium nitrite |
96 |
Sodium sulfite |
794 |
Urea |
20 |
Liquid Chemicals | |
Carbon dioxide |
17 |
Film developer, fixer, toner |
1,043 |
Hydrochloric acid |
1,497 |
Hydrofluoric acid |
340 |
Hydrogen peroxide |
1,996 |
Hydroxylamine nitrate |
658 |
Nitric acid 6 |
3,420 |
Nitrogen |
57 |
Potassium hydroxide |
17,010 |
Sodium hydroxide |
2,268 |
Gaseous Chemicals | |
Argon |
170,100 |
Chlorine |
340 |
Helium |
23 |
Hydrogen chloride |
11 |
Nitrogen |
1,360,800 |
Oxygen |
1,814 |
Waste Management. The liquid and solid hazardous and nonhazardous wastes generated during building modification would include concrete and steel construction waste materials. The steel waste would be recycled as scrap material before completing construction. The remaining nonhazardous wastes generated during construction would be disposed of by the construction contractor. Wood, paper, and metal wastes would be shipped offsite to a commercial contractor for recycling. Hazardous wastes generated during construction would consist of such materials as waste adhesives, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, and coatings. Hazardous waste would be packaged in DOT-approved containers and shipped offsite to commercial RCRA-permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. Small amounts of radioactive waste would be generated during construction.
The project design considers and incorporates waste minimization and pollution prevention. Segregation of activities that generate radioactive and hazardous wastes would be employed, where possible, to avoid the generation of mixed wastes. Where applicable, treatment to separate radioactive and nonradioactive components would be performed to reduce the volume of mixed wastes and to provide for cost-effective disposal for recycling. To facilitate waste minimization, where possible, nonhazardous materials would be substituted for those materials which contribute to the generation of hazardous or mixed waste. Production processes would be configured with minimization of waste production given high priority. Material from the waste streams would be treated to facilitate disposal as nonhazardous wastes, where possible. Future D&D considerations have also been incorporated into the design.
Table A.3.3.1-5 presents the estimated annual waste volumes from the Pit Fabrication and Reuse Facility during modification activities and Solid and liquid waste streams are routed to the waste management system. Figures A.3.3.1-3 through A.3.3.1-5 depict the waste management system. Solid wastes would be characterized and segregated into TRU, LLW, hazardous, and mixed wastes, then treated to a form suitable for disposal or storage within the facility. [figure A.3.3.1-4] Liquid wastes would be treated onsite to reduce hazardous/toxic and radioactive elements before discharge or transport. All fire-sprinkler water discharged in process areas is contained and treated as process wastewater, when required.
Spent Nuclear Fuel. The Pit Fabrication and Reuse Facility would not generate any spent nuclear fuel.
Transuranic Waste. TRU waste would be generated from operation of the Pit Fabrication and Reuse Facility and would consist of glass, leaded gloves, plastics, equipment, metals, and heater elements. These wastes would be shipped to WIPP for disposal.
Low-Level Waste. LLW would be generated from operation of the Pit Fabrication and Reuse Facility and would consist primarily of plastics, metal, cement sludge, and vacuum filters. Liquid LLW would be sent either by truck or industrial drain to TA-50 for processing. The liquid LLW treatment facilities include a chemical treatment and ion-exchange plant at the radioactive liquid waste treatment facility and a chemical treatment plant. The waste would be processed, with radioactive constituents removed, in accordance with the NPDES permit. Low-level solids would be disposed of in 0.1-m 3 (2-ft 3 ) boxes at TA-54, Area
Mixed Low-Level Waste. No mixed LLW is expected to be generated. If any were to be generated, it would be managed in accordance with LANL Site Treatment Plan.
Hazardous Waste. Liquid hazardous wastes would be generated from solvents from cleaning operations and residue from painting and bonding operations. The cleaning solvents selected would be from a list of nonhalogenated solvents. Hazardous chemical wastes would be treated at commercial offsite RCRA-permitted facilities until completion of the Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility. The remaining liquid waste would be treated by gravity settling and discharged through an NPDES-permitted outfall. No solid hazardous wastes are expected to be generated.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Transuranic | |||
Liquid | None | 5 | None |
Solid | 6 7 | 43 | 60 |
Mixed Transuranic | |||
Liquid | None | None | None |
Solid | None | 2 | 2 |
Low-Level | |||
Liquid | None | 15 | None |
Solid | 12 8 | 386 | 393 |
Mixed Low-Level | |||
Liquid | None | None | None |
Solid | None | None | None |
Hazardous | |||
Liquid | 0.06 | 2 | 2 |
Solid | 51 | None | None |
Nonhazardous (Sanitary) |
|
|
|
Liquid | None | 12,300 9 | 12,300 |
Solid | None | 552 10 | 552 |
Nonhazardous (Other) | |||
Liquid | None | Included in sanitary | Included in sanitary |
Solid | 26 11 | Included in sanitary | Included in sanitary |
Nonhazardous (Sanitary) Waste. Sewage wastewater and process wastewater would be sent by drain to the sanitary wastewater treatment plant (TA-46). Treated effluents would be disposed of by either sanitary drains or through permitted NPDES outfalls. Cooling tower blowdown and overflow would be discharged through outfalls permitted by the State of New Mexico. Sludge and other solid sanitary waste would be disposed onsite at the Sandia Canyon site (TA-61).
Nonhazardous (Other) Waste. Nonhazardous (other) wastes would be disposed of in a permitted landfill or discharged through permitted NPDES outfalls.
The Pit Fabrication and Intrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility at SRS would use existing hardened facilities but with all new equipment. The facilities available for this mission include the Separations Areas, F-Area, and H-Area (figure A.3.3.2-1). All aspects of pit component fabrication would be included: pit fabrication, plutonium processing, and waste management. Pit fabrication could be located in the 232-H Building or the F-Canyon. Plutonium processing would be in the F-Canyon facilities. The intrasite transfers of plutonium between areas would be in the form of metal ingots, buttons, and scrap as well as small quantities of oxide. Any liquid transfers would be performed through vessels and piping with secondary and tertiary containment systems. The nonnuclear portions of the pit component would be fabricated and manufactured elsewhere, then shipped to SRS as finished parts. Potentially tritium contaminated pits would not be handled at SRS; rather, they would be sent to LANL. The total number of pits fabricated annually is projected to be in the range of 20 (normal operations), 50 (design capacity, normal operations), or 120 in the surge mode (multiple shifts, personnel overtime, and use of equipment to full capacity).
Currently, Building 232-H is being used for tritium processing and handling operations. These missions are being moved to the Replacement Tritium Facility. The building would be refurbished, leaving adequate space for pit fabrication. The space would be in a hardened facility and essentially free of tritium contamination. Those areas with high levels of tritium contamination would be isolated from the pit fabrication areas. Adjacent nonhardened areas would be used for receiving and handling nonnuclear components or direct service support to the pit fabrication process. Figure A.3.3.2-2 shows the H-Area proposed pit fabrication facilities.
The F-Canyon facilities have adequate noncontaminated hardened areas that can house the plutonium processing functions. The canyon includes the new, never operated, plutonium storage facility, the new special recovery facility, and a vacant production space that was previously decontaminated. Only minor modifications would be required to the glove boxes and equipment in the two new facilities. The plutonium processing operations would also handle the receiving, handling, and disposition of surplus plutonium. The existing waste management systems and laboratory facilities can be used to support the process.
The infrastructure at SRS includes liquid and solid waste management; analytical laboratories; security systems; ES&H systems; training facilities; and research, development, and demonstration facilities. The waste management operations are collocated with the plutonium processing facilities. This allows for the expedient transfer of byproducts from the plutonium purification process to the liquid waste stream, which is subsequently vitrified with high-level waste in the existing Defense Waste Processing Facility.
SRS has the existing support infrastructure to handle plutonium processing. Feedstock for the pit fabrication process would be plutonium metal. Plutonium would be received from offsite via safe secure trailer, unloaded into a staging area, then moved to the plutonium storage facility until needed. Once the retired pit is determined not to be contaminated, it would enter the disassembly process where the nonnuclear and other nuclear components would be removed from the plutonium. The plutonium would be collected and purified while the nonnuclear parts would be declassified and sent to solid waste treatment, and the other nuclear parts would be cleaned and sent to staging to await offsite transport. The purified plutonium would be converted back to metal and would enter the pit fabrication process. The listing of the major support facilities for the Pit Fabrication and Intrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility is shown in table A.3.3.2-1.
The plutonium fabrication process is an abbreviated version used by the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. Though there are several pit types, the process is basically the same. The process consists of casting parts to the near net-shape, machining the surfaces of the casting to achieve the final shape, and performing tests on the completed parts to assure suitability. After this inspection, the plutonium components are cleaned and assembled with the nonnuclear components to form a pit that is then welded together. Once the plutonium is encapsulated, it may then be safely removed from the glove box, certified, and stored or shipped offsite as needed.
Nonnuclear components used in the new pits would be received from offsite. After inspection these parts would be stored in Building 704-55H until needed for either newly fabricated or reused pits. Some nonnuclear parts require a vapor deposition coating of material be applied. Generally all of these coatings would be produced in a vacuum environment using either a thermal evaporation or plasma sputtering process. Tables A.3.3.2-2 and A.3.3.2-3 show resource requirements for facility modification and surge operation of the Pit Fabrication Facility. Table A.3.3.2-4 shows annual chemical usage for surge operation.
|
|
(m2) |
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
211-F | Supply tanks |
NA | NA | Outside/metal frame |
221-F | Feed preparation |
4,060 | 6 | Concrete/metal frame |
292-F | Canyon exhaust fan house |
1,160 | 1 | Concrete |
294-F | Sand filters |
2,230 | NA | Concrete |
294-1F | Sand filters |
3,340 | NA | Concrete |
703-F | Administration building |
1,860 | 1 | Metal frame |
704-F | Administration building |
1,130 | 1 | Metal frame |
707-F | Administration building |
1,490 | 1 | Metal frame |
707-7F | Administration building |
1,490 | 1 | Metal frame |
717-F | Mock-up/maintenance shops |
1,170 | 2 | Metal frame |
723-F | Laundry |
1,060 | 1 | Metal frame |
772-F | Laboratory |
3,850 | 2 | Concrete/metal frame |
772-1F | Laboratory |
280 | 1 | Concrete/metal frame |
232-H | Manufacturing |
4,840 | 3 | Concrete |
232-1H | Shop and storage |
1,210 | 1 | Metal frame |
235-H | Tritium facility office |
780 | 1 | Metal frame |
703-H | Administration building |
1,860 | 1 | Metal frame |
704-H | Administration building |
1,390 | 1 | Metal frame |
704-2H | Administration building |
4,670 | 1 | Metal frame |
704-55H | Administration building |
1,230 | 1 | Metal frame |
707-H | Administration building |
1,770 | 1 | Metal frame |
766-H | Training facility |
7,620 | 2 | Metal frame |
NA - not applicable.WSRC 1995c. | ||||
|
|
|---|---|
Material/Resource |
|
Electrical energy (MWh) |
15 |
Peak electrical demand (MWe) |
0.37 |
Concrete (m 3 ) |
1,600 |
Steel (t) |
249 |
Gasoline, diesel, and lube oil (L) |
175,000 |
Industrial gases (m 3 ) 12 |
3,780 |
Water (L) |
30,000,000 |
Land (ha) |
2 |
Employment |
|
Total employment (worker years) |
801 |
Peak employment (workers) |
288 |
Construction period (years) |
5 |
|
|
|---|---|
Resource |
|
Electrical energy (MWh) |
9,700 |
Peak electrical demand (MWe) |
1.6 |
Liquid fuel (L) |
28,400 |
Natural gas (m 3 ) 13 |
None |
Water (L) |
46,200,000 |
Coal (t) |
1,090 |
Plant Footprint (ha) |
NA 14 |
Employment (Workers) | 813 |
|
(kg) |
|---|---|
Solid Chemicals |
|
Calcium carbonate |
642 |
Calcium metal |
227 |
Hydroxylamine nitrate |
633 |
Magnesium oxide |
383 |
Sodium hydroxide |
4,983 |
Sodium nitrite |
206 |
Water treatment chemicals |
64 |
Liquid Chemicals |
|
Betz 25k series corrosion inhibitor |
200 |
Betz Slimcide (CE-77 PE) |
34 |
Cleaning/developing fluids |
340 |
Hydrofluoric acid |
10 |
Nitric acid 15 |
3,420 |
Liquid nitrogen |
4,000 |
Polyphosphate |
191 |
Sodium hypochlorite |
96 |
Gaseous Chemicals |
|
Argon |
3,924 |
Carbon dioxide |
45,360 |
Hydrogen |
6 |
Hydrogen fluoride |
442 |
Nitrogen |
2,790 |
Waste Management. The solid and liquid nonhazardous wastes generated during modification activities would include concrete and steel construction waste materials and sanitary wastewater. The steel waste would be recycled as scrap material before completing construction. Liquid waste which is primarily sanitary water would be treated as sanitary plant waste. Solid nonhazardous waste would consist primarily of office trash and sludge from sanitary wastewater treatment. Nonrecyclable portions of this waste would be sent to a permitted landfill after volume reduction practices such as compacting and shredding had been performed. No liquid hazardous waste would be generated other than the lubrication oils and coolants needed to maintain the construction equipment. Solid hazardous waste would consist primarily of solvent rags and empty containers of hazardous materials. Hazardous waste would be packaged in DOT approved containers and shipped offsite to commercial RCRA-permitted treatment,storage, and disposal facilities. No radioactive waste would be generated during construction.
The Pit Fabrication Facility considers and incorporates waste minimization and pollution prevention. Segregation of activities that generate radioactive and hazardous wastes would be employed, where possible, to avoid the generation of mixed wastes. Where applicable, treatment to separate radioactive and nonradioactive components would be performed to reduce the volume of mixed wastes and provide for cost-effective disposal or recycle. To facilitate waste minimization, where possible, nonhazardous materials would be substituted for those materials which contribute to the generation of hazardous or mixed waste. Production processes would be configured with minimization of waste production given high priority. Material from the waste streams would be treated to facilitate disposal as nonhazardous wastes, where possible. Future D&D considerations have also been incorporated into the design.
Table A.3.3.2-5 presents the estimated annual waste volumes from the Pit Fabrication Facility during modification activities and operation for the base case surge. Solid and liquid waste streams would be routed to the waste management system.
Figure A.3.3.2-3 depicts the overall waste management system at SRS. Additional figures by waste category are available in appendix section H.2.2. Solid wastes would be characterized and segregated into TRU, low-level, mixed, hazardous, and nonhazardous, then treated to a form suitable for disposal or storage. Liquid wastes would be treated onsite to reduce hazardous/toxic and radioactive elements before discharge or transport. All fire sprinkler water discharged in process areas would be contained and treated as process wastewater, when required.
Spent Nuclear Fuel. The Pit Fabrication Facility would not generate any spent nuclear fuel.
High-Level Waste. The Pit Fabrication Facility would not generate any operational HLW. However, as a result of the plutonium recovery and purification processes, plutonium processing would generate a liquid TRU waste that would be managed as a high specific activity waste at SRS. As shown in figure A.3.3.2-3, one of the final waste products from the treatment of this waste is a glass log composed of comingled TRU waste from pit fabrication and legacy HLW.
Transuranic Waste. As noted above, plutonium processing would generate a liquid TRU waste as a result of the plutonium recovery and purification processes. This waste would have a high specific activity and would be managed in accordance with the SRS High-Level Waste Management Plan as outlined in appendix H.2.2. Solutions from both processes would be transferred to F-Canyon, evaporated, and the resulting evaporator bottoms neutralized with sodium hydroxide and transferred to the F-Area Tank Farm. Excess oxalic acid in the precipitation filtrates would be destroyed during filtrate evaporation. The residual sludge consisting primarily of americium and plutonium would be fed to the Defense Waste Processing Facility for conversion to a HLW form using borosilicate glass. The waste would then be immobilized by melting and poured into stainless steel cylinders which would be stored until a repository is available.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Transuranic | |||
Liquid | None | 28 16 | None |
Solid | None | 129 17 | 129 17 |
Mixed Transuranic | |||
Liquid | None | None | None |
Solid | None | 11 | 11 |
Low-Level | |||
Liquid | None | 80 18 | None |
Solid | None | 88 19 | 34 |
Mixed Low-Level | |||
Liquid | None | None | None |
Solid | None | None | None |
Hazardous | |||
Liquid | <0.01 | <1 | None |
Solid | 8 20 | None | <0.01 21 |
Nonhazardous (Sanitary) | |||
Liquid | 3,020 | 46,160 | 46,140 22 |
Solid | 23 | 1,450 | 1,580 |
Nonhazardous (Other) | |||
Liquid | None | None | None |
Solid | 500 23 | 1,450 24 | None |
The solid TRU waste would consist primarily of graphite molds, crucibles, failed equipment, leaded gloves, filters, and combustible materials such as plastics and rags used during glove box operations. Approximately one-half of the volume of waste reported as TRU is considered as intermediate-level waste at SRS and would be disposed of in the intermediate-level waste vaults in E-Area. Intermediate-level waste is managed as TRU waste at SRS because it contains beta or gamma emitters that produce a dose equal to or greater than 200 mrem/hr at 5 centimeters (cm) (2 inches [in]) from an unshielded container. TRU waste destined for disposal in a Federal repository would be certified to meet the WIPP waste acceptance criteria and packaged in drums at the Pit Fabrication Facility then placed in interim storage. Disposal is planned for WIPP, once it has been determined to be a suitable repository for TRU wastes, pursuant to the requirements of 40 CFR 191 and 40 CFR 268. Noncertifiable drums would be repackaged and certified for shipment to WIPP in the future TRU waste facility.
Mixed TRU waste consisting of leaded gloves and TRU waste contaminated with organics such as solvents would be managed in accordance with the SRS site treatment plan. Current plans call for disposal at WIPP.
Low-Level Waste. Solid LLW would consist primarily of failed equipment and combustible plastics and cellulose-based products used in maintaining and cleaning the facilities. Combustible LLW may be incinerated using the consolidated incineration facility. Solid LLW would be packaged in B-25 (90 ft 3 ) metal boxes and transported to the LLW disposal facility for disposal in concrete vaults. Evaporator overheads from the evaporation of the high-specific liquid waste described above and other liquid LLW would be sent to the F/H-Area Effluent Treatment Facility where radionuclide contaminants are removed using filtration, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis. The decontaminated effluent would be discharged through a permitted NPDES outfall. Concentrate from the F/H-Area Effluent Treatment Facility is transferred through the H-Area Tank Farm to Z-Area for solidification and final disposal in onsite vaults in Z-Area as a cement-based waste form called saltstone.
Mixed Low-Level Waste. The Pit Fabrication Facility is not expected to generate any mixed LLW. In the event any mixed LLW is generated, it would be managed in accordance with the SRS site treatment plan.
Hazardous Waste. Liquid hazardous wastes would be generated from solvents from cleaning operations and residue from painting and bonding operations. The cleaning solvents selected would be from a list of nonhalogenated solvents. Hazardous wastes would be collected in DOT-approved containers and sent to onsite hazardous waste accumulation areas (B-, M-and N-Areas). The hazardous waste accumulation area would provide a 90-day staging capacity. Incinerable waste would be shipped to an offsite vendor for treatment and disposal. Waste that cannot be incinerated would be placed in storage until the hazardous/mixed waste disposal facility and consolidated incineration facility are operational.
Nonhazardous (Sanitary) Waste. Sewage wastewater would be treated in the new central sanitary wastewater treatment facility prior to discharge through permitted NPDES outfalls. The sludge would be disposed of in a permitted landfill. Other nonrecyclable, nonhazardous, solid sanitary, and industrial wastes would be compacted and disposed of in a permitted landfill.
Unlike the pit fabrication and intrusive modification pit reuse function, the nonintrusive modification pit reuse function does not disassemble the pit. The entire pit is received through the weapons retirement/disassembly process. The pit is then cleaned and inspected, and, if necessary, the exterior of the pit is modified. No plutonium would be exposed in the nonintrusive modification pit reuse function. Since the intrusive modification pit reuse mission described in section A.3.3.1 for LANL and section A.3.3.2 for SRS inherently includes the nonintrusive modification pit reuse capability, a full discussion of the facilities and processes for conducting nonintrusive modification pit reuse activities at LANL and SRS is not included in this section. The nonintrusive modification pit reuse mission at Pantex and NTS are described in sections A.3.4.3 and A.3.4.4.
The facilities necessary to accomplish these functions at LANL are a subset of those used in the intrusive modification pit reuse function and are discussed in section A.3.3.1.
The facilities necessary to accomplish these functions at SRS are a subset of those used in the intrusive modification pit reuse function and are discussed in section A.3.3.2.
Pits that are to be reused would be obtained from the weapons A/D Facility that is currently located at Pantex. Pits would be transferred from one facility to another on the same site, and all infrastructure would be shared. Since the plutonium is encapsulated and any modification is made to the outside of the pit, the entire nonintrusive modification pit reuse process can be conducted in an area that will remain free of radioactive contamination. Three classes of nonintrusive modification pit reuse are proposed at Pantex: recertification (minimum requirement for those pits still within their original design life), requalification (more extensive requirement for those pits that have exceeded their original design life), and nonintrusive modification reuse (modifications imposed upon the pit due to design changes). Pantex would have the capability to recertify 120 pits per year with an annual surge, multi-shift capacity of 200 pits. The combined capability for requalified and modified reused pits would be 150 annually, with a surge annual capacity of 250 pits; of these numbers, approximately 20 pits would be modified. Normal operation is considered to be four 10-hour work days per week, 52 weeks per year.
The facilities that would be used to support the pit recertification, requalification, and nonintrusive modification reuse mission include the weapons assembly bays in Buildings 12-64, 12-84, 12-104, and 12-104A and the current support areas in Zone 12 North along with the special nuclear material facility, Building 12-116. Four existing A/D bays in Building 12-104 would be modified to meet the nonreactor nuclear facility requirements. These four bays, along with an area for control, decontamination, and access control portals, would become the Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility. The Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility and special nuclear materials facility would be used to consolidate the interim storage, staging, and operations that would be necessary to support recertification, requalification, and nonintrusive modification pit reuse activities.
The Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility would make extensive use of robotics. The first area would be used for unpacking and receiving to prepare the pit for the reuse process. As the process starts, the pit would enter the qualification bay and an automated processing line. This line would clean, inspect, and verify tolerances and performance to the specified requirements. The pit would then enter the assembly and welding bay, which includes a glove box line for any needed pit modification. After inspection, the pit would go to the purge and backfill bay to be leak tested and cleaned.
The recertification, requalification, and nonintrusive modification reuse processes would generate LLW, hazardous, industrial, and potentially mixed wastes. The operating areas would have accumulation sites and would perform the onsite characterization. The Waste Operations Group would be responsible for establishing the waste streams, scheduling the waste movement from the accumulation sites to the waste packaging areas, and disposing of the wastes. These processes are not intended to generate radioactive contamination and would not generate TRU or mixed waste under normal operations.
NTS is an alternative site for the proposed Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility. This facility would require a new building, but it would be adjacent and connected to the Device Assembly Facility. It would be within the secure area of the Device Assembly Facility and would be considered a nonreactor nuclear facility handling special nuclear materials. Though new construction would be required, the existing NTS infrastructure would be sufficient to support the facility. The pits to be reused in this facility would come from the weapons A/D Facility. Locating the Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility at NTS assumes that the new weapons A/D Facility would also be at NTS. The A/D Facility mission would be performed within the Device Assembly Facility (originally designed to support assembly of test devices) and the pits would be transferred through corridors between these facilities. Since the plutonium would be encapsulated and any modification would be made to the outside of the pit, the entire process can be conducted in an area which will remain free of radioactive contamination. Three classes of pit reuse are proposed at NTS: recertification (minimum requirement for those pits still within their original design life), requalification (more extensive requirement for those pits that have exceeded their original design life), and nonintrusive modification reuse (modifications imposed upon the pit due to design changes). The total nonintrusive modification pit reuse capability at NTS for these three classes is 50 pits per year, which is based upon one full shift per day (maintenance and training included in the same shift).
The new Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility would use the same processes as proposed for use at Pantex. The basic services required would include radiography, interim storage, gas analysis, gas preparation, and security. Radiography would be accomplished by a linear accelerator that is a shared resource with the A/D Facility. An interim storage area for 50 pits would be planned for within the 2,230 m2 (24,000 ft2) new Nonintrusive Modification Pit Reuse Facility. Both the gas analysis and preparation services would be incorporated within the facility. Gas analyses would be used to evaluate samples from accelerated aging tests, material compatibility tests, development activities, material certification tests, and production operations. Security in and around the Device Assembly Facility is sufficient (though it would be expanded) for the new facility, and the shipping and receiving functions would be handled through the Device Assembly Facility. The waste streams and utility requirements would be considered a part of the A/D process and are included with that estimate (see section A.3.1.2). The processes would include a waste management facility, waste storage facility, mixed waste storage and LLW disposal facility, sanitary wastewater treatment unit, sanitary and industrial landfill, and stormwater ponds.
Cubic meters at standard temperature and pressure.
Used only for utility backup.
3Cubic meters at standard temperature and pressure.
4Within existing facilities.
5
Total full time equivalent employment. Increment
from
current employment would be 260.
Annual makeup requirement with recycling. Total first year requirement is 32,886 kgs.
Over a 3-year construction period a total of 27 t (30 tons) of associated piping and ventilation ductwork from glove boxes would be generated. For volume conversion, 1,500 kg/m3 was assumed.
8Over a 3-year construction period a total of 41 t (45 tons) of glove boxes and 14 t (15 tons) of associated piping and ventilation ductwork would be generated. For volume conversion, 1,500 kg/m3 was assumed.
9Assumes 50 gal/day/person/shift, with parameters of 250 days/yr, and 260 total additional employees for three shifts.
10Assumes 0.3 ft 3 /day/person/shift, with parameters of 250 days/yr, 3 shifts/day, and 260 total additional employees for three shifts.
11Includes 0.15 t (0.175 tons) of steel assuming a density of 0.127 t/m3.
Cubic meters at standard temperature and pressure.
Cubic meters at standard temperature and pressure.
14Contained within existing facilities.
Annual makeup requirement with recycling.
At SRS, this would be managed as high specific activity liquid waste which would be combined with HLW at the Tank Farm and then processed in accordance with the High-Level Waste Management Plan as depicted in appendix section H.2.2. The resultant waste forms include 0.61 glass logs composed of comingled TRU waste from pit fabrication and legacy HLW, and LLW saltstone. Based on aqueous alternative process for Complex 21; denitrated water=49.3 L/kg Pu metal processed and discarded filtrates=6.9 L/kg plutonium metal. Neutralized with 0.2 L of 50 percent caustic per kg of waste.
17One-half of this volume is considered intermediate-level waste at SRS and would be disposed of in the intermediate-level waste vaults in E-Area. It is managed as TRU waste because it contains beta or gamma emitters that produce a dose equal to or greater than 200 millirem/hr at 5 cm (2 in) from an unshielded container.
18Based on aqueous alternative process for Complex 21; 166 L of recycle water per kg of Pu metal processed. Assume "recycle" water sent to Effluent Treatment Facility; recovered acid is recycled.
19Incinerable=58 m3, nonincinerable=30 m3.
20Includes 7.6 m 3 (9.9 yd 3 ) of D&D wastes such as wall material contaminated with asbestos.
21Treatment of liquid hazardous wastes results in solid hazardous ash. Volume reduction is 200:1.
22Assumes 350:1 wastewater to sludge ratio for treatment of liquid sanitary waste.
23Includes 1.5 m 3 (2 yd 3 ) of concrete and 0.8 t (0.2 tons) of steel. Includes 498 m 3 (651 yd 3 ) of D&D wastes such as ductwork, concrete, electrical wiring, and equipment.
24Recyclable wastes.
