Research Capabilities
Long Range Raman Characterization
Collaboration of PNNL staff with EIC Laboratories, Inc. has led to the development of a prototype telescopic Raman probe that can be mounted on risers above the waste tanks at the Hanford Site to remotely analyze precipitates left behind when the tanks are emptied. By coupling a laser source with the appropriate telescopic lenses and spectrometer, the system can remotely identify compounds (e.g., aluminum hydroxide or calcium phosphate solids) in test samples up to 50 feet away. Through the use of 300 feet of fiber optic cable, laser light can be transferred to and from sources and detectors outside the tank farm boundary during data collection. Unknown spectra are then compared with a library of pure and mixedphase samples of possible tank precipitates for identification. This work builds upon previous experiences monitoring various waste-streams using physical and spectroscopic parameters.
Deployed system on a Hanford Site Tank