Research Capabilities
Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Support, Large-Scale Integrated Testing
DOE is developing a Large-Scale Integrated Testing (LSIT) program to verify the performance of pulse-jet mixing, sampling, and transfer systems; and establish performance limits for waste that can be handled safely in the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). PNNL is supporting the LSIT program in a number of areas associated with the large-scale integrated test stand. These areas include 1) selection of instrumentation and data collection techniques for solids suspension and mixing data, 2) definition of design features and details of the test vessel and test stand to support efficient collection of valid data, 3) selection of waste simulants, 4) development and validation simulant analysis techniques, 5) development of test specifications and plans, and 6) representation on a technical advisory panel that provides technical input on the program and technical approach.
PNNL staff members are providing technical expertise in developing the basis for less-than-full-scale testing, including vessel configurations, operating parameters, and simulant parameters.
PNNL staff are working with Savannah River National Laboratory staff in developing and characterizing simulants for mixing and transfer system testing that reflect the physical and rheological properties of high-level waste stored in the Hanford Site tank farms and within the WTP mixing and transfer systems. Multiple simulants will be developed to address specific test objectives, considering the range of waste characteristics that affect mixing (e.g., particle size, particle density, particle shape, fluid density, fluid rheology, slurry rheology, slurry density). Simulants will include Newtonian and non-Newtonian properties and reflect uncertainties in the existing characterization of the high-level waste.
Diagram of a small-scale acrylic test vessel with a prototypic pulse-jet mixing array used to evaluate vessel mixing.