Hanford Plant Completes Key Safety System Testing

Workers at the Hanford Site's Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant monitor a safety system during a test inside the plant's Low-Activity Waste Facility.

RICHLAND, Wash. - Workers at the Hanford Site's Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant have completed testing key safety systems inside the plant's Low-Activity Waste Facility, moving the facility toward commissioning to support the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program to immobilize tank waste in glass.

The tests are part of ongoing efforts to verify the ability of the LAW Facility emissions treatment system to respond to potential issues. The LAW Facility contains 37 secondary safety systems, each responsible for addressing different scenarios.

"These secondary safety systems help prevent an unlikely, unplanned event," said Mat Irwin, Hanford's acting assistant manager for the WTP Project. "The testing verified that the systems' hardware and software work in unison, a key step in helping ensure operational safety at the LAW Facility."

During the tests, workers electronically triggered each system to simulate a response to a pressure change, and carefully monitored and documented response times. The tests simulated scenarios of excessive or insufficient air pressure within the emissions treatment system.

"These tests required careful synchronization among 45 crew members spread across eight zones inside the LAW Facility," said Rick Holmes, Bechtel National Inc. principal vice president and general manager for WTP. "Together they ensured that technical requirements of the tests were met, while also ensuring safety standards were maintained throughout."

The completion of these tests moves the facility closer to fully demonstrating the reliability of its safety systems and ensures the emissions treatment system is ready for the next stages of operation.