In a First, Savannah River Site to Use Drones for Waste Tank Inspections

Savannah River Site liquid waste contractor Savannah River Mission Completion will use drones equipped with cameras to inspect the cleaning status of waste tanks at the site. The drones will provide more flexibility and capability, as the aircraft can cover a larger area more quickly than tools used in the past. The drone and its cameras are protected by a wire cage that shields the craft from a collision.

AIKEN, S.C. - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) is deploying drones for the first time to perform internal inspections of radioactive liquid waste tanks at the Savannah River Site (SRS).

Until now, the SRS Liquid Waste program had used wall-crawling robots that cling to the tank walls using magnets. These drones provide the program more flexibility and capability, as the aircraft can cover more area than a magnetic crawler - and do so more quickly. Additionally, the drones are equipped with 3D-scanning light detection and ranging equipment, which can generate precise 3D scans of the tank and its waste.

Initially, the inspections will be of the annulus space in the tanks. The annulus provides secondary containment and protection for these tanks in the event of a leak. The drones were implemented for inspections late last month.

Before the work can begin with the drones, all administrative and regulatory requirements must be satisfied. Pilots are required to be trained on drone operations, followed by advanced training on successfully navigating the environment of a waste tank and learning best practices for planning flights for optimal results.

The remote-controlled aircraft, the Flyability Elios 3, is a 19-inch diameter drone with four helicopter-like propellers, a high-definition camera, thermal camera, and additional features that will benefit the tank inspection program. The drones also have advanced stability features that make them easier to maneuver in flight. Four drones have been purchased for the project, and all are designed to fly in confined spaces, thanks to a protective cage that shields the propellors and cameras from potential collisions with a tank wall.

The Elios 3 model drone has undergone extensive radiation exposure testing at the Idaho National Laboratory. The lab determined the level of radiation exposure the drone could withstand before experiencing a failure. That level was judged to be adequate for the needs of the liquid waste program.

SRMC Chief Operations Officer Wyatt Clark said the new drones will serve a valuable purpose in the site's tank closure process.

"These drones are an important step in our ability to perform inspections of the tanks," Clark said. "The drones will help us determine the effectiveness of our cleaning efforts."

Jim Folk, DOE-Savannah River Operations Office assistant manager for waste disposition, said this new use of technology is a safe and effective method to continue to protect people and the environment.

"DOE wants to ensure we can ultimately close the remaining 43 liquid waste tanks at SRS in a safe manner," Folk said. "With the help of drones, we can advance our work to complete the liquid waste mission by 2037."

-Contributor: Jim Beasley