Advanced Integrated

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Liquid Low-Level Waste (LLLW) System collects aqueous radioactive waste solutions in large underground storage tanks from various programmatic sources for on-site neutralization, concentration, and storage. Due to the nature of the concentrated, highly alkaline LLLW, remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) sludge accumulated in the system as precipitants settled out of the LLLW. To support treatment of the RH-TRU sludge by the Foster Wheele r Environmental Corporation (Foster Wheeler), the U.S. Department of Energy privatization subcontractor, all ORNL RH-TRU sludge is being transferred into the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs) as part of an integrated tank waste consolidation plan. The MVSTs are eight large 189 m3 (50,000-gallon) capacity tanks that provide the majority of storage for ORNL’s untreated RH-TRU sludge. Operation of the MVSTs will be turned over to Foster Wheeler during fiscal year (FY) 2001 in preparation of RH-TRU sludge and associated LLLW retrieval and treatment operations that will be conducted at the planned ORNL TRU Waste Treatment Facility. Several high profile tank waste removal projects have been successfully completed at ORNL as part of the sludge consolidation activities. Over 466 m3 (123,000 gallons) of RH-TRU sludge have been transferred to the MVSTs from various inactive and active LLLW storage tanks since the sludge consolidation activities began of in FY 1997. Approximately 840 m3 (222,000 gallons) of RH-TRU sludge will be transferred to the MVSTs upon the completion of the sludge consolidation activities at the end of FY 2001. This paper provides a synopsis of the waste removal projects, and an overview of the integrated sludge waste consolidation activities