LARGE COMPONENT PACKAGING AND DISPOSITION AT WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Decommissioning and decontamination (D&D) of US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities continues to present unique challenges for packaging and disposal of radioactive material. West Valley Nuclear Services Company (WVNSCO) has been handed its fair share of such unique challenges at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP). WVNSCO, a subsidiary of Washington Group International, has been operating and managing the WVDP facility since 1982 and is the first company in this country to design, construct, operate, and complete a high-level radioactive waste vitrification program for the U.S. Department of Energy. Two hundred seventy-five canisters were produced and staged for eventual shipment. In 2002 the high-level waste vitrification process was shutdown in preparation for D&D of the Vitrification Facility. Three of the major components of concern within the Vitrification Facility were the Melter, the Concentrate Feed Makeup Tank (CFMT), and the Melter Feed Holdup Tank (MFHT). The removal, packaging, and disposition of these three components presented significant radiological and handling challenges for the project. This paper presents the approach taken in the planning, implementation, and preparation for the disposition of the CFMT, MFHT, and Melter. It addresses the major regulatory and design requirements for packaging, transportation, and disposition of these components. The specific topics that are covered include radiological characterization, shielding, packaging design, on-site handling and movement, off-site transportation options, and a brief discussion on disposition.