Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3521

A -- TRANSURANIC WASTE TRNASPORTATION PROBLEM SOL Cbd2199 DUE 061199 POC Whitney St. Michel WEB: Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory, http://www.inel.gov/procurement/litco/index.htm. E-MAIL: Whitney St. Michel, whitney@inel.gov. This is a Request for Information (RFI). The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) acting on behalf of the Department of Energy is seeking a solution(s) to a transuranic waste transportation problem. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has imposed a flammable (i.e. hydrogen, methane, etc.) gas concentration limit on contact-handled transuranic waste transported using the Transuranic Package Transporter, Model II (TRUPACT-II). This limit is set at the lower explosive limit of 5% by volume for hydrogen in air. Accident scenarios and resulting safety analyses, developed as part of the TRUPACT-II Safety Analysis Report, requires that this limit be complied with for a period of 60 days. Hydrogen gas build-up in transuranic waste is the result of radiolysis of hydrogenous materials. Typically, TRU waste is packaged within one or more polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride bags prior to placement within a drum or box. The polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride bags have a nominal thickness of 5 to 15 mils, with a surface area of at least 1.6 meters squared. One or more of these multi-layer bags of waste may be placed in one container (drum or box). Termed "inner layer confinement," these layers of bags impede diffusion of hydrogen from the innermost bag to the container cavity, contributing to the presence of potentially flammable mixtures of hydrogen and air in the container. One solution to this problem is the demonstration of technologies that minimize potential hydrogen buildup due to restricted hydrogen gas diffusion through the confinement layers. The technologies would focus on breaching each set of multi-layer bags of TRU waste contained in standard 55-gallon DOT Type 17C and UNC steel drums, providing a direct path for hydrogen diffusion. The MWFA desires information from interested parties having either of the following: 1) a commercially available technology that can be adapted to breach the layers of inner confinement or 2) ongoing research and development activities that can be expeditiously demonstrated to breach theinner layers of confinement in TRU waste containers. Responses will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 1) ability to use existing ports in the container, 2) minimum addition of materials that will become waste, 3) ability to control drum off-gassing and external contamination during the breaching operation, 4) no impact on drum integrity, 5) minimum disturbance of waste materials, 6) negligible change in waste matrix chemical composition, 7) ease of operability, 8) cost of implementation, 9) throughput, 10) minimum received radiation dose and chemical exposure to personnel, 11) degree of technology maturity, and 12) development and demonstration schedule meeting DOE needs. This is not an opportunity to provide goods or services to LMITCO or the Department of Energy. Interested parties need to provide a written letter of interest by June 11, 1999, to Whitney St. Michel (whitney@inel.gov); Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company; 2525 N. Fremont Avenue; Idaho Falls, ID 83415-3875. This letter must include a brief statement of qualifications, technology summary, and any pertinent questions or comments. Posted 04/15/99 (W-SN320992). (0105)

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