U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, Contracts Management Division, P.O. Box A, Aiken, South Carolina 29802

99 -- FULL SCALE COLD DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ORGANICS IN TRANSURANIC (TRU) WASTE POC Ken Rothgeb, Telephone (803) 952-6120 E-MAIL: Click here to contact Ken Rothgeb via e-mail, ken.rothgeb@srs.gov. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS), near Aiken, South Carolina, is partnering with the DOE Office of Science and Technology (EM-50) and the DOE Office of Waste Management (EM-30) in seeking private industry interest in a full scale cold demonstration project for the destruction of organics in Transuranic (TRU) Waste using a non-incineration technology which will be called alternative oxidation technology (AOT). The full-scale demonstration project shall be conducted at an off-site location within approximately 200-mile radius of the SRS. SRS is seeking to identify AOTs that would destroy the organic constituents to eliminate/minimize concern for hydrogen generation from radiolysis of organic constituents. AOTs may include non-thermal and thermal technologies that operate under significantly different physical and chemical conditions than incinerators. Incineration technologies are excluded. Preference will be given to low temperature, low pressure AOTs. The AOT demonstration should prove the efficacy of the proposed technology to destroy the organic constituents in a surrogate waste matrix without emitting undesirable products in the offgas. This includes offgas from the primary treatment unit to the atmospheric protection and control (APC) system, and effluents from the APC system, by eliminating the conditions that lead to de novo synthesis of dioxins and furans in the APC system. The focus of the project is on alternatives to open flame combustion with free oxygen that address the key issues of: 1) containment of radionuclides, 2) decreased volume of offgas, 3) reduced emissions of volatiles and 4) avoidance of dioxins or furans or their precursors, that can be deployed in locations or instances where incinerators may not be suitable. The SRS TRU Waste consists of heterogeneous organic materials contaminated with extremely fine high a-activity Pu238 particulate and hazardous constituents. The waste may also contain metallic waste objects. The Cold Demonstration Project will demonstrate the effectiveness of the AOT in the destruction of the organic materials in heterogeneous debris on a nonradioactive surrogate waste matrix. The AOT must also demonstrate that the process will be able to contain the sub-micron Pu238 particles when the successfully demonstrated technology is deployed for the treatment of actual TRU Waste in radioactive environment. The cold demonstration testing with non-radioactive surrogates will be conducted under conditions similar to those that would constrain radioactive processing, i.e. a glovebox mockup simulating operation with very limited access. The surrogate waste matrix will be spiked with RCRA regulated hazardous constituents or surrogates, and a finely divided traceable inert powder, such as cerium dioxide, to demonstrate RCRA-compliant operation, acceptability of the final residual waste form, and containment. This process will be conducted at full-scale, accepting actual size feed containers, i.e., 55-gal. Drum liners. The following project objectives shall be accomplished: A) Demonstrate a totally integrated AOT production scale process meeting the system functional and operational requirements. A fully integrated system shall include all steps in the process including waste pretreatment, waste feed, organic oxidation, off gas treatment, secondary waste treatment, and final waste treatment to meet waste acceptance requirements. B) Compile engineering design, safety, operational, reliability, availability, maintainability data to support radioactive process implementation. The project implementation will include design of the prototype treatment unit, test plan, and regulatory strategy; all procurement, fabrication, installation, and shakedown efforts; prototype testing; and preparation of a decommissioning and disposal plan. Preparation of a pre-conceptual design for a full-scale process incorporating state-of-the-art technology for operation in a radioactive a-contamination environment will also be required. Technical Requirements are as follows: a)WASTE MATRIX -- The cold demonstration project will prepare waste matrices for testing and demonstration of the process using 55-gallon drum liners containing materials listed under the heading "Waste Contaminants." Actual wastes may include any of the constituents listed, in significantly variable proportions, and bagged several layers deep in PVC bags. The acceptance testing is to be designed to demonstrate continuous, reliable operation while processing surrogate matrices representing typical and extreme levels and expected physical forms of any of the constituents that may limit the process. b) WASTE CONTAMINANTS -- Any of the following regulated contaminants may be present in the actual wastes. Select materials will be added in sufficient concentrations (shown below) to demonstrate the process can operate safely in their presence. Radionuclides of concern in the actual wastes include submicron Pu238 oxide particles, which will be represented by non-radioactive CeO2 or other material representativeof submicron Pu238 during testing to demonstrate containment and material holdup in the process. Toxic metals would be present in the solid form such as leaded gloves (lead shot in rubber gloves), mercury thermometers, coated materials (Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Chromium). Chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents would not be expected to be above the PPM range in the air space, however, they could be present in the liquid form trapped in containers such as bottles, cans, etc. (Carbontetrachloride, Trichloroethylene, Perchloroethylene, Chloroform). Acids and bases may exist either as a dried residue or as liquid trapped in containers (Nitric, Sulfuric, Hydrochloric, Caustic). Combustibles may also exist as liquids trapped in containers (Isopropyl Alcohol, Acetone, Methanol). Organic (Combustible) Material requiring destruction: PVC -- Huts/Bags 8-20 mils, Bottles (reagents), Pipe " -- 1" Diam./3' long, Tape (plastic, Nylon, elec.), Hose (Breathing, Nylobrade), Plastic shoecovers, Protective Clothing (Plastic Suits), Films (Plastics), Plexiglas, Valves, Valve handles, Lexan, Gloves (Nitride, Acid), 5 Gal. Bottles, carboy bottles, 90 mil drum liner (separate -- 16 lbs./drum). Polystyrene -- 1 liter bottle. Polypropylene -- Kim wipes, Filters. Cellulose -- Paper, Celite, Kotex, Cloth-Coveralls, Mop Heads (Manmade & Nat. Fiber), Craft paper, Masking Tape, Cartons, Wood (planks, HEPA Housings), Sponges, Leather gloves, Ceiling Panels, Oil Dry, Filters (cartridges). Rubber -- Dry Box Gloves (Nonleaded/Leaded), Wet Box Gloves (Leaded, Surgeon's, Rough Grip). Miscellaneous** -- Cleaner* (BH-38), Isoclean*, Scene*, Magnaflux*, Spray paint (liquid), Bleach*, Oil*, Calcium Oxide. (*May be included in bottles, cans, or absorbent wiping materials (cellulose). **Bottles, cans, or absorbent material may also contain trace quantities of RCRA chemicals.) Inorganic (Non-Combustible) Material that may be present in the waste matrix: Carbon Steel -- Spray paint container, Tools, Cans, Pipe, Tubing, Hardware, HotPlate. Stainless Steel -- Instruments, Motors, Scales, Agitators, Valves, Valve handles, Beakers, Cans, Pipe, Equipment. Tin -- cans. Copper -- Wiring, Tubing. Lead -- Aprons, Bricks, Acryl Lead. Cadmium -- Sheets. Platinum -- Wires, sheets, and other small structural forms. Ceramics -- Glass Beakers, Sheet Rock, Miscellaneous, Thermometer (Mercury), Concrete, Sand, (Mg02) HEPA Filters (Media). Resins -- Cation/Anion. c) RESIDUAL WASTE ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA -- The AOT process shall be able to treat the organic constituents in the waste described above. After treatment and stabilization, the final waste form must meet the requirements of the TRUPACT-II Safety Analysis Report, Rev. 16, Section 5. Process residuals are to contain no more than 5 wt.% total hydrogenous organic matter as determined by a Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analytical procedure adapted to the process residue matrix. In addition, the residue can contain no more than 1 wt.% of any one organic constituent. The stabilized waste must meet the classification of a solid inorganic waste type II.1 or II.2. d) FUNCTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS -- Process at least one full drum liner per 8 to 12-hour period. Process an entire 55-gallon drum liner filled with waste in a single batch. Operate at conditions precluding significant volatilization of radionuclides. The process shall provide very high containment for sub-micron particles contained in the dry waste. The chemical process equipment shall pass a helium leak test similar to that used for plutonium process design. Destroy the total hydrogenous organic fraction of the waste to <5 wt.% with no one organic constituent at >1 wt.% of the residual. Produce a stable waste form meeting shipping and disposal criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Minimize operational controls necessary to preclude criticality. Locate process controls and instrumentation outside the process area. Use modularized electrical components. Allow for glovebox operation, maintenance, and disassembly, which inherently require process simplicity due to access limitations. Minimize radiological exposure to workers and the public. Any oxidant used must be commercially available or readily prepared. Any oxidant used shall behave in a controlled and predictable manner. Minimize the need for detailed characterization beyond simple x-ray tomography. Minimize the need for feed preparation and material handling. Minimize gaseous emissions other than CO2, H2O, N2, and O2, and generation of dioxins or furans. Process offgas must be compatible with any existing offgas systems to meet permit requirements. Minimize secondary waste streams. Include solution for disposition of secondary waste streams. Minimize the volume of any stabilized process residuals. Only technologies mature enough for successful demonstration will be considered for the full-scale cold demonstration project. This is not a research and development project. Offeror submittals shall, at a minimum, include: 1) technology name, 2) technology provider, 3) technology description, 4) a statement of product or service maturity, 5) a detailed description and summary of previous use, 6) performance data and specifications, 7) expected benefits, and 8) address, telephone, facsimile, and e-mail of the point-of-contact. Expressions of interests should be addressed to Ken Rothgeb, Westinghouse Savannah River Company, Procurement and Materials Management Department, Building 730-4B, Room 2154, Aiken, SC 29808. Expressions of interest and comments will also be accepted via electronic mail sent to ken.rothgeb@srs.gov and via facsimile at (803) 952-6092. All responses should be received within 30 days of the date of publication of this announcement. This is not a request for a formal subcontract; it is a request for expressions of interest only. Posted 07/07/99 (W-SN351182). (0188)

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