F -- TREATMENT OF PUREX WASTE USING MOBILE INCINERATION/THERMAL PROCESS

Notice Date

October 6, 2000

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

29802

Solicitation Number

N/A

Response Due

November 13, 2000

Point of Contact

Sharon Campbell, Telephone (803) 952-6112

E-Mail Address

Click here to contact Sharon Campbell via e-mail (sharon-pmmd.campbell@srs.gov)

Description

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina is requesting information from private industry on available mobile or portable incinerators (or other thermal treatment devices) for the treatment of liquid PUREX solvent waste. If selected, the unit will be set up and operated at the SRS. The final waste form after treatment must meet the Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) identified in 40 CFR 268. The PUREX waste requiring treatment and disposal at SRS comprises some 40,000 gallons of legacy waste, with the potential for generation of more than 100,000 gallons of additional PUREX waste from current and future site operations. The PUREX waste is currently treated using a large-scale incinerator at the SRS. However, this treatment option is not cost effective so a lower cost alternative is needed. The legacy PUREX waste consists of material that was generated in the past, and has since been stored on-site in underground tanks. This volume of waste comprises an aqueous and an organic phase, the aqueous phase arising from flushing and transfer operations as the waste was moved around through its storage history. The organic phase is composed of a mixture of tributyl phosphate and n-paraffin, and their decomposition products. The percentage breakdown of phases is 34% aqueous and 66% organic. The future generated waste will be similar in chemical composition to the existing organic phase in the legacy material. For the future generation of PUREX waste, the radioactivity levels will likely be significantly less than the legacy waste. This reduction would present a reduced challenge for treatment. Precise radioactivity levels associated with these future waste streams are unknown at this time, as is the detailed generation schedule for these wastes. The legacy PUREX waste has been analyzed and found to be characteristically hazardous for mercury, lead, silver, benzene and trichloroethylene. As such, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. The RCRA status of any future generation of PUREX waste is not known at this time. The major challenge associated with the PUREX waste is the treatment of the tributyl phosphate (TBP)/n-paraffin phase. Thermal treatment of TBP can present a corrosion problem because of the possible formation of extremely corrosive derivatives, notably phosphoric acid. A chemical and radiological analysis of the legacy PUREX waste can be obtained upon request. RESIDUAL WASTE ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA: The final waste form after treatment must meet LDR. If the final waste form generated after the treatment is classified as a transuranic waste, the final waste form must meet the requirements of the latest revision of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Waste Acceptance Criteria found at www.wipp.carlsbad.nm.us. The DOE is interested in obtaining information on mobile incinerators that have been successfully demonstrated on radioactive or mixed waste; however, the deployment of new or improved incinerators not demonstrated will be considered. Questions regarding this request must be received not later than October 16, 2000. Vendor submittals shall include at a minimum the following: 1) process description (including major equipment items); (2) name of provider; (3) unit description; (4) statement of product or service maturity; (5) infrastructure requirements (if any); (6) summary of previous uses; (7) performance data and specifications, including throughput; (8) waste categories (i.e., mixed waste, hazardous waste, etc.) and descriptions handled; (9) anticipated treatment cost per unit if available; (10) listing and status of any licensing and permitting activities i.e., Nuclear Regulatory Commission, RCRA, Clean Air Act, etc.; (11) point-of-contact; (12) address; (13) telephone number; (14) facsimile; and (15) e-mail. Information provided under this request is not considered an offer. This information will be used only to assist the Government in planning the acquisition. All responses must be received by November 13, 2000. Please provide the requested information to Westinghouse Savannah River Co., ATTN: Sharon Campbell, CPCM, Procurement Specialist, BLDG 730-4B, Aiken, SC 29808. This is not a formal request for proposals. It is a request for expressions of interest and statements of capabilities only.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001011/FSOL009.HTM (W-280 SN5038R7)