An insulator with Performance Contracting Inc., installs insulation on the underside of the caustic scrubber before it is lifted into the LAW Facility and placed in its design location.
 
The last major piece of equipment for the Low-Activity Waste Facility was received at the Hanford Vit Plant in November.
 
“Receipt of the caustic scrubber is a major turning point in construction of the LAW Facility. It sets the stage for completing construction of the LAW Facility in 2018,” said Kim Irwin, area project manager for the LAW Facility.
 
The exhaust from the 300-ton waste glass melters will be treated to remove contaminants from the offgas to ensure it meets requirements before it is released to the environment. The 19-ton caustic scrubber is part of the offgas treatment system.
 
The 28.5-foot tall, 5.5-foot-in-diameter unit was lowered into the LAW Facility through the roof and will be connected to other components of the offgas treatment system.
 
The caustic scrubber is the third of three major components of the melter offgas treatment system received in FY2016. The thermal catalytic oxidizer and ammonia dilution skid were installed in July. Employees also completed fabrication work on two 300-ton melters this fiscal year that will be the heart of the vitrification process in the LAW Facility.
 
"The physical progress made this past year at the Vit Plant is very apparent to our staff and visitors," ORP Manager Kevin Smith said. "The construction progress moves us closer to achieving our direct feed of low-activity waste as soon as 2022."

The LAW Facility is the centerpiece of DOE’s sequenced approach to beginning the treatment of Hanford’s tank waste as soon as 2022, known as Direct Feed LAW (DFLAW).

Read more about this important progress at http://bit.ly/2flM3Jp.

Mississippi State University experts have been conducting tests of HEPA filters planned for Vit Plant facilities by simulating operating conditions, including those that could be caused by an accident such as an earthquake or fire, in these chambers (pictured).

The Hanford Vit Plant awarded more than $155 million in subcontracts to businesses across the United States in Fiscal Year 2016 with a growing emphasis on equipment and goods that meet highly specialized requirements for nuclear quality.

As the Vit Plant transitions from construction activities toward startup and commissioning, a larger percent of subcontracts are being awarded to businesses across the country for nuclear-grade equipment and services. 

For example, Mississippi State University (MSU) received $3.2 million to conduct tests of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to determine their performance against nuclear industry standards set by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and against Vit Plant-specific requirements. These filters will be used in the plant’s three nuclear processing facilities: Pretreatment, Low-Activity Waste and High-Level Waste facilities. 

Of the $155 million, $98 million was spent in Washington and Oregon with $62 million of that in the Tri-Cities, where the Vit Plant is based. Local businesses provided goods and services such as safety supplies, small tools, electrical supplies and vehicle maintenance.

“Our relationships with small and local businesses remain an important component in fulfilling our mission,” said McCullough. “They’re an important part of the Vit Plant team.”

An example of new work awarded in FY16 to local businesses is a subcontract with Tri-City Industrial for industrial supply products, such as small operating tools, construction equipment and electrical supplies.

Since Bechtel began construction of the Vit Plant, it has spent more than $4 billion in goods and services with companies across the United States. Of that, $1.8 billion has been in Washington and Oregon, with $1.27 billion in the Tri-Cities.

For more about FY16 spending, visit http://bit.ly/2fAEjnr.