Re: Help with Size-Reducing Gloveboxes

[Larry Boing <lboing@anl.gov>]

We completed the D&D of 61 Pu gloveboxes here about 2-3 years ago.  You
need to take a look at that project final report and see if any of it is
relevant here.  Let me know and I can get you a copy of the report.


Larry Boing
ANL Decommissioning Program
lboing@anl.gov

At 10:39 AM 12/21/98 -0600, you wrote:
>> Date:          Mon, 21 Dec 1998 09:47:53 -0600 (CST)
>> Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
>> From:          "Estabrooks, Bates" <bates.estabrooks@rfets.gov>
>> To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
>> Subject:       Help with Size-Reducing Gloveboxes
>
>> RADSAFERs,
>> 
>> Maybe some of you can provide us some creative suggestions.
>> 
>> We here at Rocky Flats are in the process of D&Ding a major Pu facility.
>> The current work involves size-reducing highly contaminated Pu gloveboxes.
>> The Rad Con approach we have taken so far, is to build a HEPA-filtered tent
>> around the boxes in a room, apply a fixative inside the box, set up
>> localized vent suction near any cuts, and send workers into the tent in
>> "bubble suits" and supplied air to cut up the box.
>> 
>> While this approach has proven successful in getting a lot of gloveboxes
>> removed in a short time, we have had a few problems.  Most notably, we have
>> had several incidents of very high Pu DAC values in the tent (800K, 1.6 M,
>> etc.)
>> 
>> We are looking for creative suggestions for "engineering controls" to do
>> this work in the future so that we can get people out of supplied air, and
>> get workers out of potentially hazardous (high-DAC) environments.  Any
>> suggestions y'all could offer to "bag the work, not the worker" would be
>> appreciated.  
>> 
>> Thanks for your help.
>> 
>> Bates Estabrooks
>> Rocky Flats
>> 303-966-3769
>> Page: 303-212-6469
>> Fax: 303-966-6783
>> bates.estabrooks@rfets.gov
>> 
>> 
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>What are the dimensions?     Are they fairly uniform or do they vary 
>in size?  What are the materials involved?  Are there sections within 
>the gloveboxes or are they one section?  One alternative to size 
>reduction if they are uniform in size is to consider overpacking them 
>with waste and using them as an inner package for waste.  I would 
>also be interested in what methods you are using to cut the boxes up 
>and what type of localized ventilation you are using.  If you are 
>applying a fixative then the contamination is being released in the 
>cutting process, have you looked at alternatives in your cutting 
>methods?  Do you maintain negative pressure within the glovebox 
>during cuts? 
>Scott D. Flowerday
>Emergency Response and Investigation Branch
>Bureau of Radiation Control
>(512) 834-6688
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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html