Liquid waste tank decommissioning! -Reply

[Michael S Ford <MFORD@pantex.com>]

Latha,

'Need to know some particulars first:

1.  What is the size of your waste tank?  Horizontal or vertical
installation? Above ground or underground?

2.  What are the isotopes you're dealing with?  Standard spectrum of
activation products?  Other stuff?  You say trace amounts?

3.  If you were going to decon the interior, what are the dose rates? 
Could you get a person inside with the appropriate protective gear,
i.e., different from getting a person inside with no protective gear --
need about 1.5 - 2 times the clearance with PPE and supplied air or
SCBA.

4.  What salvage value doe the old tank have?

The answers to these questions have a significant impact on your
decon methods and final disposition options.  I am familiar with the
NSC (having worked for the RSO many years ago), but the waste
tank(s) particulars have since escaped the memory banks.

v/r
Michael
mford@pantex.com
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html