Duratek is a member of the Fluor Fernald team that is managing decommissioning of the former uranium processing facility at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Fernald Closure Project (FCP) in southern Ohio. Part of the decommissioning effort requires stabilization and disposal of approximately 8,900 cubic yards of low-level, radium-bearing waste presently stored in Silos 1 and 2. Duratek’s role in this important project includes (a) providing the process technology, (b) designing and testing waste packages, and (c) testing and improving the design of the full-scale prototype remote handling loading facility to ensure operability and maintainability. This article examines one aspect of the project: package design and testing.

The waste stored in the silos is a by-product of processing uranium ores and will be stabilized by mixing it with cement and fly ash in a treatment facility presently being constructed on the FCP site. Once stabilized, the waste will be transported in custom-designed packages for disposal beginning in November 2004 and ending in approximately December 2005. Waste from the silos project will fill approximately 7,000 packages.

Duratek designed the waste packages to meet both federal transport regulations and waste acceptance criteria, so repackaging is not necessary once it reaches the disposal site, saving DOE time and money. Each package is approximately six and one-half feet tall and six feet in diameter and weighs slightly less than 22,000 pounds when filled. For transportation purposes, the containers were designed as Industrial Packaging Type 2 (IP-2). By definition, this means the containers meet strict regulatory safety standards such as shielding, containment, and structural strength. Package testing was performed to verify compliance with regulatory and project requirements.

Leak Testing: A series of tests were performed to assess the sealing capability of possible lid closure joint configurations. This testing verified sufficient leak tightness through the lid seal could be achieved, and determined the number of rivets needed to seal the lid. A tight seal is required to prevent possible release of radon from the container.

Drop Testing: Prototype Silos 1 & 2 packages were fabricated and filled with concrete for drop testing as required for IP-2 packages. Three sets of drop tests were conducted, the first two being preliminary assessments prior to the record tests. These preliminary tests were conducted from a height of four feet. The record drop tests of the prototype packages were conducted by the National Trans­portation Research Center located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Three drop orientations from a height of three feet were performed: top end, side, and center of gravity over corner.

Stacking Test: A stacking test was conducted on one of the prototype packages, as also required of IP-2 packages. This consisted of placing a compressive load of 109,750 pounds on the package, based on five times the maximum weight of a package, for 24 hours.

The method designed for loading packages onto the trailer at the FCP Treatment Facility and unloading them at the disposal site, and for installing and removing the tiedown system, was intended to support the shipping schedule while minimizing personnel exposure when working close to the packages. Duratek fabricated a prototype of the trailer and tiedown system to ensure design features worked as intended. The prototype trailer and tiedowns were tested using the prototype containers for functionality and total vehicular weight. Besides performing many tests loading and unloading packages, Duratek transported the trailer and two prototype packages from South Carolina to the FCP in Ohio, and back.

After an intense, two-year effort on the Silos 1 and 2 transportation equipment, design of all the necessary equipment is finalized, the prototypes have been fabricated, and regulatory and functional testing of the packages, transport trailer, and the auxiliary handling and tiedown equipment have been completed. Fluor Fernald has conducted a bidding process for the manufacturing of waste packages, and begun award of contracts for fabrication of the production packages. Next, the bidding process will begin for supplying the trailers and tiedown equipment and for actual transportation of the packages to the disposal site.