Workers with EM contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company recently installed a new ventilation system at the Hanford Site’s Reduction Oxidation Plant. The new system will help protect workers performing cleanup activities to prepare the massive former plutonium processing facility for demolition.
RICHLAND, Wash. — For the next several years, crews with EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) can breathe easy while preparing the Hanford Site’s Reduction Oxidation Plant for demolition.
Over the last 30 months crews have installed and tested a more efficient and effective ventilation system for the plant. The state-of-the-art system significantly improves airflow and filtration inside the plant, allowing crews to safely perform cleanup activities at the former plutonium processing facility, including removing radiological and chemical hazards and disconnecting electrical and mechanical systems.
“The system can move more than 60,000 cubic feet of air per minute — more than three times the flow rate of the existing system,” said Andy Wiborg, RL Projects and Facilities Division team lead for Hanford’s Central Plateau Cleanup Project. “This improved ventilation allows for better control of contamination within the facility, allowing workers to safely continue cleanup work to prepare the aging facility for demolition.”
The installed ventilation system consists of three new exhauster units with air filters, more than 400 feet of above-ground stainless-steel ducting, and associated equipment that includes heat detectors, vibration sensors and fire-control units.
“I’m proud of our team’s work to install a robust ventilation system that will help workers safely complete challenging cleanup activities inside the plant for years to come,” said CPCCo End States Director Marty Ellis. “There were a lot of parts and pieces involved with this project. Our crews did a great job of troubleshooting issues and making modifications to ensure the system operates safely and efficiently.”
-Contributor: Mark McKenna
-Source: EM Newsletter