Grout treatment facility operation

This paper summarizes the operation of the Grout Treatment Facility from initial testing to the final disposal to date of 3.8 {times} 10{sup 3} m{sup 3} (1 Mgal) of low-level radioactive waste. It describes actual component testing and verification, testing of the full-scale system with simulated waste feed, summary of the radioactive disposal operation, lessons learned and equipment performance summary, facility impacts from safety analyses, long-term performance assessments, the Part B application, and projected facility modifications. The Grout Treatment Facility is one of two operations for permanently disposing of liquid defense wastes at the Hanford site near Richland, Washington, for the U.S. Department of Energy. High- and low-level radioactive wastes have been accumulating from defense material production since the mid-1940s at the Hanford site. All radioactive low-level and low-level mixed liquid wastes will be disposed of at the future Hanford Vitrification Facility.