Within the last 5 years, we have designed and built several technologies to aid in the removal and treatment of nuclear waste. One of these technologies was a Mobile Arm Retrieval System that was successfully deployed at Hanford's 241-C Tank Farm.
Below are some more waste retrieval technologies that we have provided our clients.
MARS Bulk
Columbia Energy designed and constructed the first-of-its-kind Mobile Arm Retrieval System (MARS) – Bulk for Washington River Protection Solutions. The MARS bulk system was designed to dislodge and retrieve hardened radioactive material within single-shell tanks (SST) by using high-pressure spray nozzles in an end-effector at the end of a telescoping arm and a centrally located slurry transfer pump. Read More on MARS Bulk.
MARS Vacuum
Columbia Energy designed and constructed a second Mobile Arm Retrieval System (MARS) configuration for high level waste tanks with suspected leak sites. The MARS-Vacuum mobilizes waste using high-pressure, low-volume spray nozzles on an end-effector assembly fitted with an eductor-driven vacuum head. This configuration reduces the volume of water added to the tank environment at any one time and minimizes additions of free standing liquids. Read More on MARS Vacuum.
Hose in Hose Transfer Line
Columbia Energy developed, tested, manufactured and deployed a nuclear grade hose-in-hose system as a safe, cost effective, and proven alternative to steel piping for above-ground waste transfers. Columbia Energy has qualified the design of its hose-in-hose product through rigorous testing performed under its NQA-1 quality assurance program. Each lot of hose material and all finished hose-in-hose assemblies are tested before delivery to ensure they will meet and exceed client performance requirements.
“This was a big step forward for us. We verified the software works as intended, confirmed the range of motion of the arm and the vacuum head and retrieved three different waste stimulants. In every aspect the system met or exceeded our expectations. The integrated project team has developed momentum and demonstrated tremendous teamwork over the last four months. In April the design was less than fifty percent complete, by the end of August the team had completed the design, fabricated the system, installed it at the Columbia Energy Test Center and completed the Phase II Qualification Testing all while producing a significant positive cost variance.”