Investigators: Kevin G. Brown and Mark P. McDonald (Vanderbilt)

Project Objectives:
Development and demonstration of optimization methods under uncertainty to lead to improved operational plans for the Hanford tank waste processing system that minimize (i) overall processing time, (ii) life-cycle cost, and / or (iii) the amounts of HLW and LAW glass produced. The Hanford tank waste processing system is highly constrained under large attendant uncertainties.

Relevance and Impact to DOE:
The External Technical Review (ETR) Team chartered by DOE-HQ in 2009 to evaluate the simulation and modeling tools supporting Hanford liquid waste processing observed that current tools do not facilitate analysis of the broad range of scenarios needed to optimize planning. The Team also indicated a need for a systematic approach to uncertainty management and new tools and/or approaches to enable optimization of retrieval, blending, and processing with respect to chemistry and technical constraints.

Completion of this project will provide:

• tools to facilitate preliminary analysis of the broad range of scenarios,
• a systematic approach to uncertainty management and optimization to evaluate options for retrieval, blending, and processing with respect to chemistry / technical constraints, and
• improved approaches for Hanford tank waste processing.

Significant reductions in the number of HLW canisters produced or life-cycle operation of the WTP will result in large cost savings for the DOE.