Lead Investigator: Kevin G. Brown (Lead) and David S. Kosson (Vanderbilt University)

Project Objectives:

• Develop updated CRESP 200-East and 200-West Goldsim Monte Carlo models representing important treatment, disposal, and closure-related uncertainties for the 177 Hanford Site tanks, including the 158 Single-Shell waste tanks (SST) that still require retrieval.
• Provide important tank waste uncertainty estimates for in-tank (Double-Shell Tanks [DST] and SSTs) inventories, retrieved inventories (SST) based on the SST retrieval plan, residual inventories (that relate to potential groundwater risk), and approximate feed vectors that relate to waste treatment and waste form volumes. 
• Evaluate potential impacts of tank waste inventory uncertainties for planning, sampling/characterization, retrievals, tank residuals, processing rates, waste form volumes, waste acceptance criteria (WAC), process capability, and risk/dose estimates.

Significance/Impact:
The potential impacts of uncertainties in tank inventories and other significant uncertainties as they propagate through the blended compositions that will be treated may necessitate changes in some Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) waste acceptance criteria (WAC) parameters/limits or indicate challenges to process capability (e.g., ease of vitrifying tank wastes). Potential DOE uses of the resulting uncertainty assessment tool include characterization sampling, DFLAW, DFHLW, and off-site management of grouted waste.

Public Benefits:
This research provides a general methodology to evaluate the potential impacts of uncertainties for missing Hanford tank waste inventory data (namely concentrations based on information other than samples) that can be applied to other types of data. More generally, this research provides support for treating and disposing of wastes safely, focusing on waste characteristics (i.e., risk) and not strictly waste origin.

References: (* indicates CRESP publication)

*Brown, KG & Kosson, DS (2024) “Hanford Site Tank Waste Inventory and Uncertainty Analysis – 24512,” WM’2024, WMSymposia, Phoenix, Arizona.

*Brown, KG & Kosson, DS (2019) “Hanford Tank Waste Inventory Assessment,” CRESP Technical Report (Pre-decisional – DOE staff use only).

DOE/ORP-2003-02 (2003) “Environmental Impact Statement for Retrieval, Treatment and Disposal of Tank Waste and Closure of Single-Shell Tanks at the Hanford Site, Richland, WA: Inventory and Source Term Data Package,” Office of River Protection, Richland, Washington.

RPP-40545 (2016) “Quantitative Assumptions for Single-Shell Tank Waste Retrieval Planning,” Rev. 5, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, Richland, Washington.

RPP-40545 (2021) “Quantitative Assumptions for Single-Shell Tank Waste Retrieval Planning,” Rev. 6, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, Richland, Washington.

RPP-7625 (2017) “Guidelines for Updating Best-Basis Inventory,” Rev. 13, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, Richland, Washington.

RPP-PLAN-40145 (2016) “Single-Shell Tank Waste Retrieval Plan,” Rev. 6, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC, Richland, Washington.

RPP-PLAN-40145 (2021) “Single-Shell Tank Waste Retrieval Plan,” Rev. 7, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC, Richland, Washington.

SS-1647 (2016) “Single-Shell Tank Retrieval Assumptions for Mission Modeling,” Rev. 6, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, Richland, Washington.

SS-1647 (2016) “Single-Shell Tank Retrieval Assumptions for Mission Modeling,” Rev. 6, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, Richland, Washington.

SS-1647 (2021) “Single-Shell Tank Retrieval Assumptions for Mission Modeling,” Rev. 7, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC, Richland, Washington.