The recommendation to suspend the ITP operation arose because the existing process, as presently configured, could not simultaneously meet the HLW production and Authorization Basis safety requirements. The HLW Salt Disposition Systems Engineering Team was formed to conduct the evaluation. I activities selected an initial list of 18 alternatives from a list of approximately 130. Flowsheets have been developed for all four alternatives with appropriate interfaces to the existing Tank Farm and DWPF operations. Extended Sludge Processing 3 Sludge retrieval utilizes four standard slurry pumps, one telescoping transfer pump and one telescoping transfer jet for each sludge tank.
Supernatant liquid is removed from above the settled sludge.
Inhibited water containing 0.01M sodium hydroxide and 0.0015M sodium nitrite is added and the slurry pumps activated. Suspended sludge transfers to the active ESP processing tanks. Aluminum leaching is planned for sludge batches 3-9. The tank contents are mixed at temperature until aluminum achieves a steady-state concentration in the supernatant liquid. Slurry pumps are deactivated and the solids allowed to settle.