History of 100-B/C Reactor Operations,

Hanford Site

Document WHC-SD-EN-RPT-004

Michele S. Gerber, Ph.D.

Facility Operations Division
Westinghouse Hanford Company

April 22, 1993
(Approved for public release May 19, 1993)

Summary

This report summarizes the operations of the B and C reactors at the Hanford site, beginning with their construction and continuing through decontamination and decommissioning activities, and includes current waste characterization activities.

The table of contents, below, lets you access each of the five sections and the glossary of this large document. The file size of each section is shown next to its name.

Table of Contents

GLOSSARY OF TERMS (120kb) - This is an extensive list of the terms and definitions that are used throughout this report.

1.0 - OPERATIONAL HISTORY: 100-B AREA

1.1 - ORIGIN AND FACILITY DESCRIPTION (19kb)

• 1.1.1 - B Reactor Influent Systems
• 1.1.2 - 105-B Building and Reactor Core
• 1.1.3 - B Reactor Gas System
• 1.1.4 - B Reactor Pumping and Piping Systems
• 1.1.5 - B Reactor Instrumentation and Control Systems

1.2 - PHASE I OPERATIONS (WORLD WAR II) (39kb)

• 1.2.1 - Construction and First Activation
• 1.2.2 - Charge - Discharge
• 1.2.3 - Irradiated Fuel Storage Basin
• 1.2.4 - Radiation Zones, Incidents, and Contamination
• 1.2.5 - Orifices and Water Flow
• 1.2.6 - Purging
• 1.2.7 - Process Tubes and Dummies
• 1.2.8 - Slug Ruptures
• 1.2.9 - Startups and Scrams
• 1.2.10 - Flux Distribution
• 1.2.11 - Effluent Retention Basins
• 1.2.12 - Influent Water Chemistry
• 1.2.13 - Operation of the 100-B Laboratories
• 1.2.14 - Reactor Graphite
• 1.2.15 - B-Pile Shutdown
• 1.2.16 - B-Pile Restart

1.3 - PHASE II OPERATIONS (1948 THROUGH PROJECT CG-558) (92kb)

• 1.3.1 - B-Pile Power Level Increases
• 1.3.2 - Equipment and Operational Changes Needed With Increased Power Levels
• 1.3.3 - Slug Ruptures
• 1.3.4 - Fuel Fabrication Changes
• 1.3.5 - Process Tubes
• 1.3.6 - Water Treatment Changes
• 1.3.7 - Safety Modifications
• 1.3.8 - Effluent Disposal Challenges
• 1.3.9 - Overall Safety Issues
• 1.3.10 - Operating Efficiencies
• 1.3.11 - Charge-Discharge Changes
• 1.3.12 - Operating Purges
• 1.3.13 - Poison Splines
• 1.3.14 - Additional Pre-CG-558 Modifications
• 1.3.15 - Radiation Incidents and Contamination
• 1.3.16 - B Reactor Special Irradiations, Test Holes and Other Experimental Facilities
• 1.3.17 - P-10 Project
• 1.3.18 - Project CG-558: Pumping and Piping Changes
• 1.3.19 - Project CG-558: Effluent Disposal System Changes
• 1.3.20 - Project CG-558: Instrumentation and ElectricalChanges
• 1.3.21 - Project CG-558: Miscellaneous Equipment Changes

1.4 - PHASE III OPERATIONS (1957-1967) (93kb)

• 1.4.1 - Post-Project CG-558 Restart
• 1.4.2 - Power Level Increases
• 1.4.3 - Operating Difficulties
• 1.4.4 - B Reactor Rear Face Piping Problems and Modifications
• 1.4.5 - Rear Face Crossunder Lines
• 1.4.6 - Effluent System Modifications (Project CGI-889)
• 1.4.7 - Reactor Confinement: Project CGI-791
• 1.4.8 - Improved Coolant Backup: MJA-36 and Project CGI-905
• 1.4.9 - Additional Modifications, Tests, Recommendations, and Projects
• 1.4.10 - Instrumentation Improvements
• 1.4.11 - Additional Post-1965 Projects in 100-B Area
• 1.4.12 - Columbia River Effects: Effluent Disposal After Project CG-558
• 1.4.13 - Proposed Disposal Solutions: Decontamination of Effluent with Aluminum
• 1.4.14 - Proposed Disposal Solutions: New Influent Water Treatments
• 1.4.15 - Process Tube Films and Zeta Potential
• 1.4.16 - Experiments in the Deionization of Influent Process Water
• 1.4.17 - Revival of the Inland Lake Concept
• 1.4.18 - Additional Effluent Disposal Alternatives
• 1.4.19 - Radiation Incidents, Scrams, and Contamination Spreads
• 1.4.20 - Deactivation
• 1.4.21 - Subsequent D&D Activities in the 100-B Area

2.0 - OPERATIONAL HISTORY: 100-C AREA

2.1 - FACILITY ORIGIN AND DESCRIPTION (50kb)

• 2.1.1 - Genesis of C-Reactor
• 2.1.2 - C-Reactor Design
• 2.1.3 - C-Reactor Specifications: Pumping and Piping
• 2.1.4 - C-Reactor Specifications: Effluent Disposal System
• 2.1.5 - C-Reactor Specifications: Reactor Building
• 2.1.6 - C-Reactor Specifications: Miscellaneous Changes
• 2.1.7 - C-Reactor Startup and Earliest Operation
• 2.1.8 - Power Level Increases
• 2.1.9 - Graphite Burn-Out Test
• 2.1.10 - Additional Power Level Increases
• 2.1.11 - Slug and Tube Ruptures
• 2.1.12 - Process Improvements
• 2.1.13 - Repairs, Miscellaneous Changes, and Radiation Incidents
• 2.1.14 - Project CG-600
• 2.1.15 - Projects CGI-815, CGI-791, and CGI-889
• 2.1.16 - Instrumentation Improvements

2.2 - OPERATIONS (1961-1969) (40kb)

• 2.2.1 - Early Post-Project CG-600 Activities
• 2.2.2 - Continuing Upgrades: Mid-1960's
• 2.2.3 - Accelerating Systems Deterioration
• 2.2.4 - Post-1966 Modifications
• 2.2.5 - Radiation Incidents, Scrams, and Contamination Spreads
• 2.2.6 - Deactivation
• 2.2.7 - Subsequent D&D Activities in the 100-C Area

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