Crews in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant at the Hanford Site are practicing moving “bubblers” in the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility to build their proficiency during the commissioning phase of the LAW.
Office of Environmental Management
February 1, 2022
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RICHLAND, Wash. – Crews in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant at the Hanford Site are practicing moving “bubblers” in the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility to build their proficiency during the commissioning phase of the LAW. Later in the commissioning phase, workers will move 18 bubblers into two 300-ton melters, where a mix of tank waste and glass-forming materials will be heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit during vitrification, or immobilization of the waste in glass. The bubblers will inject air in the bottom of the melted glass pool to circulate the molten glass and maintain an even temperature. Workers will also move the bubblers out of the melters periodically for regular maintenance.
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