PNNL

Abstract

This paper describes the development and deployment of a remotely operated nondestructive examination system to examine the knuckle region of waste tanks at the US Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Richland, WA. This examination poses a significant technical challenge because the area that requires examination is not accessible using conventional measurement techniques. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed a technology to address the examination requirements associated with the knuckle region. Utilizing a technique known as Synthetic Aperture Focusing coupled with a sizing method using two transducers, PNNL has qualified a system to perform inspections on the entire knuckle region of Hanford’s double shell waste tanks.