PNNL

Abstract

Battelle–Pacific Northwest Division operates numerous research and development laboratories in Richland, Washington. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contracts to Battelle include Richland facilities on the DOE Hanford Site and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) – Richland Campus that have the potential for radionuclide air emissions. The PNNL contract also includes DOE operations at the PNNL-Sequim Campus, in Sequim, Washington, where there is also the potential for radionuclide air emissions. This document is a periodic update that describes current PNNL facility emission units and sampling systems. The National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP [40 Code of Federal Regulations 61, Subpart H]) requires an assessment of all emission units that have the potential for radionuclide air emissions. Emission units are registered with the State of Washington. Potential emissions from emission units are assessed annually by PNNL staff members. Sampling, monitoring, and other regulatory compliance requirements are designated based on the potential-to-emit dose criteria based on facility identified potential impact categories using a graded approach to sampling and monitoring as prescribed by the regulations. The purpose of this document is to describe the facility radionuclide air emission sampling program and provide current and historical facility emission unit system performance, operation, and design information. For sampled emission units, the building, exhaust unit, control technologies, and sample extraction details are provided. Additionally, applicable configuration drawings, figures, and photographs are included. For non-sampled emission units, emission estimation and radionuclide source details are provided. Site-wide permits for the lowest potential impact category are described. Deregistered/transitioned emission unit details are also provided as necessary for at least 5 years post-closure/transition. Currently, five emission units are sampled continuously for particulate radionuclides at PNNL managed facilities on the PNNL-Richland Campus (3 of the 5) and on the Hanford Site (2 of the 5). Four of these units have sampling systems that comply with the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society (ANSI/HPS) N13.1–2011 standard for sampling from stacks and ducts of nuclear facilities, and the fifth is grandfathered and compliant with the older ANSI N13.1–1969 standard. In addition, the PNNL-managed Hanford Site 325 Building EP 325-01-S stack is sampled continuously for emissions of tritium. No emissions sampling is required for the single PNNL-Sequim Campus licensed emission unit in Sequim, Washington.