Melter Heatup

 

The Department of Energy’s Hanford Vit Plant’s melters are considered the heart of a process that transforms nuclear waste into a glass form safe for storage. This process – called vitrification – will help protect our environment and rivershore communities from Hanford’s legacy waste. Follow us on this journey toward achieving Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste in 2025, which follows a process called Commissioning to reach operations.

Melter Heatup is complete for Melters 1 and 2 and commissioning is fully underway.

MELTER HEATUP PROCESS 3D ANIMATION

Three-Dimensional Animation of Melter Heatup Process

 

The Hanford Vit Plant team has prepared a three-dimensional animation that shows the process our team will follow to heat up the first Low-Activity Waste Facility melter. In under six minutes you will gain a better understanding of the process steps the Vit Plant team will take to heat up the melter to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit.

WHAT’S NEW

Hanford Tank Waste Mission Advances with Heat up of Second Melter

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the safe and successful heat up of the second of the two world’s largest melters at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford Site in Washington state. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the Department’s ongoing effort to address chemical and radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford Site.

Molten Glass Fills Vit Plant Melter

The Vit Plant team last week poured the first batches of glass-forming beads, called frit, into a melter heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, the beads melted and created the first molten pool inside the melter, which during future hot operations will immobilize radioactive and chemical tank waste in a form safe for permanent disposal.

Officials Try Again To Fire Up World’s Largest Radioactive Waste Melter

A second attempt began on Saturday to heat up the world’s largest radioactive waste melter to turn waste into a stable glass form at the Hanford nuclear reservation site.

Vit Plant Shift Operations Managers Reach Full Qualification

The Vit Plant recognized a significant team achievement when the last of its eight shift operations managers finished a rigorous qualifications process.

Bechtel Names New Vit Plant Project Director

Bechtel today named Senior Vice President Brian Hartman as project director for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) project at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site.

Hanford Tank Waste Mission Advances with Heat up of Second Melter

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the safe and successful heat up of the second of the two world’s largest melters at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at the Hanford Site in Washington state. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the Department’s ongoing effort to address chemical and radioactive waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford Site.

Molten Glass Fills Vit Plant Melter

The Vit Plant team last week poured the first batches of glass-forming beads, called frit, into a melter heated to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, the beads melted and created the first molten pool inside the melter, which during future hot operations will immobilize radioactive and chemical tank waste in a form safe for permanent disposal.

Officials Try Again To Fire Up World’s Largest Radioactive Waste Melter

A second attempt began on Saturday to heat up the world’s largest radioactive waste melter to turn waste into a stable glass form at the Hanford nuclear reservation site.

Vit Plant Shift Operations Managers Reach Full Qualification

The Vit Plant recognized a significant team achievement when the last of its eight shift operations managers finished a rigorous qualifications process.

Bechtel Names New Vit Plant Project Director

Bechtel today named Senior Vice President Brian Hartman as project director for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) project at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site.

MELTERS 101

Considered the “heart” of the Low-Activity Waste Facility, two 300-ton nuclear waste melters – the largest nuclear industry melters in the world – will be used to heat Hanford’s low-activity tank waste and glass-forming materials to 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The heated mixture is then poured into stainless steel containers for permanent storage – a process called vitrification. Employees have finished assembly of the melters and these key pieces of equipment are now undergoing extensive startup and commissioning testing to ensure successful melter heatup and operation.