TRUPACT II Operations

For Twelve years the US Department of Energy has been transporting weapons-related transuranic (TRU) waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico. "Transuranic" (TRU) refers to atoms of man-made elements that are heavier (higher in atomic number) than uranium. The most prominent element in most TRU waste is plutonium. Some TRU waste consists of items such as rags, tools, and laboratory equipment contaminated with radioactive materials.

SummaryThis report is on TRUPACT II operations at Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant (AMWTP) and packaging process supported by CH Packaging Operations Manual WIPP/DOE 3184 rev.11. The Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) and AMWTP are run by the DOE. DOE has used the RWMC and AMWTP to manage, store, and dispose of radioactive waste generated in national defense and research programs. Some of the waste historically buried at the RWMC and stored at AMWTP poses risk to human health or environment that must be managed.AMWTP and RWMC are located at the Idaho Nuclear Laboratory (INL) 34 miles north west of Idaho Falls Idaho. TRUPACT II operations consist of a trailer and up to three TRUPACT II’s or HalfPACT’s. Building 618 at AMWTP has the capacity to disassemble and re-assemble two trailers with up six TRUPACT II’s or HalfPACT’s at a time. All Tools, equipment, and spare parts are quality inspected before and after use.The TRUPACT II’s and HalfPACT’s are Helium leak tested to insure that no radioactive material is exposited to the public.

(2) Set-up trailer in Building 618

(1) Move Trailer from Parking lot to Building 618.

(3) Platform Set Up

(4) Radiation Surveys and OCV Lid Removal

(5) ICV Lid Removal and Continue Radiation Surveys

(6) Completed disassembly and Radiation Surveys

(7) Started cleaning of TRUPACT ll

(8) Completed Cleaning

(9) Check Payloads before loading into TRUPACT ll

(10) Load TRUPACT ll with Approved Payloads

(12) Leak test ICV Lids

(11) Install ICV Lids

13) Install OCA Lid

(14) Leak test OCV Lid

(15) Complete Loading

(16) Removed Trailer from Building