Elimination &

Substitution of Hazards

Elimination and substitution are the two most effective hierarchy of controls for reducing hazards. WRPS applies this control by reducing the amount of time and number of people physically entering the tank farms. Reduction in exposure is accomplished by utilizing remote access and detection capabilities.

Automation &

Process Control

WRPS is working diligently to implement innovative solutions and maximize the use of existing and new automation capabilities and technologies to safely and accurately monitor, control, and diagnose conditions within a tank farm remotely to minimize personnel physically entering the farm.

Remote capabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Tank farm monitoring
  • Alarms and indications
  • Characterization and sampling
  • Operations and maintenance

 

In 2014, WRPS built a Central Control Room (CCR) which provides a central location where control systems are consolidated allowing for easy access to data and information.

 

Central Control Room

The vision of the Central Control Room (CCR) is to have double-shell tank (DST) process automation systems available to facilitate daily rounds monitoring, transfer operations, and facility control. Entry into a tank farm to record local readings will be minimized with the use of wireless infrastructure and the connection of all instruments, valves, and transfer equipment to the distributed control system.

Currently, the CCR supports 24/7 control and monitoring of Hanford tank farms and the 242-A Evaporator. With eight workstations, the CCR supports three main tank farm control and monitoring systems, including the following:

  • DST waste transfer control
  • DST vapor instrumentation monitoring
  • DST ventilation control
  • 242-A Evaporator monitoring
  • Single-Shell Tank (SST) and DST monitoring
  • DST balance of plant control