Evaluation of Three Ultrasonic Instruments for Critical Velocity Determination during Hanford Tank Waste Transfer Operations - 11121

Three ultrasonic instruments were evaluated by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to determine their ability to detect critical velocities for solids settling during slurry transfer operation between the Hanford tank farms and the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The evaluation was conducted in a flow loop using prototypic transfer piping and a suite of simulants that encompass a broad range of waste physical and rheological properties that will likely be encountered during Hanford tank waste transfer operations. The results from the evaluation are presented in this paper.