Energy Northwest Condensers

Large component waste management, processing, and recycling

Packaging, transportation, processing, and disposal of the condenser modules, water boxes and miscellaneous metal, combustibles and water generated during the 2011 condenser replacement outage at the Columbia Generating Station.

Project Details

Perma-Fix was awarded a contract from Energy Northwest for the packaging, transportation and disposition of the condenser modules, water boxes and miscellaneous metal, combustibles and water generated during the 2011 condenser replacement outage at the Columbia Generating Station. The work scope was to package the water boxes and condenser modules as they were removed from the facility and transfer them to the Perma-Fix Northwest facility for processing, recycling of metals and disposal. The condenser components were over-sized and overweight (the condenser modules weighed ~102,058 kg [225,000 lbs]) which required special equipment for loading and transport. Additional debris waste was packaged in intermodals and IP-1 boxes for transport.

A waste management plan was developed to minimize the generation of virtually any waste requiring landfill disposal. The Perma-Fix Northwest facility was modified to accommodate the ~15m [50-ft] long condenser modules and equipment was designed and manufactured to complete the disassembly, decontamination and release survey. The condenser modules underwent processing for free release to a local metal recycler. 2.3 million pounds of metal was received and 88% of the waste generated during this outage was recycled and therefore did not require land disposal.

There were several elements of this project that needed to be addressed during the preparation for this outage and the subsequent packaging, transportation and processing.

• Staffing the project to support 24/7 generation of large components and other wastes;
• The design and manufacture of the custom soft-sided shipping containers for the condenser modules that measured ~15m X 4m X 3m [50ft X13ft X10ft] and weighed ~102,058 kg [225,000 lbs];
• Developing a methodology for loading the modules into the shipping containers;
• Obtaining a transport vehicle for the modules;
• Designing and modifying the processing facility; and,
• Movement of the modules at the processing facility.

If any of these issues were not adequately resolved prior to the start of the outage, costly delays would result and the re-start of the power plant could be impacted.

The main focus of this project was to find successful methods for keeping this material out of landfills and preserving the natural resources, which also provided a significant cost savings to the public utility by minimizing landfill disposal. The on-site portion of the project was completed without impact to the overall outage schedule.