Test plan for auger sampler improvements

At Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC), one of the functions of the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) division is sampling waste tanks to characterize their contents. The recovery performance of the auger sampler has proven inadequate in certain materials. The current auger configuration relies on cohesion and adhesion (properties dependent on sample media) to retain the sample. The media must maintain its form and stick to the auger flights to recover the sample. Recovery has been satisfactory when sampling in wastes with adequate adhesion and shear strength to overcome the forces of gravity and vibrations associated with retrieval. Multiple variations to the auger design will be tested to determine their ability to increase sample recovery and broaden the sampling capabilities. The designs will be tested in two different media, with the recoveries compared to that of a standard auger sampler. Each design modification will be developed and tested using the method described in this test plan