Evaluation of Failed Crane Chempumps Used During Salt Well Pumping

The Interim Stabilization Project is responsible for removing pumpable interstitial liquid from remaining single shelled tanks and transferring the waste to safer double-shelled tanks. This waste transfer is conducted by installing a saltwell pumping system within the designated single shell tank, and transferring the waste to double shelled tank using approved transfer lines. The saltwell pumping system is placed within a saltwell screen installed into the tank waste, the screen is designed to allow gravity flow of liquid into the screen and prevent solids from entering the pumping system. A foot valve consisting of a venturi jet and nozzle creates a suction, picking up waste at an equal rate as the out flow transfer rate of the saltwell system. A centrifugal pump is used to create the motive force across the eductor and drive the waste through the associated system piping and transfer lines leading to the double shelled tanks. The centrifugal pump that has typically been used in the saltwell pumping system installations is the Crane Chempump, model GA-1 1/2 K with 4 3/4 inch impeller. The following evaluation is not intended to be an all inclusive analysis of the operation of a saltwell system and associated pump. This evaluation will detail some of the noted failures in specific saltwell systems and document those findings. Due to the large number of saltwell systems installed over the duration of the Stabilization Project, only those saltwell systems installed over the last two years within S, SX, U, A and AX tank farms, shall be included in this evaluation. After identification of the pump failures mechanism, recommendations shall be identified to address potential means of improving overall operational efficiency and reducing overall equipment failures