Construction crews recently created two concrete placements using new wireless temperature sensors at the Vit Plant’s High-Level Waste Facility. The sensors, which are permanently embedded in the concrete during placement, record temperatures as the concrete cures to ensure it meets nuclear quality standards. Engineers monitored the temperatures remotely in real time via a website and app, eliminating the need for physical monitoring and allowing for greater flexibility in scheduling more concrete placements. The sensors upload temperature readings every 15 minutes to a central hub on the facility’s roof and alert engineers if temperatures fall below the desired threshold. Time-lapse footage of one placement is available here.
About the Vit Plant
In southeastern Washington state, Bechtel National, Inc. is designing, constructing, and commissioning the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). When complete, the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will process and stabilize millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste currently stored at the Hanford Site.