Hanford DOE Site: 291-Z-Exhaust Stack

PROJECT OUTLINE

CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) had worked previously with CDI in the approach to and successful demolition of other structures at nuclear facilities and turned to them for the design for and performance of the felling of the 200’ tall reinforced concrete plutonium finishing plant (PFP) Exhaust Stack which had served that facility at Hanford for all of its 68-year history.

Given the constraints imposed upon demolition operations at United States Department of Energy (DoE) sites, the DoE Office in Richland, Washington agreed that CDI’s explosives felling of the structure could put the chimney at grade using a remote operation that would provide subsequent easy and safe access for workers using heavy equipment to perform secondary breakage and debris removal of this structure following explosives felling.

Although adjacent facilities were still “hot,” CDI’s methods, which have been proven reliable at many other US DoE sites, were recognized as the safest means of reducing exposure of personnel to the hazards of demolishing the structure in every regard.

CDI drilled a total of 93 holes in portions of the 9” thick wall at the base of the 18’ diameter, 200’ tall exhaust stack. CDI then placed and detonated 23 lb of explosives to bring the structure to grade exactly as described in the detailed Plan and Procedure provided by CDI under stringent US DoE work practice requirements.

Click HERE to watch the Hanford 291-Z-1 Exhaust Stack implosion.