United States Technology Tender

EM Richland Operations Office RL contractor Mission Support Alliance is using industry best practices and 3-D modeling software to help design a new water treatment facility on the Hanford Site to support starting treatment of tank waste by the end of 2023 along with other priority cleanup projects.Similar to a 3-D video game the software allows the project team to walk through a virtual rendering of the facility and look for areas of concern before construction begins.This use of 3-D software has allowed us to achieve improved design and cost savings said Sharee Dickinson director of the RL infrastructure and services division.This process also enables interactive design reviews with the end users. Operators can conduct virtual walk-downs of the facility allowing timely and efficient design changes.With the ability to virtually remove the roof and look inside the facility during the design process weve been able to evaluate how the operators will function in the new building and make adjustments long before construction begins said Dan Parr project manager for the water treatment facility. This will reduce the number of last-minute changes during the construction process which can be costly and ensure a well-functioning facility.Design of the facility is nearly 90 percent complete and construction is expected to begin late this year. The 10.8 million project will provide reliable water to users in the center of the Hanford Site and will support the Direct Feed Low-Activity Waste program for starting round-the-clock operations to mix waste from large underground tanks with glass during treatment in Hanfords Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant by the end of 2023.