Location
Rolla, Missouri
Session Dates
11 Jun 1999 - 17 Jun 1999
Keywords and Phrases
Sensor; AirBoss; FloSonic; WIPP; Airflow; Monitor; Equipment; Instrumentation
Abstract
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is an U.S. Department of Energy underground disposal facility designed to permanently and safely isolate U.S. defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste. The underground ventilation system is engineered to minimize the release of radioactive contamination to the environment in the event of an accident. During 1994 an extensive ventilation remote monitoring and control system was installed. It consists of fifteen air velocity sensors, eight differential pressure stations, automated control features on key underground air regulators, and eight psychrometric stations. The airflow monitoring component of the system has been a problem since the original installation. Due to the WIPP's variable airflow capabilities, the air velocity sensors required extensive and time-consuming re-calibration to make the sensors read out volumetric flow, rather than the point or line values, which they were factory calibrated for. Problems with the hardware made the process difficult. Furthermore, once re-calibrated the durability and reliability of the units were inconsistent, and often unacceptable. Two new types of airflow sensors were tested; one or both of which will ultimately replace the old units. The tested sensors were an ultrasonic-type device (FloSonic), and a warm body, mass flow unit (Airboss*200W) (a re-engineered version of the previous units). Recommendations were made regarding which type of sensor to install at specific locations. These decisions were based on the conditions at each sensor location and the relative strengths of the two sensor types. Installation, field calibration methodology, test procedures, main results and recommendations are discussed.
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Meeting Name
8th U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium
Publisher
University of Missouri--Rolla
Document Version
Final Version
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
File Type
text
Language
English
Recommended Citation
McDaniel, Kirk; Duckworth, Ian J.; and Prosser, Brian S., "Evaluation of Different Airflow Sensors at the WIPP Facility" (1999). U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium. 1.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/usmvs/8usmvs/8usmvs-theme14/1
Evaluation of Different Airflow Sensors at the WIPP Facility
Rolla, Missouri
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is an U.S. Department of Energy underground disposal facility designed to permanently and safely isolate U.S. defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste. The underground ventilation system is engineered to minimize the release of radioactive contamination to the environment in the event of an accident. During 1994 an extensive ventilation remote monitoring and control system was installed. It consists of fifteen air velocity sensors, eight differential pressure stations, automated control features on key underground air regulators, and eight psychrometric stations. The airflow monitoring component of the system has been a problem since the original installation. Due to the WIPP's variable airflow capabilities, the air velocity sensors required extensive and time-consuming re-calibration to make the sensors read out volumetric flow, rather than the point or line values, which they were factory calibrated for. Problems with the hardware made the process difficult. Furthermore, once re-calibrated the durability and reliability of the units were inconsistent, and often unacceptable. Two new types of airflow sensors were tested; one or both of which will ultimately replace the old units. The tested sensors were an ultrasonic-type device (FloSonic), and a warm body, mass flow unit (Airboss*200W) (a re-engineered version of the previous units). Recommendations were made regarding which type of sensor to install at specific locations. These decisions were based on the conditions at each sensor location and the relative strengths of the two sensor types. Installation, field calibration methodology, test procedures, main results and recommendations are discussed.
