Y-12 Blog
The 50‑year sprinkler head replacement crew works so close to ceilings that they must wear these special “bump caps” instead of hard hats. The crew received a DOE/NNSA Excellence this fall for their effort
Have you ever struggled to keep up with routine maintenance at home? Well, imagine trying to keep up with maintenance in facilities built more than 70 years ago.
To ensure appropriate safety protection against fire, the 50-year sprinkler head replacement crew works diligently against a multi-year schedule with 8,400 sprinklers scheduled for replacement by 2020.
The National Fire Prevention Association requires that sprinkler heads be tested or replaced after five decades.
As of February 1, the crew has replaced more than 870 sprinkler heads this fiscal year and has two areas remaining for replacement of approximately 1,100 sprinkler heads. And, speaking of heads, the crew has to protect their heads with special bump caps instead of hard hats because of the close quarters.
These automatic sprinkler systems provide critical safety protection against fire and are credited within the nuclear facility safety basis of the buildings. The replacement of the sprinkler heads ensures these systems are code compliant for another 50 years.
A RAP member performs a preventive radiological nuclear detection sweep at one of the Super Bowl LII venues displaying all of the Super Bowl rings.
Seven members of the Region 2 Radiological Assistance Program based out of Y-12 recently attended Super Bowl LII. Rather than cheering for their favorite team, however, these members traveled to Minneapolis to assist FBI and other federal, state, and local agencies by performing preventive radiological nuclear detection (PRND) surveys prior to the big game.
Jeff Barroso, RAP Region 2 operations manager, said, “The RAP team is staffed primarily by volunteer members who serve as health physicists, engineers, etc., for their day-to-day jobs. Throughout the year, RAP team members participate in routine training exercises to prepare for PRND deployments. Once or twice a year, they are deployed to large PRND events like the Super Bowl or the Presidential Inauguration. The RAP team stands ready to respond to radiological and nuclear incidents year round on a moment’s notice. The team members take pride in knowing they are contributing to the nation’s security.”
Project team members from Y‑12 and Merrick & Company during evaluation of the electrorefining glovebox mock‑up at the fabrication facility.
While Y-12 is well known for enriching uranium, we also enrich careers.
“In Engineering, you never know when you may be presented with an opportunity that has the potential to enrich your career,” Bill Heineken, Y-12 Engineering, said. Recently, he learned of a Y-12 project that needed a liaison to the project’s design contractor, Merrick & Company, in Denver, Colorado. He submitted his name as a potential candidate while knowing few other details, and the following week, he was told he would be assisting the Electrorefining Project.
“A significant portion of my Y-12 career has been supporting enriched uranium operations in a variety of roles, so I was excited about having a part in this project,” he said. “The ER Project is a unique effort in the modernization of Y-12. It is one of the rare times when a new process technology is proposed to replace multiple current process operations.”
ER technology can receive “dirty” uranium metal and purify it to clean uranium metal in three process steps using an electrolytic cell, a salt vaporization oven, and a consolidation oven. The electrolytic cell houses the purification activities, and the ovens convert the cell product into a uranium button, Heineken explained.
“My role was not technical or engineering focused; instead, it allowed me to identify needs for the project to proceed and to reduce barriers,” he said. He identified actions for fostering communication and co-ownership of specific design deliverables, which both Y-12 and Merrick implemented.
“The real success, however, came from the joint project team,” he said. Together Y-12 and Merrick developed a recovery schedule and met the near-term milestones. The project has completed 100 percent design and will be initiating fabrication.
“I cannot wait for the day when the first purified enriched uranium metal is produced by the installed production equipment and hazards are reduced in Building 9212,” he said. “That will be the ultimate success for this project team.”
Having that enthusiasm is what makes working at Y-12 so exciting—it’s more than a job.
Gene Patterson (left) and Alison Sides present a donation on behalf of the Y‐12 Employee Advisory Committee to the Little Ponderosa Zoo’s owner James Cox.
After a unanimous vote, members of CNS’s Y‑12 Employee Advisory Committee donated $1,500 to @The Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue in Clinton. The main barn was destroyed by a fire on December 4, and dozens of animals died in the blaze.
Gene Patterson and committee member Alison Sides visited the zoo. “Members of the Y‑12 committee did not hesitate when asked to help out the zoo. They saw the need and voted with their hearts,”
Patterson said.
Sides said, “Visiting the zoo and seeing the destruction was a real eye‑opener. I am proud of our committee for the unanimous vote to help the zoo. It is going to a great cause in a time of dire need.”
For 15 years, Y-12 employees have recycled aluminum cans and donated the proceeds to local charities. The donations are made twice a year, and fall of 2017 marked the thirtieth distribution of donations.
Y-12’s employees and contractors nominated 17 worthwhile organizations to receive an Aluminum Beverage Can (ABC) recycling program donation this fall. The ABC Committee selected four local charities that each received a $200 donation.
Compassion Closet — Compassion Closet provides clothing, durable goods, and support for local foster and adoptive families. This donation will be used to purchase new convertible car seats as those are the number-one requested item.
East Knox Free Medical Clinic —a free medical clinic that provides care to indigent East Knoxville citizens. The funds will be used to purchase materials to improve the clinic space.
Gracie’s Gifts — provides specialized clothing for premature babies free of charge in the NICU. Gracie’s Gifts will use these funds to purchase the fabric and special closures needed for the smocks and dye-free fabric for the over-sized blankets.
Hands of Mercy — a food pantry in Kingston, Tennessee, providing food for needy families. This $200 donation will be used to purchase food and supplies for needy families.