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Y-12 Testing Technology to Reduce Beryllium Exposure Hazard

A device that looks like it might be something out of a science fiction movie will reduce the risk of beryllium exposure for workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Y-12 has been testing a Rapid Transfer Port (RTP), a device that should reduce or eliminate potential exposure of employees to beryllium oxide, a hazardous material used at Y-12 that poses significant health risks if breathed.

The RTP is part of Y-12's effort to use advanced or new technologies and engineered controls to reduce potential hazards to workers as well as improve and modernize processes at the plant.

The RTP is a technological change that should make the handling of materials such as beryllium oxide both more efficient and safer and will be a key part of new Special Materials Capability (SMC) currently being developed as part of Y-12's long-term modernization effort.

The RTP will provide safe material transfer between beryllium oxide process steps. It can also be used to move both material as well as tooling.

Lisa Stinton, project manager for the Beryllium Manufacturing Facility, said the RTP concept is important for Y-12.

"As we progress with the design of the new Beryllium Manufacturing Facility, we will be developing designs that incorporate the RTP concept. We want to protect workers to the maximum extent possible from any hazardous material. The RTP gives us an engineered barrier between the workers and the material during material transfer steps."

Resembling a docking port from a spacecraft, the RTP is a sealable stainless steel chamber on a heavy-duty wheeled cart that docks and locks onto the side of specially built gloveboxes.

Once the port is docked, which seals the door on the glovebox to the one on the outside of the RTP container, the RTP can be opened and the material removed from the chamber and placed inside the glove box without ever being outside of containment.

The door surfaces form a unit that is sealed together and are not in contact with any possibly contaminated environment. The RTP should eliminate the need for workers to use personal protective equipment during this material transfer. Testing is being performed to validate this design.

Sam Robinson of Y-12 Technology Development said the RTP will eliminate a complicated and time consuming bagging and sealing process for the movement of beryllium oxide in the manufacturing process.

"As we move through the processing, we are double bagging and sealing material and then unsealing and unbagging at the next process. The new technology will eliminate those bagging and sealing and unbagging and unsealing steps."

While the RTP will be something new for Y-12, it was not developed atY-12. It is technology that is currently used in the pharmaceutical industry to move materials that are called "potent compounds."

"The base technology is commercially available, except that what Y-12 uses will, by necessity, be somewhat different design than what the drug manufacturers use. We are changing the design slightly to better fit our particular needs," Robinson said.

Rodney Smith of Y-12 Containment Technology said the RTP will be used in conjunction with glovebox "pods" that will each be discreet functions in the manufacturing process.

A company in Morgan County has manufactured the mockup that is being tested at Y-12 to determine how well the system works. Alexander and Associates, a local engineering firm, assisted with the mockup design.

"We plan to use the prototype with mockups to give the operators and others the chance to see how this is going to work. We want to be sure it is going to provide the material transfer capability and worker protection that we want at Y-12," Smith said.

The work on bringing the RTP to Y-12 is a joint effort of Operations, Technology Development, Engineering, Campaigns and Project Management under the newly formed SMC directorate.

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