Development of a Material Sampling Miniature Rover for Hanford Double Shell Tank Inspections

Authors

Sebastian Jose Story, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor's Name

Leonel Lagos

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Dwayne McDaniel

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Andiry Durygin

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

Robotics, inspection, rover, Double Shell Tanks, Hanford, material sampling

Date of Defense

6-23-2023

Abstract

The identification of a hazardous waste leak from a Double Shell Tank (DST) within
the Hanford site has prompted the development of inspection tools for heavily con-
strained environments. Due to the lack of commercial solutions available for inspection and material sampling for the area of interest, evaluation by subject matter experts of the DST primary liner is limited. In this thesis, the development and deployment of a miniaturized robotic system is proposed to facilitate tank inspections. The presence of debris, corrosion and elevated temperatures within a space constrained environment are factors the rover overcomes to provide visual information and retrieve material samples from within the DST refractory pad. This
prototype will provide the site with an addition to their toolkit for inspections and
facilitate scheduled tank inspections. This technology will provide the Department
of Energy with color videos, images, and material sampling capabilities so that site
personnel can make informed decisions on the DST structural integrity.

Identifier

FIDC011195

Recommended Citation

Story, Sebastian Jose, "Development of a Material Sampling Miniature Rover for Hanford Double Shell Tank Inspections" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5371.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5371