Oldcastle Precast Helps to Construct Nuclear Canister Vaults for the Department of Energy

June 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Idaho Falls, ID, June 27, 2011 - Oldcastle Precast, Inc. secured a 1.1 million dollar nuclear vault project involving the construction of (36) thirty-six nuclear canister storage vaults for the Department of Energy’s new Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU) - Idaho National Laboratory Facility (INL). The nuclear canister storage vaults are part of the $570 million INL Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU) which will start turning 900,000 gallons of sodium-bearing liquid waste into a stable granular material ready for permanent disposal.  
 
Working as partners, Oldcastle Precast manufactures the precast concrete base and lid of each vault while Stoller, Inc., a local contractor, pours the concrete walls on site.  Each completed vault weighs 255,000 lbs. The vault base weighs 67,000 lbs. and the vault lid weighs an additional 70,000 lbs. The physical dimensions of the vaults are 14.5’ x 14.5’ x 13’ tall. Each completed vault holds sixteen nuclear canisters. Once the vault is loaded with the canisters, the precast concrete lid is lowered into position, and the vault is transferred to the separate, interim storage building.

Oldcastle Precast developed successful solutions for several unique challenges related to this project:

•Transport- Due to the considerable size and weight of the storage vaults Oldcastle Precast acquired the necessary oversize/overweight permits required by Idaho DOT as well as the special transport equipment needed on the project.  

•Documentation- Oldcastle Precast provides “cradle-to-grave” documentation on all parts and components going into the finished product, e.g. aggregate, water, cement, and rebar to satisfy the stringent NQA-1 nuclear quality control requirements in the project specifications.  

•Concrete Density- The NQA-1 specification also requires a wet concrete density of 143 lbs./ft3. To assure compliance Oldcastle Precast designed a new mix that incorporates a distinct fine aggregate from Jack B. Parsons, a sister company in Utah. Due to the new mix and quality production, all of the nuclear canister storage vaults have passed the on-site gamma scan test. The gamma scan tests for voids and cracks, and also gives a density profile of the internal components.
Oldcastle Precast, with Stoller Inc., has successfully provided (18) eighteen nuclear canister storage vaults to date, and will continue manufacturing the remaining vaults for the project through 2011. Brandon Lake is the active manager overseeing Oldcastle Precast Inc.’s ongoing involvement in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Nuclear Canister Vaults project.

About Oldcastle Precast, Inc.:

Oldcastle Precast, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of precast and polymer concrete products in the U.S. Providing engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including:
•Water

•Transportation

•Power & Energy

•Communications  

•Engineering Services

•Construction Services

•Government/Military
Oldcastle Precast is part of Oldcastle Building Products. For more information please visit www.oldcastleprecast.com.

For More Information Contact
Oldcastle Precast, Inc.
National Sales, Marketing, and Engineering
888-965-3227
www.oldcastleprecast.com

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Oldcastle Precast is the leading manufacturer of precast concrete, polymer concrete and plastic products in the United States for ALL industries. With more than 80 locations nationwide, our products are always close at hand.