Savannah River Site Develops Solar-Powered Pump for Critical Water System | Department of Energy

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions employees, from left, Billy Vowell, Rich Brown and Tyler Handberry inspect the D Area solar-powered pump system that manages water infiltration in underground valve pits at the Savannah River Site.

AIKEN, S.C. — A U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor recently introduced an innovative, sustainable solution to the Savannah River Site (SRS) by installing a solar-powered pump system to manage water that infiltrates underground valve pits.

The initiative arose from an evaluation by Site Services Operations at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), the site’s management and operations contractor, which identified the traditional method of removing water from underground valve pits as both inefficient and unsustainable.

The pits, constructed as durable concrete structures, house large valves that regulate nearly 50 miles of river water piping integral to SRS operations. Routine maintenance of these valves is crucial for the seamless functioning of the River Water System. However, the pits are susceptible to water infiltration from rainfall and groundwater, requiring them to be dewatered before maintenance can be performed.

“Historically, we had depended on diesel-driven pumps to remove excess water,” said Grace Lukaczer, engineer, SRNS Site Infrastructure. “While effective, this approach was cumbersome and time-consuming, and it contributed to increased carbon dioxide emissions.”

Managing water infiltration in the underground valve pits helps maintain the D Area River Water Pump House, which provides surface water across the Savannah River Site.

To address those issues, the engineering and operations teams submitted a suggestion to the SRNS IDEAS Program to develop an efficient, environmentally friendly automated solar pump, Lukaczer said.

IDEAS, or Individuals Developing Effective Alternative Solutions, inspires employees to suggest innovative improvements. In fiscal year 2024, over 200 implemented ideas streamlined operations and yielded savings exceeding $6.1 million.At the same time, the SRNS Area Completion Projects (ACP) was completing a solar-powered project. They transferred 19 surplus solar-panel assemblies to SRNS Site Services for reuse, avoiding the cost of disposing of them and buying new ones for the solar pump.

“This collaboration proved highly advantageous for both ACP and Site Services,” said Jeff Hall, utility commodities manager, SRNS Site Services. “With the solar panels in hand, we designed a pumping system — powered by the repurposed solar panels — that activates automatically to remove water from the valve pits.”

The integration of the solar pump exemplifies the SRS commitment to continuous improvement and sustainability. This project not only made effective use of excess materials, but it also reduced labor costs, minimized carbon dioxide emissions and extended the lifespan of the distribution system by mitigating water damage and corrosion.

“This project underscores the power of innovative thinking, collaboration and resourcefulness in driving meaningful change,” said Donny Barfield, director, SRNS Site Services. “By repurposing existing materials and leveraging internal expertise, we have achieved our objectives and established a new benchmark for sustainable practices at SRS.”

-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb

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