Lessons Learned during Startup of the Replacement Tritium Facility at the Savannah River Site

Tritium processing operations have been performed at the Savannah River Site since 1955. It was determined in the early 1980's that new tritium facilities were required in order to meet increasingly stringent safety and environmental requirements while maintaining productivity. Construction of a new tritium handling facility, the Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF), began in 1987. The RTF incorporates the latest technology and design philosophy to mitigate accident consequences, enhance operational safety, minimize tritium losses to the environment, and ensure material safeguards and security. The RTF is currently completing startup testing.

Tritium handling and processing operations are common to both national defense and fusion technology programs. Disseminating the lessons learned during the startup of a new tritium handling facility is important to the success of future tritium handling missions.