Savannah River Site (SRS) requirements for testing include acceptance and Predictive Maintenance (PdM) monitoring of critical process equipment, such as pumps and fans.  Some of these critical assets, such as the mixer pumps, cost over $1 million dollars, but this is low compared to the cost of installation and removal from the high radiation / contamination within the waste tank’s environment.  Also, Department of Energy (DOE) holds SRS accountable to process schedules with fee bearing milestones in place.  The PdM technology, dealing with vibration monitoring, has proven its worth to the stakeholders at SRS.  However, without the use of proper testing and acceptance methods, for this critical process equipment, before they are installed in the process.  It has been proven in the past they have not lasted c their intended life.

Jerald (Danny) Newton is a Principal Predictive Maintenance Tech Specialist, with Savannah River Remediation’s Co (SRR).  SRR is the liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS), which is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy. SRS has a footprint of 310 square miles and is in Aiken, South Carolina.  He has worked at this site for over 40 years.  During this time, he has served as a Maintenance Mechanic/Welder, Engineering QC/QA Welding Inspector Specialist, and for the last 25 years in the SRS PdM Program.  He has obtained an ISO Category III Certification, Vibration Analyst, from Technical Associates of Charlotte, NC.  For the past 14 years, he has been the PdM Lead, for testing support at the SRR Full Tank Test Facility, at SRS.  This facility is the only one of its kind in the United States for testing of long shaft mixer pumps, in a simulated waste tank environment.  His recent accomplishments include the approval, procurement, and implementation of the SRR / PdM Wireless Monitoring Program.