Monitoring the solid-liquid interface in tanks using profiling sonar and 3-D visualization techniques

Visualization of the interface between settled solids and the optically opaque liquid above is necessary to facilitate efficient retrieval of the high-level radioactive waste (HLW) from underground storage tanks. A profiling sonar was used to generate 2-D slices across the settled solids at the bottom of the tank. By incrementally rotating the sonar about its centerline, slices of the solid-liquid interface can be imaged and a 3-D image of the settled solids interface generated. To demonstrate the efficacy of the sonar in real-time solid-liquid interface monitoring systems inside HLW tanks, two sets of experiments were performed. First, various solid objects and kaolin clay (10 μm dia) were successfully imaged while agitating with 30% solids (by weight) entrained in the liquid. Second, a solid with a density similar to that of the immersed fluid density was successfully imaged. Two dimensional (2-D) sonar images and the accuracy and limitations of the in-tank imaging will be presented for these two experiments. In addition, a brief review of how to utilize a 2-D sonar image to generate a 3-D surface of the settled layer within a tank will be discussed.