THEY’LL SOON BE BREATHING A LITTLE EASIER AT THE WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. A NEW SYSTEM, INCORPORATING SIX HUGE FANS, IS BEING INSTALLED AS PART OF A 288 MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADE. THE NEW SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE AROUND 540-THOUSAND CUBIC FEET OF AIR PER MINUTE TO THE FACILITY’S UNDERGROUND NETWORK. THE CURRENT VENTILATION SYSTEM IS RATED AT NEARLY 170-THOUSAND CUBIC FEET PER MINUTE. THE FANS ARE VERY LARGE, STANDING 20 FEET TALL AND WEIGHING 44-THOUSAND POUNDS EACH. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SYSTEM WILL BE THE LARGEST CONTAINMENT FAN SYSTEM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY COMPLEX. THE PROJECT GOT UNDERWAY THIS PAST SUMMER WITH COMPLETION EXPECTED IN EARLY 20-21.
