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Title: Feasibility analysis of recycling radioactive scrap steel

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/179191· OSTI ID:179191
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Manufacturing Sciences Corp., Woodland, WA (United States)
  2. MSE, Inc., Butte, MT (United States)
  3. Cignetti Associates, North Canton, OH (United States); and others

The purpose of this study is to: (1) establish a conceptual design that integrates commercial steel mill technology with radioactive scrap metal (RSM) processing to produce carbon and stainless steel sheet and plate at a grade suitable for fabricating into radioactive waste containers; (2) determine the economic feasibility of building a micro-mill in the Western US to process 30,000 tons of RSM per year from both DOE and the nuclear utilities; and (3) provide recommendations for implementation. For purposes of defining the project, it is divided into phases: economic feasibility and conceptual design; preliminary design; detail design; construction; and operation. This study comprises the bulk of Phase 1. It is divided into four sections. Section 1 provides the reader with a complete overview extracting pertinent data, recommendations and conclusions from the remainder of the report. Section 2 defines the variables that impact the design requirements. These data form the baseline to create a preliminary conceptual design that is technically sound, economically viable, and capitalizes on economies of scale. Priorities governing the design activities are: (1) minimizing worker exposure to radionuclide hazards, (2) maximizing worker safety, (3) minimizing environmental contamination, (4) minimizing secondary wastes, and (5) establishing engineering controls to insure that the plant will be granted a license in the state selected for operation. Section 3 provides details of the preliminary conceptual design that was selected. The cost of project construction is estimated and the personnel needed to support the steel-making operation and radiological and environmental control are identified. Section 4 identifies the operational costs and supports the economic feasibility analysis. A detailed discussion of the resulting conclusions and recommendations is included in this section.

Research Organization:
MSE, Inc., Butte, MT (United States); Manufacturing Sciences Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lockwood Greene Engineering, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Centerline Engineering Corp., Wexford, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-88ID12735
OSTI ID:
179191
Report Number(s):
DOE/ID/12735-T38; ON: DE96004568; TRN: 96:004426
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English