Hydration of uranium residues contained in enriched UF{sub 6} cylinders - 14393
- IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, B.P. 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)
The transport of uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) is carried out in large steel cylinders in accordance with the requirements provided in standards ISO 7195 and ANSI N14.1. During filling and extraction operations, some air in-leakage in cylinders is possible and its moisture content results in the hydrolysis of UF{sub 6} and the creation of non-volatile uranium residues, in particular UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} complexes with H{sub 2}O and HF. The main purpose of this paper is to justify, for criticality safety assessment of enriched UF{sub 6} transport cylinders, a bounding hydration ratio H/U of 6 for uranium residues, based on the operating conditions of UF{sub 6} cylinders in fuel facilities. Moreover, the criticality safety assessment of UF{sub 6} cylinders transport should also consider water ingress during the immersion test of accident conditions of transport. Indeed, this water ingress creates new hydrated residues and its moderation impact on initial residues must be considered. The last part of this paper shows that this water ingress does not challenge the bounding hydration of uranium residues determined in the first part, due to the presence of UF{sub 6} in excess. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 23100860
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICNC 2015: 2015 International Conference on Nuclear Criticality Safety, Charlotte, NC (United States), 13-17 Sep 2015; Other Information: Country of input: France; 11 refs.; available on CD Rom from American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (US)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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