Environmental site description for a Uranium Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (U-AVLIS) production plant at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6021610· OSTI ID:6021610

Marmer, G J; Dunn, C P; Moeller, K L; Pfingston, J M; Policastro, A J; Yuen, C R; Cleland, J H ^[1]

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1. ed.

Uranium enrichment in the United States has utilized a diffusion process to preferentially enrich the U-235 isotope in the uranium product. The U-AVLIS process is based on electrostatic extraction of photoionized U-235 atoms from an atomic vapor stream created by electron-beam vaporization of uranium metal alloy. The U-235 atoms are ionized when precisely tuned laser light -- of appropriate power, spectral, and temporal characteristics -- illuminates the uranium vapor and selectively photoionizes the U-235 isotope. A programmatic document for use in screening DOE site to locate a U-AVLIS production plant was developed and implemented in two parts. The first part consisted of a series of screening analyses, based on exclusionary and other criteria, that identified a reasonable number of candidate sites. These sites were subjected to a more rigorous and detailed comparative analysis for the purpose of developing a short list of reasonable alternative sites for later environmental examination. This environmental site description (ESD) provides a detailed description of the PGDP site and vicinity suitable for use in an environmental impact statement (EIS). The report is based on existing literature, data collected at the site, and information collected by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) staff during a site visit. 65 refs., 15 tabs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental Assessment and Information Sciences Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6021610
• Report Number(s): ANL/EAIS/TM-59; ON: DE92001602
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
PADUCAH PLANT
AIR QUALITY
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ENDANGERED SPECIES
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
LASER ISOTOPE SEPARATION
NOISE
SEISMICITY
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOILS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER QUALITY
WATER RESOURCES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
050500 - Nuclear Fuels- Uranium Enrichment