Relative risk of nuclear criticality occurring from LEU and HEU gaseous diffusion plant deposits
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN (United States)
- Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
The Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant was built during World War II and operated successfully until 1964 when shutdown was begun. The plant took natural (0.711% {sup 235}U) uranium as feed and processed it into both low-enriched uranium (LEU) and high-enriched uranium (HEU) with concentrations of {approximately}93% {sup 235}U. During operation, in-leakage of humid air into process piping and equipment caused reactions with gaseous uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) that produced nonvolatile uranyl fluoride (UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}) deposits. After shutdown, the volatile UF{sub 6} was evacuated, but the UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} deposits remained. The U.S. Department of Energy has initiated a program to improve nuclear criticality safety by removing the larger deposits of enriched uranium.
- OSTI ID:
- 436918
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9606116--
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 74; ISSN TANSAO; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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