Risks of shippng uranium hexafluoride by truck and train

Conference · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:5559636

Johnson, J. F.; Andrews, W. B.

Risk is defined as the product of the probability of a release of material to the environment and the consequences resulting from the release. Although a few accidents involving UF/sub 6/ containers have occurred during transportation, they are insufficient in number and consequences to provide data for a risk assessment of UF/sub 6/ transport. For this reason, this study used the predictive risk assessment methodology developed in the Transportation Safety Studies Project. The methodology is composed of four basic steps: detailed description of the transportation system, identification of possible material release sequences, evaluation of the probabilities and the consequences of the releases, and calculation and assessment of the risk. The system description includes projected industry characteristics, amounts to be shipped and the number of shipments required, material characteristics, transport mode and carrier., container types, routes (and any restrictions), and weather and population zones. Release sequences are identified using fault tree analyses. Releases are evaluated using container failure data and mathematical models for dispersion and health effects. The risk is then calculated and compared to other known risks. Only releases resulting from transportation accidents or nonstandard container closures (or combinations of both) were considered. 5 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 5559636
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-6528; CONF-780506-45
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050900 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
054000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LAND TRANSPORT
RAIL TRANSPORT
RISK ASSESSMENT
TRANSPORT
TRUCKS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
VEHICLES