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Title: Assessment of the risk of transporting uranium hexafluoride by truck and train

Abstract

This report is the fifth in a series of studies of the risk of transporting potentially hazardous energy materials. The report presents an assessment of the risk of shipping uranium hexafluoride (UF/sub 6/) by truck and rail. The general risk assessment methodology, summarized in Section 3, used in this study is that developed for the first study in this series. The assessment includes the risks from release of uranium hexafluoride during truck or rail transport due to transportation accidents. The contribution to the risk of deteriorated or faulty packaging during normal transport was also considered. The report is sectioned to correspond to the specific analysis steps of the risk assessment model. The transportation system and accident environment are described in Sections 4 and 5. Calculation of the response of the shipping system to forces produced in transportation accidents are presented in Section 6 and the results of a survey to determine the condition of the package during transport are presented in Section 7. Sequences of events that could lead to a release of radioactive material from the shipping cask during transportation are postulated in Section 8 using fault tree analysis. These release sequences are evaluated in Sections 9 through 11,more » to determine both the likelihood and the possible consequences of each release. Supportive data and analyses are given in the appendices. The results of the risk assessment have been related to the year 1985, when it is projected that 100 GW of electric power will be generated annually by nuclear power plants. It was estimated that approximately 46,000 metric tons (MT) of natural UF/sub 6/ and 14,600 MT of enriched UF/sub 6/ would be shipped in the reference year.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6553062
Report Number(s):
PNL-2211
TRN: 79-001739
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-06-1830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE; LAND TRANSPORT; RAIL TRANSPORT; ACCIDENTS; FAULT TREE ANALYSIS; RISK ASSESSMENT; TRUCKS; ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; FLUORIDES; FLUORINE COMPOUNDS; HALIDES; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS; SYSTEMS ANALYSIS; TRANSPORT; URANIUM COMPOUNDS; URANIUM FLUORIDES; VEHICLES; 050900* - Nuclear Fuels- Transport, Handling, & Storage

Citation Formats

Geffen, C.A., Johnson, J.F., Davis, D.K., Friley, J.R., and Ross, B.A. Assessment of the risk of transporting uranium hexafluoride by truck and train. United States: N. p., 1978. Web. doi:10.2172/6553062.
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Geffen, C.A., Johnson, J.F., Davis, D.K., Friley, J.R., & Ross, B.A. Assessment of the risk of transporting uranium hexafluoride by truck and train. United States. doi:10.2172/6553062.
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Geffen, C.A., Johnson, J.F., Davis, D.K., Friley, J.R., and Ross, B.A. Tue . "Assessment of the risk of transporting uranium hexafluoride by truck and train". United States. doi:10.2172/6553062. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6553062.
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@article{osti_6553062,
title = {Assessment of the risk of transporting uranium hexafluoride by truck and train},
author = {Geffen, C.A. and Johnson, J.F. and Davis, D.K. and Friley, J.R. and Ross, B.A.},
abstractNote = {This report is the fifth in a series of studies of the risk of transporting potentially hazardous energy materials. The report presents an assessment of the risk of shipping uranium hexafluoride (UF/sub 6/) by truck and rail. The general risk assessment methodology, summarized in Section 3, used in this study is that developed for the first study in this series. The assessment includes the risks from release of uranium hexafluoride during truck or rail transport due to transportation accidents. The contribution to the risk of deteriorated or faulty packaging during normal transport was also considered. The report is sectioned to correspond to the specific analysis steps of the risk assessment model. The transportation system and accident environment are described in Sections 4 and 5. Calculation of the response of the shipping system to forces produced in transportation accidents are presented in Section 6 and the results of a survey to determine the condition of the package during transport are presented in Section 7. Sequences of events that could lead to a release of radioactive material from the shipping cask during transportation are postulated in Section 8 using fault tree analysis. These release sequences are evaluated in Sections 9 through 11, to determine both the likelihood and the possible consequences of each release. Supportive data and analyses are given in the appendices. The results of the risk assessment have been related to the year 1985, when it is projected that 100 GW of electric power will be generated annually by nuclear power plants. It was estimated that approximately 46,000 metric tons (MT) of natural UF/sub 6/ and 14,600 MT of enriched UF/sub 6/ would be shipped in the reference year.},
doi = {10.2172/6553062},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978},
month = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978}
}
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Technical Report:
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DOI:  10.2172/6553062
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