Experiences in the D&D of the EBWR reactor complex at Argonne National Laboratory

Conference · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:76217

Bhattacharyya, S K; Boing, L E; Fellhauer, C R

EBWR went critical in Dec 1957 at 20 MW(t), was upgraded to 100 MW(t) operation. EBWR was shut down July 1967 and placed in dry lay-up. In 1986, the D&D work was planned in 4 phases: final planning and preparations for D&D, removal of reactor systems, removal of reactor vessel complex, and final decontamination and project closeout. Despite precautions, there was an uptake of {sup 241}Am by D&D workers following underwater plasma arc cutting within the pool; the cause was traced to an experimental {sup 241}Pu foil (200 {mu}g) that was lost in the mid-1960s in the reactor vessel. Several major lessons were learned from this episode, among which is the fact that research facilities often involve unusual experiments which may not be recorded. Safety analysis and review procedure for D&D operations need to be carefully considered since they represent considerably different situations than reactor operations. EBWR is one of the very few cases of a prototypic reactor facility designed, operated, tested and now D&D`d by one organization.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 76217
• Report Number(s): ANL/TD/SUMM--85849; CONF-950601--12; ON: DE95013713
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
AMERICIUM 241
EBWR REACTOR
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION PROTECTION
REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING
REACTOR DISMANTLING