Thermal Stress in HFEF Hot Cell Windows Due to an In-Cell Metal Fire
Abstract
This work investigates an accident during the pyrochemical extraction of Uranium and Plutonium from PWR spent fuel in an argon atmosphere hot cell. In the accident, the heavy metals (U and Pu) being extracted are accidentally exposed to air from a leaky instrument penetration which goes through the cell walls. The extracted pin size pieces of U and Pu metal readily burn when exposed to air. Technicians perform the electrochemical extraction using manipulators through a 4 foot thick hot cell concrete wall which protects them from the radioactivity of the spent fuel. Four foot thick windows placed in the wall allow the technicians to visually control the manipulators. These windows would be exposed to the heat of the metal fire. As a result, this analysis determines if the thermal stress caused by the fire would crack the windows and if the heat would degrade the window seals allowing radioactivity to escape from the cell.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1246160
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-15-34471
Journal ID: ISSN 2161-6795
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 06; Journal Issue: 01; Journal ID: ISSN 2161-6795
- Publisher:
- Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; pyrophoric metals; thermal stress; nuclear fuel reprocessing; hot cells; brittle materials; yield stress
Citation Formats
Solbrig, Charles W., and Warmann, Stephen A. Thermal Stress in HFEF Hot Cell Windows Due to an In-Cell Metal Fire. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.4236/wjnst.2016.61003.
Solbrig, Charles W., & Warmann, Stephen A. Thermal Stress in HFEF Hot Cell Windows Due to an In-Cell Metal Fire. United States. https://doi.org/10.4236/wjnst.2016.61003
Solbrig, Charles W., and Warmann, Stephen A. Fri .
"Thermal Stress in HFEF Hot Cell Windows Due to an In-Cell Metal Fire". United States. https://doi.org/10.4236/wjnst.2016.61003. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1246160.
@article{osti_1246160,
title = {Thermal Stress in HFEF Hot Cell Windows Due to an In-Cell Metal Fire},
author = {Solbrig, Charles W. and Warmann, Stephen A.},
abstractNote = {This work investigates an accident during the pyrochemical extraction of Uranium and Plutonium from PWR spent fuel in an argon atmosphere hot cell. In the accident, the heavy metals (U and Pu) being extracted are accidentally exposed to air from a leaky instrument penetration which goes through the cell walls. The extracted pin size pieces of U and Pu metal readily burn when exposed to air. Technicians perform the electrochemical extraction using manipulators through a 4 foot thick hot cell concrete wall which protects them from the radioactivity of the spent fuel. Four foot thick windows placed in the wall allow the technicians to visually control the manipulators. These windows would be exposed to the heat of the metal fire. As a result, this analysis determines if the thermal stress caused by the fire would crack the windows and if the heat would degrade the window seals allowing radioactivity to escape from the cell.},
doi = {10.4236/wjnst.2016.61003},
journal = {World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology},
number = 01,
volume = 06,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}
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