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Title: Uranium Deposit Removal from the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant K-25 Building

Abstract

The Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant went into operation as the first plant to separate uranium by the gaseous diffusion process. It was built during World War II as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Manhattan Project. Its war-time code name was K-25, which was also the name of the first uranium separation building constructed at the installation. The K-25 building was considered an engineering miracle at the time of its construction. Built in a U shape [approximately]1 mile long and 400 ft wide, it housed complex and unique separation equipment. Despite its size and complexity, it was made fully operational within <2 yr after construction began. The facility operated successfully for more than 20 yr until it was placed in a standby mode in 1964. It is now clear the K-25 gaseous diffusion plant will never again be used to enrich uranium. The U.S. Department of Energy, therefore, has initiated a decontamination and decommission program. This paper discusses various procedures and techniques for addressing critical mass, uranium deposits, and safeguards issues.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Martin Marietta Energy Systems Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Martin Marietta Energy Systems Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
OSTI Identifier:
6846900
Report Number(s):
CONF-931160-
Journal ID: ISSN 0003-018X; CODEN: TANSAO
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 69; Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) Winter Meeting , San Francisco, CA (United States), 14-18 Nov 1993; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-018X
Publisher:
American Nuclear Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS; DECOMMISSIONING; DECONTAMINATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; CONTAMINATION REGULATIONS; CRITICALITY; GASEOUS DIFFUSION; OAK RIDGE; RADIATION DOSES; RADIATION PROTECTION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; REMEDIAL ACTION; SAFEGUARDS; STANDARDS; US NRC; CLEANING; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; DIFFUSION; DOSES; INDUSTRIAL PLANTS; ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS; MANAGEMENT; MATERIALS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; NORTH AMERICA; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; POLLUTION REGULATIONS; PROCESSING; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; REGULATIONS; TENNESSEE; URBAN AREAS; US ORGANIZATIONS; USA; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTES; Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); Procedures and Techniques; Critical Mass; Uranium Deposits; Safeguards Issues; 050500* - Nuclear Fuels- Uranium Enrichment; 052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management

Citation Formats

Ladd, L. D., Stinnett, Jr., E. C., Hale, J. R., and Haire, M. J. Uranium Deposit Removal from the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant K-25 Building. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Ladd, L. D., Stinnett, Jr., E. C., Hale, J. R., & Haire, M. J. Uranium Deposit Removal from the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant K-25 Building. United States.
Ladd, L. D., Stinnett, Jr., E. C., Hale, J. R., and Haire, M. J. 1993. "Uranium Deposit Removal from the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant K-25 Building". United States.
@article{osti_6846900,
title = {Uranium Deposit Removal from the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant K-25 Building},
author = {Ladd, L. D. and Stinnett, Jr., E. C. and Hale, J. R. and Haire, M. J.},
abstractNote = {The Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant went into operation as the first plant to separate uranium by the gaseous diffusion process. It was built during World War II as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Manhattan Project. Its war-time code name was K-25, which was also the name of the first uranium separation building constructed at the installation. The K-25 building was considered an engineering miracle at the time of its construction. Built in a U shape [approximately]1 mile long and 400 ft wide, it housed complex and unique separation equipment. Despite its size and complexity, it was made fully operational within <2 yr after construction began. The facility operated successfully for more than 20 yr until it was placed in a standby mode in 1964. It is now clear the K-25 gaseous diffusion plant will never again be used to enrich uranium. The U.S. Department of Energy, therefore, has initiated a decontamination and decommission program. This paper discusses various procedures and techniques for addressing critical mass, uranium deposits, and safeguards issues.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6846900}, journal = {Transactions of the American Nuclear Society},
issn = {0003-018X},
number = ,
volume = 69,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Sun Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}

Conference:
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