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Title: Uranium Accumulation Discoveries at Y-12 (Presentation)

Conference ·
OSTI ID:1464639
 [1];  [1]
  1. Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

In June 2017, reduction operations at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) experienced a uranium accumulation event that compromised the nuclear criticality safety (NCS) of reduction operations. This event led to the execution of an extensive Extent-of-Condition (EOC) review aimed at identifying the location of other significant uranium masses in unintended locations. This paper describes the reduction process, the equipment in which unexpected accumulation was discovered, and the timeline of events leading to the discovery. It highlights the multi-disciplinary effort taken by production to recover from the event and resume operations. Lastly, it includes a description of the inconsistencies between operational conditions and Criticality Safety Evaluation (CSE) assumptions and how the EOC led to the discovery of four more accumulations within Y-12 processes.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-NA0001942
OSTI ID:
1464639
Report Number(s):
IROS5329
Resource Relation:
Conference: Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) Nuclear Facility Safety Conference, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, August 11-17, 2018
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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