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DOE-HDBK-3010-94
7.0 Application Examples; Reduction Line Example
prior to initiating hydraulic seal of the reduction can. Only one incident occurred after
standardization of gasket specifications and was due to installation of a previously used
gasket. No incidents have occurred since the use of pyrotechnic initiators to lower ultimate
reduction pressure began in 1977.
7.3.8.2
Release Estimation
The potential energetic phenomena considered in this example are pyrotechnic initiation
outside the reduction furnace, failure of the pressure seal on the reduction can, and hydrogen
explosion in proximity to plutonium powder.
A. Pyrotechnic Initiation. If the reduction reaction that generates molten products
has initiated, it is not physically possible for an unfired pyrotechnic charge to remain
in the crucible. Therefore, the pyrotechnic charge itself can affect only plutonium
fluoride powder, although the heat generated by the onset of general reduction could
affect plutonium metal as well. The exact mechanism for initiating a charge is
immaterial and is considered to be one of the two previously discussed. If the charge
fires as it normally should, the main effect will be heat. The reduction reaction itself
may be initiated, in which case flames would be visible from the combustion of
calcium and some plutonium if the glovebox were not inerted. Such an event has
been observed in the history of the DOE complex. In one case, there was only a
brief flash of flame, while in another the combustion had to be extinguished by
pouring magnesium oxide sand over the crucible.
The amount of plutonium present as plutonium fluoride is between 1000 and 2000 g.
If the release is considered a product of heating plutonium fluoride powders only, the
ARF and RF from section 4.4.1 are, as previously discussed, a maximum of 1E-3 and
0.001. The initial respirable source term is:
(1000 to 2000 g) * 1.0 * 1E-3 * 0.001 = 1E-3 to 2E-3 g
If plutonium metal were assumed to rapidly form in a molten state, the molten metal
could begin to burn. That would not happen in this example process due to the use of
nitrogen inerting, but it will be evaluated for the sake of example. For burning
plutonium metal, the ARF and RF are, as previously discussed, 5E-4 and 0.5
(subsection 4.2.1.1.3). The maximum initial respirable source term (i.e, the highly
unlikely event that all material burns) is:
(1000 to 2000 g) * 1.0 * 5E-4 * 0.5 = 0.25 to 0.5 g
Page 7-55


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