Solid Waste Handling Example Assessment

DOE-HDBK-3010-94

7.0 Application Examples; Seismic Release Example

7.3.9.3

Solid Waste Handling Example Assessment

The source terms estimated for the waste are not large, even when assuming a large number

of waste containers will be at maximum procedural loading, which is an extreme assumption.

These unmitigated releases are not large for the types of extensive room fires being

examined. The use of a graded approach in managing solid waste handling issues at the

example facility seems appropriate.

7.3.10

Seismic Release

Release topics explored in this example are listed in Table 7-13.

Table 7-13. Seismic Release Example Topics

Liquid

Metal

Powder

Surface

Criticality

Contamination

- Free-fall spill

- None

- Free-fall spill

- Vibration-shock

- None

- Resuspension

- Vibration-shock

of bulk powder

- Shock-impact of

contained powder

- Air turbulence

from debris impact

- Resuspension

7.3.10.1

Hazard Summary

For the plutonium recovery example facility, the one in 1000 years and one in 10,000 years

seismic events have ground accelerations of 0.13g and 0.26g respectively. Ostensibly,

existing studies estimate building damage for such events. For a 0.13g event, it is expected

that the facility remains largely intact, ventilation flow is likely to continue, and damage to

process equipment will be minimal, if any. For the 0.26g event, more significant damage is

anticipated. Spalling of external walls is possible, non-concrete walls will fail, electrical

power will be lost, external piping and wiring connections to gloveboxes will fail,

gloveboxes may begin to sag, and one or two of the plutonium process tanks may collapse.

For a 0.3g seismic event, all gloveboxes will sag, and between two and four of the

plutonium process tanks may collapse, but the building is still expected to remain intact.

There is, however, a small possibility that partial collapse of the building centered around the

L-shaped hinge on the north face may occur. If this were to happen, processes in the

potential collapse zone include the vessel vent system, the north half of the feed preparation

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