Confinement Systems

DOE-HDBK-3010-94

Appendix B; Plutonium Recovery Facility

The exterior ground walls are 14-inch-thick bearing type (i.e., reinforced concrete). Some

interior walls, particularly in the processing section, are reinforced-concrete load bearing

walls. The remaining process interior walls are double gypsum board over metal studs or

metal lath and plaster. The interior walls in office space are single gypsum board over metal

studs outside of the areas with load-bearing walls.

The second floor reinforced concrete slab is 6 inches thick and was poured monolithically

with the concrete beams. The main support columns on the second floor are 20-inch

diameter cylinders, and a beam arrangement similar to that supporting the second floor slab

exists to support the 6-inch-thick roof slab. The exterior bearing walls on the second floor

are 10-inch-thick reinforced concrete. All roof surfaces are covered with metal decking

overlaid by a rigid buildup four-ply incombustible insulation and finally covered by coal-tar

pitch and gravel. The roof is flat with down spouts to facilitate drainage.

2.1.3

C on fin em en t S ystem s

The principal sources of confinement are vessels/piping, gloveboxes, airlocks, the HVAC

systems, and lastly the facility structure itself. As the structure has already been briefly

discussed, this section will concentrate on the first four items.

2.1.3.1 V essels an d P ip in g

All internal glovebox vessels are mounted to the glovebox structure itself. The normal

material of construction is 304L stainless steel alloy except for special uses such as the

hydrogen peroxide precipitation vessels that are made of Pyrex. All tanks external to

gloveboxes are seismically mounted to the structure floor. Piping leading to external tanks is

sheathed stainless steel double pipe with leak detection points for the annular region at piping

low points.

2.1.3.2 G loveb oxes

Gloveboxes used in the H Plant are typical 304L stainless steel units machined to a smooth

surface inside. The gloveboxes have double walls below the windows filled with lead and

water extended polyester for shielding purposes. The windows are 0.5 inch plate glass with,

on average, 1 inch of transparent leaded glass and lexan mounted over them on the external

glovebox frame. Certain gloveboxes, such as the hydrofluorination unit in the wet line, have

Benelex sheets and additional lead mounted on the exterior glovebox surface and thicker

windows for additional shielding. The hydrofluorination unit also has sliding panels of

Benelex which are placed over the windows of the box when access is not needed.

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