Process Associated or By product Operations

DOE-HDBK-3010-94

Appendix B; Plutonium Recovery Facility

Two raschig ring-filled process steam condensate tanks are located in the vessel vent room.

They receive condensate from steam heat exchangers in the process. Recirculation,

sampling, and transfer lines are provided along with a centrifugal pump not located in the

pumping glovebox. Condensate is periodically sampled to verify it is not contaminated and

then returned to the reboiler in the facility utility room.

The final major system, housed in the vessel vent room, is the process chilled water system.

It consists of a raschig ring-filled chilled water supply tank, a package commercial

refrigeration unit, and a centrifugal driving pump that is also not located in the pumping

glovebox. The purpose of this system is to provide a source of process cooling water that is

not directly tied into the plant water mains. This tank is periodically sampled as well and

flushed to the sanitary sewers upon verification that the water is not contaminated.

2.2.3 P rocess A ssociated or B yp rod u ct O p eration s

To provide a complete description of the operation of H-Plant, it is necessary to discuss

some operations that are not a distinct process and/or are not conducted in the glovebox

lines. The four major items in this category are (1) button closeout and storage, (2) solid

waste/residue handling, (3) chemical preparation and storage, and (4) hydrogen fluoride

storage and supply.

2.2.3.1 B utton C loseou t an d S torage

Double-canned buttons are removed from the reduction line maintenance room and taken to

the assay room where the package is weighed again followed by calorimetric assay to

generate confirmatory readings. The accountability computer system then generates a bar

code that is affixed to the outer can. Depending on available space and whether or not

loading operations are occurring in the Plutonium Vault Facility (PVF, H-17), the can is then

either placed in the local storage vault or transferred to the PVF to be placed in a shipping

container and stored.

The local storage vault is located on the first floor in the northeast corner of the H-1

building. The walls of the vault are 14-inch reinforced concrete, and a steel cage is placed

over the entry door to the vault and over the vault ceiling. There are three storage racks

along the walls of the vault and three smaller storage racks mounted on the vault interior

floorspace. The storage racks along the walls are bolted to the floor and the walls, while the

interior racks are bolted to both the floor and to stiffening rods mounted in the floor that run

up the backside of the racks.

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