Fire cont'd - hdbk1113cn10051

DOE-HDBK-1113-98

Module 101 Properties of Uranium

Lesson Plan

Instructor's Notes

machined to provide a useful end product, and

milling chips and filings are unavoidable

byproducts.

Precautions must be taken to prevent chips and

filings from igniting. One precaution is submersing

the chips and filings in water or a mineral oil.

Storage in water produces hydrogen gas due to a

chemical reaction. To prevent the hydrogen gas

from reaching an explosive concentration, and to

prevent a pressure buildup, containers must be

vented. Incidents have occurred where container

lids have been blown off by unexpected gas

pressure buildup.

Once uranium starts to burn, it is extremely

difficult to extinguish. None of the typical

extinguishing methods, such as water, carbon

dioxide, or halon, is effective in fighting uranium

fires. In fact, halon may be explosive and produce

toxic fumes if used directly on the fire.

Normally, small fires may be put out by using

MET-L-X powder, which is a mixture of sodium

chloride (table salt) and potassium carbonate

(baking powder). When spread over the burning

metal in significant quantities, MET-L-X starves

the fire of oxygen.