Uranium Conversion and Recovery Facilities

DOE-HDBK-1132-99

Airborne radioactive effluents typically associated with reprocessing facilities that

should be considered during the design include but are not limited to dissolver

off-gas, process vessel vents, and high-level liquid radioactive waste collection

and storage tank vents. Effluent system designs should preclude the holdup or

collection of fissile material and other material capable of sustaining a chain

reaction in portions of the system that are not geometrically favorable. Nuclear

criticality safety should be considered in the design of airborne radioactive

effluent systems. U.S. NRC R.G. 3.20, Process Off-Gas Systems for Fuel

Reprocessing Plants, and R.G. 3.32, General Design Guide for Ventilation

Systems for Fuel Reprocessing Plants, provide useful design guidance that

should be considered.

URANIUM CONVERSION AND RECOVERY FACILITIES.

2.7

2.7.1

Introduction . UCRFs receive feed materials (such as UF6, uranyl nitrate, or

UO3), process these materials chemically, and produce uranium metal, UO 2, and

UF6. Uranium recovery facilities receive and handle scrap feed materials that are

of different types, shapes, sizes, uranium contents, and enrichments. The kind

of scrap and therefore the process to facilitate recovery of uranium may vary

daily. This section is not process-specific, but is principally directed at facilities

that produce feed materials for UPHFs and those facilities that recover uranium

from scrap provided by UPHFs.

2.7.2

Design Considerations . The design of UCRFs should consider the features

described below. Design requirements vary significantly depending on the

material characteristics, the type of recovery and conversion processes used,

and the characteristics of the site.

The design should provide special control and isolation of flammable,

toxic, and explosive gases, chemicals, and materials admitted to the

areas of the facility.

To the extent practical, the primary confinement system should be

constructed of fire-resistant materials, and the process equipment and

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