Engineered Materials

DOE-STD-3013-2000

2. Stabilization Verification: Assurance that materials to be packaged meet Criterion

6.1.2.3 shall be accomplished using one of the following:

1) Stabilization Testing: Materials that have been stabilized shall have their

moisture content measured by using a demonstrated technically appropriate

method, such as LOI. Approval for methods other than LOI shall be obtained

using the process described in the Foreword, Item 5.

2) Process Qualification: Materials that have been stabilized and packaged using a

"qualified process" shall be subject to reduced testing requirements. A qualified

process is one that has been demonstrated, to the satisfaction of an independent

review group as indicated in the Foreword, Item 5, to consistently produce in a

production environment materials for packaging which meet the requirements of

Criterion 6.1.2.3. Once the process has been qualified, material testing, as

described in 6.1.2.2.1, is required only to the extent necessary to show

continued process control.

3. Stabilization Acceptance Criterion: The moisture content (weight loss, if using the

LOI method) of Oxide to be packaged in any type of sealed container shall be less

than 0.5 wt% at the time of packaging.

6.1.3 Engineered Materials

1. Unirradiated Fabricated Fuel, consisting of sintered plutonium-uranium oxide pellets

clad with zircalloy or stainless steel having adequate quality and surveillance history

to assure its integrity is considered to meet all the requirements of Section 6.1.2

without additional stabilization or testing. Fuel pellets extracted from such fuel are

also considered to meet all the requirements of Section 6.1.2 at the time they are

declad. Clad metal fuel with a similar assurance of cladding integrity is considered to

meet all the requirements of Section 6.1.1.

2. Unclad sintered plutonium-uranium oxide fuel pellets that satisfy Criterion 6.1.2.3,

are considered to meet the requirements of Section 6.1.2 without additional

stabilization. Sintered plutonium-uranium oxide pellets that cannot meet the

requirements of Criterion 6.1.2.3 shall be stabilized according to Criterion 6.1.2.1,

and shall meet Criterion 6.1.2.3 of this Standard prior to packaging.