Development Of A UF₆ Alumina Conversion Process For The Mobile Uranium Facility

摘要

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a method for the collection of HEUF₆ that may be recovered during offshore deployments of the Mobile Uranium Facility (MUF) for the DOE Office of Nuclear Material Removal missions (NA-232). This presentation will describe the development of a unique alternative process for safe collection, packaging, compliant transport and storage of HEUF₆. The development team was presented constraints when planning for the recovery of HEUF₆ during offshore uranium recovery deployments. Primary constraints were the safe handling and processing of HEUF₆ cylinders with unknown certification or questionable integrity, the transportation of HEUF₆ in a regulatory compliant manner from the origin country to the receiving country, and the delivery of HEUF₆ in an acceptable form for storage at a licensed location. After detailed analysis of the options available that would satisfy the mission needs and constraining requirements, a unique alternative process for the collection and storage of recovered UF₆ was developed. The collection of HEUF₆ on dried y-activated alumina pellets results in the conversion of HEUF₆ to uranyl fluoride (HEUO₂F₂). The bound HEUO₂F₂ is much easier to transport and provides a more acceptable storage material than HEUF₆. This novel method satisfies all of the primary requirements. Nondestructive analysis will be used to ensure safe handling and processing before the UF₆ cylinder is connected to the processing system installed in a mobile CONEX box. The warmed cylinder will be UF₆ vapor transferred to a series of γ-activated alumina traps under negative pressure at 50°C. When a trap is gravimetrically determined to be loaded, the uranium laden alumina pellets will be HEPA vacuum transferred using critically safe geometry to critically safe containers for storage, packaging and subsequent shipment to the final licensed location for disposition.