Safety of UO sub 3 Production in the A-Line at the Savannah River Plant

摘要

The safety of UO sub 3 production by thermal denitration in the A-line facility at the Savannah River Plant is reviewed in the light of corrective measures instituted following the explosion and fire in this facility in February 1975. This incident was attributed to the introduction of an excessive amount of tributyl phosphate into a denitrator. Modifications to procedures, process instrumentation, and process control techniques have greatly improved the control of organic material in the A-Line process, restricting the organic input to the denitrator to a recognized safe level of 1.2 gallons or less. Analysis of the process using the fault-tree method and data from operating experience indicate that the expected frequency of a similar explosion in the future in this facility is about one per 4000 years. (ERA citation 02:033838)