The Nuclear Weapons Complex Management for Health, Safety, and the Environment (1989) / Chapter Skim
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6. Modernization of the Complex
6. Modernization of the Complex
Pages 81-92
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From page 81... ...
. the overall size, productive capacity, technology base, and investment strategy necessary to support long-term national security objectives." The DOE study emphasizes that the mission of the complex is to supply the DOD stockpile requirements and, at the same time, to maintain technological superiority and comply with health, safety, and environmental requirements.
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From page 82... ...
In this category are remediation of existing inactive waste sites, as well as compliance with applicable regulations at currently active waste disposal sites, refurbishment of plutonium recovery capacity in Building 371 at the Rocky Flats Plant, construction of new production reactors and processing facilities at the SRS and INEL, and construction of an SIS facility at DUEL for the enrichment of fuel-grade plutonium into weapons-grade plutonium. The second category~eemed essential but not urgent includes upgrading facilities for processing virgin plutonium at SRS; upgrading the Y-12 Plant facilities for processing uraniums; upgrading, renovating, and modernizing facilities and laboratories throughout the complex; and establishing facilities at SRS, INEL, and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation for vitrifying mixed hazardous and radioactive wastes for eventual permanent storage.
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From page 83... ...
Close Out Feed Materials Production Center (Fernald) Phase Out Weapons Programs at Hanford Relocate Activities of Rocky Flats Plant Relocate Mound Nuclear Materials Operations HWR - Heavy-Water Reactor HTGR - High- Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor 83 199: ·,~ ~:0 :~ ~, ~ Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing OR ~ odub ~ n~ob'ed To Common FIGURE 6.1 Priority and schedule of key moderTiizaiion actions.
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From page 84... ...
The Department plans to obtain additional capacity to process weapons-grade plutonium by using both chemical and isotope separation methods to recover it from scrap and recycled weapons and by laser isotope separation of reactor-grade plutonium produced in the N-Reactor at Hanford (see Appendix B)
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From page 85... ...
By introducing technology for converting reactor-grade to weapons-grade plutonium, it forms a potential bridge between the civilian fuel cycle and weapons production. Spent civilian power reactor fuel contains substantial quantities of plutonium, but this fuel contains concentrations of plutonium-240 sufficiently high that, in the absence of SIS, it would be undesirable for use in weapons.
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From page 86... ...
Moreover, the scrap and waste problems are exacerbated in the case of weapons production by requirements for safeguards and by the hazards of radioactive and toxic materials. Perhaps alternative processes exist that could increase both efficiency and safety in the use of special nuclear materials and, at the same time, minimize problems of maintaining safeguards and managing waste.
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From page 87... ...
Gaseous hydrogen fluoride and aqueous hydrofluoric acid are exceptionally corrosive. Both are also highly toxic and have properties that exacerbate the problem: hydrogen fluoride, being a gas, is readily mobile, and hydrofluoric acid has the ability to penetrate the skin, causing systemic poisoning.
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From page 88... ...
Recommendation As it proceeds in its modernization Forts, DOE should give priority to replacing any needed capacity for plutonium conversion processing that currently is based on fluoride chemistry with technology based on safer, less corrosive materials that may offer lower total costs when proper maintenance, health, safety, and environmentalfactors are taken into account. Computing and Communications Technology Conclusion The Department ~ Energy nuclear weapons complex can make better use of computing and communication technologies to improve performance, particularly in operational areas like training, safety, process control, and management.
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From page 89... ...
Specifically, DOE should develop and apply computing technologies of critical and specific relevance to the weapons complex, such as training simulators, process controllers, and event loggers. Robotics Conclusion The Department of Energy can make better use of robotics and remote technology in perforrrung the work of the weapons complex.
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From page 90... ...
Although the earliest remote manipulators were pioneered for nuclear hot-cell work, subsequent technological evolution was driven more by advances in subsea activities and by missions of the military, the manufacturing community, and most recently, the space program. Numerous opportunities exist now for applying robotics throughout the complex, but certain targets emerge at specific sites.
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From page 91... ...
Recommendation The Department of Energy should expand its use of robotics technologies wherever they can be applied to fulfilling the critical and specific needs of the mission of the weapons complex cost electively.
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