Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternatives for the Removal and Disposition of Molten Salt Reactor Experiment Fluoride Salts (1997) / Chapter Skim
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8 Management of MSRE Hazards
8 Management of MSRE Hazards
Pages 72-78
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From page 72... ...
. In this report, the main evident hazard scenarios are identified, and preliminary judgments of their manageability are discussed.
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From page 73... ...
are a possible criticality configuration for uranium accumulated on the carbon absorption bed if water were to enter the vessel, the potential for a vigorous exothermic reaction of fluorine with the carbon bed due to the stored chemical or Wigner effect energy, which could result in the dispersal of uranium and fluorine (ammonia treatment may eliminate these concerns of chemical reactivity) ; and the potential for reactions of UFO with the carbon bed to form UF4, solid CFX, C(F2)
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From page 74... ...
perceives no obstacles to attaining safety standards equivalent to those required by law for all licensed facilities. CRUCIAL ROLE OF FURTHER ACTIVITIES FOR CONDITION AND PROCESS ASSESSMENT An important part of the evaluation of remediation alternatives involves the extent to which significant known hazards of the alternative process steps may differ and some estimation of the relative degree of 3The list excludes operations associated with the auxiliary charcoal bed (ACB)
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From page 75... ...
However, improved knowledge of the system condition and of process behaviors may uncover additional hazards that are unrecognized at present. MAJOR RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING HAZARDS Accordingly, the panel's principal recommendation for the management of hazards4 is to focus on available means for measurements and tests to reduce the present uncertainties in basic physical and chemical conditions and to better define the physical and chemical behavior for the major remediation alternatives.
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From page 76... ...
better data on the physical and chemical conditions of the drain tanks, cells, and piping, to limit the present unknowns; and 2. a structured campaign of bench- and pilot-scale laboratory testing with salt mixtures (using irradiated surrogates or actual drain tank samples)
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From page 77... ...
; · the established diffusion and reaction rates for fluorination at melting and annealing temperatures, by using various fluoridating agents; · initial testing with simulated nonradioactive salt to maximize the rates of learning and explore optimum ranges for process parameters; confirmatory bench-scale process testing using actual salt samples; and · possible confirmation of overall process behavior using the flush tanks for pilot runs with added natural or depleted uranium and pretreatment to simulate the reduced condition in the drain tanks.
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From page 78... ...
Because the final resolution of disposal may take considerable time, the panel suggests that the Department of Energy use a phased decision approach strategy focused on interim storage, with the flexibility it provides, rather than try to select a final disposition alternative in the near future. It appears that final resolution of ultimate site criteria and characteristics lies beyond the time horizon of the MSRE cleanup project.
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