Upgrade Uranium Recovery Project No. 34110: final safety analysis report

The accident analysis of the upgrade uranium recovery system indicated three potential hazards: (1) criticality, (2) toxic fumes from nitric acid solutions, and (3) release of toxic uranyl nitrate solutions. Any of these are capable of causing the death of one or more employees; therefore, they form the basis for the residual risks identified below. The analysis found no hazardous energies or substances capable of causing irreversible injury to, or the death of, any members of the public. The following residual risks will be controlled administratively by procedural constraints: An operator or maintenance error will cause 235U to be transferred into an unsafe container and cause a criticality. An operator or maintenance error will cause containers of 235U bearing material to be improperly spaced and cause a criticality. Extensive corrosion will cause a hole to form in a calciner tube, the corrosion will go undetected, and a criticality will result, and a loss of system and/or building solution containment will occur concurrent with a drain being open resulting in a criticality and/or release of toxic material. Additional residual risks that have a small probability are that an earthquake or tornado will affect the building, alter the system geometry, and initiate a criticality; that the compressed-gas (nitrogen) cylinder valve will be sheared off, become airborne, and alter the system geometry; and that loss of system and/or building solution containment may occur concurrently with fire sprinkler system actuation causing a criticality and/or release of toxic material. The following residual risks will be addressed in the Safety Study of the existing X-705 Building: that a spill of raffinate highly contaminated with 99Tc will occur due to operator error or incorrect lab analysis and that a gaseous or liquid effluent release of small amounts of transuranic elements will occur