ORAU Team Document Number: ORAUT-TKBS-0014-2
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ORAU Team Document Number: ORAUT-TKBS-0014-2 NIOSH Dose Reconstruction Project Effective Date: 09/09/2004 Revision No.: 00 PC-1 Technical Basis Document for the Y-12 National Security Complex Controlled Copy No.:_______ – Site Description Page 1 of 30 Subject Expert: Karin Jessen Supersedes: Document Owner Approval: Signature on File Date: 11/19/2003 William E. Murray, TBD Team Leader None Approval: Signature on File Date: 11/19/2003 Judson L. Kenoyer, Task 3 Manager Concurrence: Signature on File Date: 11/19/2003 Richard E. Toohey, Project Director Approval: Signature on File Date: 11/21/2003 James W. Neton, OCAS Health Science Administrator TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page Record of Issue/Revisions ................................................................................................................... 3 Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Operating Contractors ................................................................................................................. 6 2.3 Site Activities .............................................................................................................................. 6 2.4 Site Processes ............................................................................................................................ 7 2.4.1 Electromagnetic Enrichment (1943–1947) ........................................................................ 10 2.4.2 Feed Preparation for Enrichment Operations (1943–1947) .............................................. 10 2.4.3 Uranium Recovery and Recycle Operations (1944–1951) ................................................ 10 2.4.4 Uranium Salvage Operations (1947–1951) ...................................................................... 10 2.4.5 Uranium Preparations and Recycle for Weapon Component Operations (1949–1995)................................................................................................... 10 2.4.6 Uranium Forming and Machining for Weapon Component Operations (1949–1995) ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.4.7 Weapon Component Assembly Operations (1952–1995) ................................................. 11 2.4.8 Stockpile Stewardship and Maintenance (1996–2003) ..................................................... 11 2.5 Facilities .................................................................................................................................... 11 2.6 Waste Treatment and Disposal Operations ............................................................................... 15 2.7 Criticality Accident ..................................................................................................................... 16 Effective Date: 11/19/2003 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0014-2 Page 2 of 30 2.8 Radionuclides and Radiation Sources ....................................................................................... 17 2.8.1 Uranium ........................................................................................................................... 17 2.8.2 Recycled Uranium ............................................................................................................ 17 2.8.3 X-Ray and Electron Generating Equipment ...................................................................... 17 2.8.4 Radionuclide and Neutron Sources .................................................................................. 17 2.8.5 Special Nuclear Material................................................................................................... 18 2.8.6 Transuranics .................................................................................................................... 18 2.8.7 Thorium ............................................................................................................................ 18 2.8.8 Lithium ............................................................................................................................. 19 2.9 Solubility and Insolubility ........................................................................................................... 19 References ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Glossary ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Attachment B – Site Description ........................................................................................................ 25 LIST OF TABLES Table Page Table 2.3-1. Radionuclides of concern ........................................................................................ 7 Table 2.4-1. Process chronology of operations ........................................................................... 8 Table 2.4-2. Key uranium operations .......................................................................................... 9 Table 2.5-1. Key uranium facilities ............................................................................................ 13 Table 2.8.4-1. Known sealed radiation sources ........................................................................... 17 Table 2.9-1. Chemical formulas and solubility class .................................................................. 20 Table 2.9-2. Solubility of material for various buildings and work areas as calculated by DOSE 66(a) code ......................................................................... 21 Effective Date: 11/19/2003 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0014-2 Page 3 of 30 RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS ISSUE AUTHORIZATION EFFECTIVE REV. DATE DATE NO. DESCRIPTION Draft 10/31/2003 00-A Technical Basis Document for the Y-12 National Security Complex – Site Description. Initiated by William E. Murray. 11/19/2003 11/19/2003 00 First approved issue. Initiated by William E. Murray. 11/19/2003 09/09/2004 00 PC-1 Deletes unused reference on page 22. Initiated by William E. Murray. Approval: Signature on File____________ _09/08/2004 William E. Murray, TBD Team Leader Signature on File_________________08/27/2004 Judson L. Kenoyer, Task 3 Manager Signature on File_________________08/30/2004 Richard E. Toohey, Project Director Signature on File____________ _09/09/2004 James W. Neton, Associate Director for Science Effective Date: 11/19/2003 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0014-2 Page 4 of 30 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AEC Atomic Energy Commission Ci Curie CEDE Committed Effective Dose Equivalent CY Calendar Year DNFSB Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board DOE Department of Energy DU Depleted Uranium EU Enriched Uranium HEU Highly Enriched Uranium IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency ICPP Idaho Chemical Processing Plant ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection keV kiloelectron volt kg kilogram LLW Low Level Waste mCi millicurie MED Manhattan Engineering District MeV megaelectron volt mg milligram NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ORGDP Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory ORO Oak Ridge Operations ORR Oak Ridge Reservation RWP Radiological Work Permit RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RU Recycled Uranium SM Source Material SNM Special Nuclear Material SRS Savannah River Site TEC Tennessee Eastman Corporation TRU Transuranic UNH Uranyl nitrate hexahydrate WETF West End Treatment Facility Effective Date: 11/19/2003 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0014-2 Page 5 of 30 2.1 INTRODUCTION The Y-12 Plant (currently, the Y-12 National Security Complex) is located at the eastern section of the Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The plant occupies approximately 811 acres (0.67 mile wide and 3.2 miles long) and consists of approximately 531 buildings that cover more than 7.5 million square feet of space. Construction of Y-12 was initiated in late 1942 and completed in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Engineering District (MED). The specific mission of Y-12 was to separate fissionable isotopes of uranium (235U) for use in atomic weapons. Of the four wartime Manhattan Project plants, Y-12 was one of the most urgently needed because it was thought to be the fastest and surest of the gambles in its race with Germany to build an atomic bomb. At its peak, Y-12 employed approximately 22,000 workers. Today, Y-12 is focused on support of US Nuclear Defense Policies. The information in this part is based on reports and other sources of information that are not classified. In some cases, classified documents have been redacted to allow their release as unclassified information. We are fully aware that more information is available that may be of use in reconstructing worker doses. However, due to classification restrictions, such information can not be included in this document. The First Era – 1942 to 1947 Mission: Uranium Isotope Separation The Y-12 Plant, conceived in 1942 by the MED of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), was constructed by Stone and Webster Construction Company at a cost of about $427 million. Prior to completion, the operating contractor, the Tennessee Eastman Company (TEC) of Kingsport, TN, moved its people in to start operations.