10 CFR Ch. I (1–1–13 Edition) Pt. 110, App. J

Pt. 110, App. J 10 CFR Ch. I (1–1–13 Edition)

in particular adapted so as to avoid criti- (3) Especially Designed or Prepared Sys- cality and radiation effects and to minimize tems for the conversion of UO3 to UO2. toxicity hazards. Conversion of UO3 to UO2 can be performed (7) Process control instrumentation spe- through reduction of UO3 with cracked am- cially designed or prepared for monitoring or monia gas or hydrogen. controlling the processing of material in a (4) Especially Designed or Prepared Sys- reprocessing plant. tems for the conversion of UO2 to UF4. [55 FR 30451, July 26, 1990, as amended at 58 Conversion of UO2 to UF4 can be performed FR 13005, Mar. 9, 1993. Redesignated at 61 FR by reacting UO2 with hydrogen fluoride gas 35603, July 8, 1996] (HF) at 300–500 °C. (5) Especially Designed or Prepared Sys- APPENDIX J TO PART 110—ILLUSTRATIVE tems for the conversion of UF4 to UF6. LIST OF URANIUM CONVERSION Conversion of UF4 to UF6 is performed by PLANT EQUIPMENT AND PLUTONIUM exothermic reaction with fluorine in a tower CONVERSION PLANT EQUIPMENT reactor. UF6 is condensed from the hot efflu- UNDER NRC EXPORT LICENSING AU- ent gases by passing the effluent stream ¥ ° THORITY through a cold trap cooled to 10 C. The process requires a source of fluorine gas. NOTE—Uranium conversion plants and sys- (6) Especially Designed or Prepared Sys- tems may perform one or more trans- tems for the conversion of UF4 to U metal. formations from one uranium chemical spe- Conversion of UF4 to U metal is performed cies to another, including: conversion of ura- by reduction with magnesium (large batches) nium ore concentrates to UO3, conversion of or calcium (small batches). The reaction is UO3 to UO2, conversion of uranium oxides to carried out at temperatures above the melt- UF4 or UF6, conversion of UF4 to UF6, con- ing point of uranium (1130 °C). version of UF6 to UF4, conversion of UF4 to (7) Especially designed or prepared systems uranium metal, and conversion of uranium for the conversion of UF6 to UO2. fluorides to UO2. Many key equipment items Conversion of UF6 to UO2 can be performed for uranium conversion plants are common by one of three processes. In the first, UF6 is to several segments of the chemical process reduced and hydrolyzed to UO2 using hydro- industry, including furnaces, rotary kilns, gen and steam. In the second, UF6 is fluidized bed reactors, flame tower reactors, hydrolyzed by solution in water, ammonia is liquid centrifuges, distillation columns and added to precipitate ammonium diuranate, liquid-liquid extraction columns. However, and the diuranate is reduced to UO2 with hy- few of the items are available ‘‘off-the- drogen at 820 °C. In the third process, gas- shelf’’; most would be prepared according to eous UF6, CO2, and NH3 are combined in customer requirements and specifications. water, precipitating ammonium uranyl car- Some require special design and construc- bonate. The ammonium uranyl carbonate is tion considerations to address the corrosive combined with steam and hydrogen at 500– properties of the chemicals handled (HF, F2, 600 °C to yield UO2. UF6 to UO2 conversion is CLF3, and uranium fluorides). In all of the often performed as the first stage of a fuel uranium conversion processes, equipment fabrication plant. which individually is not especially designed or prepared for uranium conversion can be (8) Especially Designed or Prepared Sys- assembled into systems which are especially tems for the conversion of UF6 to UF4. Con- designed or prepared for uranium conversion. version of UF6 to UF4 is performed by reduction with hydrogen. (a) Uranium Conversion Plant Equipment. (9) Especially designed or prepared systems (1) Especially designed or prepared systems to UCl as feed for for the conversion of uranium ore con- for the conversion of UO2 4 centrates to UO3. electromagnetic enrichment. Conversion of uranium ore concentrates to NOTE: Plutonium conversion plants and UO3 can be performed by first dissolving the systems may perform one or more trans- ore in nitric acid and extracting purified ura- formations from one plutonium chemical nyl nitrate using a solvent such as tributyl species to another, including: conversion of phosphate. Next, the uranyl nitrate is con- plutonium nitrate to PuO2, conversion of verted to UO3 either by concentration and PuO2 to PuF4 and conversion of PuF4 to plu- denitration or by neutralization with gas- tonium metal. Plutonium conversion plants eous ammonia to produce ammonium are usually associated with reprocessing fa- diuranate with subsequent filtering, drying, cilities, but may also be associated with plu- and calcining. tonium fuel fabrication facilities. Many of (2) Especially designed or prepared systems the key equipment items for plutonium con- for the conversion of UO3 to UF6. version plants are common to several seg- Conversion of UO3 to UF6 can be performed ments of the chemical process industry. For directly by fluorination. The process re- example, the types of equipment employed in quires a source of fluorine gas or chlorine these processes may include the following trifluoride. items: furnaces, rotary kilns, fluidized bed

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reactors, flame tower reactors, liquid cen- APPENDIX K TO PART 110—ILLUSTRATIVE trifuges, distillation columns and liquid-liq- LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND COMPO- uid extraction columns. Hot cells, glove NENTS UNDER NRC EXPORT LICENS- boxes and remote manipulators may also be ING AUTHORITY FOR USE IN A PLANT required. However, few of the items are FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HEAVY available off-the-shelf; most would be pre- WATER, DEUTERIUM AND DEUTERIUM pared according to the requirements and specifications of the customer. Particular COMPOUNDS care is essential in designing for the special NOTE: Heavy water can be produced by a radiological, toxicity and criticality hazards variety of processes. However, two processes associated with plutonium. In some cir- have proven to be commercially viable: the cumstances, special design and construction water-hydrogen sulphide exchange process considerations are required to address the (GS process) and the ammonia-hydrogen ex- corrosive properties of some of the chemicals change process. handled (e.g., HF). Finally, it should be A. The water-hydrogen sulphide exchange noted that, for all plutonium conversion process (GS process) is based upon the ex- processes, items of equipment which individ- change of hydrogen and deuterium between ually are not especially designed or prepared water and hydrogen sulphide within a series for plutonium conversion can be assembled of towers which are operated with the top into systems that are especially designed or section cold and the bottom section hot. prepared for use in plutonium conversion. Water flows down the towers while the hy- (b) Plutonium Conversion Plant Equip- drogen sulphide gas circulates from the bottom to the top of the towers. A series of per- ment forated trays are used to promote mixing be- (1) Especially designed or prepared systems tween the gas and the water. Deuterium mi- for the conversion of plutonium nitrate to grates to the water at low temperatures and oxide. to the hydrogen sulphide at high tempera- The main functions involved in this proc- tures. Gas or water, enriched in deuterium, ess are: process feed storage and adjustment, is removed from the first stage towers at the precipitation and solid/liquor separation, junction of the hot and cold sections and the calcination, product handling, ventilation, process is repeated in subsequent stage tow- waste management, and process control. The ers. The product of the last stage, water en- process systems are particularly adapted so riched up to 30 percent in deuterium, is sent as to avoid criticality and radiation effects to a distillation unit to produce reactor and to minimize toxicity hazards. In most grade heavy water; i.e., 99.75 percent deute- reprocessing facilities, this process involves rium oxide. the conversion of plutonium nitrate to pluto- B. The ammonia-hydrogen exchange proc- nium dioxide. Other processes can involve ess can extract deuterium from synthesis gas the precipitation of plutonium oxalate or through contact with liquid ammonia in the plutonium peroxide. presence of a catalyst. The systhesis gas is fed into exchange towers and then to an am- (2) Especially designed or prepared systems monia converter. Inside the towers the gas for plutonium metal production. flows from the bottom to the top while the This process usually involves the liquid ammonia flows from the top to the fluorination of plutonium dioxide, normally bottom. The deuterium is stripped from the with highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride, to hydrogen in the systhesis gas and con- produce plutonium fluoride, which is subse- centrated in the ammonia. The ammonia quently reduced using high purity calcium then flows into an ammonia cracker at the metal to produce metallic plutonium and a bottom of the tower while the gas flows into calcium fluoride slag. The main functions in- an ammonia converter at the top. Further volved in this process are the following: enrichment takes place in subsequent stages fluorination (e.g., involving equipment fab- and reactor-grade heavy water is produced ricated or lined with a precious metal), through final distillation. The synthesis gas metal reduction (e.g., employing ceramic feed can be provided by an ammonia plant crucibles), slag recovery, product handling, that can be constructed in association with a ventilation, waste management and process heavy water ammonia-hydrogen exchange control. The process systems are particu- plant. The ammonia-hydrogen exchange larly adapted so as to avoid criticality and process can also use ordinary water as a feed radiation effects and to minimize toxicity source of deuterium. hazards. Other processes include the C.1. Much of the key equipment for heavy fluorination of plutonium oxalate or pluto- water production plants using either the nium peroxide followed by reduction to water-hydrogen sulphide exchange process metal. (GS process) or the ammonia-hydrogen exchange process are common to several seg- [61 FR 35606, July 8, 1996, as amended at 65 ments of the chemical and petroleum indus- FR 70291, Nov. 22, 2000] tries; particularly in small plants using the

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