ML18262A123
| ML18262A123 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07109372 |
| Issue date: | 09/06/2018 |
| From: | Framatome |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| References | |
| TJT:18-031 | |
| Download: ML18262A123 (2) | |
Text
Fuel Composition The composition of the fuel for the ATRIUM 11 in the TN-B1 can be broadly put into two categories: BLEU material and Non-BLEU material.
Non-BLEU material All ATRIUM 11 fuel, with the exception of BLEU (down-blended low enrichment fuel), is made from UF6 which meets ASTM C996-15 Standard Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to Less Than 5% 235U requirements. ASTM C996-15 allows for the use of reprocessed UF6.
The term reprocessed uranium used in the SAR, FS1-0014159 Framatome TN-B1 Docket No.
71-9372 Safety Analysis Report is derived from the term reprocessed UF6 as defined in ASTM C996-15. The ASTM definition is shown below:
3.1.3 Reprocessed UF6 - any UF6 made from uranium that has been exposed in a neutron irradiation facility and subsequently chemically separated from the fission productions and transuranic isotopes so generated.
Section 5.1 of ASTM C996-15 states that:
5.1 Both Enriched Commercial Grade UF6 and Enriched Reprocessed UF6 must meet the specification criteria except as differentiated in 4.4, 4.5, 5.4, and 5.5. For certain isotopes, including artificially created radioactive species, two groups of limits are set. Limits for Enriched Commercial Grade UF6 are set so as to have no special impact on the use of this material in existing facilities. For Enriched Reprocessed UF6, higher limits are indicated to correspond with Specification C787, and lower limits may be agreed upon by the buyer and seller according to the composition of the feed material presented for enrichment.
As shown in ASTM C996-15, 236U is used as an indicator for other actions to take. Specifically section 5.4 of the ASTM reads as follows:
5.4 Enriched Commercial Grade UF6 shall comply with the limits given in 5.5. For evaluating Enriched Commercial Grade UF6, the measured concentration of 236U will be used as an indicator for contamination with reprocessed uranium, on the assumption that there is no opportunity for contamination with irradiated uranium that has not been processed to remove the majority of fission products. Uranium isotopic concentrations shall be determined and reported for 234U, 235U, and 236U.
As shown in 5.5 of the ASTM C995-15, ASTM C996-15 and ASTM C787-15 Standard Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride for Enrichment are then used to determine the acceptable limits for 234U, 235U and 236U. ASTM C996-15, section 4.4 and 4.5, and ASTM C787-15, sections 4.4 and 4.5 are then used to establish gamma and alpha activity limits for the fission products not removed by the chemical separation process.
Fuel Composition As a result Framatome can state that all incoming UF6 meets the requirements of ASTM C996-15, although some of the UF6 will not meet the definition of commercial grade UF6 as defined in the ASTM (e.g. reprocessed UF6). Since pellets are made from the incoming UF6, and Framatome has no ability to further irradiate or concentrate isotopes, the isotopic requirements of ASTM C996-15 and ASTM C787-15 bound the isotopic values of the isotopes of interest.
Additionally the gamma and alpha activity can be similarly bounded.
BLEU material Regarding BLEU material, BLEU is not supplied to Framatome as UF6. It is supplied to Framatome based upon an Interagency Agreement-TVA-DOE-Material Specification. The isotopic content is detailed in Attachment 2 SRS Low Enriched Uranyl Nitrate Solution Specifications of that material specification. The uranyl nitrate is converted to UO2 powder prior to arrival in Richland. The specification also provides a Fission Product Gamma Activity.
Since pellets are made from the incoming BLEU material, and Framatome has no ability to further irradiate or concentrate isotopes, the isotopic values shown in the Interagency Agreement-TVA-DOE-Material Specification bound the isotopic values of the isotopes of interest. Additionally the gamma activity can be similarly bounded.
Summary The content of the package, in particular the isotopic composition, is shown in Table 1-3 Type B Quantity of Radioactive Material and Table 1-4 Isotopes and A2 Fractions of the SAR.
The tables show the limiting isotopes between the BLEU material and material made from UF6.
References
- 1. ASTM C996-15 Standard Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to Less Than 5% 235U
- 3. ASTM C787-15 Standard Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride for Enrichment