ML21145A400

Advanced Reactors GEIS Docs - NRC - Uranium Conversion

ML21145A400
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Issue date:	05/25/2021
From:	NRC
To:	NRC/NMSS/DREFS
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Download: ML21145A400 (2)

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From:

Giacinto, Joseph Sent:

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 2:09 PM To:

AdvancedReactors-GEISDocsPEm Resource

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NRC - Uranium Conversion Attachments:

NRC 2020 U Conv.pdf

Uranium Conversion l NRC.gov https://www.nrc.gov/materials/fuel-cycle-fac/ur-conversion.html[1/26/2021 11:56:15 AM]

Home Nuclear Materials Fuel Cycle Facilities Uranium Conversion After the uranium ore concentrate is produced at the mill (where it becomes uranium oxide or "yellow cake"), it is packaged in 55 gallon drums and sent to the uranium conversion plant. At the conversion facility, the yellow cake is SURFHVVHGDQGLVWKHQUHDFWHGZLWKXRULQHWRFUHDWHXUDQLXPKH[DXRULGH8) ). Uranium, in the chemical form of UF, is suitable for use in enrichment operations and is the desired product. The UF exits the process as a gas ZKLFKLVWKHQFRROHGWRDOLTXLGDQGGUDLQHGLQWRWRQRUDJHDQGWUDQVSRUWF\\OLQGHUV$VWKH8) cools over the FRXUVHRI¿YHGD\\VLWWUDQVLWLRQVIURPDOLTXLGWRDVROLG7KHF\\OLQGHUZLWK8) in the solid form, can then be shipped to an enrichment plant.

As with mining and milling, the primary risks associated with conversion are more chemical than radiological. The process to convert uranium ore concentrate (uranium oxide) powder to UF involves a number of volatile and VROXEOHFKHPLFDOVLQFOXGLQJXRULQHK\\GURXRULFDFLGDQGXUDQ\\OXRULGH7KHVHFKHPLFDOIRUPVFRQWULEXWHWRULVNV associated with inhalation if a release occurred. In addition, the conversion process uses hydrogen gas (a gas that LVDPPDEOHDQGFRXOGFUHDWHDQH[SORVLRQKD]DUG1XFOHDUFULWLFDOLW\\LVQRWDKD]DUGDWWKHVHIDFLOLWLHVEHFDXVHWKH QXFOHDUPDWHULDOFRQVLVRInatural uranium throughout the process. Therefore, criticality is not possible.

There is one commercial uranium conversion plant in the United States. The plant is Honeywell International Inc.

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