Facility/Building Number

Building 4501 Conversion Project / Building 4501

Category

2

Description of Building Operations

The mission of the Conversion Project is to extract uranium in the form of uranium hexafloride (UF6) absorbed on sodium floride (NaF) pellets and transform it into a chemically stable uranium oxide (U3O8) by replacing fluorine with oxygen. The process involved consists of uranium recovery and conversion.

However, the facility is currently only authorized to depressurize the NaF traps (which contain the UF6). No conversion is authorized.

Summary of Major Hazards

Radioactive materials (including fissionable material), radioactive surface contamination and radioactive waste.

Summary of Controls

Safety-significant structures, systems and components

Cell D,

Cell D differential pressure instrumentation,

Cell D desorb and cryostat heaters isolation circuit,

Cell D ventilation HEPA filter bank,

Process off-gas HEPA filter,

Fire watch established if a loaded NaF trap remains within Building 4501 during off-shift hours.

Administrative Control Program

Radiation Protection Program

Emergency Preparedness Program

Fire Protection Program

Quality Assurance Program

Configuration Management Program

Maintenance Program

Nuclear Criticality Safety Program

Materials Inventory Control

Procedures