Appendix F to Part 110 - Illustrative List of Laser-Based Enrichment Plant Equipment and Components Under NRC Export Licensing Authority
10:2.0.1.1.20.11.139.7.27 : Appendix F
Appendix F to Part 110 - Illustrative List of Laser-Based
Enrichment Plant Equipment and Components Under NRC Export
Licensing Authority Note:
Present systems for enrichment processes using lasers fall into
two categories: The process medium is atomic uranium vapor and the
process medium is the vapor of a uranium compound, sometimes mixed
with another gas or gases. Common nomenclature for these processes
include: First category-atomic vapor laser isotope separation; and
second category-molecular laser isotope separation including
chemical reaction by isotope selective laser activation. The
systems, equipment, and components for laser enrichment plants
include: (a) Devices to feed uranium-metal vapor for selective
photo-ionization or devices to feed the vapor of a uranium compound
(for selective photo-dissociation or selective
excitation/activation); (b) devices to collect enriched and
depleted uranium metal as “product” and “tails” in the first
category, and devices to collect enriched and depleted uranium
compounds as “product” and “tails” in the second category; (c)
process laser systems to selectively excite the uranium-235
species; and (d) feed preparation and product conversion equipment.
The complexity of the spectroscopy of uranium atoms and compounds
may require incorporation of a number of available laser and laser
optics technologies.
All surfaces that come into direct contact with the uranium or
UF6 are wholly made of, or protected by, corrosion-resistant
materials. For laser-based enrichment items, the materials
resistant to corrosion by the vapor or liquid of uranium metal or
uranium alloys include yttria-coated graphite and tantalum; and the
materials resistant to corrosion by UF6 include copper, copper
alloys, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum oxide, aluminum alloys,
nickel or alloys containing 60 percent or more nickel by weight,
and fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers. Many of the following items
come into direct contact with uranium metal vapor or liquid or with
process gas consisting of UF6 or a mixture of UF6 and other
gases:
(1) Uranium vaporization systems (atomic vapor based
methods).
Especially designed or prepared uranium metal vaporization
systems for use in laser enrichment.
These systems may contain electron beam guns and are designed to
achieve a delivered power (1 kW or greater) on the target
sufficient to generate uranium metal vapour at a rate required for
the laser enrichment function.
(2) Liquid or vapor uranium metal handling systems and
components (atomic vapor based methods).
Especially designed or prepared systems for handling molten
uranium, molten uranium alloys, or uranium metal vapor.
The liquid uranium metal handling systems may consist of
crucibles and cooling equipment for the crucibles. The crucibles
and other system parts that come into contact with molten uranium,
molten uranium alloys, or uranium metal vapor are made of, or
protected by, materials of suitable corrosion and heat resistance,
such as tantalum, yttria-coated graphite, graphite coated with
other rare earth oxides, or mixtures thereof.
(3) Uranium metal “product” and “tails” collector assemblies
(atomic vapor based methods).
Especially designed or prepared “product” and “tails” collector
assemblies for uranium metal in liquid or solid form.
Components for these assemblies are made of or protected by
materials resistant to the heat and corrosion of uranium metal
vapor or liquid, such as yttria-coated graphite or tantalum, and
may include pipes, valves, fittings, “gutters,” feed-throughs, heat
exchangers and collector plates for magnetic, electrostatic, or
other separation methods.
(4) Separator module housings (atomic vapor based methods).
Especially designed or prepared cylindrical or rectangular
vessels for containing the uranium metal vapor source, the electron
beam gun, and the “product” and “tails” collectors. These housings
have multiplicity of ports for electrical and water feed-throughs,
laser beam windows, vacuum pump connections, and instrumentation
diagnostics and monitoring with opening and closure provisions to
allow refurbishment of internal components.
(5) Supersonic expansion nozzles (molecular based methods).
Especially designed or prepared supersonic expansion nozzles for
cooling mixtures of UF6 and carrier gas to 150 K (−123 °C) or less
which are corrosion resistant to UF6.
(6) “Product” or “tails” collectors (molecular based
methods).
Especially designed or prepared components or devices for
collecting uranium product material or uranium tails material
following illumination with laser light.
In one example of molecular laser isotope separation, the
product collectors serve to collect enriched uranium pentafluoride
(UF5) solid material. The product collectors may consist of filter,
impact, or cyclone-type collectors, or combinations thereof, and
must be corrosion resistant to the UF5/UF6 environment.
(7) UF6/carrier gas compressors (molecular based methods).
Especially designed or prepared compressors for UF6/carrier gas
mixtures, designed for long term operation in a UF6 environment.
Components of these compressors that come into contact with process
gas are made of, or protected by, materials resistant to UF6
corrosion.
(8) Rotary shaft seals (molecular based methods).
Especially designed or prepared rotary shaft seals, with seal
feed and seal exhaust connections, for sealing the shaft connecting
the compressor rotor with the driver motor to ensure a reliable
seal against out-leakage of process gas or in-leakage of air or
seal gas into the inner chamber of the compressor which is filled
with a UF6/carrier gas mixture.
(9) Fluorination systems (molecular based methods).
Especially designed or prepared systems for fluorinating UF5
(solid) to UF6 (gas).
These systems are designed to fluorinate the collected UF5
powder to UF6 for subsequent collection in product containers or
for transfer as feed for additional enrichment. In one approach,
the fluorination reaction may be accomplished within the isotope
separation system to react and recover directly off the “product”
collectors. In another approach, the UF5 powder may be
removed/transferred from the “product” collectors into a suitable
reaction vessel (e.g., fluidized-bed reactor, screw reactor or
flame tower) for fluorination. In both approaches, equipment is
used for storage and transfer of fluorine (or other suitable
fluorinating agents) and for collection and transfer of UF6.
(10) UF6 mass spectrometers/ion sources (molecular based
methods).
Especially designed or prepared mass spectrometers capable of
taking on-line samples from UF6 gas streams and having all of the
following characteristics:
(i) Capable of measuring ions of 320 atomic mass units or
greater and having a resolution of better than 1 part in 320;
(ii) Ion sources constructed of or protected by nickel,
nickel-copper alloys with a nickel content of 60 percent or more by
weight, or nickel-chrome alloys;
(iii) Electron bombardment ionization sources; and
(iv) Collector system suitable for isotopic analysis.
(11) Feed systems/product and tails withdrawal systems
(molecular based methods).
Especially designed or prepared process systems or equipment for
enrichment plants made of or protected by materials resistant to
corrosion by UF6, including:
(i) Feed autoclaves, ovens, or systems used for passing UF6 to
the enrichment process;
(ii) Desublimers (or cold traps) used to remove UF6 from the
enrichment process for subsequent transfer upon heating;
(iii) Solidification or liquefaction stations used to remove UF6
from the enrichment process by compressing and converting UF6 to a
liquid or solid; and
(iv) “Product” or “tails” stations used to transfer UF6 into
containers.
(12) UF6/carrier gas separation systems (molecular based
methods).
Especially designed or prepared process systems for separating
UF6 from carrier gas.
These systems may incorporate equipment such as:
(i) Cryogenic heat exchangers or cryoseparators capable of
temperatures of 153 K (−120 °C) or less;
(ii) Cryogenic refrigeration units capable of temperatures of
153 K (−120 °C) or less; or
(iii) UF6 cold traps capable of freezing out UF6.
(13) Lasers or Laser systems.
Especially designed or prepared for the separation of uranium
isotopes.
The laser system typically contains both optical and electronic
components for the management of the laser beam (or beams) and the
transmission to the isotope separation chamber. The laser system
for atomic vapor based methods usually consists of tunable dye
lasers pumped by another type of laser (e.g., copper vapor lasers
or certain solid-state lasers). The laser system for molecular
based methods may consist of CO2 lasers or excimer lasers and a
multi-pass optical cell. Lasers or laser systems for both methods
require spectrum frequency stabilization for operation over
extended periods of time.
(14) Any other components especially designed or prepared for
use in a laser-based enrichment plant or in any of the components
described in this appendix.
[79 FR 39296, July 10, 2014]