Task Area

Activity

Objectives/Goals

UF₆ Cylinder Yard

Corrosion monitoring and evaluation

Understand the relationship between the environmental conditions and the effect on wall thickness

HF sensors – evaluation of COTS technology and design of deployment strategies

Develop cost effective means of identifying leaking valves

Valve studies – failure and corrosion analysis

Determine the root cause for the failure of leaking valves

Breached cylinder investigations – correlation of solid phase chemistry with breach size propagation

Determine the time frames associated with reaction by-product induced corrosion

Legacy Wastes

Vaults – identification, validation, and assessment of historic materials

Improve cost effective disposal by segregating waste streams; identify classified and/or strategic materials for compliant storage or resource recovery

Sampling and analysis for classified materials associated with diffusion and centrifuge programs

Ensure that National Security is not breached by release of classified material

Reactive barriers for plume mitigation

In-situ stabilization of hazardous and/or radiological contaminants in soil or water matrix

Chemistry

UF₆, UO₂F₂ chemistry – reactions, formation, aerosols, distribution, solubility, monitoring

Working knowledge of the chemistry, reactions, compatibilities, and stabilities of the primary constituents and main fission product contaminants associated with the uranium enrichment operations

Uranium chemistry – compatibility, stability, treatment, and disposal

Technetium chemistry – mobility, stabilization, mitigation, and disposal

Fluorine chemistry – handling, reactivity, stability, materials of construction

Gas phase decontamination technologies – Low Temp/Long Term and high temp fluorination

Proved that decontamination can be achieved in non-ideal conditions

Liquid phase decontamination – efficiency and materials, impact, secondary waste minimization

Optimize processes for the decontamination of metals; technology survey and evaluation; validation of vendor technology performance

Process Support

Engineering support to diffusion, AVLIS, and centrifuge technologies

Worked in the design, selection, optimization and troubleshooting of equipment involved in many stages of the enrichment process

Material selection and evaluation for enrichment processes

Solid working knowledge of the materials compatibility and use

Depleted UF₆ conversion

Product (UO_XHF) characterization

Accident and off-normal investigations:  failure analysis, materials compatibility

Investigated adverse reactions for nitric acid, corrosion and wear failure analysis, deposit analysis

Process Knowledge

Knowledge of the equipment, materials, processes, and wastes associated with the enrichment processes

Application of historic knowledge to benefit current decision making

Literature review and interpretation

Interpret the important operations, scientific and technical literature into a context-relevant synopsis

Technical Oversight and Audit

Vendor audits, QA oversight, and technical process review

Broad experience in ensuring quality operations and performance review