Open AccessPlutonium Handling and Control Practices at Pacific Northwest Laboratory
Author(s) -
RL Gulley
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
bnwl [reports]. u.s. atomic energy commission
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/963341
Subject(s) - plutonium , criticality , containment (computer programming) , nuclear engineering , plutonium 240 , environmental science , glovebox , nuclear weapon , operability , electromagnetic shielding , waste management , plutonium 239 , engineering , computer science , radiochemistry , neutron , nuclear physics , chemistry , physics , reliability engineering , mechanical engineering , fission , programming language , electrical engineering
One of two major facilities used for plutonium fuels research and development studies at Battelle-Northwest is the Plutonium Fuels Laboratory (PFL). This facility was specifically designed and equipped for research and development studies involving multikilogram quantities of plutonium and its mixtures, compounds, and alloys. As at other sites, the design and operation philosophy of the PFL is one of complete plutonium containment. Primary plutonium containment is provided by glove boxes, secondary containment is provided by individual laboratories, and tertiary containment is supplied by the building proper. Air samples, taken throughout the facility, are constantly being monitored for free contamination. Personnel exposure caused by X, gamma, and neutron radiation has been primarily omitted by inspiring good work habits and housekeeping practices in personnel (i.e., uncontrolled accumulations of plutonium are avoided, plutonium is confined as much as possible, exposure times are limited, and shielding equipment is used whenever necessary). Rules for the prevention of an inadvertent criticality in the PFL are based upon the criteria that at least two control conditions must fail before criticality is imminent