INFCIRC/164/Add.1 - Protocol Additional to the Agreement Between Canada and the Agency for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the NPT

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INF

INFCIRC/164/Add.1

11 October 2000

International Atomic Energy Agency

INFORMATION CIRCULAR

GENERAL Distr.

Original: ENGLISH

and FRENCH

PROTOCOL ADDITIONAL TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN

CANADA AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

FOR THE APPLICATION OF SAFEGUARDS IN CONNECTION

WITH THE TREATY ON THE NON- PROLIFERATION

OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

1. The text

of the Protocol Additional to the Safeguards Agreement

concluded between

Canada and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the application of safeguards in connection

with the Treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is reproduced in this document

for the information of all Members. The Additional Protocol was approved by the Board of

Governors on 11 June 1998. It was signed in Vienna on 24 September 1998.

2. Pursuant to Article 17 of the Additional Protocol, the Protocol entered into force on the date

on which the Agency received from Canada written notification that Canada’s statutory and/or

constitutional requirements for entry into force have been met, i.e. on 8 September 2000.

The footnotes to the text have been added in the present information circular.

Reproduced in document INFCIRC/164.

INFCIRC/164/Add./1

Attachment

PROTOCOL ADDITIONAL TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CANADA AND THE

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY FOR THE APPLICATION OF

SAFEGUARDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION

OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

WHEREAS Canada and the International Atomic Energy Agency (hereinafter referred to as

the "Agency") are parties to an Agreement for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (hereinafter referred to as the "Safeguards

Agreement"), which entered into force on 21 February 1972;

AWARE OF the desire of the international community to further enhance nuclear non-

proliferation by strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the Agency's

safeguards system;

RECALLING that the Agency must take into account in the implementation of safeguards

the need to: avoid hampering the economic and technological development of Canada or

international co-operation in the field of peaceful nuclear activities; respect health, safety, physical

protection and other security provisions in force and the rights of individuals; and take every

precaution to protect commercial, technological and industrial secrets as well as other confidential

information coming to its knowledge;

WHEREAS the frequency and intensity of activities described in this Protocol shall be kept

to the minimum consistent with the objective of strengthening the effectiveness and improving the

efficiency of Agency safeguards;

NOW THEREFORE Canada and the Agency have agreed as follows:

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROTOCOL AND THE SAFEGUARDS

AGREEMENT

Article 1

The provisions of the Safeguards Agreement shall apply to this Protocol to the extent that

they are relevant to and compatible with the provisions of this Protocol. In case of conflict between

the provisions of the Safeguards Agreement and those of this Protocol, the provisions of this

Protocol shall apply.

PROVISION OF INFORMATION

Article 2

a. Canada shall provide the Agency with a declaration containing:

(i) A general description of and information specifying the location of nuclear fuel cycle-

related research and development activities not involving nuclear material carried out

anywhere that are funded, specifically authorized or controlled by, or carried out on

behalf of, Canada.

(ii) Information identified by the Agency on the basis of expected gains in effectiveness

or efficiency, and agreed to by Canada, on operational activities of safeguards

relevance at facilities and locations outside facilities where nuclear material is

customarily used.

(iii) A general description of each building on each site, including its use and, if not

apparent from that description, its contents. The description shall include a map of

the site.

(iv) A description of the scale of operations for each location engaged in the activities

specified in Annex I to this Protocol.

(v) Information specifying the location, operational status and the estimated annual

production capacity of uranium mines and concentration plants and thorium

concentration plants, and the current annual production of such mines and

concentration plants for Canada as a whole. Canada shall provide, upon request by

the Agency, the current annual production of an individual mine or concentration

plant. The provision of this information does not require detailed nuclear material

accountancy.

(vi) Information regarding source material which has not reached the composition and

purity suitable for fuel fabrication or for being isotopically enriched, as follows:

(a) The quantities, the chemical composition, the use or intended use of such

material, whether in nuclear or non-nuclear use, for each location in Canada

at which the material is present in quantities exceeding ten metric tons of

uranium and/or twenty metric tons of thorium, and for other locations with

quantities of more than one metric ton, the aggregate for Canada as a whole

if the aggregate exceeds ten metric tons of uranium or twenty metric tons of

thorium. The provision of this information does not require detailed nuclear

material accountancy;

(b) The quantities, the chemical composition and the destination of each export

out of Canada, of such material for specifically non-nuclear purposes in

quantities exceeding:

(1) Ten metric tons of uranium, or for successive exports of uranium

from Canada to the same State, each of less than ten metric tons,

but exceeding a total of ten metric tons for the year;

(2) Twenty metric tons of thorium, or for successive exports of thorium

from Canada to the same State, each of less than twenty metric

tons, but exceeding a total of twenty metric tons for the year;

use of each import into Canada of such material for specifically non-nuclear

purposes in quantities exceeding:

(1) Ten metric tons of uranium, or for successive imports of uranium

into Canada each of less than ten metric tons, but exceeding a total

of ten metric tons for the year;

(2) Twenty metric tons of thorium, or for successive imports of thorium

into Canada each of less than twenty metric tons, but exceeding a

total of twenty metric tons for the year;

it being understood that there is no requirement to provide information on such

material intended for a non-nuclear use once it is in its non-nuclear end-use form.

(vii) (a) Information regarding the quantities, uses and locations of nuclear material

exempted from safeguards pursuant to Article 37 of the Safeguards

Agreement;

(b) Information regarding the quantities (which may be in the form of estimates)

and uses at each location, of nuclear material exempted from safeguards

pursuant to Article 36(b) of the Safeguards Agreement but not yet in a non-

nuclear end-use form, in quantities exceeding those set

out in Article 37 of the Safeguards Agreement. The provision of this

information does not require detailed nuclear material accountancy.

(viii) Information regarding the location or further processing of intermediate or high-level

waste containing plutonium, high enriched uranium or uranium-233 on which

safeguards have been terminated pursuant to Article 11 of the Safeguards

Agreement. For the purpose of this paragraph, "further processing" does not

include repackaging of the waste or its further conditioning not involving the

separation of elements, for storage or disposal.

(ix) The following information regarding specified equipment and non-nuclear material

listed in Annex II:

(a) For each export out of Canada of such equipment and material: the identity,

quantity, location of intended use in the receiving State and date or, as

appropriate, expected date, of export;

(b) Upon specific request by the Agency, confirmation by Canada, as importing

State, of information provided to the Agency by another State concerning

the export of such equipment and material to Canada.

(x) General plans for the succeeding ten-year period relevant to the development of the

nuclear fuel cycle (including planned nuclear fuel cycle-related research and

development activities) when approved by the appropriate authorities in Canada.

b. Canada shall make every reasonable effort to provide the Agency with the following

information:

(i) A general description of and information specifying the location of nuclear fuel cycle-

related research and development activities not involving nuclear material which are

specifically related to enrichment, reprocessing of nuclear fuel or the processing of

intermediate or high-level waste containing plutonium, high enriched uranium or

uranium-233 that are carried out anywhere in Canada but which are not funded,

specifically authorized or controlled by, or carried out on behalf of, Canada. For

the purpose of this paragraph, "processing" of intermediate or high-level waste does

not include repackaging of the waste or its conditioning not involving the separation

of elements, for storage or disposal.

(ii) A general description of activities and the identity of the person or entity carrying out

such activities, at locations identified by the Agency outside a site which the Agency

considers might be functionally related to the activities of that site. The provision of

this information is subject to a specific request by the Agency. It shall be provided

in consultation with the Agency and in a timely fashion.

c. Upon request by the Agency, Canada shall provide amplifications or clarifications of any

information it has provided under this Article, in so far as relevant for the purpose of

safeguards.

Article 3

a. Canada shall provide to the Agency the information identified in Article 2.a.(i), (iii), (iv), (v),

(vi)(a), (vii) and (x) and Article 2.b.(i) within 180 days of the entry into force of this

Protocol.

b. Canada shall provide to the Agency, by 15 May of each year, updates of the information

referred to in paragraph a. above for the period covering the previous calendar year. If there

has been no change to the information previously provided, Canada shall so indicate.

c. Canada shall provide to the Agency, by 15 May of each year, the information identified in

Article 2.a.(vi)(b) and (c) for the period covering the previous calendar year.

d. Canada shall provide to the Agency on a quarterly basis the information identified in Article

2.a.(ix)(a). This information shall be provided within sixty days of the end of each quarter.

e. Canada shall provide to the Agency the information identified in Article 2.a.(viii) 180 days

before further processing is carried out and, by 15 May of each year, information on

changes in location for the period covering the previous calendar year.

f. Canada and the Agency shall agree on the timing and frequency of the provision of the

information identified in Article 2.a.(ii).

g. Canada shall provide to the Agency the information in Article 2.a.(ix)(b) within sixty days of

the Agency's request.

COMPLEMENTARY ACCESS

Article 4

The following shall apply in connection with the implementation of complementary access

under Article 5 of this Protocol:

a. The Agency shall not mechanistically or systematically seek to verify the information referred

to in Article 2; however, the Agency shall have access to:

(i) Any location referred to in Article 5.a.(i) or (ii) on a selective basis in order to

assure the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities;

(ii) Any location referred to in Article 5.b. or c. to resolve a question relating to the

correctness and completeness of the information provided pursuant to Article 2 or

to resolve an inconsistency relating to that information;

(iii) Any location referred to in Article 5.a.(iii) to the extent necessary for the Agency to

confirm, for safeguards purposes, Canada's declaration of the decommissioned

status of a facility or location outside facilities where nuclear material was

customarily used.

b. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (ii) below, the Agency shall give Canada advance

notice of access of at least 24 hours;

(ii) For access to any place on a site that is sought in conjunction with design

information verification visits or ad hoc or routine inspections on that site, the period

of advance notice shall, if the Agency so requests, be at least two hours but, in

exceptional circumstances, it may be less than two hours.

c. Advance notice shall be in writing and shall specify the reasons for access and the activities

to be carried out during such access.

d. In the case of a question or inconsistency, the Agency shall provide Canada with an

opportunity to clarify and facilitate the resolution of the question or inconsistency. Such an

opportunity will be provided before a request for access, unless the Agency considers that

delay in access would prejudice the purpose for which the access is sought. In any event,

the Agency shall not draw any conclusions about the question or inconsistency until Canada

has been provided with such an opportunity.

e. Unless otherwise agreed to by Canada, access shall only take place during regular working

hours.

f. Canada shall have the right to have Agency inspectors accompanied during their access by

representatives of Canada, provided that the inspectors shall not thereby be delayed or

otherwise impeded in the exercise of their functions.

Article 5

Canada shall provide the Agency with access to:

a. (i) Any place on a site;

(ii) Any location identified by Canada under Article 2.a.(v)-(viii);

(iii) Any decommissioned facility or decommissioned location outside facilities where

nuclear material was customarily used.

b. Any location identified by Canada under Article 2.a.(i), Article 2.a.(iv), Article 2.a.(ix)(b) or

Article 2.b., other than those referred to in paragraph a.(i) above, provided that if Canada is

unable to provide such access, Canada shall make every reasonable effort to satisfy

Agency requirements, without delay, through other means.

c. Any location specified by the Agency, other than locations referred to in paragraphs a. and

b. above, to carry out location-specific environmental sampling, provided that if Canada is

unable to provide such access, Canada shall make every reasonable effort to satisfy Agency

requirements, without delay, at adjacent locations or through other means.

Article 6

When implementing Article 5, the Agency may carry out the following activities:

a. For access in accordance with Article 5.a.(i) or (iii): visual observation; collection of

environmental samples; utilization of radiation detection and measurement devices;

application of seals and other identifying and tamper indicating devices specified in

Subsidiary Arrangements; and other objective measures which have been demonstrated to

be technically feasible and the use of which has been agreed by the Board of Governors

(hereinafter referred to as the "Board") and following consultations between the Agency and

Canada.

b. For access in accordance with Article 5.a.(ii): visual observation; item counting of nuclear

material; non-destructive measurements and sampling; utilization of radiation detection and

measurement devices; examination of records relevant to the quantities, origin and

disposition of the material; collection of environmental samples; and other objective

measures which have been demonstrated to be technically feasible and the use of which has

been agreed by the Board and following consultations between the Agency and Canada.

c. For access in accordance with Article 5.b.: visual observation; collection of environmental

samples; utilization of radiation detection and measurement devices; examination of

safeguards relevant production and shipping records; and other objective measures which

have been demonstrated to be technically feasible and the

use of which has been agreed by the Board and following consultations between the

Agency and Canada.

d. For access in accordance with Article 5.c.: collection of environmental samples and, in the

event the results do not resolve the question or inconsistency at the location specified by the

Agency pursuant to Article 5.c., utilization at that location of visual observation, radiation

detection and measurement devices, and, as agreed by Canada and the Agency, other

objective measures.

Article 7

a. Upon request by Canada, the Agency and Canada shall make arrangements for managed

access under this Protocol in order to prevent the dissemination of proliferation sensitive

information, to meet safety or physical protection requirements, or to protect proprietary or

commercially sensitive information. Such arrangements shall not preclude the Agency from

conducting activities necessary to provide credible assurance of the absence of undeclared

nuclear material and activities at the location in question, including the resolution of a

question relating to the correctness and completeness of the information referred to in Article

2 or of an inconsistency relating to that information.

b. Canada may, when providing the information referred to in Article 2, inform the Agency of

the places at a site or location at which managed access may be applicable.

c. Pending the entry into force of any necessary Subsidiary Arrangements, Canada may have

recourse to managed access consistent with the provisions of paragraph a. above.

Article 8

Nothing in this Protocol shall preclude Canada from offering the Agency access to locations

in addition to those referred to in Articles 5 and 9 or from requesting the Agency to conduct

verification activities at a particular location. The Agency shall, without delay, make every

reasonable effort to act upon such a request.

Article 9

Canada shall provide the Agency with access to locations specified by the Agency to carry

out wide-area environmental sampling, provided that if Canada is unable to provide such access it

shall make every reasonable effort to satisfy Agency requirements at alternative locations. The

Agency shall not seek such access until the use of wide-area environmental sampling and the

procedural arrangements therefor have been approved by the Board and following consultations

between the Agency and Canada.

Article 10

The Agency shall inform Canada of:

a. The activities carried out under this Protocol, including those in respect of any questions or

inconsistencies the Agency had brought to the attention of Canada, within sixty days of the

activities being carried out by the Agency.

b. The results of activities in respect of any questions or inconsistencies the Agency had

brought to the attention of Canada, as soon as possible but in any case within thirty days of

the results being established by the Agency.

c. The conclusions it has drawn from its activities under this Protocol. The conclusions shall be

provided annually.

DESIGNATION OF AGENCY INSPECTORS

Article 11

a. (i) The Director General shall notify Canada of the Board's approval of any Agency

official as a safeguards inspector. Unless Canada advises the Director General of its

rejection of such an official as an inspector for Canada within three months of

receipt of notification of the Board's approval, the inspector so notified to Canada

shall be considered designated to Canada.

(ii) The Director General, acting in response to a request by Canada or on his own

initiative, shall immediately inform Canada of the withdrawal of the designation of

any official as an inspector for Canada.

b. A notification referred to in paragraph a. above shall be deemed to be received by Canada

seven days after the date of the transmission by registered mail of the notification by the

Agency to Canada.

VISAS

Article 12

Canada shall, within one month of the receipt of a request therefor, provide the designated

inspector specified in the request with appropriate multiple entry/exit and/or transit visas, where

required, to enable the inspector to enter and remain on the territory of Canada for the purpose of

carrying out his/her functions. Any visas required shall be valid for at least one year and shall be

renewed, as required, to cover the duration of the inspector's designation to Canada.

SUBSIDIARY ARRANGEMENTS

Article 13

a. Where Canada or the Agency indicates that it is necessary to specify in Subsidiary

Arrangements how measures laid down in this Protocol are to be applied, Canada and the

Agency shall agree on such Subsidiary Arrangements within ninety days of the entry into

force of this Protocol or, where the indication of the need for such Subsidiary Arrangements

is made after the entry into force of this Protocol, within ninety days of the date of such

indication.

b. Pending the entry into force of any necessary Subsidiary Arrangements, the Agency shall be

entitled to apply the measures laid down in this Protocol.

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

Article 14

a. Canada shall permit and protect free communications by the Agency for official purposes

between Agency inspectors in Canada and Agency Headquarters and/or Regional Offices,

including attended and unattended transmission of information generated by Agency

containment and/or surveillance or measurement devices. The Agency shall have, in

consultation with Canada, the right to make use of internationally established systems of

direct communications, including satellite systems and other forms of telecommunication, not

in use in Canada. At the request of Canada or the Agency, details of the implementation of

this paragraph with respect to the attended or unattended transmission of information

generated by Agency containment and/or surveillance or measurement devices shall be

specified in the Subsidiary Arrangements.

b. Communication and transmission of information as provided for in paragraph a. above shall

take due account of the need to protect proprietary or commercially sensitive information or

design information which Canada regards as being of particular sensitivity.

PROTECTION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Article 15

a. The Agency shall maintain a stringent regime to ensure effective protection against disclosure

of commercial, technological and industrial secrets and other confidential information coming

to its knowledge, including such information coming to the Agency's knowledge in the

implementation of this Protocol.

b. The regime referred to in paragraph a. above shall include, among others, provisions relating

to:

(i) General principles and associated measures for the handling of confidential

information;

(ii) Conditions of staff employment relating to the protection of confidential information;

(iii) Procedures in cases of breaches or alleged breaches of confidentiality.

c. The regime referred to in paragraph a. above shall be approved and periodically reviewed

by the Board.

ANNEXES

Article 16

a. The Annexes to this Protocol shall be an integral part thereof. Except for the purposes of

amendment of the Annexes, the term "Protocol" as used in this instrument means the

Protocol and the Annexes together.

b. The list of activities specified in Annex I, and the list of equipment and material specified in

Annex II, may be amended by the Board upon the advice of an open-ended working group

of experts established by the Board. Any such amendment shall take effect four months

after its adoption by the Board.

ENTRY INTO FORCE

Article 17

a. This Protocol shall enter into force on the date on which the Agency receives from Canada

written notification that Canada's statutory and/or constitutional requirements for entry into

force have been met.

b. Canada may, at any date before this Protocol enters into force, declare that it will apply this

Protocol provisionally.

c. The Director General shall promptly inform all Member States of the Agency of any

declaration of provisional application of, and of the entry into force of, this Protocol.

DEFINITIONS

Article 18

For the purpose of this Protocol:

a. Nuclear fuel cycle-related research and development activities means those activities which

are specifically related to any process or system development aspect of any of the following:

- conversion of nuclear material,

- enrichment of nuclear material,

- nuclear fuel fabrication,

- reactors,

- critical facilities,

- reprocessing of nuclear fuel,

- processing (not including repackaging or conditioning not involving the

separation of elements, for storage or disposal) of intermediate or high-level

waste containing plutonium, high enriched uranium or uranium-233,

but do not include activities related to theoretical or basic scientific research or to research

and development on industrial radioisotope applications, medical, hydrological and

agricultural applications, health and environmental effects and improved maintenance.

b. Site means that area delimited by Canada in the relevant design information for a facility,

including a closed-down facility, and in the relevant information on a location outside

facilities where nuclear material is customarily used, including a closed-down location

outside facilities where nuclear material was customarily used (this is limited to locations with

hot cells or where activities related to conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication or

reprocessing were carried out). It shall also include all installations, co-located with the

facility or location, for the provision or use of essential services, including: hot cells for

processing irradiated materials not containing nuclear material; installations for the treatment,

storage and disposal of waste; and buildings associated with specified activities identified by

Canada under Article 2.a.(iv) above.

c. Decommissioned facility or decommissioned location outside facilities means an installation

or location at which residual structures and equipment essential for its use have been

removed or rendered inoperable so that it is not used to store and can no longer be used to

handle, process or utilize nuclear material.

d. Closed-down facility or closed-down location outside facilities means an installation or

location where operations have been stopped and the nuclear material removed but which

has not been decommissioned.

e. High enriched uranium means uranium containing 20 percent or more of the isotope

uranium-235.

f. Location-specific environmental sampling means the collection of environmental samples

(e.g., air, water, vegetation, soil, smears) at, and in the immediate vicinity of, a location

specified by the Agency for the purpose of assisting the Agency to draw conclusions about

the absence of undeclared nuclear material or nuclear activities at the specified location.

g. Wide-area environmental sampling means the collection of environmental samples (e.g., air,

water, vegetation, soil, smears) at a set of locations specified by the Agency for the purpose

of assisting the Agency to draw conclusions about the absence of undeclared nuclear

material or nuclear activities over a wide area.

h. Nuclear material means any source or any special fissionable material as defined in Article

XX of the Statute. The term source material shall not be interpreted as applying to ore or

ore residue. Any determination by the Board under Article XX of the Statute of the Agency

after the entry into force of this Protocol which adds to the materials considered to be

source material or special fissionable material shall have effect under this Protocol only upon

acceptance by Canada.

i. Facility means:

(i) A reactor, a critical facility, a conversion plant, a fabrication plant, a reprocessing

plant, an isotope separation plant or a separate storage installation; or

(ii) Any location where nuclear material in amounts greater than one effective kilogram

is customarily used.

j. Location outside facilities means any installation or location, which is not a facility, where

nuclear material is customarily used in amounts of one effective kilogram or less.

DONE in Vienna on the 24th day of September 1998 in duplicate in the English and French

languages, the texts in both languages being equally authentic.

For CANADA: For the INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC

ENERGY AGENCY:

(signed) (signed)

Paul Dubois Mohamed ElBaradei

Resident Representative of Canada Director General

to the IAEA

ANNEX I

LIST OF ACTIVITIES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 2.a.(iv) OF THE PROTOCOL

(i) The manufacture of centrifuge rotor tubes or the assembly of gas centrifuges.

Centrifuge rotor tubes means thin-walled cylinders as described in entry 5.1.1(b) of

Annex II.

Gas centrifuges means centrifuges as described in the Introductory Note to entry 5.1 of

Annex II.

(ii) The manufacture of diffusion barriers.

Diffusion barriers means thin, porous filters as described in entry 5.3.1(a) of Annex II.

(iii) The manufacture or assembly of laser-based systems.

Laser-based systems means systems incorporating those items as described in entry 5.7 of

Annex II.

(iv) The manufacture or assembly of electromagnetic isotope separators.

Electromagnetic isotope separators means those items referred to in entry 5.9.1 of Annex II

containing ion sources as described in 5.9.1(a) of Annex II.

(v) The manufacture or assembly of columns or extraction equipment.

Columns or extraction equipment means those items as described in entries 5.6.1,

5.6.2, 5.6.3, 5.6.5, 5.6.6, 5.6.7 and 5.6.8 of Annex II.

(vi) The manufacture of aerodynamic separation nozzles or vortex tubes.

Aerodynamic separation nozzles or vortex tubes means separation nozzles and vortex tubes

as described respectively in entries 5.5.1 and 5.5.2 of Annex II.

(vii) The manufacture or assembly of uranium plasma generation systems.

Uranium plasma generation systems means systems for the generation of uranium

plasma as described in entry 5.8.3 of Annex II.

(viii) The manufacture of zirconium tubes.

Zirconium tubes means tubes as described in entry 1.6 of Annex II.

(ix) The manufacture or upgrading of heavy water or deuterium.

Heavy water or deuterium means deuterium, heavy water (deuterium oxide) and any other

deuterium compound in which the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen atoms exceeds 1:5000.

(x) The manufacture of nuclear grade graphite.

Nuclear grade graphite means graphite having a purity level better than 5 parts per million

boron equivalent and with a density greater than 1.50 g/cm

(xi) The manufacture of flasks for irradiated fuel.

A flask for irradiated fuel means a vessel for the transportation and/or storage of

irradiated fuel which provides chemical, thermal and radiological protection, and

dissipates decay heat during handling, transportation and storage.

(xii) The manufacture of reactor control rods.

Reactor control rods means rods as described in entry 1.4 of Annex II.

(xiii) The manufacture of criticality safe tanks and vessels.

Criticality safe tanks and vessels means those items as described in entries 3.2 and 3.4 of

Annex II.

(xiv) The manufacture of irradiated fuel element chopping machines.

Irradiated fuel element chopping machines means equipment as described in entry 3.1 of

Annex II.

(xv) The construction of hot cells.

Hot cells means a cell or interconnected cells totalling at least 6 m

in volume with shielding

equal to or greater than the equivalent of 0.5 m of concrete, with a density of 3.2 g/cm

greater, outfitted with equipment for remote operations.

ANNEX II

LIST OF SPECIFIED EQUIPMENT AND NON-NUCLEAR MATERIAL FOR THE

REPORTING OF EXPORTS AND IMPORTS ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 2.a.(ix)

1. Reactors and equipment therefor

1.1. Complete nuclear reactors

Nuclear reactors capable of operation so as to maintain a controlled self-sustaining fission

chain reaction, excluding zero energy reactors, the latter being defined as reactors with a

designed maximum rate of production of plutonium not exceeding 100 grams per year.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

A "nuclear reactor" basically includes the items within or attached directly to the reactor

vessel, the equipment which controls the level of power in the core, and the components

which normally contain or come in direct contact with or control the primary coolant of the

reactor core.

It is not intended to exclude reactors which could reasonably be capable of modification to

produce significantly more than 100 grams of plutonium per year. Reactors designed for

sustained operation at significant power levels, regardless of their capacity for plutonium

production, are not considered as "zero energy reactors".

1.2. Reactor pressure vessels

Metal vessels, as complete units or as major shop-fabricated parts therefor, which are

especially designed or prepared to contain the core of a nuclear reactor as defined in

paragraph 1.1. above and are capable of withstanding the operating pressure of the

primary coolant.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

A top plate for a reactor pressure vessel is covered by item 1.2. as a major shop-

fabricated part of a pressure vessel.

Reactor internals (e.g. support columns and plates for the core and other vessel internals,

control rod guide tubes, thermal shields, baffles, core grid plates, diffuser plates, etc.) are

normally supplied by the reactor supplier. In some cases, certain internal support

components are included in the fabrication of the pressure vessel. These items are

sufficiently critical to the safety and reliability of the operation of the reactor (and,

therefore, to the guarantees and liability of the reactor supplier), so that their supply,

outside the basic supply arrangement for the reactor itself, would not be common practice.

Therefore, although the separate supply of these unique, especially designed and prepared,

critical, large and expensive items would

not necessarily be considered as falling outside the area of concern, such a mode of supply

is considered unlikely.

1.3. Reactor fuel charging and discharging machines

Manipulative equipment especially designed or prepared for inserting or removing fuel in a

nuclear reactor as defined in paragraph 1.1. above capable of on-load operation or

employing technically sophisticated positioning or alignment features to allow complex off-

load fuelling operations such as those in which direct viewing of or access to the fuel is not

normally available.

1.4. Reactor control rods

Rods especially designed or prepared for the control of the reaction rate in a nuclear

reactor as defined in paragraph 1.1. above.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This item includes, in addition to the neutron absorbing part, the support or suspension

structures therefor if supplied separately.

1.5. Reactor pressure tubes

Tubes which are especially designed or prepared to contain fuel elements and the primary

coolant in a reactor as defined in paragraph 1.1. above at an operating pressure in excess

of 5.1 MPa (740 psi).

1.6. Zirconium tubes

Zirconium metal and alloys in the form of tubes or assemblies of tubes, and in quantities

exceeding 500 kg in any period of 12 months, especially designed or prepared for use in a

reactor as defined in paragraph 1.1. above, and in which the relation of hafnium to

zirconium is less than 1:500 parts by weight.

1.7. Primary coolant pumps

Pumps especially designed or prepared for circulating the primary coolant for nuclear

reactors as defined in paragraph 1.1. above.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Especially designed or prepared pumps may include elaborate sealed or multi-sealed

systems to prevent leakage of primary coolant, canned-driven pumps, and pumps with

inertial mass systems. This definition encompasses pumps certified to NC-1 or equivalent

standards.

2. Non-nuclear materials for reactors

2.1. Deuterium and heavy water

Deuterium, heavy water (deuterium oxide) and any other deuterium compound in which

the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen atoms exceeds 1:5000 for use in a nuclear reactor as

defined in paragraph 1.1. above in quantities exceeding 200 kg of deuterium atoms for any

one recipient country in any period of 12 months.

2.2. Nuclear grade graphite

Graphite having a purity level better than 5 parts per million boron equivalent and with a

density greater than 1.50 g/cm

for use in a nuclear reactor as defined in paragraph 1.1.

above in quantities exceeding 3 x 10

kg (30 metric tons) for any one recipient country in

any period of 12 months.

NOTE

For the purpose of reporting, the Government will determine whether or not the exports of

graphite meeting the above specifications are for nuclear reactor use.

3. Plants for the reprocessing of irradiated fuel elements, and equipment especially

designed or prepared therefor

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Reprocessing irradiated nuclear fuel separates plutonium and uranium from intensely

radioactive fission products and other transuranic elements. Different technical processes

can accomplish this separation. However, over the years Purex has become the most

commonly used and accepted process. Purex involves the dissolution of irradiated nuclear

fuel in nitric acid, followed by separation of the uranium, plutonium, and fission products

by solvent extraction using a mixture of tributyl phosphate in an organic diluent.

Purex facilities have process functions similar to each other, including: irradiated fuel

element chopping, fuel dissolution, solvent extraction, and process liquor storage. There

may also be equipment for thermal denitration of uranium nitrate, conversion of plutonium

nitrate to oxide or metal, and treatment of fission product waste liquor to a form suitable

for long term storage or disposal. However, the specific type and configuration of the

equipment performing these functions may differ between Purex facilities for several

reasons, including the type and quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel to be reprocessed and

the intended disposition of the recovered materials, and the safety and maintenance

philosophy incorporated into the design of the facility.

A "plant for the reprocessing of irradiated fuel elements" includes the equipment and

components which normally come in direct contact with and directly control the

irradiated fuel and the major nuclear material and fission product processing streams.

These processes, including the complete systems for plutonium conversion and plutonium

metal production, may be identified by the measures taken to avoid criticality (e.g. by

geometry), radiation exposure (e.g. by shielding), and toxicity hazards (e.g. by

containment).

Items of equipment that are considered to fall within the meaning of the phrase "and

equipment especially designed or prepared" for the reprocessing of irradiated fuel elements

include:

3.1. Irradiated fuel element chopping machines

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

This equipment breaches the cladding of the fuel to expose the irradiated nuclear material

to dissolution. Especially designed metal cutting shears are the most commonly employed,

although advanced equipment, such as lasers, may be used.

Remotely operated equipment especially designed or prepared for use in a reprocessing

plant as identified above and intended to cut, chop or shear irradiated nuclear fuel

assemblies, bundles or rods.

3.2. Dissolvers

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Dissolvers normally receive the chopped-up spent fuel. In these critically safe vessels, the

irradiated nuclear material is dissolved in nitric acid and the remaining hulls removed from

the process stream.

Critically safe tanks (e.g. small diameter, annular or slab tanks) especially designed or

prepared for use in a reprocessing plant as identified above, intended for dissolution of

irradiated nuclear fuel and which are capable of withstanding hot, highly corrosive liquid,

and which can be remotely loaded and maintained.

3.3. Solvent extractors and solvent extraction equipment

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Solvent extractors both receive the solution of irradiated fuel from the dissolvers and the

organic solution which separates the uranium, plutonium, and fission products. Solvent

extraction equipment is normally designed to meet strict operating parameters, such as

long operating lifetimes with no maintenance requirements or adaptability to easy

replacement, simplicity of operation and control, and flexibility for variations in process

conditions.

Especially designed or prepared solvent extractors such as packed or pulse columns,

mixer settlers or centrifugal contactors for use in a plant for the reprocessing of irradiated

fuel. Solvent extractors must be resistant to the corrosive effect of nitric acid. Solvent

extractors are normally fabricated to extremely high standards (including special welding

and inspection and quality assurance and quality control techniques) out of low carbon

stainless steels, titanium, zirconium, or other high quality materials.

3.4. Chemical holding or storage vessels

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Three main process liquor streams result from the solvent extraction step. Holding or

storage vessels are used in the further processing of all three streams, as follows:

(a) The pure uranium nitrate solution is concentrated by evaporation and passed to a

denitration process where it is converted to uranium oxide. This oxide is re-used in

the nuclear fuel cycle.

(b) The intensely radioactive fission products solution is normally concentrated by

evaporation and stored as a liquor concentrate. This concentrate may be

subsequently evaporated and converted to a form suitable for storage or disposal.

further process steps. In particular, holding or storage vessels for plutonium solutions

are designed to avoid criticality problems resulting from changes in concentration

and form of this stream.

Especially designed or prepared holding or storage vessels for use in a plant for the

reprocessing of irradiated fuel. The holding or storage vessels must be resistant to the

corrosive effect of nitric acid. The holding or storage vessels are normally fabricated of

materials such as low carbon stainless steels, titanium or zirconium, or other high quality

materials. Holding or storage vessels may be designed for remote operation and

maintenance and may have the following features for control of nuclear criticality:

(1) walls or internal structures with a boron equivalent of at least two per cent, or

(2) a maximum diameter of 175 mm (7 in) for cylindrical vessels, or

(3) a maximum width of 75 mm (3 in) for either a slab or annular vessel.

3.5. Plutonium nitrate to oxide conversion system

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

In most reprocessing facilities, this final process involves the conversion of the plutonium

nitrate solution to plutonium dioxide. The main functions involved in this process are:

process feed storage and adjustment, precipitation and solid/liquor separation, calcination,

product handling, ventilation, waste management, and process control.

Complete systems especially designed or prepared for the conversion of plutonium nitrate

to plutonium oxide, in particular adapted so as to avoid criticality and radiation effects and

to minimize toxicity hazards.

3.6. Plutonium oxide to metal production system

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

This process, which could be related to a reprocessing facility, involves the fluorination of

plutonium dioxide, normally with highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride, to produce plutonium

fluoride which is subsequently reduced using high purity calcium metal to produce metallic

plutonium and a calcium fluoride slag. The main functions involved in this process are:

fluorination (e.g. involving equipment fabricated or lined with a precious metal), metal

reduction (e.g. employing ceramic crucibles), slag recovery, product handling, ventilation,

waste management and process control.

Complete systems especially designed or prepared for the production of plutonium metal,

in particular adapted so as to avoid criticality and radiation effects and to minimize toxicity

hazards.

4. Plants for the fabrication of fuel elements

A "plant for the fabrication of fuel elements" includes the equipment:

(a) Which normally comes in direct contact with, or directly processes, or controls, the

production flow of nuclear material, or

(b) Which seals the nuclear material within the cladding.

5. Plants for the separation of isotopes of uranium and equipment, other than

analytical instruments, especially designed or prepared therefor

Items of equipment that are considered to fall within the meaning of the phrase "equipment,

other than analytical instruments, especially designed or prepared" for the separation of

isotopes of uranium include:

5.1. Gas centrifuges and assemblies and components especially designed or prepared

for use in gas centrifuges

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The gas centrifuge normally consists of a thin-walled cylinder(s) of between 75 mm (3 in)

and 400 mm (16 in) diameter contained in a vacuum environment and spun at high

peripheral speed of the order of 300 m/s or more with its central axis vertical. In order to

achieve high speed the materials of construction for the rotating components have to be of

a high strength to density ratio and the rotor assembly, and hence its individual

components, have to be manufactured to very close tolerances in order to minimize the

unbalance. In contrast to other centrifuges, the gas centrifuge for uranium enrichment is

characterized by having within the rotor chamber a rotating disc-shaped baffle(s) and a

stationary tube arrangement for feeding and extracting the UF

gas and featuring at least 3

separate channels, of which 2 are connected to scoops extending from the rotor axis

towards the periphery of the rotor chamber. Also contained within the vacuum

environment are a number of critical items which do not rotate and which although they are

especially designed are not difficult to fabricate nor are they fabricated out of unique

materials. A centrifuge facility however requires a large number of these components, so

that quantities can provide an important indication of end use.

5.1.1. Rotating components

(a) Complete rotor assemblies:

Thin-walled cylinders, or a number of interconnected thin-walled cylinders, manufactured

from one or more of the high strength to density ratio materials described in the

EXPLANATORY NOTE to this Section. If interconnected, the cylinders are joined

together by flexible bellows or rings as described in section 5.1.1.(c) following. The rotor

is fitted with an internal baffle(s) and end caps, as described in section 5.1.1.(d) and (e)

following, if in final form. However the complete assembly may be delivered only partly

assembled.

(b) Rotor tubes:

Especially designed or prepared thin-walled cylinders with thickness of 12 mm (0.5 in) or

less, a diameter of between 75 mm (3 in) and 400 mm (16 in), and manufactured from one

or more of the high strength to density ratio materials described in the EXPLANATORY

NOTE to this Section.

Components especially designed or prepared to give localized support to the rotor tube or

to join together a number of rotor tubes. The bellows is a short cylinder of wall thickness 3

mm (0.12 in) or less, a diameter of between 75 mm (3 in) and 400 mm (16 in), having a

convolute, and manufactured from one of the high strength to density ratio materials

described in the EXPLANATORY NOTE to this Section.

(d) Baffles:

Disc-shaped components of between 75 mm (3 in) and 400 mm (16 in) diameter

especially designed or prepared to be mounted inside the centrifuge rotor tube, in order to

isolate the take-off chamber from the main separation chamber and, in some cases, to

assist the UF

gas circulation within the main separation chamber of the rotor tube, and

manufactured from one of the high strength to density ratio materials described in the

EXPLANATORY NOTE to this Section.

(e) Top caps/Bottom caps:

Disc-shaped components of between 75 mm (3 in) and 400 mm (16 in) diameter

especially designed or prepared to fit to the ends of the rotor tube, and so contain the UF

within the rotor tube, and in some cases to support, retain or contain as an integrated part

an element of the upper bearing (top cap) or to carry the rotating elements of the motor

and lower bearing (bottom cap), and manufactured from one of the high strength to density

ratio materials described in the EXPLANATORY NOTE to this Section.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The materials used for centrifuge rotating components are:

(a) Maraging steel capable of an ultimate tensile strength of 2.05 x 10

N/m

(300,000

psi) or more;

(b) Aluminium alloys capable of an ultimate tensile strength of 0.46 x 10

N/m

(67,000

psi) or more;

modulus of 12.3 x 10

m or greater and a specific ultimate tensile strength of 0.3 x

m or greater ('Specific Modulus' is the Young's Modulus in N/m

divided by the

specific weight in N/m

; 'Specific Ultimate Tensile Strength' is the ultimate tensile

strength in N/m

divided by the specific weight in N/m

5.1.2. Static components

(a) Magnetic suspension bearings:

Especially designed or prepared bearing assemblies consisting of an annular magnet

suspended within a housing containing a damping medium. The housing will be

manufactured from a UF

-resistant material (see EXPLANATORY NOTE to Section

5.2.). The magnet couples with a pole piece or a second magnet fitted to the top cap

described in Section 5.1.1.(e). The magnet may be ring-shaped with a relation between

outer and inner diameter smaller or equal to 1.6:1. The magnet may be in a form having an

initial permeability of 0.15 H/m (120,000 in CGS units) or more, or a remanence of

98.5% or more, or an energy product of greater than 80 kJ/m

(10

gauss-oersteds). In

addition to the usual material properties, it is a prerequisite

that the deviation of the magnetic axes from the geometrical axes is limited to very small

tolerances (lower than 0.1 mm or 0.004 in) or that homogeneity of the material of the

magnet is specially called for.

(b) Bearings/Dampers:

Especially designed or prepared bearings comprising a pivot/cup assembly mounted on a

damper. The pivot is normally a hardened steel shaft with a hemisphere at one end with a

means of attachment to the bottom cap described in section 5.1.1.(e) at the other. The

shaft may however have a hydrodynamic bearing attached. The cup is pellet-shaped with a

hemispherical indentation in one surface. These components are often supplied separately

to the damper.

Especially designed or prepared cylinders having internally machined or extruded helical

grooves and internally machined bores. Typical dimensions are as follows: 75 mm (3 in) to

400 mm (16 in) internal diameter, 10 mm (0.4 in) or more wall thickness, with the length

equal to or greater than the diameter. The grooves are typically rectangular in cross-

section and 2 mm (0.08 in) or more in depth.

(d) Motor stators:

Especially designed or prepared ring-shaped stators for high speed multiphase AC

hysteresis (or reluctance) motors for synchronous operation within a vacuum in the

frequency range of 600 - 2000 Hz and a power range of 50 - 1000 VA. The stators

consist of multi-phase windings on a laminated low loss iron core comprised of thin layers

typically 2.0 mm (0.08 in) thick or less.

(e) Centrifuge housing/recipients:

Components especially designed or prepared to contain the rotor tube assembly of a gas

centrifuge. The housing consists of a rigid cylinder of wall thickness up to 30 mm (1.2 in)

with precision machined ends to locate the bearings and with one or more flanges for

mounting. The machined ends are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the cylinder's

longitudinal axis to within 0.05 degrees or less. The housing may also be a honeycomb

type structure to accommodate several rotor tubes. The housings are made of or

protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

(f) Scoops:

Especially designed or prepared tubes of up to 12 mm (0.5 in) internal diameter for the

extraction of UF

gas from within the rotor tube by a Pitot tube action (that is, with an

aperture facing into the circumferential gas flow within the rotor tube, for example by

bending the end of a radially disposed tube) and capable of being fixed to the central gas

extraction system. The tubes are made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion

by UF

5.2. Especially designed or prepared auxiliary systems, equipment and components

for gas centrifuge enrichment plants

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The auxiliary systems, equipment and components for a gas centrifuge enrichment plant are

the systems of plant needed to feed UF

to the centrifuges, to link the individual centrifuges

to each other to form cascades (or stages) to allow for progressively higher enrichments

and to extract the 'product' and 'tails' UF

from the centrifuges, together with the

equipment required to drive the centrifuges or to control the plant.

Normally UF

is evaporated from the solid using heated autoclaves and is distributed in

gaseous form to the centrifuges by way of cascade header pipework. The 'product' and

'tails' UF

gaseous streams flowing from the centrifuges are also passed by way of cascade

header pipework to cold traps (operating at about 203 K (-70

C)) where they are

condensed prior to onward transfer into suitable containers for transportation or storage.

Because an enrichment plant consists of many thousands of centrifuges arranged in

cascades there are many kilometers of cascade header pipework, incorporating thousands

of welds with a substantial amount of repetition of layout. The equipment, components and

piping systems are fabricated to very high vacuum and cleanliness standards.

5.2.1. Feed systems/product and tails withdrawal systems

Especially designed or prepared process systems including:

Feed autoclaves (or stations), used for passing UF

to the centrifuge cascades at up

to 100 kPa (15 psi) and at a rate of 1 kg/h or more;

Desublimers (or cold traps) used to remove UF

from the cascades at up to 3 kPa

(0.5 psi) pressure. The desublimers are capable of being chilled to 203 K (-70

and heated to 343 K (70

C);

'Product' and 'Tails' stations used for trapping UF

into containers.

This plant, equipment and pipework is wholly made of or lined with UF

-resistant

materials (see EXPLANATORY NOTE to this section) and is fabricated to very high

vacuum and cleanliness standards.

5.2.2. Machine header piping systems

Especially designed or prepared piping systems and header systems for handling UF

within the centrifuge cascades. The piping network is normally of the 'triple' header system

with each centrifuge connected to each of the headers. There is thus a substantial amount

of repetition in its form. It is wholly made of UF

-resistant materials (see

EXPLANATORY NOTE to this section) and is fabricated to very high vacuum and

cleanliness standards.

5.2.3. UF

mass spectrometers/ion sources

Especially designed or prepared magnetic or quadrupole mass spectrometers capable of

taking 'on-line' samples of feed, product or tails, from UF

gas streams and having all of

the following characteristics:

1. Unit resolution for atomic mass unit greater than 320;

2. Ion sources constructed of or lined with nichrome or monel or nickel plated;

3. Electron bombardment ionization sources;

4. Having a collector system suitable for isotopic analysis.

5.2.4. Frequency changers

Frequency changers (also known as converters or invertors) especially designed or

prepared to supply motor stators as defined under 5.1.2.(d), or parts, components and

sub-assemblies of such frequency changers having all of the following characteristics:

1. A multiphase output of 600 to 2000 Hz;

2. High stability (with frequency control better than 0.1%);

3. Low harmonic distortion (less than 2%); and

4. An efficiency of greater than 80%.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The items listed above either come into direct contact with the UF

process gas or directly

control the centrifuges and the passage of the gas from centrifuge to centrifuge and

cascade to cascade.

Materials resistant to corrosion by UF

include stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloys,

nickel or alloys containing 60% or more nickel.

5.3. Especially designed or prepared assemblies and components for use in gaseous

diffusion enrichment

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

In the gaseous diffusion method of uranium isotope separation, the main technological

assembly is a special porous gaseous diffusion barrier, heat exchanger for cooling the gas

(which is heated by the process of compression), seal valves and control valves, and

pipelines. Inasmuch as gaseous diffusion technology uses uranium hexafluoride (UF

), all

equipment, pipeline and instrumentation surfaces (that come in contact with the gas) must

be made of materials that remain stable in

contact with UF

. A gaseous diffusion facility requires a number of these assemblies, so

that quantities can provide an important indication of end use.

5.3.1. Gaseous diffusion barriers

(a) Especially designed or prepared thin, porous filters, with a pore size of 100 - 1,000

Å (angstroms), a thickness of 5 mm (0.2 in) or less, and for tubular forms, a diameter of

25 mm (1 in) or less, made of metallic, polymer or ceramic materials resistant to corrosion

by UF

, and

(b) especially prepared compounds or powders for the manufacture of such filters. Such

compounds and powders include nickel or alloys containing 60 per cent or more nickel,

aluminium oxide, or UF

-resistant fully fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers having a purity of

99.9 per cent or more, a particle size less than 10 microns, and a high degree of particle

size uniformity, which are especially prepared for the manufacture of gaseous diffusion

barriers.

5.3.2. Diffuser housings

Especially designed or prepared hermetically sealed cylindrical vessels greater than 300

mm (12 in) in diameter and greater than 900 mm (35 in) in length, or rectangular vessels of

comparable dimensions, which have an inlet connection and two outlet connections all of

which are greater than 50 mm (2 in) in diameter, for containing the gaseous diffusion

barrier, made of or lined with UF

-resistant materials and designed for horizontal or

vertical installation.

5.3.3. Compressors and gas blowers

Especially designed or prepared axial, centrifugal, or positive displacement compressors,

or gas blowers with a suction volume capacity of 1 m

/min or more of UF

, and with a

discharge pressure of up to several hundred kPa (100 psi), designed for long-term

operation in the UF

environment with or without an electrical motor of appropriate

power, as well as separate assemblies of such compressors and gas blowers. These

compressors and gas blowers have a pressure ratio between 2:1 and 6:1 and are made of,

or lined with, materials resistant to UF

5.3.4. Rotary shaft seals

Especially designed or prepared vacuum seals, with seal feed and seal exhaust

connections, for sealing the shaft connecting the compressor or the gas blower rotor with

the driver motor so as to ensure a reliable seal against in-leaking of air into the inner

chamber of the compressor or gas blower which is filled with UF

. Such seals are

normally designed for a buffer gas in-leakage rate of less than 1000 cm

/min (60 in

/min).

5.3.5. Heat exchangers for cooling UF

Especially designed or prepared heat exchangers made of or lined with UF

-resistant

materials (except stainless steel) or with copper or any combination of those metals, and

intended for a leakage pressure change rate of less than 10 Pa (0.0015 psi) per hour

under a pressure difference of 100 kPa (15 psi).

5.4. Especially designed or prepared auxiliary systems, equipment and components

for use in gaseous diffusion enrichment

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The auxiliary systems, equipment and components for gaseous diffusion enrichment plants

are the systems of plant needed to feed UF

to the gaseous diffusion assembly, to link the

individual assemblies to each other to form cascades (or stages) to allow for progressively

higher enrichments and to extract the 'product' and 'tails' UF

from the diffusion cascades.

Because of the high inertial properties of diffusion cascades, any interruption in their

operation, and especially their shut-down, leads to serious consequences. Therefore, a

strict and constant maintenance of vacuum in all technological systems, automatic

protection from accidents, and precise automated regulation of the gas flow is of

importance in a gaseous diffusion plant. All this leads to a need to equip the plant with a

large number of special measuring, regulating and controlling systems.

Normally UF

is evaporated from cylinders placed within autoclaves and is distributed in

gaseous form to the entry point by way of cascade header pipework. The 'product' and

'tails' UF

gaseous streams flowing from exit points are passed by way of cascade header

pipework to either cold traps or to compression stations where the UF

gas is liquefied

prior to onward transfer into suitable containers for transportation or storage. Because a

gaseous diffusion enrichment plant consists of a large number of gaseous diffusion

assemblies arranged in cascades, there are many kilometers of cascade header pipework,

incorporating thousands of welds with substantial amounts of repetition of layout. The

equipment, components and piping systems are fabricated to very high vacuum and

cleanliness standards.

5.4.1. Feed systems/product and tails withdrawal systems

Especially designed or prepared process systems, capable of operating at pressures of

300 kPa (45 psi) or less, including:

Feed autoclaves (or systems), used for passing UF

to the gaseous diffusion

cascades;

Desublimers (or cold traps) used to remove UF

from diffusion cascades;

Liquefaction stations where UF

gas from the cascade is compressed and cooled to

form liquid UF

;

'Product' or 'tails' stations used for transferring UF

into containers.

5.4.2. Header piping systems

Especially designed or prepared piping systems and header systems for handling UF

within the gaseous diffusion cascades. This piping network is normally of the "double"

header system with each cell connected to each of the headers.

5.4.3. Vacuum systems

(a) Especially designed or prepared large vacuum manifolds, vacuum headers and

vacuum pumps having a suction capacity of 5 m

/min (175 ft

/min) or more.

(b) Vacuum pumps especially designed for service in UF

-bearing atmospheres made

of, or lined with, aluminium, nickel, or alloys bearing more than 60% nickel. These pumps

may be either rotary or positive, may have displacement and fluorocarbon seals, and may

have special working fluids present.

5.4.4. Special shut-off and control valves

Especially designed or prepared manual or automated shut-off and control bellows valves

made of UF

-resistant materials with a diameter of 40 to 1500 mm (1.5 to 59 in) for

installation in main and auxiliary systems of gaseous diffusion enrichment plants.

5.4.5. UF

mass spectrometers/ion sources

Especially designed or prepared magnetic or quadrupole mass spectrometers capable of

taking "on-line" samples of feed, product or tails, from UF

gas streams and having all of

the following characteristics:

1. Unit resolution for atomic mass unit greater than 320;

2. Ion sources constructed of or lined with nichrome or monel or nickel plated;

3. Electron bombardment ionization sources;

4. Collector system suitable for isotopic analysis.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The items listed above either come into direct contact with the UF

process gas or directly

control the flow within the cascade. All surfaces which come into contact with the process

gas are wholly made of, or lined with, UF

-resistant materials. For the purposes of the

sections relating to gaseous diffusion items the materials resistant to corrosion by UF

include stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloys, aluminium oxide, nickel or alloys

containing 60% or more nickel and UF

-resistant fully fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers.

5.5. Especially designed or prepared systems, equipment and components for use in

aerodynamic enrichment plants

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

In aerodynamic enrichment processes, a mixture of gaseous UF

and light gas (hydrogen

or helium) is compressed and then passed through separating elements wherein isotopic

separation is accomplished by the generation of high centrifugal forces over a curved-wall

geometry. Two processes of this type have been successfully developed: the separation

nozzle process and the vortex tube process. For both processes the main components of a

separation stage include cylindrical vessels housing the special separation elements (nozzles

or vortex tubes), gas compressors and heat exchangers to remove the heat of

compression. An aerodynamic plant requires a number of these stages, so that quantities

can provide an important indication of end use. Since aerodynamic processes use UF

, all

equipment, pipeline and instrumentation surfaces (that come in contact with the gas) must

be made of materials that remain stable in contact with UF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The items listed in this section either come into direct contact with the UF

process gas or

directly control the flow within the cascade. All surfaces which come into contact with the

process gas are wholly made of or protected by UF

-resistant materials. For the purposes

of the section relating to aerodynamic enrichment items, the materials resistant to corrosion

by UF

include copper, stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloys, nickel or alloys

containing 60% or more nickel and UF

-resistant fully fluorinated hydrocarbon polymers.

5.5.1. Separation nozzles

Especially designed or prepared separation nozzles and assemblies thereof. The separation

nozzles consist of slit-shaped, curved channels having a radius of curvature less than 1 mm

(typically 0.1 to 0.05 mm), resistant to corrosion by UF

and having a knife-edge within

the nozzle that separates the gas flowing through the nozzle into two fractions.

5.5.2. Vortex tubes

Especially designed or prepared vortex tubes and assemblies thereof. The vortex tubes are

cylindrical or tapered, made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

having a diameter of between 0.5 cm and 4 cm, a length to diameter ratio of 20:1 or less

and with one or more tangential inlets. The tubes may be equipped with nozzle-type

appendages at either or both ends.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The feed gas enters the vortex tube tangentially at one end or through swirl vanes or at

numerous tangential positions along the periphery of the tube.

5.5.3. Compressors and gas blowers

Especially designed or prepared axial, centrifugal or positive displacement compressors or

gas blowers made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

and with a

suction volume capacity of 2 m

/min or more of UF

/carrier gas (hydrogen or helium)

mixture.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These compressors and gas blowers typically have a pressure ratio between 1.2:1 and

6:1.

5.5.4. Rotary shaft seals

Especially designed or prepared rotary shaft seals, with seal feed and seal exhaust

connections, for sealing the shaft connecting the compressor rotor or the gas blower rotor

with the driver motor so as 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 or gas blower which

is filled with a UF

/carrier gas mixture.

5.5.5. Heat exchangers for gas cooling

Especially designed or prepared heat exchangers made of or protected by materials

resistant to corrosion by UF

5.5.6. Separation element housings

Especially designed or prepared separation element housings, made of or protected by

materials resistant to corrosion by UF

, for containing vortex tubes or separation nozzles.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These housings may be cylindrical vessels greater than 300 mm in diameter and greater

than 900 mm in length, or may be rectangular vessels of comparable dimensions, and may

be designed for horizontal or vertical installation.

5.5.7. Feed systems/product and tails withdrawal systems

Especially designed or prepared process systems or equipment for enrichment plants

made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

, including:

(a) Feed autoclaves, ovens, or systems used for passing UF

to the enrichment process;

(b) Desublimers (or cold traps) used to remove UF

from the enrichment process for

subsequent transfer upon heating;

from the enrichment

process by compressing and converting UF

to a liquid or solid form;

(d) 'Product' or 'tails' stations used for transferring UF

into containers.

5.5.8. Header piping systems

Especially designed or prepared header piping systems, made of or protected by materials

resistant to corrosion by UF

, for handling UF

within the aerodynamic cascades. This

piping network is normally of the 'double' header design with each stage or group of stages

connected to each of the headers.

5.5.9. Vacuum systems and pumps

(a) Especially designed or prepared vacuum systems having a suction capacity of 5

/min or more, consisting of vacuum manifolds, vacuum headers and vacuum pumps, and

designed for service in UF

-bearing atmospheres,

(b) Vacuum pumps especially designed or prepared for service in UF

-bearing

atmospheres and made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

. These

pumps may use fluorocarbon seals and special working fluids.

5.5.10. Special shut-off and control valves

Especially designed or prepared manual or automated shut-off and control bellows valves

made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

with a diameter of 40 to

1500 mm for installation in main and auxiliary systems of aerodynamic enrichment plants.

5.5.11. UF

mass spectrometers/ion sources

Especially designed or prepared magnetic or quadrupole mass spectrometers capable of

taking 'on-line' samples of feed, 'product' or 'tails', from UF

gas streams and having all of

the following characteristics:

1. Unit resolution for mass greater than 320;

2. Ion sources constructed of or lined with nichrome or monel or nickel plated;

3. Electron bombardment ionization sources;

4. Collector system suitable for isotopic analysis.

5.5.12. UF

/carrier gas separation systems

Especially designed or prepared process systems for separating UF

from carrier gas

(hydrogen or helium).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These systems are designed to reduce the UF

content in the carrier gas to 1 ppm or less

and may incorporate equipment such as:

(a) Cryogenic heat exchangers and cryoseparators capable of temperatures of -

120

C or less, or

(b) Cryogenic refrigeration units capable of temperatures of -120

C or less, or

from carrier gas, or

(d) UF

cold traps capable of temperatures of -20

C or less.

5.6. Especially designed or prepared systems, equipment and components for use in

chemical exchange or ion exchange enrichment plants

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The slight difference in mass between the isotopes of uranium causes small changes in

chemical reaction equilibria that can be used as a basis for separation of the isotopes. Two

processes have been successfully developed: liquid-liquid chemical exchange and solid-

liquid ion exchange.

In the liquid-liquid chemical exchange process, immiscible liquid phases (aqueous and

organic) are countercurrently contacted to give the cascading effect of thousands of

separation stages. The aqueous phase consists of uranium chloride in hydrochloric acid

solution; the organic phase consists of an extractant containing uranium chloride in an

organic solvent. The contactors employed in the separation cascade can be liquid-liquid

exchange columns (such as pulsed columns with sieve plates) or liquid centrifugal

contactors. Chemical conversions (oxidation and reduction) are required at both ends of

the separation cascade in order to provide for the reflux requirements at each end. A

major design concern is to avoid contamination of the process streams with certain metal

ions. Plastic, plastic-lined (including use of fluorocarbon polymers) and/or glass-lined

columns and piping are therefore used.

In the solid-liquid ion-exchange process, enrichment is accomplished by uranium

adsorption/desorption on a special, very fast-acting, ion-exchange resin or adsorbent. A

solution of uranium in hydrochloric acid and other chemical agents is passed through

cylindrical enrichment columns containing packed beds of the adsorbent. For a continuous

process, a reflux system is necessary to release the uranium from the adsorbent back into

the liquid flow so that 'product' and 'tails' can be collected. This is accomplished with the

use of suitable reduction/oxidation chemical agents that are fully regenerated in separate

external circuits and that may be partially regenerated within the isotopic separation

columns themselves. The presence of hot concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions in the

process requires that the equipment be made of or protected by special corrosion-

resistant materials.

5.6.1. Liquid-liquid exchange columns (Chemical exchange)

Countercurrent liquid-liquid exchange columns having mechanical power input (i.e., pulsed

columns with sieve plates, reciprocating plate columns, and columns with internal turbine

mixers), especially designed or prepared for uranium enrichment using the chemical

exchange process. For corrosion resistance to concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions,

these columns and their internals are made of or protected by suitable plastic materials

(such as fluorocarbon polymers) or glass. The stage residence time of the columns is

designed to be short (30 seconds or less).

5.6.2. Liquid-liquid centrifugal contactors (Chemical exchange)

Liquid-liquid centrifugal contactors especially designed or prepared for uranium

enrichment using the chemical exchange process. Such contactors use rotation to achieve

dispersion of the organic and aqueous streams and then centrifugal force to separate the

phases. For corrosion resistance to concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions, the

contactors are made of or are lined with suitable plastic materials (such as fluorocarbon

polymers) or are lined with glass. The stage residence time of the centrifugal contactors is

designed to be short (30 seconds or less).

5.6.3. Uranium reduction systems and equipment (Chemical exchange)

(a) Especially designed or prepared electrochemical reduction cells to reduce uranium

from one valence state to another for uranium enrichment using the chemical exchange

process. The cell materials in contact with process solutions must be corrosion resistant to

concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The cell cathodic compartment must be designed to prevent re-oxidation of uranium to its

higher valence state. To keep the uranium in the cathodic compartment, the cell may have

an impervious diaphragm membrane constructed of special cation exchange material. The

cathode consists of a suitable solid conductor such as graphite.

(b) Especially designed or prepared systems at the product end of the cascade for

taking the U

out of the organic stream, adjusting the acid concentration and feeding to

the electrochemical reduction cells.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These systems consist of solvent extraction equipment for stripping the U

from the

organic stream into an aqueous solution, evaporation and/or other equipment to

accomplish solution pH adjustment and control, and pumps or other transfer devices for

feeding to the electrochemical reduction cells. A major design concern is to avoid

contamination of the aqueous stream with certain metal ions. Consequently, for those parts

in contact with the process stream, the system is constructed of equipment made of or

protected by suitable materials (such as glass, fluorocarbon polymers, polyphenyl sulfate,

polyether sulfone, and resin-impregnated graphite).

5.6.4. Feed preparation systems (Chemical exchange)

Especially designed or prepared systems for producing high-purity uranium chloride feed

solutions for chemical exchange uranium isotope separation plants.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These systems consist of dissolution, solvent extraction and/or ion exchange equipment for

purification and electrolytic cells for reducing the uranium U

or U

to U

. These

systems produce uranium chloride solutions having only a few parts per million of metallic

impurities such as chromium, iron, vanadium, molybdenum and other bivalent or higher

multi-valent cations. Materials of construction for portions of the system processing high-

purity U

include glass, fluorocarbon polymers, polyphenyl sulfate or polyether sulfone

plastic-lined and resin-impregnated graphite.

5.6.5. Uranium oxidation systems (Chemical exchange)

Especially designed or prepared systems for oxidation of U

to U

for return to the

uranium isotope separation cascade in the chemical exchange enrichment process.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These systems may incorporate equipment such as:

(a) Equipment for contacting chlorine and oxygen with the aqueous effluent from the

isotope separation equipment and extracting the resultant U

into the stripped

organic stream returning from the product end of the cascade,

(b) Equipment that separates water from hydrochloric acid so that the water and the

concentrated hydrochloric acid may be reintroduced to the process at the proper

locations.

5.6.6. Fast-reacting ion exchange resins/adsorbents (ion exchange)

Fast-reacting ion-exchange resins or adsorbents especially designed or prepared for

uranium enrichment using the ion exchange process, including porous macroreticular resins,

and/or pellicular structures in which the active chemical exchange groups are limited to a

coating on the surface of an inactive porous support structure, and other composite

structures in any suitable form including particles or fibers. These ion exchange

resins/adsorbents have diameters of 0.2 mm or less and must be chemically resistant to

concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions as well as physically strong enough so as not to

degrade in the exchange columns. The resins/adsorbents are especially designed to

achieve very fast uranium isotope exchange kinetics (exchange rate half-time of less than

10 seconds) and are capable of operating at a temperature in the range of 100

C to

200

5.6.7. Ion exchange columns (Ion exchange)

Cylindrical columns greater than 1000 mm in diameter for containing and supporting

packed beds of ion exchange resin/adsorbent, especially designed or prepared for uranium

enrichment using the ion exchange process. These columns are made of or protected by

materials (such as titanium or fluorocarbon plastics) resistant to corrosion by concentrated

hydrochloric acid solutions and are capable of operating at a temperature in the range of

100

C to 200

C and pressures above 0.7 MPa (102 psia).

5.6.8. Ion exchange reflux systems (Ion exchange)

(a) Especially designed or prepared chemical or electrochemical reduction systems for

regeneration of the chemical reducing agent(s) used in ion exchange uranium

enrichment cascades.

(b) Especially designed or prepared chemical or electrochemical oxidation systems for

regeneration of the chemical oxidizing agent(s) used in ion exchange uranium

enrichment cascades.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The ion exchange enrichment process may use, for example, trivalent titanium (Ti

) as a

reducing cation in which case the reduction system would regenerate Ti

by reducing Ti

The process may use, for example, trivalent iron (Fe

) as an oxidant in which case the

oxidation system would regenerate Fe

by oxidizing Fe

5.7. Especially designed or prepared systems, equipment and components for use in

laser-based enrichment plants

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Present systems for enrichment processes using lasers fall into two categories: those in

which the process medium is atomic uranium vapor and those in which the process

medium is the vapor of a uranium compound. Common nomenclature for such processes

include: first category - atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS or SILVA); second

category - molecular laser isotope separation (MLIS or MOLIS) and chemical reaction

by isotope selective laser activation (CRISLA). The systems, equipment and components

for laser enrichment plants embrace: (a) devices to feed uranium-metal vapor (for selective

photo-ionization) or devices to feed the vapor of a uranium compound (for photo-

dissociation or chemical activation); (b) devices to collect enriched and depleted uranium

metal as 'product' and 'tails' in the first category, and devices to collect dissociated or

reacted compounds as 'product' and unaffected material as 'tails' in the second category;

preparation and product conversion equipment. The complexity of the spectroscopy

of uranium atoms and compounds may require incorporation of any of a number of

available laser technologies.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Many of the items listed in this section come into direct contact with uranium metal vapor

or liquid or with process gas consisting of UF

or a mixture of UF

and other gases. All

surfaces that come into contact with the uranium or UF

are wholly made of or protected

by corrosion-resistant materials. For the purposes of the section relating to 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 UF

include copper, stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloys,

nickel or alloys containing 60 % or more nickel and UF

-resistant fully fluorinated

hydrocarbon polymers.

5.7.1. Uranium vaporization systems (AVLIS)

Especially designed or prepared uranium vaporization systems which contain high-power

strip or scanning electron beam guns with a delivered power on the target of more than 2.5

kW/cm.

5.7.2. Liquid uranium metal handling systems (AVLIS)

Especially designed or prepared liquid metal handling systems for molten uranium or

uranium alloys, consisting of crucibles and cooling equipment for the crucibles.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The crucibles and other parts of this system that come into contact with molten uranium or

uranium alloys are made of or protected by materials of suitable corrosion and heat

resistance. Suitable materials include tantalum, yttria-coated graphite, graphite coated with

other rare earth oxides or mixtures thereof.

5.7.3. Uranium metal 'product' and 'tails' collector assemblies (AVLIS)

Especially designed or prepared 'product' and 'tails' collector assemblies for uranium metal

in liquid or solid form.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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.

5.7.4. Separator module housings (AVLIS)

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.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These housings have multiplicity of ports for electrical and water feed-throughs, laser beam

windows, vacuum pump connections and instrumentation diagnostics and monitoring. They

have provisions for opening and closure to allow refurbishment of internal components.

5.7.5. Supersonic expansion nozzles (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared supersonic expansion nozzles for cooling mixtures of UF

and carrier gas to 150 K or less and which are corrosion resistant to UF

5.7.6. Uranium pentafluoride product collectors (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared uranium pentafluoride (UF

) solid product collectors

consisting of filter, impact, or cyclone-type collectors, or combinations thereof, and which

are corrosion resistant to the UF

/UF

environment.

5.7.7. UF

/carrier gas compressors (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared compressors for UF

/carrier gas mixtures, designed for

long term operation in a UF

environment. The components of these compressors that

come into contact with process gas are made of or protected by materials resistant to

corrosion by UF

5.7.8. Rotary shaft seals (MLIS)

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 so

as 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 UF

/carrier gas mixture.

5.7.9. Fluorination systems (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared systems for fluorinating UF

(solid) to UF

(gas).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These systems are designed to fluorinate the collected UF

powder to UF

for subsequent

collection in product containers or for transfer as feed to MLIS units 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 UF

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 for storage and transfer of fluorine (or other suitable fluorinating agents) and for

collection and transfer of UF

are used.

5.7.10. UF

mass spectrometers/ion sources (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared magnetic or quadrupole mass spectrometers capable of

taking 'on-line' samples of feed, 'product' or 'tails', from UF

gas streams and having all of

the following characteristics:

1. Unit resolution for mass greater than 320;

2. Ion sources constructed of or lined with nichrome or monel or nickel plated;

3. Electron bombardment ionization sources;

4. Collector system suitable for isotopic analysis.

5.7.11. Feed systems/product and tails withdrawal systems (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared process systems or equipment for enrichment plants

made of or protected by materials resistant to corrosion by UF

, including:

(a) Feed autoclaves, ovens, or systems used for passing UF

to the enrichment process

(b) Desublimers (or cold traps) used to remove UF

from the enrichment process for

subsequent transfer upon heating;

from the enrichment

process by compressing and converting UF

to a liquid or solid form;

(d) 'Product' or 'tails' stations used for transferring UF

into containers.

5.7.12. UF

/carrier gas separation systems (MLIS)

Especially designed or prepared process systems for separating UF

from carrier gas. The

carrier gas may be nitrogen, argon, or other gas.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These systems may incorporate equipment such as:

(a) Cryogenic heat exchangers or cryoseparators capable of temperatures of -

120

C or less, or

(b) Cryogenic refrigeration units capable of temperatures of -120

C or less, or

cold traps capable of temperatures of -20

C or less.

5.7.13. Laser systems (AVLIS, MLIS and CRISLA)

Lasers or laser systems especially designed or prepared for the separation of uranium

isotopes.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The laser system for the AVLIS process usually consists of two lasers: a copper vapor

laser and a dye laser. The laser system for MLIS usually consists of a CO

or excimer

laser and a multi-pass optical cell with revolving mirrors at both ends. Lasers or laser

systems for both processes require a spectrum frequency stabilizer for operation over

extended periods of time.

5.8. Especially designed or prepared systems, equipment and components for use in

plasma separation enrichment plants

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

In the plasma separation process, a plasma of uranium ions passes through an electric field

tuned to the U-235 ion resonance frequency so that they preferentially absorb energy and

increase the diameter of their corkscrew-like orbits. Ions with a large-diameter path are

trapped to produce a product enriched in U-235. The plasma, which is made by ionizing

uranium vapor, is contained in a vacuum chamber with a high-strength magnetic field

produced by a superconducting magnet. The main technological systems of the process

include the uranium plasma generation system, the separator module with superconducting

magnet and metal removal systems for the collection of 'product' and 'tails'.

5.8.1. Microwave power sources and antennae

Especially designed or prepared microwave power sources and antennae for producing or

accelerating ions and having the following characteristics: greater than 30 GHz frequency

and greater than 50 kW mean power output for ion production.

5.8.2. Ion excitation coils

Especially designed or prepared radio frequency ion excitation coils for frequencies of

more than 100 kHz and capable of handling more than 40 kW mean power.

5.8.3. Uranium plasma generation systems

Especially designed or prepared systems for the generation of uranium plasma, which may

contain high-power strip or scanning electron beam guns with a delivered power on the

target of more than 2.5 kW/cm.

5.8.4. Liquid uranium metal handling systems

Especially designed or prepared liquid metal handling systems for molten uranium or

uranium alloys, consisting of crucibles and cooling equipment for the crucibles.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The crucibles and other parts of this system that come into contact with molten uranium or

uranium alloys are made of or protected by materials of suitable corrosion and heat

resistance. Suitable materials include tantalum, yttria-coated graphite, graphite coated with

other rare earth oxides or mixtures thereof.

5.8.5. Uranium metal 'product' and 'tails' collector assemblies

Especially designed or prepared 'product' and 'tails' collector assemblies for uranium metal

in solid form. These collector assemblies are made of or protected by materials resistant to

the heat and corrosion of uranium metal vapor, such as yttria-coated graphite or tantalum.

5.8.6. Separator module housings

Cylindrical vessels especially designed or prepared for use in plasma separation

enrichment plants for containing the uranium plasma source, radio-frequency drive coil and

the 'product' and 'tails' collectors.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These housings have a multiplicity of ports for electrical feed-throughs, diffusion pump

connections and instrumentation diagnostics and monitoring. They have provisions for

opening and closure to allow for refurbishment of internal components and are constructed

of a suitable non-magnetic material such as stainless steel.

5.9. Especially designed or prepared systems, equipment and components for use in

electromagnetic enrichment plants

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

In the electromagnetic process, uranium metal ions produced by ionization of a salt feed

material (typically UCl

) are accelerated and passed through a magnetic field that has the

effect of causing the ions of different isotopes to follow different paths. The major

components of an electromagnetic isotope separator include: a magnetic field for ion-beam

diversion/separation of the isotopes, an ion source with its acceleration system, and a

collection system for the separated ions. Auxiliary systems for the process include the

magnet power supply system, the ion source high-voltage power supply system, the

vacuum system, and extensive chemical handling systems for recovery of product and

cleaning/recycling of components.

5.9.1. Electromagnetic isotope separators

Electromagnetic isotope separators especially designed or prepared for the separation of

uranium isotopes, and equipment and components therefor, including:

(a) Ion sources

Especially designed or prepared single or multiple uranium ion sources consisting of

a vapor source, ionizer, and beam accelerator, constructed of suitable materials such

as graphite, stainless steel, or copper, and capable of providing a total ion beam

current of 50 mA or greater.

(b) Ion collectors

Collector plates consisting of two or more slits and pockets especially designed or

prepared for collection of enriched and depleted uranium ion beams and constructed

of suitable materials such as graphite or stainless steel.

Especially designed or prepared vacuum housings for uranium electromagnetic

separators, constructed of suitable non-magnetic materials such as stainless steel and

designed for operation at pressures of 0.1 Pa or lower.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The housings are specially designed to contain the ion sources, collector plates and

water-cooled liners and have provision for diffusion pump connections and opening

and closure for removal and reinstallation of these components.

(d) Magnet pole pieces

Especially designed or prepared magnet pole pieces having a diameter greater than

2 m used to maintain a constant magnetic field within an electromagnetic isotope

separator and to transfer the magnetic field between adjoining separators.

5.9.2. High voltage power supplies

Especially designed or prepared high-voltage power supplies for ion sources, having all of

the following characteristics: capable of continuous operation, output voltage of 20,000 V

or greater, output current of 1 A or greater, and voltage regulation of better than 0.01%

over a time period of 8 hours.

5.9.3. Magnet power supplies

Especially designed or prepared high-power, direct current magnet power supplies having

all of the following characteristics: capable of continuously producing a

current output of 500 A or greater at a voltage of 100 V or greater and with a current or

voltage regulation better than 0.01% over a period of 8 hours.

6. Plants for the production of heavy water, deuterium and deuterium compounds

and equipment especially designed or prepared therefor

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Heavy water can be produced by a variety of processes. However, the two processes

that have proven to be commercially viable are the water-hydrogen sulphide exchange

process (GS process) and the ammonia-hydrogen exchange process.

The GS process is based upon the exchange of hydrogen and deuterium between water

and hydrogen sulphide within a series of towers which are operated with the top section

cold and the bottom section hot. Water flows down the towers while the hydrogen

sulphide gas circulates from the bottom to the top of the towers. A series of perforated

trays are used to promote mixing between the gas and the water. Deuterium migrates to

the water at low temperatures and to the hydrogen sulphide at high temperatures. Gas or

water, enriched in deuterium, is removed from the first stage towers at the junction of the

hot and cold sections and the process is repeated in subsequent stage towers. The product

of the last stage, water enriched up to 30% in deuterium, is sent to a distillation unit to

produce reactor grade heavy water, i.e., 99.75% deuterium oxide.

The ammonia-hydrogen exchange process can extract deuterium from synthesis gas

through contact with liquid ammonia in the presence of a catalyst. The synthesis gas is fed

into exchange towers and to an ammonia converter. Inside the towers the gas flows from

the bottom to the top while the liquid ammonia flows from the top to the bottom. The

deuterium is stripped from the hydrogen in the synthesis gas and concentrated in the

ammonia. The ammonia then flows into an ammonia cracker at the bottom of the tower

while the gas flows into an ammonia converter at the top. Further enrichment takes place

in subsequent stages and reactor grade heavy water is produced through final distillation.

The synthesis gas feed can be provided by an ammonia plant that, in turn, can be

constructed in association with a heavy water ammonia-hydrogen exchange plant. The

ammonia-hydrogen exchange process can also use ordinary water as a feed source of

deuterium.

Many of the key equipment items for heavy water production plants using GS or the

ammonia-hydrogen exchange processes are common to several segments of the chemical

and petroleum industries. This is particularly so for small plants using the GS process.

However, few of the items are available "off-the-shelf". The GS and ammonia-hydrogen

processes require the handling of large quantities of flammable, corrosive and toxic fluids

at elevated pressures. Accordingly, in establishing the design and operating standards for

plants and equipment using these processes, careful attention to the materials selection and

specifications is required to ensure long service life with high safety and reliability factors.

The choice of scale is primarily a function of economics and need. Thus, most of the

equipment items would be prepared according to the requirements of the customer.

Finally, it should be noted that, in both the GS and the ammonia-hydrogen exchange

processes, items of equipment which individually are not especially designed or prepared

for heavy water production can be assembled into systems which are especially designed

or prepared for producing heavy water. The catalyst production system used in the

ammonia-hydrogen exchange process and water distillation systems used for the final

concentration of heavy water to reactor-grade in either process are examples of such

systems.

The items of equipment which are especially designed or prepared for the production of

heavy water utilizing either the water-hydrogen sulphide exchange process or the

ammonia-hydrogen exchange process include the following:

6.1. Water - Hydrogen Sulphide Exchange Towers

Exchange towers fabricated from fine carbon steel (such as ASTM A516) with diameters

of 6 m (20 ft) to 9 m (30 ft), capable of operating at pressures greater than or equal to 2

MPa (300 psi) and with a corrosion allowance of 6 mm or greater, especially designed or

prepared for heavy water production utilizing the water-hydrogen sulphide exchange

process.

6.2. Blowers and Compressors

Single stage, low head (i.e., 0.2 MPa or 30 psi) centrifugal blowers or compressors for

hydrogen-sulphide gas circulation (i.e., gas containing more than 70% H

S) especially

designed or prepared for heavy water production utilizing the water-hydrogen sulphide

exchange process. These blowers or compressors have a throughput capacity greater than

or equal to 56 m

/second (120,000 SCFM) while operating at pressures greater than or

equal to 1.8 MPa (260 psi) suction and have seals designed for wet H

S service.

6.3. Ammonia-Hydrogen Exchange Towers

Ammonia-hydrogen exchange towers greater than or equal to 35 m (114.3 ft) in height

with diameters of 1.5 m (4.9 ft) to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) capable of operating at pressures greater

than 15 MPa (2225 psi) especially designed or prepared for heavy water production

utilizing the ammonia-hydrogen exchange process. These towers also have at least one

flanged axial opening of the same diameter as the cylindrical part through which the tower

internals can be inserted or withdrawn.

6.4. Tower Internals and Stage Pumps

Tower internals and stage pumps especially designed or prepared for towers for heavy

water production utilizing the ammonia-hydrogen exchange process. Tower internals

include especially designed stage contactors which promote intimate gas/liquid contact.

Stage pumps include especially designed submersible pumps for circulation of liquid

ammonia within a contacting stage internal to the stage towers.

6.5. Ammonia Crackers

Ammonia crackers with operating pressures greater than or equal to 3 MPa (450 psi)

especially designed or prepared for heavy water production utilizing the ammonia-

hydrogen exchange process.

6.6. Infrared Absorption Analyzers

Infrared absorption analyzers capable of "on-line" hydrogen/deuterium ratio analysis where

deuterium concentrations are equal to or greater than 90%.

6.7. Catalytic Burners

Catalytic burners for the conversion of enriched deuterium gas into heavy water especially

designed or prepared for heavy water production utilizing the ammonia-hydrogen

exchange process.

7. Plants for the conversion of uranium and equipment especially designed or

prepared therefor

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Uranium conversion plants and systems may perform one or more transformations from

one uranium chemical species to another, including: conversion of uranium ore

concentrates to UO

, conversion of UO

to UO

, conversion of uranium oxides to UF

, conversion of UF

to UF

, conversion of UF

to UF

, conversion of UF

to uranium

metal, and conversion of uranium fluorides to UO

. Many of the key equipment items for

uranium conversion plants are common to several segments of the chemical process

industry. For example, the types of equipment employed in these processes may include:

furnaces, rotary kilns, fluidized bed reactors, flame tower reactors, liquid centrifuges,

distillation columns and liquid-liquid extraction columns. However, few of the items are

available "off-the-shelf"; most would be prepared according to the requirements and

specifications of the customer. In some instances, special design and construction

considerations are required to address the corrosive properties of some of the chemicals

handled (HF, F

, ClF

, and uranium fluorides). Finally, it should be noted that, in all of the

uranium conversion processes, items of equipment which individually are not especially

designed or prepared for uranium conversion can be assembled into systems which are

especially designed or prepared for use in uranium conversion.

7.1. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of uranium ore

concentrates to UO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of uranium ore concentrates to UO

can be performed by first dissolving the

ore in nitric acid and extracting purified uranyl nitrate using a solvent such as tributyl

phosphate. Next, the uranyl nitrate is converted to UO

either by

concentration and denitration or by neutralization with gaseous ammonia to produce

ammonium diuranate with subsequent filtering, drying, and calcining.

7.2. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UO

to UF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UO

to UF

can be performed directly by fluorination. The process

requires a source of fluorine gas or chlorine trifluoride.

7.3. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UO

to UO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UO

to UO

can be performed through reduction of UO

with cracked

ammonia gas or hydrogen.

7.4. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UO

to UF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UO

to UF

can be performed by reacting UO

with hydrogen fluoride gas

(HF) at 300-500

7.5. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF

to UF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UF

to UF

is performed by exothermic reaction with fluorine in a tower

reactor. UF

is condensed from the hot effluent gases by passing the effluent stream

through a cold trap cooled to -10

C. The process requires a source of fluorine gas.

7.6. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF

to U metal

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UF

to U metal is performed by reduction with magnesium (large batches)

or calcium (small batches). The reaction is carried out at temperatures above the melting

point of uranium (1130

C).

7.7. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF

to UO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UF

to UO

can be performed by one of three processes. In the first, UF

is reduced and hydrolyzed to UO

using hydrogen and steam. In the second, UF

hydrolyzed by solution in water, ammonia is added to precipitate ammonium

diuranate, and the diuranate is reduced to UO

with hydrogen at 820

C. In the third

process, gaseous UF

, CO

, and NH

are combined in water, precipitating ammonium

uranyl carbonate. The ammonium uranyl carbonate is combined with steam and hydrogen

at 500-600

C to yield UO

to UO

conversion is often performed as the first stage of a fuel fabrication plant.

7.8. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF

to UF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Conversion of UF

to UF

is performed by reduction with hydrogen.