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Y-12 criticality alarms function properly in tests

Posted at 2:26 pm January 7, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A Nuclear Materials Corporation GA-6 Radiation Detector. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

Nuclear Materials Corporation GA-6 Radiation Detector (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

 

Alarms designed to detect a nuclear criticality accident at the Y-12 National Security Complex have been tested, and the systems functioned appropriately and as required, the plant said in November.

Y-12 has had a criticality accident alarm system since 1945. A criticality accident would occur if there were an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction. It could result in the release of radiation and significant exposures to nearby workers if the area were not immediately evacuated. It’s something that the plant takes steps to avoid. The alarms are designed to alert workers if there is an accident.

A nuclear criticality alarm at the 811-acre plant, which works on nuclear weapons components and stores highly enriched uranium, has been given credit for helping to save lives in a nuclear criticality accident in 1958. In that case, which was the first process criticality accident in the United States, Y-12 employees immediately evacuated when they heard the alarm.

A report published by Consolidated Nuclear Security, a federal contractor, said the basic design and electronic configuration of the older criticality alarm system installed in Y-12’s existing facilities, with the exception of the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility, date back to 1957. The legacy system has received many upgrades since installation, and detector stations have been removed and relocated as enriched uranium operations have evolved, said the report, titled “Qualification of Y-12 Legacy Criticality Accident Alarm System Detectors.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: American Nuclear Society, CAAS, Chris Haught, Chris Woodrow, CNS, Consolidated Nuclear Security, criticality accident, criticality accident alarm system, DOE Office of Enterprise Assessments, Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility, National Nuclear Security Administration, National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office, Nevada National Security Site, nuclear criticality, nuclear criticality accident, Nuclear Materials Corporation GA-6 detector, Office of Enterprise Assessments, Qualification of Y-12 Legacy Criticality Accident Alarm System Detectors, Troy McMillen, U.S. Department of Energy, uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction, UPF, uranium processing facility, Y-12 National Security Complex

New film on former ORNL Director Weinberg has premiere on April 23

Posted at 2:56 am April 1, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Alvin Weinberg Poster

The world premiere of a new film on the life of former Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Alvin Weinberg will be held on Thursday, April 23, at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge. The film was written and directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker and Oak Ridge resident Keith McDaniel.

Although McDaniel has written and directed more than a dozen documentary films, he is generally best known for his films “Secret City: The Oak Ridge Story” and “The Clinton 12.”

According to McDaniel, the biographical documentary entitled “Alvin Weinberg” explores the life of the internationally renowned nuclear scientist.

“I didn’t know Dr. Weinberg very well although I did interview him a couple of years prior to his death,” McDaniel said. “His was a fascinating life. In making this film, I wanted to not only tell stories of his professional achievements but I also wanted to show what Dr. Weinberg was like as a person.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Movies, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Alvin Weinberg, Alvin Weinberg Memorial Fund, American Museum of Science and Energy, American Nuclear Society, AMSE, Bill Burch, CapitalMark Bank and Trust, Clinton 12, Connor Matthews, Crosland Southeast, Dave Hobson, Dave Reister, documentary, Dr. Seaton Garrett, Fran Silver, Friends of ORNL, Howard Baker, John Auxier, Keith McDaniel, Matt Shafer Powell, Murray Rosenthal, nuclear scientist, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pat Postma, Payson “Rick” Lyon, Ray Wymer, Richard Weinberg, Secret City Films, Secret City: The Oak Ridge Story, Shigeko Uppuluri, Steve Stow, Tennessee Valley Authority, The Alvin Weinberg Memorial Committee, The Clinton 12, Tom Row, UT-Battelle/Oak Ridge National Laboratory

High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL named Nuclear Historic Landmark

Posted at 1:40 pm September 11, 2014
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL

The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

The High Flux Isotope Reactor, or HFIR, now in its 48th year of providing neutrons for research and isotope production at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been designated a Nuclear Historic Landmark by the American Nuclear Society.

“This designation from the ANS recognizes HFIR’s role in the history of the nuclear age, but it also speaks to the excellence of its design and operation,” ORNL Director Thom Mason said. “HFIR remains one of the world’s most capable reactor-based neutron science, radioisotope production, and materials irradiation facilities, and we expect that to continue for many years.”

The designation was proposed by the ANS honors and awards committee and approved on initial ballot by the board of directors.

“The ANS Nuclear Historic Landmark signifies that a nuclear facility has played an important role in nuclear science and engineering,” ANS President Michaele C. Brady Raap said. “HFIR, with its preeminent role in isotope production and neutron science, certainly meets that criteria.”

The reactor was conceived in the late 1950s as a production reactor to meet anticipated demand for transuranic isotopes (“heavy” elements such as plutonium and curium). HFIR today is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility and one of the world’s sole sources of the radioisotope californium-252, used in industry and medicine. ORNL is a DOE lab. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Science, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Nuclear Society, ANS, berkelium-249, californium-252, curium, DOE, element 117, Graphite Reactor, HFIR, High Flux Isotope Reactor, irradiation, isotope production, Michaele C. Brady Raap, Molten Salt Reactor, neutron research, neutron scattering, neutron science, Nuclear Historic Landmark, nuclear reactor, Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Research Reactor, Office of Science, plutonium, Radiochemical Processing Plant, radioisotope, radioisotope production, research, Spallation Neutron Source, Thom Mason, Tower Shielding Reactor, transuranic isotopes, U.S. Department of Energy

K-25 demolition project receives American Nuclear Society award

Posted at 2:45 pm May 27, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

K-25 Building Demolition March 2014

Demolition work at the K-25 Building in west Oak Ridge is complete, and cleanup work is expected to be complete this summer.

 

The successful demolition of a former gaseous diffusion facility in Oak Ridge has been honored by the American Nuclear Society.

The American Nuclear Society’s Decommissioning and Environmental Services Division selected the K-25 demolition project to receive its Project Excellence Award. The K-25 building, located at East Tennessee Technology Park, was built as part of the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. The facility was shut down in 1964 after two decades of producing enriched uranium for defense and commercial purposes. As the massive, mile-long building began deteriorating, its demolition was considered one of the highest priorities for the environmental cleanup program in Oak Ridge.

UCOR, the U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, completed the demolition project on Dec. 19, 2013. The demolition was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

UCOR is a partnership between URS and CH2M Oak Ridge LLC. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, National Nuclear Security Administration, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Nuclear Society, award, CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, Decommissioning and Environmental Services Division, demolition, East Tennessee Technology Park, environmental cleanup, environmental management, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, Jim Kopotic, K-25 demolition, Manhattan Project, Project Excellence, Steve Dahlgren, UCOR, uranium, URS, Wendy Cain

Wisconsin professor, former Nuclear Society president to discuss need for nuclear power in U.S.

Posted at 8:00 am August 5, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Michael Corradini

Michael L. Corradini

The 16th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series continues on Tuesday, Aug. 13, featuring Professor Michael L. Corradini, director of the Wisconsin Energy Institute and past president of the American Nuclear Society. He will discuss “The Need for Nuclear Power in the U.S.”

The event is sponsored by Friends of ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory). It’s free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge. A reception for the speaker starts at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served) in the museum lobby, and his lecture starts at 6:30 p.m. This talk should be of interest to the general public. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Federal, Government, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, American Nuclear Society, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, energy policy, Friends of ORNL, Michael L. Corradini, nuclear engineering, nuclear power, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin Energy Institute

ORNL’s Flanagan elected fellow of American Nuclear Society

Posted at 8:18 am June 24, 2013
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

George Flanagan

George Flanagan

George Flanagan of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been elected fellow of the American Nuclear Society.

The ANS recognized Flanagan’s leadership in the field of nuclear safety, especially in the area of liquid metal reactor safety, space reactor safety, and the safety of smaller research reactors and for the applications of probabilistic risk assessment to reactors. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Tagged With: Advanced Reactor Systems and Safety, American Nuclear Society, ANS, George Flanagan, nuclear safety, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division, U.S. Department of Energy

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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