Standard Practice for Sampling of Gaseous Enriched Uranium Hexafluoride

Importancia y uso:

5.1 The standard method for obtaining a representative UF₆ sample from a cylinder involves sampling from the liquid phase. Material homogeneity is primarily assessed based on the uranium isotope content, which serves as the key indicator. However, the representativeness of a sample with respect to other indicators—such as highly volatile impurities (for example, boron fluoride, silicon fluoride, and organic compounds) or impurities that form non-volatile fluorides—may be limited due to the differing physical properties of these substances compared to UF₆. Despite these limitations, liquid-phase sampling remains widely used for product quality control. For guidance on proper procedures, refer to Practice C1052 for UF₆ liquid-phase sampling.

5.2 Uranium hexafluoride is normally produced and handled in large (typically 1 ton to 14 ton) quantities and must, therefore, be characterized by reference to representative samples (see ISO 7195). The samples are used to determine compliance with the applicable commercial Specification C996. The quantities involved, physical properties, chemical reactivity, and hazardous nature of UF₆ are such that for representative sampling, specially designed equipment must be used and operated in accordance with the most carefully controlled and stringent procedures. This practice can be used by UF₆ enrichers to review the effectiveness of existing procedures or as a guide to the design of equipment and procedures for future use.

5.3 It is emphasized that this practice is not meant to address conventional or nuclear criticality safety issues.

Subcomité:

C26.02

Referida por:

C1962-25, C1934-25, C0996-20R25, C1689-21, C1689-21

Volúmen:

12.01

Número ICS:

27.120.30 (Fissile materials and nuclear fuel technology)

Palabras clave:

bulk sampling; nuclear material; uranium hexafluoride;