Authorized fissile materials packages.

(a) Except as provided in § 173.453, fissile materials containing not more than A1 or A2 as appropriate, must be packaged in one of the following packagings:

(1) DOT Specification 6L (§ 178.352 of this subchapter), metal packaging, for materials prescribed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(2) DOT Specification 6M (§ 178.354 of this subchapter), metal packaging, for materials prescribed in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(3) Any packaging listed in § 173.415, limited to the Class 7 (radioactive) materials specified in 10 CFR part 71, subpart C.

(4) Any other Type A or Type B, Type B(U), or Type B(M) packaging for fissile Class 7 (radioactive) materials that also meets the applicable standards for fissile materials in 10 CFR part 71.

(5) Any other Type A or Type B, Type B(U), or Type B(M) packaging that also meets the applicable requirements for fissile material packaging in Section V of the International Atomic Energy Agency “Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, Safety Series No. 6,” (incorporated by reference, see § 171.7 of this subchapter), and for which the foreign competent authority certificate has been revalidated by the U.S. Competent Authority, in accordance with § 173.473. These packages are authorized only for export and import shipments.

(6) A 55-gallon 1A2 steel drum, meeting the applicable packaging testing requirements of subpart M of part 178 of this subchapter at the packing group I performance level, subject to the following conditions:

(i) The quantity may not exceed 350 grams of uranium-235 in any non-pyrophoric form, enriched to any degree in the uranium-235 isotope;

(ii) Each drum must have a minimum 18 gauge body and bottom head and 16 gauge removable top head with one or more corrugations in the cover near the periphery;

(iii) Closure must conform to § 178.352 of this subchapter;

(iv) At least four equally spaced 12 mm (0.5 inch) diameter vent holes must be provided on the sides of the drum near the top, each covered with weatherproof tape; or equivalent device;

(v) Appropriate primary, inner containment of the contents and sufficient packaging material, such as plastic or metal jars or cans, must be provided such that Specification 7A (§ 178.350 of this subchapter) provisions are satisfied by the inner packaging;

(vi) Each inner container must be capable of venting if subjected to the thermal test described in 10 CFR part 71;

(vii) Liquid contents must be packaged in accordance with § 173.412 (j) and (k); and

(viii) The maximum weight of contents, including internal packaging, may not exceed 91 kg (200 pounds) with fissile material content limited as shown in table 2:

Table 2—Fissile Material Content and Transport Index for UN1A2 Package Maximum quantity and minimum transport index U-235 per package(grams) Minimum transport index per package Maximum No. of packages transported as a fissile material controlled shipment 350 1.8 72 300 1.0 129 250 0.5 256 200 0.3 500 150 0.1 500 100 0.1 500 50 (1) (2) 1 Transport index is limited by the external radiation levels. 2 Maximum number is limited by the total transport index.

(7) Any metal cylinder that meets the requirements of § 173.415 and § 178.350 of this subchapter for Specification 7A Type A packaging may be used for the transport of residual “heels” of enriched solid uranium hexafluoride without a protective overpack in accordance with table 3, as follows:

Table 3—Allowable Content of Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6) “Heels” in a Specification 7A Cylinder Maximum cylinder diameter Cm Inches Cylinder volume Liters Cubic feet Maximum uranium-235 enrichment (weight percent) Maximum “Heel” weight per cylinder UF6 kg lb Uranium-235 kg lb 12.7 5 8.8 0.311 100.0 0.045 0.1 0.031 0.07 20.3 8 39.0 1.359 12.5 0.227 0.5 0.019 0.04 30.5 12 68.0 2.410 5.0 0.454 1.0 0.015 0.03 76.0 30 725.0 25.64 5.0 11.3 25.0 0.383 0.84 122.0 48 3,084.0 1108.9 4.5 22.7 50.0 0.690 1.52 122.0 48 4,041.0 2142.7 4.5 22.7 50.0 0.690 1.52 1 10 ton. 2 14 ton.

(8) DOT Specification 20PF-1, 20PF-2, or 20PF-3 (§ 178.356 of this subchapter), or Specification 21PF-1A, 21PF-1B, or 21PF-2 (§ 178.358 of this subchapter) phenolic-foam insulated overpack with snug fitting inner metal cylinders, meeting all requirements of §§ 173.24, 173.410, 173.412, and 173.420 and the following:

(i) Handling procedures and packaging criteria must be in accordance with DOE Report ORO-651 or ANSI N14.1 (incorporated by reference, see § 171.7 of this subchapter).

(ii) Quantities of uranium hexafluoride are authorized as shown in table 6 of this section, with each package assigned a minimum transport index as also shown.

(b) Fissile Class 7 (radioactive) materials with radioactive content exceeding A1 or A2 must be packaged in one of the following packagings:

(1) DOT Specification 6L (§ 178.352 of this subchapter), metal packaging. These packages may contain only uranium-235, plutonium-239, or plutonium-241, as metal, oxide, or compounds that do not decompose at temperatures up to 149 °C (300 °F). Radioactive decay heat output may not exceed 5 watts. Class 7 (radioactive) materials in normal form must be packaged in one or more tightly sealed metal or polyethylene bottles within a DOT Specification 2R (§ 178.360 of this subchapter) containment vessel. Authorized contents are limited in accordance with table 4, as follows:

Table 4—Authorized Contents in Kilograms (kg) and Conditions for Specification 6L Packages Uranium-235 H/X≤31 3 H/X≤10 Plutonium (Plutonium solutions are not authorized) H/X≤10 10 ≤ H/X ≤ 20 Minimum fissile transport index Maximum No. of packages transported as a fissile material control shipment 14 2 3.6 1.3 80 2.5 2.4 1.8 50 1 H/X is the ratio of hydrogen to fissile atoms in their inner containment with all sources of hydrogen in the containment considered. 2 Volume not to exceed 3.6 L.

(2) DOT Specification 6M (§ 178.354 of this subchapter), metal packaging. These packages must contain only solid Class 7 (radioactive) materials that will not decompose at temperatures up to 121 °C (250 °F). Radioactive decay heat output may not exceed 10 watts. Class 7 (radioactive) materials in other than special form must be packaged in one or more tightly sealed metal cans or polyethylene bottles within a DOT Specification 2R (§ 178.360 of this subchapter) containment vessel.

(i) For fissile material with a criticality TI equal to 0.0, packages are limited to the following amounts of fissile Class 7 (radioactive) materials: 1.6 kg of uranium-235; 0.9 kg of plutonium (except that due to the 10-watt thermal decay heat limitation, the limit for plutonium-238 is 0.02 kg); and 0.5 kg of uranium-233. The maximum ratio of hydrogen to fissile material may not exceed three, including all of the sources of hydrogen within the DOT Specification 2R containment vessel.

(ii) Maximum quantities of fissile material and other restrictions for materials with a criticality TI of greater than 0.0 are given in table 5. The minimum transport index to be assigned per package and, for fissile material, controlled shipments, the allowable number of similar packages per conveyance and per transport vehicle are shown in table 5. Where a maximum ratio of hydrogen to fissile material is specified in table 5, only the hydrogen interspersed with the fissile material must be considered. For a uranium-233 shipment, the maximum inside diameter of the inner containment vessel may not exceed 12.1 cm (4.75 inches). Where necessary, a tight-fitting steel insert must be used to reduce a larger diameter inner containment vessel specified in § 178.354 of this subchapter to the 12.1 cm (4.75 inch) limit. Table 5 is as follows:

Table 5—Authorized Contents for Specification 6M Packages1 Uranium-2335 Metal or alloy H/X=08 Compounds H/X=0 H/X≤3 Uranium-2354, 7 Metal or alloy H/X=0 Compounds H/X=0 H/X≤3 Plutonium2, 3, 4 Metal or alloy H/X=0 Compounds H/X=0 H/X≤3 Minimum transport index Maximum no. pkgs. transported as a fissile material control shipment 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 90.9 90.9 90.9 0 N/A 3.6 4.4 2.9 7.2 7.6 5.3 3.1 4.1 3.4 0.1 1,250 64.2 5.2 3.5 8.7 9.6 6.4 3.4 4.5 4.1 0.2 625 65.2 6.8 4.5 11.2 13.9 8.3 4.2 4.5 0.5 250 13.5 16.0 10.1 4.5 1.0 125 26.0 16.1 5.0 25 32.0 19.5 10.0 12 1 Quantity in kg. 2 Minimum percentage of plutonium-240 is 5 weight percent. 3 4.5 kg limitation of plutonium due to watt decay heat limitation. 4 For a mixture of uranium-235 and plutonium an equal amount of uranium-235 may be substituted for any portion of the plutonium authorized. 5 Maximum inside diameter of specification 2R containment vessel not to exceed 12.1 cm (4.75 inches) (see paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section). 6 Granulated or powdered metal with any particle less than 6.4 mm (0.25 inch) in the smallest dimension is not authorized. 7 Except for material with a criticality TI of 0.0, the maximum permitted uranium-235 enrichment is 93.5 percent. 8 H/X is the ratio of hydrogen to fissile atoms in the inner containment. 9 For Pu-238, the limit is 0.02 kg because of the 10 watt thermal decay heat limitation.

(3) Type B, or Type B(U), or B(M) packaging that meets the standards for packaging of fissile materials in 10 CFR part 71, and is approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and used in accordance with § 173.471.

(4) Type B, B(U), or B(M) packaging that meets the applicable requirements for fissile Class 7 (radioactive) materials in Section V of the IAEA “Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, Safety Series No. 6” (incorporated by reference, see § 171.7 of this subchapter), and for which the foreign competent authority certificate has been revalidated by the U.S. Competent Authority in accordance with § 173.473. These packagings are authorized only for import and export shipments.

(5) DOT Specifications 20PF-1, 20PF-2, or 20PF-3 (§ 178.356 of this subchapter), or DOT Specifications 21PF-1A or 21PF-1B (§ 178.358 of this subchapter) phenolic-foam insulated overpack with snug fitting inner metal cylinders, meeting all requirements of §§ 173.24, 173.410, and 173.412, and the following:

(i) Handling procedures and packaging criteria must be in accordance with DOE Report ORO-651 or ANSI N14.1; and

(ii) Quantities of uranium hexa-fluoride are authorized as shown in table 6, with each package assigned a minimum transport index as also shown:

Table 6—Authorized Quantities of Uranium Hexafluoride Protective overpack specification number Maximum inner cylinder diameter Cm Inches Maximum weight of UF6 contents Kilograms Pounds Maximum U-235 enrichment (weight/ percent) Minimum transport index 20PF-1 12.7 5 25 55 100.0 0.1 20PF-2 20.3 8 116 255 12.5 0.4 20PF-3 30.5 12 209 460 5.0 1.1 21PF-1A 1 or 21PF-1B 1 2 76.0 2 30 2,250 4,950 5.0 5.0 21PF-1A 1 or 21PF-1B 1 376.0 330 2,282 5,020 5.0 5.0 21PF-2 1 2 76.0 2 30 2,250 4,950 5.0 5.0 21PF-2 1 3 76.0 3 30 2,282 5,020 5.0 5.0 1 For 76 cm (30 in) cylinders, the maximum H/U atomic ratio is 0.088. 2 Model 30A inner cylinder (reference ORO-651). 3 Model 30B inner cylinder (reference ORO-651).

[Amdt. 173-244, 60 FR 50307, Sept. 28, 1995, as amended by Amdt. 173-244, 61 FR 20750, May 8, 1996; 65 FR 58630, Sept. 29, 2000; 66 FR 45380, Aug. 28, 2001; 67 FR 61014, Sept. 27, 2002]