Information Notice 1988-08, Chemical Reactions with Radioactive Waste Solification Agents

Chemical Reactions with Radioactive Waste Solification Agents
	ML031150570
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Crane
Issue date:	03/14/1988
From:	Rossi C; Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	;
References
	FOIA/PA-2009-0209 IN-88-008, NUDOCS 8803080148
	Download: ML031150570 (8)
	v • d • e

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

March 14, 1988 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 88-08: CHEMICAL REACTIONS WITH RADIOACTIVE

WASTE SOLIDIFICATION AGENTS

Addressees

All NRC licensees generating or processing low level radioactive waste.

Purpose

This information notice is being provided to alert addressees to potential

problems resulting from unexpected adverse chemical reaction between con- taminants in radioactive wastes and certain solidification agents. It is

expected that recipients.will review the information for applicability to

their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar

problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do

not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written

response is required.-

Discussion:

On May 13 and 20, 1987, radioactive waste personnel at Tennessee Valley Authority's

(TVA's or licensee's) Sequoyah Nuclear Plant began processing their laundry waste

water and hot shower drain tank waste water through the condensate demineralizer

waste evaporator before sampling for discharge. This procedure was new and being

performed to reduce the radioactivity in the liquid waste effluents and to meet

the criterion of "as low as is reasonably achievable" outlined in 10 CFR Part 50

Appendix I, which addresses-the control of radioactive materials in gaseous and

liquid effluents. Previously, only batches found to be in excess of discharge

limits were processed before being released.

The condensate demineralizer evaporator bottoms were placed in a radioactive

waste liner and were then solidified on site by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc.

(CNSI) following a process control program (PCP) formulated by CNSI.

As the

waste was being mixed with CNSI's proprietary defoaming agent (N-24) and so- lidification agent (P-20), the mixture experienced an exothermic reaction in

which the temperature of the waste exceeded 240'F. This temperature was above

the boiling point of the mixture and it began to expand, overflowing the liner

through the fill head and inspection plate and over the side of the container.

This overflow then hardened and had to be chipped away. The maximum dose rate

of the overflow was 3 rem per hour.

The licensee and Chem-Nuclear conducted studies to determine the cause of the

problem. Through followup testing, CNSI identified that a detergent in the

IN 88-08 March 14, 1988 waste reacted violently with the CNSI solidification agent, undergoing a reaction

as the temperature of the mixture reached 218 0F. No other material within the

waste stream, including other detergents, was found to have any reaction with

the solidification agent. The specific detergent, an industrial liquid laundry

detergent sold as DECON 4324-NP under the brand name Turco, had been used in

laundering the licensee's protective clothing. The change in the method of han- dling the liquid waste from the laundry increased the volume and concentration

of the detergent in the evaporator bottoms. The licensee has stopped using the

detergent and has experienced no similar problems. TVA plans additional studies

to identify which chemicals in the detergent cause this reaction.

Licensees are reminded of the importance that waste be processed strictly in ac- cordance with the approved PCP developed for the specific waste stream substances

to be solidified. Some mixtures of waste contaminants and solidification agents

may react adversely with one another. These reactions may not be noticeable

during the specimen tests performed before the actual solidification occurs;

therefore, it is important to be alert to variances in solidification parameters

specified by PCPs, such as increasing temperature of the mixture and reduced

amount of solidification agent required to fill the liner or other container.

Additional considerations appropriate for solidifying evaporator bottoms and

ion-exchange resins are discussed in NUREG/CR-4601, "Technical Considerations

Affecting Preparation of Ion-Exchange Resins for Disposal," issued in May 1986 by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

h/aies E. Rossl 1Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts:

Roy Weddington, RI!

(404) 331-2604

Jaime Guillen, NRR

(301) 492-1153 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment -

IN 88-08.:.

I

March 14, 1988 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

-NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

Subject

Issuance

Issued to

88-07

88-06

88-05

88-04

88-03

Inadvertent Transfer of

Licensed Material to

Uncontrolled Locations

Foreign Objects in Steam

Generators

Fire in Annunciator Control

Cabinets

Inadequate Qualification

and Documentation of Fire

Barrier Penetration Seals

Cracks in Shroud Support

Access Hole Cover Welds

Lost or Stolen Gauges

Safety InJection Pipe

Failure

Broken External Closure

Springs on Atwood & Morrill

Main Steam Isolation Valves

Lessons Learned from

Regional Inspections of

Licensee Actions in Response

to IE Bulletin 80-11

3/7/88

2/29/88

2/11/88

2/5/88

2/2/88

1/27/88

1/11/88

12/31/87

All NRC broad licensees

and licensees authorized

to possess byproduct

material as sealed

sources in teletherapy

units or "self-contained"

irradiators.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for PWRs.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for BWRs.

All NRC licensees

authorized to possess

gauges under a

specific or general

license.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

88-02

88-01

86-81, Supp. 1

87-67 OL

0

Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 88-08 March 14, 1988 waste reacted violently with the CNSI solidification agent, undergoing a reaction

as the temperature of the mixture reached 2180F. No other material within the

waste stream, including other detergents, was found to have any reaction with

the solidification agent. The specific detergent, an industrial liquid laundry

detergent sold as DECON 4324-NP under the brand name Turco, had been used in

laundering the licensee's protective clothing. The change in the method of han- dling the liquid waste from the laundry increased the volume and concentration

of the detergent in the evaporator bottoms. The licensee has stopped using the

detergent and has' experienced no similar problems. TVA plans additional studies