Information Notice 1996-51, Residual Contamination Remaining in Krypton-85 Handling System After Venting

Residual Contamination Remaining in Krypton-85 Handling System After Venting

ML031060072
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, Three Mile Island, 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, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	09/11/1996
From:	Cool D NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-96-051, NUDOCS 9609050281
Download: ML031060072 (6)

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UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

WASHINGTON, DC 20555 September 11. 1996 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 96-51: RESIDUAL CONTAMINATION REMAINING IN

KRYPTON-85 HANDLING SYSTEM AFTER VENTING

Addressees

All material licensees.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is issuing this information notice to

make licensees aware of a possible contamination problem in krypton-85 (Kr-85)

handling systems. It is expected that recipients will review the information

for applicability to their facilities, to ensure that this information is

considered when decommissioning one of these systems. However, suggestions

contained in this information notice are not NRC requirements: therefore, no

specific action nor written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

Recently, NRC was informed of several cases where a licensee found residual

contamination remaining in some components of Kr-85 handling systems after the

standard decommissioning process. Although these incidents only involved Kr-

85, the inherent concerns extend to all gas handling systems that subject a

radioactive gas to vacuum/pressure cycling.

The current process for cleaning these systems during decommissioning is to

flush and vent them until the readings from the exhausted air are below

release limits. The readings on the outside of the components of the system

are also checked to make sure that they are below acceptable limits.

During cleaning and decommissioning of some of these systems, it has been

reported that a varnish-like residue has been found on the inside of some of

the system components (i.e., storage tank and the compressors). The residue

is probably the result of the oils and dust in the system plating on the

inside of the components through the repeated vacuum and pressure cycles.

This residue is not removed by the flushing process currently used to clean

the systems. It has been reported that several of the commonly used solvents

have been tried, but that the residue was not easily removed. The residue can

be removed by exposing the internal surfaces of the components and scraping

the residue. Residues containing up to 29.6 gigabecquerels (800 millicuries)

have been reported. Due to the low levels of gamma radiation emitted by Kr-85 and the robust construction of the air storage tank and other components, the

presence of the residue is not detectable by measurements of the outside of

the components.

9609050281 01

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IN 96-51 September 11, 1996 Discussion

There is a concern that systems released as "cleaned" under the current

decommissioning procedures may still contain the residue and be released into

the scrap stream for later reuse. In particular, there is a concern that the

components could be later cut up. exposing the Kr-85 residue or that the

storage tank may be reused as a tank or pressurization chamber.

Licensees decommissioning or receiving these systems, or components from these

systems, should be aware of the potential for residual contamination, and take

action appropriately.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contact: tlichele Burgess, NMSS

(301) 415-5868

-mail: mlb5@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

,,>F2' t4&- I-

IN 96-51 September 11. 1996 Discussion

There is a concern that systems released as "cleaned' under the current

decommissioning procedures may still contain the residue and be released into

the scrap stream for later reuse. In particular, there is a concern that the

components could be later cut up, exposing the Kr-85 residue or that the

storage tank may be reused as a tank or pressurization chamber.

Licensees decommissioning or receiving these systems, or components from these

systems, should be aware of the potential for residual contamination, and take

action appropriately.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, Please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contact: Michele Burgess, NMSS

(301) 415-5868 Email: mlb5@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: 96-51.IN

• see previous concurrences E - Copy with attachmentlenclosure N - No copy

To receive a copy of this document, hIdicate In the box: IC' - Copy without attachment/enclosure

OFFICE IMAB IjIMAB IMAB IMOB IMNS

NAME MBurgess/mb* SBaggett* LCamper* JPiccone DCool

DATE 08/ /96 08/ /96 08/ /96 08/ /96 08/ /96 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Attachment 1 IN 96-51 September 11. 1996 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

96-47 Recordkeeping, Decommis- 08/19/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

sioning Notifications for Commission licensees

Disposals of Radioactive

Waste by Land Burial

Authorized Under Former

10 CFR 20.304. 20.302.

and Current 20.2002

96-35 Failure of Safety Systems 06/11/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

on Self-Shielded Irradia- Commission irradiator

tors Because of Inadequate licensees and vendors

Maintenance and Training

96-33 Erroneous Data from Defec- 05/224/96 All material and fuel cycle

tive Thermocouple Results licensees that monitor tem- in a Fire perature with thermocouples

96-28 Suggested Guidance Relat- 05/01/96 All material and fuel cycle

ing to Development and licensees

Implementation of Correc- tive Action

96-21 Safety Concerns Related 04/10/96 All NRC Medical Licensees

to the Design of the Door authorized to use brachy- Interlock Circuit on therapy sources in high- Nucletron High-Dose Rate and pulsed-dose-rate remote

and Pulsed Dose Rate

Remote Afterloading Brachy- therapy Devices

96-20 Demonstration of Associ- 04/04/96 All industrial radiography

ated Equipment Compliance licensees and radiography

with 10 CFR 34.20 equipment manufacturers

96-18 Compliance With 10 CFR 03/25/96 All material licensees

Part 20 for Airborne authorized to possess and

Thorium use thorium in unsealed form

96-04 Incident Reporting 01/10/96 All Radiography Licensees

Requirements for and Manufacturers of

Radiography Licensees Radiography Equipment

<-I

Attachment 2 IN 96-51 September 11, 1996 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

96-50 Problems with 09/04/96 All holders of OLs and CPs

Levering-In Devices for nuclear power plants

in Westinghouse

Circuit Breakers

96-49 Thermally Induced 08/20/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

pressurization of for nuclear power reactors

of Nuclear Power

facility Piping

96-48 Motor-Operated Valve 08/21/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Performance Issues for nuclear power reactors

96-47 Recordkeeping, Decommis- 08/19/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

sioning Notifications for Commission licensees

Disposals of Radioactive

Waste by Land Burial

Authorized Under Former

10 CFR 20.304. 20.302.

and Current 20.2002

96-46 Zinc Plating of Hardened 08/12/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Metal Parts and Removal for nuclear power reactors

of Protective Coatings

in Refurbished Circuit

Breakers

96-45 Potential Common-Mode 8/12/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Post-Accident Failure of for nuclear power reactors

Containment Coolers

96-44 Failure of Reactor 8/05/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Trip Breaker from Cracking for nuclear power reactors

of Phenolic Material in

secondary contact assembly

96-43 Failures of General 08/02/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Electric Magne-Blast for nuclear power reactors

Circuit Breakers

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

<2 Distribution:

SSSS r/f -SSD-7Zv DRAT ticket # 5410

FCombs. IMNS JPiccone, IMOB KRamsey, IMOB

IfA';

DOCUMENT NAME: C:\SSSS\KRIN.IN ,,A X,&

To receive a copy of this document, indicate In the box: 'C = Copy without attachment ernclosure 'E" = Copy with attachment;enclosure N' = No copy

OFFICE IMAB [ IMAB I IMA , I I IMNS I

NAME MBurgess/mb SBaggett LCa!*qr- DCool

DATE 08/ /96 08/ /96 08/ R; /96 08/ /96 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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