ML092750308
| ML092750308 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000925 (SNM-0928) |
| Issue date: | 08/19/1968 |
| From: | Wuller G Kerr-McGee Corp |
| To: | Low L US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8502090311 | |
| Download: ML092750308 (2) | |
Text
l KERR-MCGEE 00YHPORA!9dR KERR+McGEE BUILDING OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73102 August 19, 1968 Mr. L. D.. Low AUG2 2 968 Director, Division of Compliance REGULATon
/
United States Atomic Energy Commission 90I CTION Washington, D. C. 20545
Reference:
Special Nuclear Material Licens o
SNM-9Z8, Docket No.70-925.
Dear Mr.. Low:
In accordance with the provisions of 10CFRZO.405, as applicable to the reference license,. Kerr-McGee Corporation reports on an accidental release of uranium hexafluoride at the Nuclear Division Cimarron Facility.
Notification of the incident was given to Mr. Boyce Grier,. Director of Region III, AEC Division of Compliance, by telephone shortly after the incident and confirmed by telegraph.
Also, the details of the incident have since been related by telephone to Messrs. G. P. Coryell, AEC Compliance Inspector, Region Ill, and William Kenna, District 2 Director, AEC Safeguards Office, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
At about 6:40 p.m. on July 19, 1968, approximately 100.5 pounds of
- 1. 65% enriched uranium hexafluoride as a gas was accidentally lost to the atmosphere at the Cimarron Facility.
The incident consisted of a ground level release through a valve which was inadvertently left open during the startup operation of vaporizing the production feed material from a standard. 12-inch cylinder.
The low enriched uranium was to be fed to a process tank for conversion to ammonium diuranate.
The situation was under complete control by 7:00 p.m. by closing the open valve in the newly installed manifold.
Production activities for the remainder of the facility were essentially uninterrupted.
A cloud of uranyl fluoride formed while the UF6 was being released.
This rapidly dispersed uncontrolled to the outside atmosphere in a northwesterly direction resulting in a release of airborne concentrations 2976
Mr. L.
D. Low Page Two August 19, 1968 of radioactive material in excess of the limits of 10CFR20, Appendix B, Table HI.
It has been calculated that the concentration, averaged over a period of 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />, released to the unrestricted area may have been in the order of about 4 x 10-8 uCi/ml.
Airborne uranium concentrations in the adjacent occupied areas of the UO1 process line averaged 2. 3 x 10- 1ZCi/rml for the Z4 -hour sampling period on July 19.
The UO1 process area is separated from the vaporization area by an outside supporting wall of the building and the release occurred in the building extension to the south.
The vaporizer area no doubt exceeded the maximum permissible concen-tration but the area is normally unoccupied and was not being sampled during the release.
Adequate environmental sampling and testing was conducted subsequent to the incident and included air sampling, surveys for surface contamination, soil and water analysis.
The results have shown that the release of UF 6 had a negligible effect on the environs of the Cimarron Facility.
No property damage resulted from the incident.
There was no overexposure of personnel.
One supervisory employee was given medical treatment for minor skin burns around the exposed neck area which he received during a re-entry to the vaporization area to determine the source of the leak.
Self-contained breathing equipment was worn during re-entry.
Followup urinalysis were conducted and the results substantiate that no overexposure of personnel resulted from the release.
Plant operating procedures have been modified and maintenance check-off procedures have been put into effect to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
No further investigation of the matter is planned.
Please advise should you require any additional information regarding this report.
Very truly yours, KERR-Mc GEE CORPORATION E.Wuller Suclear Division-Staff Engineer License and Regulation GEW:ml cc:
Mr. Boyce H. Grier, Director Region IIl, Division of Compliance U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Mr. Dale McHard, Director Division of Occupational & Radiological Health Oklahoma State Department of Health