ML18218A256

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Letter Submitting Amendment 12 to Facility License No. R-103 for the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) Located at Columbia, Missouri
ML18218A256
Person / Time
Site: University of Missouri-Columbia
Issue date: 07/05/1979
From: Reid R
Research and Test Reactors Licensing Projects Branch
To: Brugger R
Univ of Missouri - Columbia
Wertz G, NRR/DLP, 415-0893
References
Download: ML18218A256 (15)
v • d • e


Text

.. ~.

L,ICENSE AurHOR,n. FJL! - ~

  • WASHINGTON, D, C. 20666 July 5, 1979 Docket No. 50-186 Dr. Robert M. Brugger, Director Research Reactor Facility University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, Missouri 65201

Dear Dr. Brugger:

--- The Commission has issued the enclosed Amendment No. 12 to Facility License No. R-103 for the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) located at Columbia, Missouri. This amendment consists of changes to the Technical Specifications in partial response to your application dated February 15, 1977, as supplemented by letter dated March 27, 1978, and staff discussions.

ihe amendment changes the limitations on gaseous radioactivity release specified in Section 3.7.a of the Technical Specifications

  • Your request to change the limitations on fueled experiments, which was included in the February 15, 1977 submittal, was authorized by Amendment No. 8 issued February 24, 1978. This amendment, therefore, completes our action on your February 15, 1977-submittal.

Copies of the related Safety Evaluation/Environmental Impact Appraisal and Negative Declaration are also enclosed.

Sincerely, c;;z:µ_ ,j,1. Q;J Robert W. Reid, Chief Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Operating Reactors

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 12
2. Safety Evaluation/Environmental Impact Appraisal
3. Negative Declaration cc w/enclosures: See next page

-~ . . - - ........

  • University of Missouri cc w/enclosure(s):

University of Missouri Dr. Don M. Alger Associate Director Research Reactor Facility Columbia, Missouri 65201 cc w/enclosure(s) and incoming dtd.: 2/15/77 & 3/27/78 A-95 Coordinator Division of Planning Office of Administration P.a. Box 809, State Capitol Bldg.

Jefferson City, Missouri 65101

  • UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 205!5&

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI DOCKET NO. 50-186 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH REACTOR AMENDMENT TO FACILITY LICENSE Anencinent No. 12 License No. R-103

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Comnission (the C011111ission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment by the University of Missouri (the licensee) dated February 15, 1977, as supplemented March 27, 1978, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act) and the Conmission's rules and regulations set forth 1n 10 CFR

  • Chapter I; B. The facility will operate 1n confon11ity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Camrf ss1on; C. There is reasonable assurance (1) that the activities authorized by th1s amendment can be-conducted without endangering the health and safety of the pub11c. and (i1) that such activ1t1es will be conducted in compliance with the Colllniss1on's regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the conman defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; E. The issuance of this amendment is 1n accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Conmission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied: and F. Publication of notice of this amendment is not required since it does not involve a significant hazards consideration nor amendment of a license of the type described in 10 CFR Section
2. 106 (a )( 2 ) *

-* I 'I

  • 2.

Accordingly, the license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the attachment to this license amendment, and paragraph 3.8 of Facility License No. R-103 is hereby amended to read as follows:

e. Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 12, are .
  • hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.
3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2~rJi;tQJ Robert W. Reid, Chief Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Operating Reactors

Attachment:

Changes to the Technical Specifications Date of Issuance: July 5, 1979

~-~-

  • ATTACHMENT TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO. 12 FACILITY LICENSE NO. R-103 DOCKET NO. 50-186 Replace the following page of the Appendix 11 A11 Technical Specifications with the attached revised page. The revised page is identified by amendment number and contains a vertical line indicating the area of.

change.

Page 3.7 page 1 of 2

TECHNICAL SPECIFECATION UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH REACTOR FACILITY Number Page 1

3. 7 of 2 Date~y 5, 1979 SU BJ ECT: __P_a_c_il_i_ty.._G_as_e_ous

__and__P_art_i_cu_l_a_t_e_Ra_di_*_oac_t_iv_i_*ty~-Re_l_e_a_se_ __

Applicability This specification applies to the release of gaseous and particulate

- activity fTOm the facility exhaust stack.

Objective The objective of this specifie;ation is to assure that exposure to the public !esulting from radioactivity released to the atmosphere from the research reactor will not exceed t.lie l:imits of 10 CFR Part ZO.

Specification

a. The maxmmi stack discharge rate shall not e."<:ce~ the following:

Max. Concentration Max:. Controlled

- Type of to be Averaged Over Instantaneous Release Radioactivity One Year ConcentratiorI Particulates and halogens with half lives greater than 8 days MPC MPC All other radioactive isotopes 350 MPC 3500 MPC MPC = Max:inrum Pennissible Concentntion as*lis'ted in Appendix B, Table II, Column I cf Part 20 of* the Ccmnission' s Regtµ.aticns

  • Amendment No. 12
  • UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D. C. 20555 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTil~ll AMENDMENT NO. 12 TO LlCEtlSE rrn.

UHIVERSITY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH REACTOR UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - COLUMBIA DOCKET NO. SU-186 Introduction By letter dated February 15, 1977, as supplemented by letters dated March 27, 1978 and March 16, 1979, the University of Missouri - Columbia (the licensee) proposed an amendment to Technical Specification 3.7.a appended to Facility Operating License No. R-103 for the University of .

Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). The proposed amendnent would change the limitations on gaseous radioactive releases from the research reac-tor facility.

  • Discussion
  • The licensee has stated that by increasing operation from 9U to lUO hours per week at a 10 Megawatt power level to near continuous operation, the resulting increased total activity released from the facility exhaust stack will bring the yearly averaged release concentration of Argon-41 close to the present Technical Specification 3.7.a limit of l5U times the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) as given in Appendix B, Table II, Column I to 10 CFR Part 20, when averaged over a year. S-'i nee September 1977, the 1i-censee has reduced the Argon-41 releases by removing a pneumatic tube test facility from service in order to meet the present Technical Specification 3.7.a during continuous operation. The licensee considered that Technical Specification 3.7.a was unnecessarily restrictive, and proposed to amena this specification to limit the maximum concentration for all raaioactive materials in gaseous effluents (noble gases, tritium, particulates and halogens) from the facility exhaust stack to lUUU times MPC, when averaged over a 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> period. In a letter dated August 4, 1977, the NRC requested additional information to support this proposed amendment. On March 27, 1978, the licensee submitted the additional information on: (1) the bases for the proposed change, (2) the stack monitor, (3) a summary of yearly stack releases and ( 4) changes in facility operation that would have impact on the gaseous effluents.

By letter dated March 16, 1979, the licensee submitted additional information on the proposed change to Technical Specification 3.7.a. The licensee com-mitted to place TLD monitoring stations at the following locations around his facility: one station on each of four outside walls of the reacto~ building, four stations at a distance of appoximately lSu meters from the building (the prevailing wind direction and 90°, 180° and 27U~ from this direction),

  • one station at Dalton Research Center in the Research Park area and one station on University of Missouri property near the nearest resiaence. The
  • licensee estimated that the annual exposure from gaseous effluents at pres-ent operating levels (1800 Curies Argon 41 per year) is 32.2 mrem per year total body dose at the nearest residence. Thi.s residence is 76U meters from the reactor building based on an aerial photograph measurement. The licensee provided data from his environmental monitoring program on concen-trations of Argon 41 in the air at the side of the reactor building downwind of the stack. The concentrations of Argon 41 in the air were measured to oe half the maximum pennissible concentration MPC for Argon 41 in air in Table II to Appendix B to 10 ~FR Part 20 for unrestricted areas. The minimum level of detection for Argon 41 for these measurements was less than the measured concentration for Argon 41. Additional measurements of concentrations of Ar-gon 41 at 75 meters from the reactor building which is within the exclusion boundagY were less than the minimum level of detection for the measurements (4xl0- 'µCi/cc).* This is one tenth of an MPC of Argon 41 in air in unrestricted areas. These measurements were made while the reactor was at full power (i.e.,

10 megawatts).

Safety Evaluation

consisted of the following: (1) a review of the information proviaea by the licensee in his February 15, 1977, March 27, 1978, and the MURR - Reactor Op-erations Annual Report 1977-78, September 1978 submittals, (2) a review.of the radioactive waste treatment and effluent control systems descrioea in the licensee's Hazard Sunnnary Report (HSR), including amendments through September l!:178, and (3) a review of the methodology used to calculate an annual average

_ relative concentration (X/Q) applicable to the MURR site at Columoia, Missouri.

We found that the proposed Technical Specification 3.7.a to limit the maximum concentration for all radioactive material in gaseous effluents from the faci 1i ty exhaust stack to 1000 times MPC, when averaged over a 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> period, would exceed the limits of 10 CFR Part 2U.1U6a and, therefore, was un-acceptable. The staff considered an alternate change that is evaluated below.

During normal and anticipated operational occurrences, the gaseous effluents from the MURR are monitored and released via the facility exhaust stack.

Table l provides a summary of the operating experience for the MURR, indicating the radioactive gaseous effluents reported during six years of operation, July 1972 through June 1978. The principal radionuclide in gaseous effluent is Argon-41 (greater than 99%) and the principal radionuclide in liquid effluents is tritium (greater than 99%). Argon-41 is generated by neutron activation of air, and tritium by the neutron activation of deuterium in the cooling water.

The amount of Argon-41 and tritium released from the facility is ai,rectly

  • proportional to the power generated by the reactor. For comparison, we calculated the Argon-41 and tritium annual releases based on effective full power days. As shown in Table 1, the tritium releases are expected to stabilize at approximately 0.1 curies per effective full power day, as a result of the increased operating capacity. Table 1 also shows that the licensee has acted to reduce the Argon-41 releases from the facility, based on the reduction from 8.26 curies to 6.28 curies per effective full power day during the past years. We conclude that the licensee is making a reasonable effort to maintain releases of radioactive materials in gaseous effluents as low as is reasonably achievable, pursuant to 10 CFR Pa rt 20. 1 (c).

We used meteorological data collected at the Callaway Plant, Units Nos. 1 and 2, located near Fulton, Missouri, approximately 30 miler east of the MURR site. These data were collected between May 5, 1973 and May 4, 1975, and are reasonably representative of long-tenn conditions expected at the MURR site. The highest offsite annual average relative concentration (X/Q) value was calculated by the staff to be 3xl0-4 seconds per cubic meter at a distance of 150 meters from the MURR facility. This is the exclusion bound-ary at the MURR facility which is described in the MURR Safety Evaluation, Amendment No. 8, dated February 8, 1978.

We calculated that the maximum concentration in the facility exhaust stack discharge for all radioactive isotopes other than particulates and halogens with half-lives greater than 8 days should not be greater than 350 times MPC, when averaged over one year. The value of 350 is the average di-lution factor that would reduce the maximum calculated annual average concen-tration of Argon-41 at the exclusion boundary to one MPC for the unrestricted area. The release rate is based on an annual flow rate of ~.63 cubic meters per s~cond from the facility exhaust stack as provided in Addendum 2 to the Hazard Summary Report, dated May 1966, for the MURR.

The unrestricted area for the MURR facility is that area outside the walls of the reactor building. The licensee has measured the concentration of Argon-41 at the side of the building downwind of the stack at roof level while operating at full power. Based on these measurements, the maximum concentra-tion in the stack discharge for Argon-41 should not be greater than 380 times MPC for the concentration of Argon-41 in the unrestricted area to be less than one MPC. This is based on 6.28 curies of Argon-41 per effective full power day. Based on this, we conclude that a gaseous concentration in the facility exhaust stack for all radioactive isotopes other than partic-ulates and halogens with half-lives greater than 8 days that does r,ot exceed

  • 350.times MPC, when averaged over one year, should meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20.106(a). Because the measurements of Argon-41 were made at.normal wind conditions without the wind speed or wind stability class being measured, we have asked the licensee to place TLUs around the fa-ci lit~ to measure the annual dose from Argon-41 rel ea sea from the facility.

The licensee ~as agreed to place four TLDs around the reactor building; four at the exclusion boundary, one at Dalton Research Center and one on Univer-sity of Missouri property near the nearest residence. The TLDs will be lo-cated about.on~ meter above the ~round and will be replaced quarterly. If these TL~s. 1nd~cate that.the max~mum concentrations of Argon 41 in Techni-cal Specification 3.7.a is too high to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20.106(a) the Specification will be revised. The licensee will include the measured annual dose from Argon-41 from these TLDs in his Annual Report to NRC.

In ?d~ition, we calculated that the instantaneous concentration of the facility exhaust stack for all radioactive isotopes other than particulates and ha~ogens with half-lives greater than 8 days should not be greater than 3500 times MPC at any time. This limiting condition for operation provides reasonable assurance that radiation* levels to an individual in the unre-stricted area, at or beyond the exclusion boundary, will not be exposed to a whole body dose at any time exceeding the limitations of 10 CFR Part 20.105 while providing the licensee operational flexibility for unusual operating conditions *

  • The MURR research reactor is located about 0.5 miles south of the southern border
  • of the residential area of Columbia, Missouri. Between 0.5 and 1.0 mile from the reactor facility are approximately 5,700 people of the 58,000 people of Columbia. This is taken from Sectton 5.0 in Addendum 3 dated August 1972 to the MURR Hazards Summary Report and based on the 1970 population census. We have esti-mated the radiation exposure to the total population of Columbia from the reactor's present operations to be about 10 man-rem/year. Based on an *.estimated present population census, the radiation exposure may be about double the above 10 man-rem/

year or 20 mai-rem/year. This small amount of exposure is a minute fraction of the exposure tothe population from background radiation and does not seem to warrant any additional efforts by the licensee to ieduce radioactive releases from the facility.

Since the anticipated population dose is calculated so small, we will only require the licensee to perform confirmatory calculations based upon records of exposure to tLD's placed around the facility over an operating year and a more accurate up-to-date descrf.ption of the population density out to 10 miles from the reactor facility, including Columbia, Missouri. Beyond thelO miles distance the short-lived Argon-41 has decayed and been dispersed to insignificant concentrations in the air. The licensee, based on the confirmatory calculated radiation exposure to the population, is to determine .if any additional changes to the facility are economically warranted using the $1,000 per man-rem (Section II.D of Appendix I to 10 CFR Part 50) for the societal cost of radiation exposure reductjon. Tne results of this value/impact assessment is to be provided to the staff for review

  • and approval .

-* - ~ -

Based on the above, we have concluded that the licensee's proposed Tech-nical Specification 3.7.a is not acceptable. The licensee has not provided data to justify increasing the present limits in Technical Specification 3.7.a for particulates and halogens with half-lives greater than 8 days. Technical Specification 3.7.a for all other radioactive iso-topes should be amended to increase the maximum release concentration to be averaged over one year from 250 times MPC to 350 times MPC and the maximum instantaneous release concentration from 2500 times MPC .to_ 3500 times MPC, at any time, as discussed in the evaluation above. '*le discussed these changes with the licensee, and the licensee has agreed to these modi-fications.

Conclusfon The staff has concluded, based on the considerations discussed aoove, that:

(1) because the change does not involve a significant increase in the prob-ability or consequences of accidents previously considered and does not in-volve a significant decrease in a safety margin, the change does not involve a significant hazards consideration, (2) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be enaangered by operation in the proposed manner, and (3) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's requlations and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the he.11th and safety of the public

  • Environmental Impact Appraisal We have determined that the amendment modified by the staff and agreed to by the licensee does not authorize a change in effluent type nor an increase in power level. As described above, the amendment would allow an increase in the maximum annual concentration of Argon-41 in the stack discharges from 250 times MPC to 350 times MPC (i.e., from 3037 to 4252 curies of Argon-41 per year). Argon-41 is the principal isotope released in gaseous effluents from MURR. We calculated the annual average relative concentration (X/Q) for continuous stack releases and ground-level conditions to the nearest residence at 760 meters from the stack to be 2.4xlo-5 sec/m3. Based on the methodology provided in Regulatory Guide 1.109 (Rev. 1), we~~lculated Jhat an __ _

individual located_ at the nearest r~sidence _wou.lueceive an annua-1-average dose of 13 mrem per year total body based on the oresent releas~s of Argon-41 from MURR (i.e., 1925 curies per year for 1977 to 1978). The licen-see calculated a dose rate of 32.2 mrem total Dody per year based on 1800 cur-ies of Argon-41 released per year which is what they expect for their present operations. The change to Technical Specification 3.7.a would allow the li-censee to release up to 4250 curies of Argon-41 per year. This would De an annua 1 average dose to an i ndivi dua 1 at the nearest residence of 2Y mrem per year total body. We would expect, on present operations, that the MURR facil-ity would not release more than 3015 curies of Argon-41 per year. This is based on 100% continuous operation at full power for the year and ~.Gb curies of Argon-41 releases per effective full power day. The present operation is only at 6.28 curies of Argon-41 per effective full power days. At 3015 curies of Argon-41 per year, the annual average dose to an individual at the nearest

residence is 21 mrem total oody per year. By comparison, the concentration lim-its of 10 CFR Part 20 require that an individual located in the unrestrictea area be limited to a total body dose less than 500 mrem/yr. The staff has also calculated the annual average relative concentration (X/Q) for continuous stack release and ground level conditions to the Dalton Research Center at 350 meters from the stack to be 8.0 x 10-5 sec/m3.

Compared to the X/Q value calculated at the nearest residence location, this is higher by a factor of 3.3. However, the potential increase in dose to personnel at the Dalton Research Center is offset by a shorter occupancy time at the location (i~e., a decrease by a factor of 4 when considering a 40-hour workweek compared to a 168-hour residence occupancy time). The staff, therefore, concludes that the annual average dose to personnel at the Dalton Research Center is not signi-ficantly different from those analyzed above for an individual at the nearest residence location. Although the amendment allows .up to 40%

increase in the amount of Argon-41 released, the increased dose impact resulting from this change will be a small fraction (less than 2%) of the dose limitations of 10 CFR Part 2~.1C5.

Conclusion and Basis for Negative Declaration on the basts of the foregoing evaluation, it is concluded that there.would be no significant environmental impact attributable to the proposea action. ~av-ing made this conclusion, the Commission has further concluded that no envi-ronmental impact statement for the proposed action need be prepared and that a negative declaration to this effect is appropriate.

Dated: July 5, 1979

  • Tab 1e 1

SUMMARY

0~ OPERATHJG EXPERirnCE FOR THE UN I VERSiiY OF l*il SSOUR I RESEARCH REACTOR (tiURR}

DOCKET NO. 50-186 Gaseous Effluent Reiease Data (in Curies/year)a Radioactive July 1972- July 1973- July 1974- July 1975- July 1976- July 1977-Waste June 1973 June 1974 June 1975 June 1976 June 1977 June 1978 Total Noble Gases 1055 970 1790 1734 1734 1925 (A-41)

Total Iodine-131 <4 X 10-4 2.4 X 10 -3 1.6 X 10 -3 8 X 10-4 1.3 X 10 -3 Total Hal oaens <0.01 <0.006 0.006 0.016 0.11 Total Particulates <0.006 0.001 <0.001 <0. 001 0.002 Total Tritium 1.8 3.6 4.8 26.24 Facility Operating Conditions Maximum .Thennal 5 5 10 ' 10 10 10

  • Power (MWt)

Annual Megawatt Days 1047 Facility Operating Capacity A-41 Releases (curies per 0.57 5.04 960

  • 0.53 5.05 2168 0.59 8.26b 2100 0.58 8.26 2100 0.57 8.26 3065 0.84 6.28c Effective Full Power Day)

Tritium Releases 0.008 0.017 0.023 0.086 (curies per Eff-ective Full Power Day) a - Reactor Operations Annual Report for MURR, July 1977 to June 1978 (Docket

- No. 50-186) and a summary of MURR airborne releases provided by letter, dated March 27, 1978.

b - Increase due to increasing the power level.

c - Decr~ase due to removing a pneumatic tube frcxn service.

--* -.......;_~

7590-0l UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NEGATIVE DECLARATION REGARDING AMENDMENT TO FACILITY LICENSE NO. R-103 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI DOCKET NO. 50-186 The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comnission (the Comnission) has issued Amendment No. 12 to Facility License Ho. R-103 issued to the University of Missouri (the licensee), which revised Technical Specifications for operation of the University of Missouri Research

  • Reactor (the facility) located in Columbia, Missouri.

The amendment revises the provisions in the Technical Specifications relating to limitations on gaseous radioactivity release, in accordance with the licensee's application for amendment dated February 15, 1977, as supplemented March 27, 1978.

The Commission has prepared an environmental impact appraisal for the amendment and has concluded that an environmental impact statement for this particular action is not warranted because there will be no significant environmental impact attributable to the action.

The environmental impact appraisal is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room. 1717 H Street, N. W., Washington, O.C. A copy may be obtained upon request addressed

7590-01 to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Conmission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Attention: Director, Division of Operating Reactors.

Dated at Bethesda, Maryland, this 5th day of July 1979 .

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

  • z.,,1v1MCJ;/

Robert w. Reid, Chief Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Operating Reactors

I
Retrieved from "https://kanterella.com/w/index.php?title=ML18218A256&oldid=2504190"