ML19208D389
| ML19208D389 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Idaho State University |
| Issue date: | 01/28/1974 |
| From: | Muller D US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC) |
| To: | Skovholt D US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19208D378 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909280353 | |
| Download: ML19208D389 (4) | |
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UNITED STATCS n
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D. Skovholt, Assistant Director for Operating Reactors, L 7
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS RECARDINO THE LICENSING OF RESEARCH REACTORS
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AND CRITICAL FACILITIES
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This discussien deals with research reactors and critical facilities which.are d2si;ned to operate at lo.s pcuer levels, 2.Wt and lower, and I are used primarily for basic research in neutren physics, neutron f:_
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radiography, isotope production, e.geri=ents associated with nuclear 47 engineeri:';, training and as a part of the nuclear physics curriculu. i 5..
Operation cf such facilities will generally not exceed a 5 day week, E
t 8 hour9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> day or ab ut 2007 hours0.0232 days <br />0.558 hours <br />0.00332 weeks <br />7.636635e-4 months <br /> per year.
Such reactors are located 15 i
adjacent to technical cervice support facilities with convenient access for students and faculty.
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Sited most frequently on the campus' of large universities, the reactors are usually housed in alt :ady existing structures, appropriately
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modified, or placed in new buildings that are designed and constructed ih to blend in with existing facilities.
ga Facility
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s.h structures or transcission lines attached to or adjacent to the facility
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other than utility service facilitics which are similar to those required l KE.
in other ca. pus facilities, specifically laboratories.
Heat dissipa tio::.
Qi is generally acconplished by use of,a aoling tower located on the roef F~~
of.the building.
These cooling towers are on the order of 10' X 10' X 10'
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and are c:= parable to cooling towers associated with the air-conditionin;
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syste:a of large office buildin;s.
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Hake up for this cooling system is readily available and ususHy obtained b
from the local water supply.
Radioactive gaseous effluents are limited IEE; to Ar 41 and the release of radicactive liquid effluents can be carefully F
monitore.d and centrolled.
Thace liquid wastes are collected in :torage
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tanks to allow for decay and monitoring prior to dilution and release to the sanitary sewer system.
Solid radioactive wastes are packaged and
- hipped of f-site for s torage at AEC appros ed sites.. The transportation'
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s of such waste is done in accordance with cr.isting AEC-C' T regula'tions
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J in approved shipping cents;ncrs.
Chemical and sanitary waste systems are similar to those existing at-other university laboratories and buildin;:.
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dbu B=EM hb" Envirore. ental Effects of Site Prennration and Facility Cons truc tion Er Construction of such facilit'ics invariably occurs in areas that have
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aircady been disturbed by other university building construccion and in 7
some cases solcly within an aircady existing building.
Therefore, con-
- 5..5 struction would not be expected to have any significant affect on the
.g terrain, vegetation, wildlife or nearby waters or aquatic life. The EaK societal, economic and esthetic i= pacts of construction would be no greater than that associated with the construction of a large office building c: similar university facility.
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'1 E'fects of Fecility Ooeration Release of thernal' effluents fro:t n reactor of less than 2 Wt will not
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have a significant effect on the environment.
This s=all n ount of JJll ' ~
waste heat is generally rejected to the at=osphere by ceans of small cooling towers.
Extensive drif t and/or fog will not occur at this low MF E=
power level.
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Release of routine gaseous effluent can be limited to Ar 41 which is generated by neutron activation of air.
This will be kept as low as
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practic'able by cininua air ventilation of the tubes.
Yearly doses to p?b un:cstricted areas will be at.or below establish 2d li=its.
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releases of radioactive liquid effluents can 'ce carefully conitored and
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controlled in a canner that,dil ensure compliance with current
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Solid radioactive vastes will be shipped to an authorized
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disposal site in approved containers.
These was tes should not anount
$h to more than a few shipping e atainers, a yea..
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Based on experience with other research reacters, specifically TMCA ggi
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reactors, operating in the 1 to 2 Wt ran;e, the annual release of
. gaseous and liquid effluents to unrestricte4 ar,eas should be less than
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30 cur,ics ajd 0,01 curies respectively.
h No release of potentially haraful chemical substances will occur during normal operation.
Snall amoun:t of chc=icals and/or high-solid content Q.
water ecy be released frc= the facility through the sanitary sewer 3.-
during periodic blowdown of the cooling tower or f:C: lahor00 cry **P*ri-EJE
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ments.
Other potential effcets of the facility, such as esthetics, noise, societal or impact on local flora and fauna arc expected to be. co small to censure.
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JAN 2 31974 W
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=r-1 Env:.romental Ef fcers of Accidents "l 0 ':,&, U L U ".,. ' i
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il Accidents ranging from the failure of experic. ants up to the largest
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core dau;c and fission product celease considered po:sibic result in
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doses of only a's=211 fraction of 10 CFR Part 100 guidelines and arc g.
considered negligible with respect to the enviro ment.
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Unavoidabic Ef fects of Facility C:nstruction and Coar2 tion The unavoidable effects of construction and operation involves the materials used in construction that cannot be recovered and the fissionable =aterial used in the reactor.
No adverse 5 pact on the EE~
enviro =e c t is expected fron either of these unavoidable effects.
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Alternatives to Construction and 0$cratior of the Facility 5f 2.:: -
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To accceplish the objectives associated with research reactors, there.
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are no suitable alternatives.
Scme of these obj ectives are. training of
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students in the oparation of reactors, production of radioisotcpes,.
,.;;;;;w and use of neutrou and ga==a ray bea=s to conduct expericents.
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Lone-Ter-Ef fects of Facility Construction anh Oceration kj:
me The long-tc= effects of research facilitics are considered to be b..
beneficial as a result of the contribution to scientific knobledge and EE~
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training.
a Because of the relatively lov amount of capital resources involved and 5]
the s=211 i= pact on the enviro =e:r very little irreversible and irretrievable co==it=ent is associated with such facilita.es.
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Costs and Benefits of Facility and Alternatives
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The costs are on the order of several millions of dollars with very littic enviro =antaf impact.
The benefits include, but are not limited
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to, sete combination of tb follouing:
conduct of activation an: lyses,
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conduct of neutron radiography, training of operating personnel and 3.
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education of students.
Soc.:e of thess activities could be conducted j
Q using particle acec'erators or radioactive sources which would be core costly and Icss efficient.
There is no reasoncbic altecnative to a s -
nuclear research reactor for conducting this spectru= of activitics.
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Conclu sion 5l0-.
55-The staff concludes th:t there trill be no significant envirorcental 5?
impact associated with the licensins of research reactors or critical jEE-f acilities designed to operate at po.:c levels of 2 M'It or lot r and
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that no enviro = ental ir.pset statements are required to be written for L;.
the issuance of construction permits or operating licenses for such f-facilities.
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s; w Daniel R. Muller, Assistant Director
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.for Envirorcental Projects
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Directorate of Licensing
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