ML19210E172
| ML19210E172 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/07/1979 |
| From: | Mcneill W, Whitesell D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19210E159 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99900001 NUDOCS 7911300653 | |
| Download: ML19210E172 (7) | |
Text
.
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT REGION IV Report No.
99900001/79-02 Program No. 51500 Company:
Babcock and Wilcox Company Nuclear Materials Division P. O. Box 1260 Lynchburg, Virginia 24505 Inspection Conducted:
August 21-24, 1979 f f. /
E 57 Inspector:
W. M. McNeill, Contractor Inspector Date ComponentsSection I Vendor Inspection Branch I
{\\ k[o A G r
D. E. Whitesell, Chief M'
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Approved by:
W Da e (
ComponentsSection I Vendor Inspection Branch Summary Inspection on August 21-24, 1979 (99900001/79-02)
Areas Inspected:
Implementation of 10 CFR 50, Appendix B, including pellet attribute controls; moisture and hydrogen controls; enrichment and impurity controls and rction on previous inspection findings. The inspection involved twenty-six (26) inspector-hours on site by one (1) NRC inspector.
Results:
In the four (4) areas inspected no apparent deviations or unresolved items were identified in three (3) areas.
The following two (2) deviations were identified in the following area.
Deviations: Pellet Attributes - based on the data of a recent lot of pellets, it appears that samples were not selected from the same lot master sample, as required by the procedures and Criterion V of Appendix B (Notice nf Deviation, Item A); Pellet Attributes pellets were not selected at the f. auency required by the procedures and Criterion V of Appendix B (Notice of Deviation, Item B).
1437 192 791130065_3
2 A.
Persons Contacted
- R. J. Allen, Manufacturing Engineer
- R. A. Alto, Manufacturing Manager J. L. Brown, Data Evaluation
- V. A. Competti, Manufacturing Engineer D. W. Elder, Lab Technician
- W. T. Engelke, Manufacturing Engineering Manager
- J. Ficor, Monager QC
- R. J. Flicker, Supucvisor QC Engineer R. E. Harpher, Lab Technician
- K.
L. Harris, Chief Inspector
- L. T. Lee, Manufacturing Foreman
- J. R. Mayberry, NDT Supervisor R. A. Lee, Data Evaluation Technician D. R. Mayberry, Data Evaluation Specialist J. M. Muncy, Purchasing Manager
- Denotes those attending the exit interview.
B.
Action on Previous Inspection Findings (Closed) Unresolved Item (Report No. 79-01): Some discrepancies on the recording of concurrence with audit findings were found. A review of the revised procedure QC-1411, recent audits and the audit summary matrix found that appropriate correceive action had been implemented to prevent recurrence.
C.
Pellet Attribute Controls 1.
Objectives The objectives of this area of the inspection were to verify that:
a.
Sufficient inspections of pellet attributes are performed to provide acsurance that the pellets meet specification and con-tract requirements.
b.
The manufacturer's system is capable of detecting cracked, chipped or otherwise defective or degraded pellets, and rejecting them, or controlling their utilization as appropriate.
2.
Method of Accomplishment The preceding objectives were accomplished by:
a.
Review of the Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant Quality Assurance Manual, Revision 9, Sections 5, titled, Instructions, Procedures, 1437 193
3 and Drawings; 10, titled, Inspection; 14, titled, Inspection Test and Operating Status; which established the general requirements for pellet attribute controls.
b.
Review of Specification No. 08-1005405-00, Titled, Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets, drawing No. 1004893C, Revision 1, Mark-C Fuel Pellet, and Special Instruction, No. 316-00, which established the design requirements.
Review of the following procedures which established specific c.
requirements of pellet attribute controls:
Mini-Stack Testing of CNFP Fuel Pellets, QC-FP-914, dated September 2, 1977, Fuel Pellet Sample Selection for Lot Certification Testing MKB or NKC, QC-929, Revision 1, Fuel Pellet Final Inspection (MK C), QC-930, Revision 1, Inspection of Resintered Fuel Pellets, QC-935, Revision 1, Qualification of the Walking Beam Furnace for Resinter Testing, HA-224, Revision 0, and Resintering Testing in Walking Beam Furnace, MA-329, Revision 2.
d.
Review of the records of lots 1-6 of a recent project, such as; Fuel Pellet Inspection Report, Quality Control Inspection Report, Material / Component Release, Density Data Print Out, and Pellet Condition, and verification that the above procedures were properly implemented.
Review of the computer program used to generate data, and e.
verification, that proper constants and formulas were used in the prograns.
f.
Review of the tooling drawings, and receiving inspection reports of tooling.
g.
Inspection of the gages, visual standards, scales, etc. used for pellet inspection, and verification of their calibration and approval. Over check of the measurements of a sample of pellets for diameter, length and weight.
1437 194
4 3.
Findings a.
Deviations See Notice of Deviation, icens A and B.
b.
Unresolved Items None.
c.
Comments (1) As a lot is generated in manufacturing, pellets are randomly selected to make up a " lot mascer sample." From the " lot master sample" are drawn the samples used to determine final acceptance for a number of characteristics; ie dimensions, chemistry, resintering etc.
The certification sample is a 70 pellet sample used to deter.aine dimensional and density acceptance. The resintering sample is a 22 pellet sample, that is initially characterized for diameter, length, and weight, before resintering. The data, lot :7erages and standard deviations, of six (6) lots were reviewed and it was noted that lot 4 of project 27A-1 was different. The initial resintering data was found to be significantly different from the certification data. A student's t-test for diameters was 6.18, for lengths was 9.88 and for weights was 9.75.
It would appear that the two samples were not selected from the same " lot master sample" as required by procedures.
(2) Lot 23, was observed to have 1672 trays. In compliance with the procedure, one pellet every 5th tray would yield a " lot master sample" of 334 pellets, however the lot master sample was found to contain 217 pellets, after a 50 pellet resinter sample, and a 32 pellet chemistry sample, had been removed.
The next day, lot 24 after one day in production had 585 trays. A sample of 117 pellets should have been found but the " lot master sample" contained only 108 pellets.
D.
Moisture and Hydrogen Controls 1.
Objectives The objectives of this area of the inspection were to verify that:
a.
Moisture and hydrogen control measures are sufficient to give assurance that internal hydriding failures will not occur in service (i.e. meets specifications and contractual requirements).
1437 195
5 b.
The moisture and hydrogen control and inspection techniques are qualified.
2.
Method of Accomplishment The preceding objectives were accomplished by:
Review of the Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant Quality Assurance a.'
Manual, Revision 9e Sections 5, titled, Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings; 10, titled, Inspection; 14, titled, Inspection, Test and Operating Status which established the general requirements for moisture and hydrogen controls.
b.
Review of specification, titled, Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets, 08-1005405-00, which established the design re-quirements.
Review of the following procedures which established specific c.
requirements of moisture and hydrogen controls:
2 3 4
Fuel Pellet, AL 0 - B C Burnable Poison Pellet, and B C Control Pellet Moisture Determination, QC-904, Revision 2.
Fuel Pellet Total Gas Determination, QC-FP-905, dated January 3, 1977-and Fuel Pellet Final Inspection (MK C), QC-930, Revision 1.
d.
Witness of gas and moisture testing of pellets and verification of the implementation of the above procedures.
Review of lots 1-4 of a recent project and the Moisture Deter-c.
mination and Total Gas Determination Records and verification of the implementation of the above procedures.
3.
Findings a.
Deviations None.
b.
Unresolved Items None.
1437 196 c.
Comments None.
6 E.
Enrichment and Impurity Controls 1.
Obj ectives The objectives of the inspection were to verify taat:
Material flow procedures and practices cover manufacturing a.
operations for all inputs of material in any form from UF to completed pellets.
b.
Enriched material is controlled, inspected and checked at each stage during manufacturing and processing to prevent enrichment mixup or contamination.
c.
Sufficient final enrichment checks and chemical analyses are made on pellets or rods to detect any significant enrichment deviations or contamination and to give assurance that the pellets and rods meet specifi-cations and contractural requirements.
2.
Method of Accomplishment The preceding objectives were accomplished by:
a.
Review of the Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant Quality Assurance Manual, Revision 9, Sections 5, titled, Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings; 10, titled, Inspection; 14, titled, Inspection, Test and Operating Status, which established the general requirements for enrichment and impurity controls.
b.
Review of specification, titled, Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets, 08-1005405-00, which established the design requirements.
c.
Review of the following procedure which established specific requirements of enrichment and impurity controls:
Fuel Pellet Final Inspection (MK C), QC-930, Revision 1.
d.
Review of the purchase order for subvending analytical activities and its associated Quality Control Requirements, QCR-25. Revi-sions 2 and 3 and verification of the above requirements.
Inspection of the Reports of Analysis of lots 1-4 of a recent e.
project and verification of the above procedures.
f.
Inspection of the computer program for control of fuel rod stack requirements.
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7 3.
Findings a.
Deviations None.
b.
Unresolved Items None.
- Comments, c.
None.
F.
Exit Interview The inspector met with management representatives (denoted in paragraph A) at the conclusion of the inspection on August 24, 1979. The inspector summarized the scope and findings of the inspection. The management representatives had no comment in response to each item discussed by the inspector.
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