ML19220C776
| ML19220C776 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 05/07/1979 |
| From: | Overman R E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS & CO., INC. |
| To: | Grimes B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| DPST-79-340, NUDOCS 7905140267 | |
| Download: ML19220C776 (3) | |
Text
iWf:W' OU J'NT oesT-79-34o E. I. ou PO.T DE NEMOURS & COMPANY
. coswoserso ATOMIC ENERGY DIVISION SAVANNAH RIVER LAsoRATORY AIKEN, SOUTH C A RO L.! N A 29601 r.N s 6?C 77' 26 73 YEu 303 725 6211 WU AuG W A GA)
May 7, 1979 Mr. Brian Grimes Division of Opera'ing Reactors Mail Stop 340 Nuclear Ragulatcry Commission 1717 "H" Street, N.W.
Washington, 0.0 20555
Dear Mr. Grimes:
Results of analyses requested by NRC on a sample of primary coolant water fran the Three Mile Island, Unit No. 2, reactor are summarized in Table I.
The sample was received at the Savannah River Laboratory at 5:30 A.M. on April 11.
The requested analyses were perfomed during that day.
Results were trans-mitted by telephone to the NRC Operations Center in Washington, D.C., at 8:30 P.M. that night. Since the initial results were submitted, some of the analyses have been re-evaluated and corrections made, where appropriate.
The results reported in the table include all corrected values. Corrected results were discussed by telephone with the Operations Center on April 23.
The presence of particles in the solution, as evidenced by turbidity in the as-received sample, as well as a high solution pH (N 8) must be considered in interpreting the analytical results. At the high pH, the U, Pu and Zr dissolved by high temperature water reactions would be expected to fom colloids as the water cooled. The colloidal particulates could be absorbed on the surfaces of the vessels, pipes, etc., thus selectively removing some or all of those elements fran the water sample.
Uranium was determined on the as-received sample and on an acidified aliquot.
The particles that caused the turbidity were dissolved in the acidified sample. Uranium concentration was equivalent in the two samples, indicating that insoluble uranium was not present on any particulates contained in the sample. The boron results are suspect for two reasons:
(1) some boron would be expected to be absorbed on the particles at pH-8 (causing a low baron concentration in the solution), and (2) the high level of radioactivity required large dilutions before the analysis could be made (causing a decrease in the accuracy and precision of the analysis).
We recomend that the higher boron values reported by the other laboratories be used in any calculations.
b p
t.o f 10(3 299 v
/
nuuw s
Mr. Brian Grimes May 3, 1979 The gamma pulse height analysis was done at 10:00 A.M. on April 11. The reported results have not been corrected for decay.
Savannah River Laboratory will be pleased to cooperate with the NRC to analyze any additional samples from the Three Mile Island reactor which are necessary to complete shutdown and decontamination of the reactor facility.
Very truly yours, RbJc%
~
R. F. Overman, Senior Chemist Analytical Chemistry Division RFO:rvd Attach.
106 300
TABLE I Analysis Results Method Total Boren 3100 Carbon Rod Atomic Absorption Zirconium
< 50 ppm Atomic Absorption pH 7.7 pH Meter Gross Alpha
< 2 x 10 d/m/ml P-10 Gas Flow Detector Uranium
< 0.001 ppm Extraction of Uranium and Fluorophotometric Detennination Transuranics None detected Alpha Counting Gross Beta 9 x 10 counts /m/ml Uncalibrated Gas Flow, Windowless Detector 9
Strontium-89, -90 1 x 10 d/m/ml Chemical Separation (Fuming Nitric Precipitation)
Liquid Scintillation Counter 10 I-131 1.60 x 10 d/m/ml Gamma analysis with Ge(Li)
Detector and Pulse Height Analyzer.
Counted at 10:00 A.M. 4/11/79.
No decay corrections were made.
Rb-86, -88 Not detectable 8
Ce-141 2.28 x 10 8
Cs-137 7.11 x 10 3
Cs-134 1.68 x 10 8
Cs-136 2.74 x 10 8
Ba-136m 2.01 x 10 8
Ba-140 5.7 x 10 0
La-140 3.0 x 10 8
Mo-99 2.77 x 10 8
Tc-9%
1.5 x 10 106 301 Ru-Rh-lC6 Not detectable Zr-Nb-95 Not detectable