ML19224D338
| ML19224D338 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/03/1979 |
| From: | Riehl W NATIONAL AERONAUTICS & SPACE ADMINISTRATION |
| To: | Zebrowski E NATIONAL AERONAUTICS & SPACE ADMINISTRATION |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19224D231 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7907110411 | |
| Download: ML19224D338 (2) | |
Text
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1 April 3,1979 TO:
Ed Zebrowski, Group Leader 7
Technical Adv:s ary Support for Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant Incident FROM:
W. A. Riehl
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SUBJECT:
Transfer of Hydrogen from Waste Gas Storage Tanks It is understood dat two waste gas storage tanks contain approximately 25,000 cubic feat of 53% hydrogen, 46% nitr.sgen (1% other) gas mixture.
These tanks have relief valves which could vent the radioactive gas mixtur e.
E order to preclude filling the ::.
.s to relief venting, methods g,
of transfer of some of 'ne contents are unde. consideration (by Burns and Rowe, Inc. ).
The long term approach is by transfer through a suitable piping syste=
through a charecal absorber (to remove most of the radioactive com.
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ponents) to additional storage tanks. At a later date, the rem *i g gas would be burned in a flow stack.
I have made suggestions to -i-i-i e fla:nmable mixtures during i
installatian purge and checkout upon the request of Mr. Frank Patti, Chief Nuclear Engineer of Burns and Rowe, hc.
Some of the major precautions include:
(1) "-i ate or :-+i~.ine potential deadends or pockets.
e 1
(2) Provide for nitrogen purge flow drough alllines.
(3) Verify adequate nitrogen purge by sampling several points, I
either by chemical or instrumental analysis.
(4)
- 1. 0% n.aximu n oxyg:n content prior to entry of waste gas
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(53% hyd wen).
The transfer system is now in. design, and purge procedures will be prepared wiiin several days. A copy of these will be provided sub-sequently for my review and ec=ments (at Marshall Space Flight C ente r).
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(gg*y,p, gan*m1Vous 260 307
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- A ttachmCnt No. 3 e
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2 Mr. Pat:i also inquired whether I may be able to assist in inspec: ion of he Three the piping after installation and prior to activation on-site at tI inf 7
Mile Island Plant.
and I will consult NASA Management along this line.
It is understood that it will be at least a week before the abo
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could be used.
In that case, venting prior to the above measures, is also underwav.
relief venting back to de con:ainment room ra:her dan the a:=osphere is under considera: ion.
A separate memorandu:r. ci:ed'Se maximum allowable hydrogen inpu:
to the containment room as 2600 cubic feet per cay to prevent a con-centration increase under current conditions therein (2% hydrogen by l-This woule allow 4900 cubic volume - one recombiner a: 90 cfm How).
An additional safety feet per day of 53% hydrogen mixmre (3.4 cim).
margin obviously exis:s in that a second recombiner also has been installed but not yet activated in order to provide a higher permissible flow.
Duri:.g entry of the 53% hydroger mixture into the containment room, l d out.
a Hammable zone will occur and spurious ignition cannot be ru e the.
Thus, dere is a reasonable pos sibility Sat a name nay exist a:
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However, this should be a localized stable
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waste gas entry point.
Hame, withou: propagation into the general room volume or propadation Potential hasar?s would be limited back toward the waste gas tank.
At a now rate of 3.4 cft (NTP), the to overhea:ing of adjacent items.
6 maximum rate of heat evolution (from 53% hydrogen gas) would be 12 y
kilocalories per minu:e. This aspec: vbsuld, be considered by engineers I
" mar with 6e syste=.
l This approach and contingency plan is considered safe and reasonable hasards, subject to the review and pre-with respee: to Sammabilitf cautionary conditions and limits cNl above.
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M.
'A e
A A e W. A. Riehl V Js A.
Hverogen Combustien Consultant
- cs:D Ni Sb.tienal Aeronautics nnd Space Administration
, (!WQhp Marshall Space Fign: Cen:er,.:C 35312 y %,V f
- Mailm; Code: ZH31 Phone: (205)-453-3532 da u e@v@v.-260 308 y
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