Regulatory Guide 7.4
| ML003739407 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/30/1975 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research |
| To: | |
| References | |
| RG-7.004 | |
| Download: ML003739407 (1) | |
REGULATORY GUIDE
OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT
REGULATORY GUIDE 7.4 LEAKAGE TESTS ON PACKAGES FOR SHIPMENT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
A. INTRODUCTION
The Commission's regulation,
"Packaging of Radioactive Material for Transport and Transportation of Radioactive Material Under Certain Conditions," applies to licensees of the Commission who transport licensed material or who deliver licensed material to a carrier for transport. Certain standards and requirements in 10 CFR Part 71 prescribe that there will be no release, or limited release, of radioactive materials from a package or component of a package under certain conditions. Section 71.35, "Standards for Normal Con ditions of Transport for a Single Package," for example, requires that there be no release of radioactive material from the package containment vessel under the specified normal conditions of transport. Section 71.53, "Pre liminary Determinations," as another example, requires that the package containment vessel not leak at an internal pressure 50 percent higher than the maximum normal operating pressure. This regulatory guide identi fies a leak test standard acceptable to the NRC staff for use in demonstrating that packages of radioactive ma~e rial comply with these containment requirements.
B. DISCUSSION
Subcommittee N 14.5, Leakage Tests on Packages for Shipment of Radioactive Materials, of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has prepared a standard (ANSI N14.5') that specifies:
I. Minimum leakage test requirements for package containment systems;
2. Methods for relating leakage test procedures to package containment requirements; and
'Copies of ANSI N14.5, "Leakage Tests on Packages for Shipment of Radioactive Materials," may be obtained from the Sales Department, American National Standards Institute,
1430 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10018.
3. Minim8m requirements for leakage test pro cedures.
ANSI N14.5 is -related directly to the peckage containment requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Safety Series, No. 6. 1973 Edition. The IAEA requirements specify containment in terms of maximum leakage of radioactive material per unit time.
ANSI N14.5 describes methods for converting those containment requirements to maximwu permissible leak age rates for the tracer fluid, usually a gas, of a leakage test procedure. While 10 CFR Part 71 does not generally specify containment in terms of permissible leakage rates, it is recognized that no system provides absolute containment. ANSI N14.5 was issued in December 1974 for trial use and comment.
C. REGULATORY POSITION
The guidance contained in ANSI N14.5, "Leakage Tests on Packages for Shipment of Radioactive Mate rials," constitutes a procedure generally acceptable to the NRC staff for assessing the containment properties of a radioactive material package to satisfy the pro.
visions of 10 CFR Part 71.
D. IMPLEMENTATION
The purpose of this section is to provide information to applicants and licensees regarding the staff's plans for utilizing this regulatory guide.
Effective on publication of this guide, the method described herein will be considered acceptable by the Commission's staff in assessing licensees' performance with. respect to demonstrating that packages or their components do not leak. Alternative methods that satisfy the requirements in the Commission's regulations will also be considered acceptable.
USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES
Comments should be sent to the Secretary of the Commission. U.S. Nucleer Regulatory Commission. Washington, O.C. 2*0MG, Attention: Docketing and Regu:atory Guides are issued to describe and make available to the public Seurice Section.
methods acceptable to the NRC staff of implementing specific parts of the Cimmission s regulations, to delineate techniques used by the staff in evalu The guides are issued in the following ten broad divisions:
Wting specific problems or postulated accidents, or to provide guidance to appli.
cants. Regulatory Guides are not substitutes for regulation
s. and compliance
1 Power Reactors
6 Products with them is not required. Methods end solutions different from those set out in
2. Research and Test Reac.ore
7. Transportation the guides will be acceptable if they provide a besis for the findings requisite to
3. Fuels and Materials Facilities
3. Occupational Health the issuani.I or continuance of a permit or license by the Commission
4. Environmental and Siting
9. Antitrust Review Comments and suggestions for improvements in these guides are encouraged S. Materials and Plant Protection
10. General at.ell times, and guides will ba revised, as appropriate. to accommodate cam mlntr and to refllect new information or experience. However. comments on Copies of published guides may be obtained by written request indicating the thio guide..il received within about two months after its issuance, will be par divisions desired to the U S. Nuclear Regulatory Commisaor.. Washington. D.C
ticutlarly useful in evaluating the need lor an early revision
20686. Attention: Director. Office of Standards Development.
June 1975 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION