ML19256F521
| ML19256F521 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07001113 |
| Issue date: | 10/25/1979 |
| From: | Shum E NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7912190320 | |
| Download: ML19256F521 (2) | |
Text
r0 x pmRfcq 4
k UNITED STATES y
g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3
.E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
'g..... g OCT 2 51979 DOCKET NO.: 70-1113 LICENSEE:
General Electric Company (GE)
FACILITY:
Wilmington Fuel Fabrication Facility Wilmington, North Carolina
SUBJECT:
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ON GE'S TRANSFERENCE OF LIQUID HYDR 0 GEN FLUORIDE SOLUTION CONTAINING A MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE URANIUM CONCENTRATION OF 3 PPM AND A MAXIMUM ENRICHMENT OF 4% IN U-235 TO THE BRUSH WELLMAN INC. FOR INDUSTRIAL USE OF THE FLUORIDE CONTENT'IN SOLUTION
Background
By letter dated May 24, 1979, General Electric Company (the licensee) informed NRC that they are planning to contract with Conservation Chemical Company to transfer GE's liquid waste hydrogen fluoride solution to Brush Wellman Company at Elmore, Ohio, for industrial use.
GE is authorized by their License SNM-1097, Condition 11 and by Section 1.6.4 of Appendix A to SNM-1097 to transfer liquid hydrogen fluoride solutions containing uranium which does not exceed three parts per million by weight of the liquid and which does not exceed 4% enrichment in U-235, to a recipient not holding a specific NRC or Agreement State license for special nuclear material. The licensee also provided additional information concerning this program by letters dated May 25 and June 20, 1979.
Discussion According to GE, the estimated volume of the liquid hydrogen fluoride solution to be transferred is about 100,000 gallons per year. The maximum quantity of uranium in the 100,000 gallons of solution is about 2,600 uC based on 4% enrichment.
Correspondence from the Associated Director of Technology from Brush Wellman Company (letter from Dr. K. A. Walsh to Mr. A. L. Kaplan of GE dated June 13,1979) indicated that the liquid waste hydrogen fluoride solution will be used exclusively in beryllium pebble production. Aqueous and solid wastes from the f
9 7912180
2 pebble production plant are impounded in a tailings pond from which there are no discharges leaving the plant site. The trace levels of uranium in the hydrofluoric acid are diluted by magnesium fluoride and aqueous fluoride containing solutions in the tailings pond. The aqueous portion of the pond is maintained at pH >8, and it is expected that nearly all of any uranium reaching the pond will be precipitated sodium diuranate. During the production of beryllium pebbles, there are no processes in which volatile uranium compounds might be produced. The process for making beryllium pebbles is nearly identical to that for metallic uranium; as a result, any UF4 containment in the BeF2 intermediate is reduced to the metal by magnesium. No transfer of uranium to the in-plant atmosphere or to the surrounding areas as dust or gaseous species is expected to occur. Therefore, it is not expected that the proposed program has significant impact to the environment.
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Edward Y. Shu Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety c,
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