ML19345H135
| ML19345H135 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Westinghouse |
| Issue date: | 03/10/1981 |
| From: | Reitler E WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, DIV OF CBS CORP. |
| To: | Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| 18704, NUDOCS 8105010025 | |
| Download: ML19345H135 (4) | |
Text
I Q
_ '70 - //5/
y Dg__
~
pg,,'.. t.u Yl25%~5h00S9
' :3P2!C e 3 03
'la**E:e cl3Mib CCiparall0a 4
W g., gg CotrM CaCrM3 M20
-t
. - c.
C3 75:5iC
.,iitC-g W /plar.ch 10, I
q, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
.@N
/J3 ff '
5.(p.' Q
- q cc;me
.\\-
D Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch enge Ik h
O Washington, D. C. 20555 D
MAR 2 41981) [
[4, '
I'd Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety f
N
- C
- Y' n:.13 o
Attn:
Mr. W. T. Crow Matt ucr: cts
. / Q /,A p g
DCCm cttg.t
/.s/ Q j @
Gentlemen:
y rv. -
RE:
Construction of a Concrete Pac for Calcium Fluori e Waste Solification SNM-1107, Docket 70-1151 The Westinghouse Electric Corporation hereby subnits information regarding the construction and use of a cencrete pad adjacent to the existing East ~
Lagoon to provide an area for the cel.idification of calcium fluoride wastes.
This work was previously authorized in an NRC letter dated April 4,1979 which approved the fixation in an on-site diked area prepared for that purpose. This area has been decontaminated and returned to its natural state in accordance with attachnents to our letters dated March 22 and 23,1979.
Additional calcium fluoride solids, which have accumulated since 1979, now require solidification and burial. The use of a concrete pad for the solidi-fication and temporary storage of the sludge represents an environmental imp rovement compared with the diked area since the sludge will not be in contact with the soil and the sludge will be protected from the weather while awaiting transport for burial. The present authorization to conduct solid radioactive waste disposal is described i.1 subparagraph 2.2.8, page 210 of the existing Li cense. Consecuently, the attachment to this letter represents only an information package supporting the safety demonstraticn and indicating ccm-pliance with existing L4 cense conditions, the 1975 Westinghouse Environmental Evaluation, and applicable regulations.
In a telephone ccnversation with you en March 10, 1981, verbal approval for the construction of the concrete pad and solidification operation was given.
We appreciate your timely attention to this matter. '
If you have any questions, please contact me.
, j.4 i
Very truly yours, k
\\s NESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION
?*
p.
c 810s01o #
Eddlb v
E. K. Reitler Fellow Engineer 137Qd.
c::
J. Nardi
', Attachment to Letter Dated March 10, 1931 SOLIDWASTESOLIDIFICA{ICN,TRANSFORTATICNANDBURIAL Purpose of Fixation Aaueous waste treatment cperations at the Columbia Plant have generated approximately 0.6 nillion gallons of stud e which is presently stored in en-3 site lined Lagoens. The sludge consists of calciun fluoride (CaF ), with 2
trace quantities of uranium encapsulcted in the CaF2 matrix.
Calcium fluoride is a relatively inert ccepound with a solubility product of 2.7 x 10-11 The uranium can have the stoichiometric form of any of the uranium compounds found in a low-enriched fuel f abrication plant and has little' or no aqueous solubility.
The purpose of solidification is to further transform these species into physicallly and chemically stable solids, extremely resistant to groundwater teaching. Solidified sludge will then be transferred to a low level radio-active waste burial ground for disposal. This disposal should minimize the need for any additional on-site CaF2 storage requirements.
Description of Waste Materials The CaF2 sludge resembles a slurry which can be pump transferred from the lagcons. Studge analyses are given below:
Total uranium centent, dry basis es 250 ppm
% solids e 35%
Approximate U-235 enrichment 3.5%
i Spec.ific gravity raw sludge c: 1.3 l
l l
Solidification Location
- - - - = _ = _ _ _
The solidification process will be performed en a concrete pad,of approxinately 10,000 ft2 to be constructed adjacent to the East Lagoon as shbwn in Figure 1.3.2.1 of the existing license. A roof structure will be installed over the concrete pad to prevent accumulations of water. Standard constructicn techniques I
l will be used foa the soil excavation and concrete pouring operations.
1 The pad will be located within a chain link fence as shcwn in Figure 1.3.2.1.
l The total developed area remains less than 5% of the total site area as discussed in the Westinghouse Environmental Evaluation, Maren 1975.
l l
l
[
i l t L.
O Solidification Locatien (continued)
In tetters dated March 22 and 23,1979, Westinghouse Electric Corporation described a 65,000 f t2 diked area to be used for CaF2 solidi fication. This work has been completed, the sclidified waste has been re=oved, the area has been decontaminated and seeded with grass, and the area has been released for unrestricted use en-site in accordance with the above referenced corre-spen den ce.
)
Sclidification Operaticos The solidification agent is a cement / fly ash mixture. This material will be mixed with the CaF2 sludge, then transferred to the concrete pad to harden.
Approximately cne day is required for the material to set up; at this point, its physical characteristics resemble a concrete mixture.
Transparation The stabilized sludge will be transferred from the cencrete pad to an appre-priate transport vehicle using traditional earth ' moving equipment. The contents of each vehicle will be determined by either net weight or by volume measure--
ments. Transportatien will be performed in accordance with current DOT regulations and license conditions.
The material will be transported to the Chem Nuclear low level radioactive waste burial site in Sarwell, S. C. for disposal. This will be performed in accordance with applicable provisiens of Chem Nuclear's federal and state licenses and internal procedures.
Radiological Safety Controls i
During 1979 and 1980, over 2 million gallons of CaF2 sludge were stabilized by the Chem Fix Process and tranported for burial as radioactive waste. Air sanpling results from both the fixatien and transportation operations indica-ed no increase in airborne r:dioactivity above natural background. This was ex ected because of the physical characteristics of the sludge and the fact i
that both the uranium and fluorides are fixed in the sludge.
External radiation levels were also at or near background.
Consequently, no radiological problens are anticipated from this cperation.
However, the Radiation Protection Component will evaluate the operation and establish a surveillance pregram consistent with the criteria in subparagraph 3.1.2 of the existing license.,
Nuclear Safety Centrol The results o f previous lagcen sampling have shown that the uranium is rather uniforely mixed with the calcium fluoride. Based upcn sampling at various depths in the lagoons, no settling of the uranium has been detected. Due to the complete mixing of uranium within the sludge, criticality is considered impossible. The fixation process should further immobilize the uranium.
The nuclear safety of the sludge is assured by the follcuing:
1T the cen-centratien of uranium is less than 0.002 uCi/ gram which is the uccer limit for
" radioactive material" as cefined in DOT regulations, 49CFR173.3E?Ce), and l
- 2) the water centent assures that the sludge will always be over moderated (H/U-233 >> 10,000).
Environmental Safety Centrols The fixation process wi LL be conducted on a concrete pad with side beros to prevent leakage of material from the pad.
Ccnsequently, the sludge will not be in direct contact with-the soil. However, previous experience with the diked area has shown that this material does not migrate through the soil.
Test wells " downstream" of the concrete pad will monitor any migration of fluorides and uranium into the sater table. Typically, the wells are approx-inately 60 feet deep and extend into the water table.
In addition, ground water samples will be collected f rca a ditch which drains this area. Well water and groundwater samples will be collected quarterly and analyzed for fluorides and gross alpha.
4 l
-1 W O t, r
-- /
-