ML19347D513
| ML19347D513 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/12/1981 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Von Hippel F PRINCETON UNIV., PRINCETON, NJ |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19347D514 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8103260419 | |
| Download: ML19347D513 (2) | |
Text
V
'e UNITED STATES
$,\\g..k r}g
- /
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
7 a
h "7 R bhl b g WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 5, VM/ e W
- nances
'%,}'[, /
h fiarch 12, 1981 f
CHAIRMAN g
coc n~. ten Dr. Frank von Hippel School of Engineering / Applied Science Center for Energy and Environmental Studies Princeton University The Engineering Quadrangle Princeton,tiew Jersey 08544
Dear Dr. von,
Hippel:
W.
L This is a reply to your letter of July 27, 1980 concerning the issues of (1) using potassium iodide to protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine, and (2) improved reactor containment design.
Both of these issues are currently being addressed by the flRC, but at this point neither is completely resolved.
I have delayed responding to your latter because I had hoped to report a resolution of the issue on the use of potassium iodide as a thyroid blocking agent. However, the recent study by Stratton, Campbell and Malinauskas has raised questions about the amount of radioactive iodine that may be released during an accident, which I believe should be resolved prior to adopting a policy on protecting the thyroid against the uptake of radioactive iodine.
We have initiated a major study to examine the basis of the postulated fission products source term, including radioactive iodine, during an acci-dent.
The study is scheduled to be completed this month, at which time we can make a more informed decision on the use of potassium iodide.
i Relative to improved reactor containment, one of your proposals, the controlled venting of reactor containments, has been and is still being studied by the licensing and research staffs. A preliminary study of the possibility for controlled venting of the Zion and Indian Point containments following a serious reactor accident showed that it would be difficult but not impossible to design an acceptable system. One constraint is that the venting system should not worsen other accident scenarios. Several designs were considered.
One showing particular promise which is being developed in Sweden is a system that vents containment into a holdup system which would allow for the decay of radioactive noble gases before release to the environment. Another design concept is the venting of containment into another high volume vessel so that the contents of the containment wwld not be released, but would be retained.
These designs and the staff's evabations are contained in NUREG/CR-1409, 1410 and 1411 which are enclosed for your information.
B108260 N
Dr. Frank von Hippel
- In October 1980, the NRC published in the Federal Register (F.R. 65474) an advance notice of rulemaking to consider the issue of accidents involving severely damaged cores and what additional design requirements should be established.
sought public comment is the controlled venting of containment.One o The NRC staff has also initiated a broad research program to investigate severe accidents, fuel melt behavior, hydrogen and fission product aerosol behavior and a wider range of accident mitigation systems.
I appreciate your views on these issues and will keep you informed as we move forward to resolve them.
Sincerely,
$Y Joshph M. Hendrie
Enclosures:
' ~
~
As stated e
4 i :
h