ML19347D807
| ML19347D807 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000824 |
| Issue date: | 02/04/1981 |
| From: | Olsen A BABCOCK & WILCOX CO. |
| To: | Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19347D808 | List: |
| References | |
| 18438, NUDOCS 8104130234 | |
| Download: ML19347D807 (4) | |
Text
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7 0- (24 Rose.rch & Dev.lopment Ol:Iston Babcock & Wilcox tync%ro
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n a McDermott company P.O. Box 1260 Lynchburg, Virginia 24505 (804)384-5111 February 4, 1981
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W. T. Crow, Section Leader gh.(&f' y@.
Uranium Process Licensing Section Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch
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U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ty?
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Dear Mr. Crow:
tu This is in response to your letter requesting additional information regarding contamination of a portion of a railroad right-of-way adjacent to the Lynchburg Research Center.
In item No. 1 of your letter you requested un to provide a history of past LRC operations that led to the contamination and identify the potential radionuclides involved. Please keep in mind that the incident was discovered in January, 1969 by analyzing water samples taken from a storm sewer which was not routinely sam-pled.
It is not clear precisely when the drain line in question ruptured.
The line connected the retention basins in the Liquid Waste Disposal Facility with a sump in the Primary Equipment Cell.
This sump served as a collection tank for regeneration effluents from the demineralizers servicing the Babcock and Wilcox Test Reactor (BAWTR) and the hot cell pool. When the level of liquid in the sump reached a predetermined level, a pump would operate to pump the liquid through the line in question to the retentio't basins.
In reviewing the BAWTR log books covering the period of September, 1968 thru.
January, 1969 I found that there was no reference to leaking fuel elements.
During this period the reactor was being used for testing of incore temperature detectors and irradiating fracture mechanics specimens.
Prior to January, 1969 the hat cell facility was involved in a program of en-capsulating Co-60 sources. The Co-60 was received at the LRC as singly en-capsulated ribbons. The LRC placed these sources in the second encapsulating container and sealed it.
This operation resulted in Co-60 contamination of the pool water. Records showing the dates when the hot cell pool water deminera-lizer was regenerated are not available. However, records of the BAWTR deminera-lizer show that regeneration took place on December 31, 1968 and January 3, 1969, 1
just prior to the discovery of the leak. It is important to note that the water isolation between the two pools was not total.
During this period there was a single gate separating the two pools and a water-tight seal was not achieved.
81041301 NC l
. I feel confident that the contamination that 1 caked from the pipe in question-originated f rom work in the flot Cell facility.
The other information that you requested is attached as follows: Attachment A is a map of the Babcock & Wilcox Company site, showing the area covered in drawing No. LRC-40115D which is also attached; Attachment B presents the results of analysis performed on soil, water, deer dropping sampics.
If you require more information, please call me.
If you require additional sample analyses for isotopic distribution, please allow sufficient time for us to send them off-site for analysis.
Very truly yours, EABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY LYNCllBURG RESEARCll CENTER bC Arne F. Olsen Sr. License Administrator AFO:ccf Attachment (s) cc: D. M. Montgomery Region II
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9 ATTACHMFET B Water Sample Analysis Results (PCi/ml)
Gross Beta Cross Alpha
[]-1 0.008 0.004
[]-2 0.003 0.003 E]-1 0.003 0.003
[]-2 0.014 0.007 Deer Dropping Analysis Results (PCi/g)
- 5 1.2 0.0 1.4 Soil Sample Analysis Results (PCi/g)
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Pu-238 Pu-239 U-234 U-235 U-238 Co-60 Sr-90 Cs-137
- 1
< 0.17 0.27 91 +10 2.719 5 2.319 5 37000*
0.48fp.06
<1000
- 2 0.083 0.050 3.419 5 0.1219 05 0.71fp.15 350 0.13fp.04 9.8
- 3 0.072 0.052 3.6fp.5 0.15+p.06 0.7119 15 64.3 1.3 29 1 11.7
- 4 0.082 0.076 2.5fp.3 0.07fp.04 0.56fp.12 93 0.57fp.04 9.0
- 5
<0.044
<0.056 0.56fp.1 0.0219 02 0.5719 11 0.4 0.12fp.03 1.6
- 6
<0.088
<0.12 0.54fp.1 0.03fp.03 0.48fp.1 0.0 0.30fp.03 1.2
- 7
<0.024
<0.053 0.65f9 1 0.03fp.02 0.5719 1 0.0 0.059fp.03 1.2
- Note:
Second sample at same location Co-60 = 6700 Cs-137= 1400 l
_ _ _ _