ML19354D999

Forwards Licensee Transmitting Supplemental Info for Renewal Application & Providing Info on TRUMP-S Program,For Files

ML19354D999
Person / Time
Site:	07000025
Issue date:	01/15/1990
From:	Tharpe V NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Bloch P, Linenberger G Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
References
89-594-01-ML, 89-594-1-ML, NUDOCS 9001250177
Download: ML19354D999 (1)

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4 PeterB.Bloch

_ Gustave A. Linenberger, Jr.

l Administrative Judge-Administrative Judge' Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board D

U.S.' Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Washington,-DC 20555 Washington, DC 20555 In the Matter of..

~ i ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL-CORPORATION i

Rocketdyne= Division Docket No. 70-25-SNM No. 21

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ASLBP No.'89-594601-ML-1

Dear Administrative Judges:

By this. letter, we are transmitting to you copies.'of the following background

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information for inclusion in your files:

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12/06/89 Ltr RLancet.to LRouse transmitting. supplemental ~informationcfor l-the renewal: application

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Enclosures:

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December 22, 1989'

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D00KET CLEn y refer to 89RC16167:

> \\xd Glen L. Sj oblom'~

Acting Chief Fuel. Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical. Nuclear _ Safety,

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Nuclear Regulatory' Commission Washington, DC 20555 1

Subject:

Supplement.to Application for Renewal to License No. SNM-21, Docket'70-25 issued to Rocketdyne Division ~of Rockwell' International Corporation.

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Reference:

RI Letter R.T.

Lancet to'Leland C.

Rouse, "same' subject", 89RC14432, December 6, 1989 l

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Dear Mr. Sjoblom:

In the reference letter we provided additional ~. clarification and-information as requested by members of your. staff.

.This letter-provides additional clarification to our-license renewal. request by defining the limited R&D associated with the amendedLlicense use reduction ~ to 6g of plutonium (SNM-21 license: amendment p No.

4, December 12, 1989).

The R&D to be performed is limited to the first: phaseof the! TRUMP--

S program.. The. purpose L of the-TRUMP-S ' program at Rocketdyne.!is to :

develop fundamental. thermodynamic' and electrochemical. data on-various-actinide materials'so-that processes can be-developedLto i

separate long-lived radioactive. isotopes from spent nuclear.-fuel.

These long-lived Lisotopes;.would be destroyed. (fissioned) in-a nuclear reactor or accelerator, thereby eliminating-the long-term hazard associated with the disposal of spent nuclear; fuel =.

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program at Rocketdyne will use small quantities of actinide l

materials with the work being performed,in a facility with multiple L

barriers to guard against their release to the environment.

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'89RC16167 22 December, 1989-i Page 2.-

For the-first phase of the TRUMP-S program, five grams of' plutonium

-have been procured and are' stored in the Source and Special Nuclear i

Material Vault (TO64). -As required, material will be transferred to the RIHL (building T020).

Material handling will be conducted; within an inert atmosphere glove box in the Alpha' Room L of this ;

facility. The inert atmosphere (high purity argon) is required for -

i experimental reasons; e.g.

atmospheric-air, carbon dioxide'and-water vapor will interfere with the test.

No'more than one gram of plutonium-will be-in the glove box at one time.

Approximately.

0.1 gram of plutonium' (or less in: some experiments) - will be-

. dissolved in molten cadmium (-500'C) in'the test cell.-

The cell is made up of ceramic (alumium oxide) and metal (tantalum) parts.

A low-melting salt. (lithium-potassium chloride) is added, and stirrers and various electrodes are; placed in the i cell.

The overall dimensions of the cell' are approximately 2 in.' diameter-and 5 in. tall.

From the internal ~ configuration of the cell and -

varying the mode of operation such fundamental data as free energy.

of formation, activity coefficients _in the metal-and salt phases, valence states in.the salt, and characteristics of' deposits are' obtained.

A particular run may last from one day to.one week.

The same cell loading of. plutonium and salt _ may be used in several

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runs.

During a run,. the - entire operation _ is ' monitored ' and t"

controlled with a. computer.

In order to confirm the electrochemical-results, - one _ or. two chemical samples of the cadmium and salt will be taken during the.

test.

The total weight of each. sample.will'be less than'one gram (approximately 0.1 gram.)

The samples will be dissolved in acid in a gloved hood and first analyzed for plutonium by radioactive-counting.

Based on the radiochemical analysis, an aliquot of the l

chemical sample will be prepared that,will contain no more than 10 microcuries.

This l sample will undergo chemical analysis of the non-radioactive constituents by inductively-coupled plasma (ICP)-

i analysis.

The ICP unit is installed in a' glove box.

If you have.any questions-or require additional information, please

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call me at (818) 718-3461.

Very truly yours, h*$

-R.T.

Lancet, Director Nuclear Safety &' Licensing i

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g reply refer to 89RC14432 December 6,- 1989 s

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'l Leland C. Rouse Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Office of Nuclear Meterial Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i

Washington D.C.

20555

Subject:

Supplement to Application for Renewal to License No.

SNM-21, Docket 70-25 issued-to-Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corporation

Reference:

1..

RI-Letter R.T. Lancet to Leland C. Rouse-

"Same Subject", 89RC13898,: November 5, 1989 l.

2.

RI Letter, R.T. Lancet to Leland'C._ Rouse l.

" Application for' Renewal of License'No SNM 21 Docket 75-20 issued to the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corporation, 89RC06668 May 25, 1989.

3.

NRC Letter, Leland C. Rouse.to. Attn:

-Dr..M.E.

Remley dated March 8, 1989 Mr. George Bidinger.and Ms. Merri Horn of your staff, on< November 22,

1989, requested that.we modify our ' supplement to the.

application,. Reference 1 to' specify a' " termination" date. and l.

provide a time when the decommissioning plan fork the Rockwell International Hot. Laboratory will be submitted.-

This' letter modifies and replaces Reference 1 to provide the additional information.

In the Reference 2 letter we requested renewal of the subject license, as revised by Amendment 2 (reference-3).

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-This. supplement-. requests - that the following' changes be.made to reference 2 renewal request.

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6 December, 1989 i

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The use limit be' reduced to less.than 6g of'Pu for research and' development (R&D) activities.

2.<

The possession limit be reduced to 400g.of special: nuclear material ~ (SNM) to cover the 6g of Pu for use in R&D activities i

and potentially up to 394g :of: SNM contamination distributed.

I in tho' Rockwell International: Hot Laboratory.

3.

The license is-to terminate' October 30, 1990.

4.

Subsequent to October 30, 1990 the only activities will be to complete the decontamination and decommissioning of-the-Rockwell International licensed facility (ims).

5.

A plan tor.' completion of decommissioning will' be provided for-review by March 15, 1990.

If you have any questions or require additional information', please call me at'(818) 718-3462.

Very truly yours,

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R.T. Lancet, Director Nuclear Safety and Licensing I

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