ML20003G348
| ML20003G348 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07001703 |
| Issue date: | 02/09/1981 |
| From: | Crocker H, Roth J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20003G346 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-1703-81-01, 70-1703-81-1, NUDOCS 8104290093 | |
| Download: ML20003G348 (4) | |
Text
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT Region I Report No. 70-1703/81-01 Docket No. 70-1703 License, No. SNM-1513 Priority II Category A
Licensee:
Eastman Kodak Kodak Park Rochester, New York 14650 i
Facility Name:
CFX Neutron Multiplier System Inspection at:
Rochester, New York Inspection conducted:
January 16, 1981 Inspectors:
rI Mb 7 / G'/
- y. Roth, Fuel Facilities Inspector ta'tti sisned Accompanied by An-Liang Soong Project Manager - NMSS Licensing date signed date signed.
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Approved b :
H. W. Croh, Chief, Fuel Facility
' 06% sigr(ed Projects Section, FF&MS Branch Inspection Summary:
Inspection on January 16,'1981'(Report No. 70-1703/81-01)
Areas Inspected: Special, unannounced inspection by a region-based NRC inspector i
of:
facility operations; status of the facility license; attendance at a licensing /
l licensee meeting.
The inspection was initiated on the day shift and involved 6 hours6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br /> onsite by one NRC inspector.
Resul ts : A Notice of Violation was issued to the licensee by letter dated January 20, 1981 for continuing to use and possess SNM without a valid, specific, NRC license. The licensee was instructed to place the SNM in secure storage upon receipt of the Notice of Violation, until a valid license was issued by NRC-NMSS.
The licensee was notified on January 21, 1981 that NRC-NMSS had issued an interim license effective January 19, 1981.
Region I Fom 12 82-04290 Oc@
e DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
~
- C. F. 0 ster, Jr., Head of the Surface Characterization Laboratory
- E.
Scott Harter, Radiation Safety Officer
- J. L. Pitruszewski, Group Leader, Neutron Activation
- D. Bell, Acting Radiation Safety Officer
- W. Mularz, Radiation Safety Supervisor
- denotes those present at the exit interview 2.
Scope of Operation The licensee has installed and was operating a californium neutron flux multiplier (CFX) in Building 82, a Research Laboratory Building. The CFX neutron multiplier was purchased from and installed by Intelcom Rad Tech of San Diego, California.
The CFX contains 1583 grams u-235 as 93.4%
enriched uranium and a 3 mgram californium-252 source.
The uranium is in the form of MTR type fuel elements (UAl clad in aluminum) which is moderated by polyethylene blocks and sheets.
The CFX is used by the licensee as a source of neutrons for neutron activation analysis and for testing recording materials for neutron radiography.
3.
Review of Operations The inspector examined the facilities associated with the CFX system to determine current use of the unit and to assure that the unit was being operated as described in the previously approved license application dated May 9, 1974.
a.
CFX Ooeration The inspector determined that the system was being operated at the j
time of this inspection as described in the license application.
l However, in at least one case, the time interval between equipment l
checks as described on pages 29 and 30 of the license application was extended by internal procedures from once each 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> to once each 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br />. The technique of entry into the area occupied by the unit was found to be as described in the license application.
b.
Sump pump Ooeration The CFX system was installed in a sub-basement room (cavity) attached to, but outside of, the west wall of Building 82 in the northwest corner of the building. An automatically activated set of sump pumps (3) is provided to discharge seepage ground water from the cavity to the building sewer system. Through discussion with
3 licensee representatives, the inspector determined that these sump pumps were not connected to the facility emergency power system.
Licensee representatives stated that if the cavity should start to flood and the sump pumps could not be operated, the site fire department would be called and could respond with operable sump pumps within about 10 minutes unless already activated for some other reason.
The inspector also requested information relative to the effect that flooding would have on the nuclear safety of the CFX system since l
the'CFX operates at a K,ff of 0.99.
Licensee representatives were not aware of the existerce of an evaluation of this type.
- However, the licensee will contact the unit manufacturer and obtain this information for submittal to NRC-NMSS.
c.
Emergency Exit Capability The inspector noted that the gate barring entry to the CFX system in the " cavity" was locked with a padlock. Automatic controls have been installed into the electronics associated with the CFX to assure that l
the gate cannot be opened if the radiation level in the cavity exceeds 20 mR/hr.
However, no mechanism has been established to enable an individual, who may have been inadvertently locked in the cavity room, to exit the area once the gate was relocked with the padlock.
Situations similar to this were previously discussed in IE Bulletin No. 77-08 dated December 28, 1977 " Assurance of Safety and Safeguards During an Emergency - Locking Systems" which had been issued to other NRC licensees.
This facility had not received this IE Bulletin.
Licensee representatives indicated that this type of situation would be evaluated and a mechanism will be established to allow prompt and unimpeded egress from the cavity area under emergency conditions.
l 4.
Status of the Facility Operating License l
NRC License No. SNM-1513 expired March 31, 1980.
By letter dated June 16, l
1980 the licensee requested that License No. SNM-1513 be renewed. The l
required licensing fee required to initiate action on this request was not received by NRC until August 12, 1980.
However, in the interim, this license was retired from the NRC docketing system because it had not been renewed in a timely manner.
As discussed above in paragraph 3a the inspector determined upon examina-tion of the facility that the special nuclear material previously licensed under NRC License No. SNM 1513 was being used. According to licensee representatives the special nuclear material had been in constant use during normal working hours since March 31, 1980, the license expiration date.
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4 Even though a renewal application had been submitted on June 16, 1980, the licensee, as of the date of this inspection, did not have a valid NRC license which would authorize possession and use of the special nuclear
. material.
Since the renewal application had not been filed in accordance with 10 CFR 70.33(b), not less than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the license, failure to have a valid specific license was identified as a violation of 10 CFR 70.3.
As a result of the above, the inspector informed the licensee representatives that upon receipt of a Notice of Violation from the NRC Regional Office, the radicactive material on hand was to be placed in secure storage until such time that a valid license had been acquired.
No other use of the material on hand or purchase of additional special n'uclear material was authorized.
(81-01-01)
Subsequent to this inspection, the Notice of Violation referenced above was issued to and received by the licensee on January 20, 1981.
The licensee was notified telephonically by NRC-NMSS on January 21, 1981 that an interim license effective January 19, 1981 had been issued with an expiration date of July 31, 1981 in order to allow the licansee to operate until the permanent license was issued.
5.
Licensing / Licensee Meeting The inspector was accompanied to this facility by the NRC-NMSS represen-tative responsible for review of the pending license renewal application.
During the course of this inspection, discussions were held with licensee representatives concerning additional information relative to the operation of the facility which was required by NRC-NMSS ' prior to the initiation of the review of the application. The licensee stated that the application would be rewritten in the required forr.at and that the additional informa-tion discussed would be incorporated.
6.
Exit Interview l
l The inspector met with the licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph l
- 1) at the conclusion of the inspection at 2:00 p.m. on January 16, 1981.
The inspector summarized the scope and findings of the inspection.
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