ML20004B309
| ML20004B309 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/31/1981 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20004B310 | List: |
| References | |
| TASK-FP-027-5, TASK-FP-27-5, TASK-OS REGGD-03.001, REGGD-3.001, NUDOCS 8105270514 | |
| Download: ML20004B309 (3) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 0FFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH Di io E
Task FP 027-5 fm o,
DRAFT REGULATORY GUIDE AND VALUE/ IMPACT STATEMENT (v}
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Contact:
M.S.Weinsteins([01)443-54 V
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PR0fOSED REVIS10N 1 TO REGULATORY GUIDE 3.1
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- 0. J USE OF BOROSILICAlE-GLASS RASCHIG RINGS AS A NEUTRO d
ABSORBER IN SOLUTIONS OF FISSILE MATERIAL
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A.
INTRODUCTION Section 70.22, " Contents of Applications," of 10 CFR Rar 97, %omestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," requires that aphigMt.iorts for a specific JP w}ransferspecial license to own, acquire, deliver, receive, possess, M
nuclear material contain proposed procedures to pisid ec ental conditions of yWA criticality.
Procedures for this purpose include incorporating neutron-absorbing material such as boron in process equipment, regulatory guide provides A
guidance for complying with this portion Q ommission's regulations by describing procedures acceptable to thENRCN aff for the prevention of critical-A V
ityaccidentsbyuseofborosilicateglassjraschigringsasaneutronabsorber
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~B M DISCUSSION ANSI /ANS8.5-197'$n"Use of Borosilictte-Glass Ra:,chig Rings as a Neutron Absorber in Solutio % )f Fissile Material,"1
- s ns,o is a revision of ANSI N16.4-1971 mA g and was preparjid bp+ Subcommittee 8, Fissionable Materials Outside Reactors, of a
a the Standards Committee or the American Nuclear Society.
ANSI /ANS 8.5-1979 A 4w was approved by the American National Standards Committee N16, Nuclear Criti-k cality Safet/? in early 1979 and by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on October 9, 1979.
Lines indicate substantive changes from previous issue.
2 Copies may be obtained from the American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington j
Avenue, LaGrange Park, Illinois 60525.
l This regulatory guide and the associated value/ impact statement are being issued in draft form to involve the pubile in the early stages of the development of a regulatory position in this area. They have not received complete staf f review and do not represent an of ficial NRC staf f pnsition.
l Public comments are being solicited on both drafts, the guide (Including any Implementation schedule) and l
the value/ impact statement. Coments on the value/fmpact statement should be accompanied by supporting N
data. Comuments on both draf ts should be sent to the Secretary of the 'Comission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory l
Conselssion, Washington, D.C. 20555, Attention: Docketing and Service Branch, by g },c; jggj t
\\s' Requests for single copies of draf t guides (which may be reproduced) or for placement on an automatic distribution list for single copies of fut re draft guides in speciffe divisions should be made in writing to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20 H 5, Attention: Director, Divisfon of Technical Information and Document Control.
810 5 2705/f t
1 ANSIi!.35 8.5-1979 provides guidance on the use of borosilicate glass raschig rings as a neutron absorber in solutions of fissile material.
The standard applies to the use of borosilicate glass raschig rings f::e primary and for secondary criticality control in solutions containing 23su, 239pu, and 233U.
The chemical and physical environment, properties of the rings and packed vessels, maintenance inspection procedures, and criticality operating limits are specified in the standard.
Maximum permissible concentrations of homogeneous solutions of plutonium or of uranium in vessels of unlimited size packed with borosilicate glass raschig rings are specified in the standard.
The concentration of these solutions is expressed as the mass cf plutonium or of uranium per unit volume.
The density of hydrogen in any solution cannot be less than 75 g/ liter nor greater than 115 g/ liter.
Limitations on the relative abundance of the various isotopes of plutonium are imposed in the specifications applicable to plutonium solutions.
The concentrations specified for uranium enriched in 23su apply regardless of the 23sU enrichment but with a limitation on the 2330 content.
For solutions of uranium containing up to 5.0 wt-% 23sU and no 233U, the limitations are expressed as mass of 23su per unit volume.
The concentrations specified for solutions of 233U also apply to mixtures of 233U and other uranium isotopes provided the 233U content is greater than 1 wt-% of all the uranium.
C.
REGULATORY POSITION The guidance contained in ANSI /ANS 8.5-1979 for the use of borosilicate-glass raschig rings as a neutron absorber in solutions of fissile material provides a procedure generally acceptable 'o the NRC staff for the prevention f
of accidental conditions of criticality.
Section 8.0 of ANSI /ANS 8.5-1979 lists additional documents referred to in the standard.
The specific applicability or acceptability of these listed documents wili be covered separately in other regulatory guides, where appropriate.
D.
IMPLEMENTATION The purpose of this section is to provide information to applicants regarding the NRC ctaff's plan for using this regulatory guide.
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This proposed Revision 1 of the guide has been released to encourage public participation in its development.
Except in those cases in which an applicant proposes an acceptable alternative method for complying with specified portions of the Commission's regulations, the method described in the currently active i
guide dated January 8, 1973, will continue to be used in the evaluation of license applications docketed after that date.
The method to be described in the active Revision 1 reflecting public comments will be used in the evaluation of submittals for special nuclear material license applications docketed after the implementation date to be specified.
Implementation by the staff will in no case be earlier than October 1, 1981.
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