ML20008F744
| ML20008F744 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | West Valley Demonstration Project |
| Issue date: | 12/08/1980 |
| From: | Haughney C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Resnikoff M Sierra Club |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8104210666 | |
| Download: ML20008F744 (2) | |
Text
6,d, UNITED STATES
'b NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION n
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WASHINGTON, D C. 20555 E
DEC 3 1980 Docket No. 50-201 e
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Dr. Marvin Resnikoff, Chairman j
g7 4,,%. 4 0 Energy Task Force 8/g g Sierra Club, Niagara Group 3s4%,,[a 3164 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14214
Dear Dr. Resnikoff:
O Thank you for your letter of September 21, 1980 providing comments on our seismic analyses of the high level liquid waste tanks at West Valley. -
You have raised a number of points in your letter that deserve an answer.
In this letter I will answer some of your comments, and I intend to write you again later to discuss others.
You have suggested that we analyze the spent fuel pool building because our existing analysis addresses only the major structure of the spent fuel pool.
Of more importance than the spent fuel pool building is an analysis of the fuel racks within the pool.
For this reason, the staff initiated a seismic analysis of the racks last' summer. We expect to have this analysis complete and ready for issue to. the co-licensees and the public sometime this winter.
You shouldn't be surprised that reinforced concrete structurcs, such as the high level waste vault, contain cracks.
On the contrary, the absence of cracks in such structures would be most surprising.
Cracks from shrinkage as concrete cures can be expected in any reinforced concrete structure regardless of its loading. Cracks in reinforced concrete in and of themselves do not indicate a defective component.
Since concrete has low tensile strength, reinforcing rods are placed within the concrete to provide high tensile strength.
As reinforced concrete is loaded in tension, cracks will appear in the concrete; however, the reinforcing rods will accept the applied tension loading. When loaded in compressior., reinforced concrete structures are very strong.
Cracks that are present simply close.
If an applied thermal stress to reinforced concrete section is high, as is in the case of the waste tank vaults, then the concrete can be expected to crack to relieve high tensile stress.
In the case of the vaults, with the higher temperature on the inner wall, only the outer wall is loaded in tension due to thermal stress while the inner wall is loaded in compression.
Cracks that form to relieve the tensile stress caused by thermal loading may initiate at the outer wall, but will not propagate through the wall.
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Dr. Marvin Resnikoff DEC 6 ;ggg The total amount of cracking providing continuous pathways through the vaults is very small. This is demonstrated by the fact that the water injection system for the vaults has a make up rate of approximately one gallon of water per day. This make up rate includes water evaporation from standpipes, migration of water through the silty till away from the vaults, migration of water past the sides of the vaults and up the outer surfaces of piping and risers that penetrate the ground surface, as well as flow of water through the vaults themselves.
It's unfortunate microfiched copies of the appendices that were included with the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory report on the neutralized waste tanks did not include copies of the special studies done for Livemore which are listed as appendices III.A-E.
Limited copies of the appendices '
in hard form, which contain the total set of appendices, are available for inspection at the Local Public Document Rooms.
I would appreciate if you could examine these special reports in those locations.
4 Your critique states that the analysis failed to account for the effects of earthquake on piping connectior.s, s'uch as air spargers and ventilation that penetrate the top of the tank.
While it is true that 'these piping systems and connections to the tank were not themselves analyzed for their capacity to withstand a severe earthquake, it is not true that they were ignored in the analysis.
On the contrary, our analysis assumed that this piping was severed as a result of the earthquake and thus provided a pathway for a ground level release from the tank vapor space. The results of this consequence are documented in our analysis.
In the enclosure to your letter you state that former workers at the plant have reported to you that the defective pan under waste tank 8D-2 was successfully tested with water during the plant construction period.
I would greatly oppreciate additional information on this matter.
As you know, the issue of the location, cause, and nature of the pan defect is the subject of an ongoing NRC evaluation.
Any information which can shed light on this matter is of importance to the staff.
This information would be particularly valuable if the testing could be documented, l
Again, thank you for your comments.
I will contact you again to discuss other aspects of your letter.
Sincerely, I
Charles J. Haughney Advanced Fuel and Spent Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety 1
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