ML20012B209
| ML20012B209 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000025 |
| Issue date: | 03/09/1990 |
| From: | Bidinger G, Pennington W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20012B204 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9003130775 | |
| Download: ML20012B209 (3) | |
Text
lI I i i 4
MAR 0 91990
^
i, DOCKET NO:
70-25 LICENSEE:
Rocketdyne Division Rockwell International Corporation Canoga Park, California
SUBJECT:
SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT, LICENSE AMENDMENT APPLICATION DATED DECEMBER 22, 1989 RE USE OF PLUTONIUM IN THE TRUMP-S PROGRAM Dackground Rocketdyne is currently euthorized to handle plutonium in irradiated or unirradiated fuel for the purpose of decladding, removal of bonding material, examination, and repackaging.
In the subject application Rocketdyne requests authorization to conduct rescatch and development activities with plutonium in the TRUMP-S Program.
The safety review of this request included the subject application and telephone conversations with Rocketdyne's Messrs. P. D. Rutherford and M. E. Remley on March 6 dnd 8, 1990.
Discussion In the subject application, Rocketdyne )roposes to use 5 grams of plutonium metal (primarily Pu-239) in the first nase of the TRUMP-S program to develop fundamental thermodynamic and electrociemical data on various actinide and lanthanide materials to support an electrorefining process design for spent nuclear fuel. The other actinide metals to be used in this program are licensed by the State of Celifornia and include neptunium-237, depleted uranium, and americium-241.
In the existing license, the Rockwell International Hot Laboratory (RIHL) is an authorized place of use located at Rockwell's Santa Susana Field Laboratories (SSFL). Rocketdyne proposes to conduct the first phase of the TRUMP-S program at the RIHL. However, the plutonium will be stored in the Source and Special Nuclear Material Vault located on a portion of the SSFL site contracted to the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) and will be transferred to the RIHL, as needed.
The plutonium along with the other actinide metals and non-radioactive lanthanides will be handled in a glove box and modified fume hood located in the Alpha Facility (Room 139)attheRIHL. The glove box and fume hood, which has been modified to simulate a glove box, are designed to provide containment of unencapsulated radioactive material. The Alpha Facility ventilation system maintains a negative pressure so that any air flow is directed from the work area into the glove box and fume hood. The air from the glove box and fume hood passes through high efficiency filters and is monitored prior to release to the atmosphere,
s Rocketdyne Division 2
In the glove box, approximately 0.1 gram of plutonium metal along with the other actinide metals and lanthanides will be dissolved in molten cadmium contained in a test cell constructed of corrosion resistant ceramic and metal parts.
Following dissolution, lithium / potassium chloride will be added, and stirrers and various electrodes will be placed in the cell. The entire operation will be monitored and controlled with a computer.
Several experimental runs can be performed with the same test cell loading. However, additional material will be added.as needed.
The licensee stated that most of the analyses will be h-situ electrochemical measurements in the test cell; however, several samples of the cadmium and salt solution will be taken and analyzed to confirm the measu'ements. Each sample will be approximately 0.1 gram and dissolved with acid in the modified fume hood. An aliquot of each sample containing no more than 10 microcuries of I
plutonium will be prepared and analyzed for actinide content by gamma ray i
spectroscopy in the Alpha Facility or RIHL Health physics Laboratory. The licensee added that the analyses of the non-radioactive consituents will not be performed.
Liquid radioactive wastes generated by the TRUMP-S program will be solidified and combined with other solid radioactive waste produced during the project.
These wastes will be double sealed in plastic, loaded into a metal SS-gallon j
drum, and returned to the DOE contractrid portion of the SSFL site.
j for the purpose of this experiment, the glove box will contain an inert atmosphere of hi h purity argon, and no more than I gram of plutonium will be allowed in the g ove box. The licensee stated that a safety analysis was performed for tie TRUMP-S program. Based on the small quantity of pyrophoric materials (sctinide metals) to be used, the presence of an inert atmosphere in the glove box, and the administrative controls to limit combustible materials in the glove box and Alpha facility, the licensee concluded that the potential I
for a fire involving the plutonium is small. The staff agrees with this conclusion.
in addition, the licensee stated that the proposed activity will be conducted in accordance with written operating procedures and Rocketdyne's radiation safety program. Prior to implementation, the operating procedures will be submitted to the Radiation Safety Committee and the Manager of Nuclear Operations for review and approval. The staff believes that the licensee's existing organization and radiation safety program are adequate for the proposed activity. Because of the small quantity of plutonium that will be involved with this project, nuclear criticality safety is not a concern.
Conclusion /Reconnendation Based on the discussion, the staff concludes that the proposed activity will not adversely affect the protection provided for the health and safety of workers and the public or the environment. Therefore, the staff recommends that the application be approved and that Condition 11 be revised as follows:
f
s
~
MAR 0 91990 Rocketdyne Division 3
- 11. NotwithstandingSection1.5(1) Pu shall be handled only for the purpose of decladding, removal of bonding material, examination, repackaging, and the TRUMP.S program described in the letter dated December 22, 1989.
Authorization for the TRUMP.S program shall end October 30, 1990.
The Region V Branch Chief has no objection to this proposed action.
MUD W. Scott Pennington Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NHSS OrgralW % Tola d (oa (b(m foi Approved by:
George H. D1dinger, Section Leader OFC:IMUF:
.........Qp' J
IMUF-IMUF:
.............)T h a rp e :..............4:s.u.f...........__.____
NAME:WSPennington:mh:
VL GHBidinger:
DATE:3/o?/90:
3/%/90:
3/ 7 /90:
3 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
....