ML20084S350

RO-50-254/76-37:on 761205,limit for Having No More than 2 Ci Activity in Radwaste Tank Farm in 24h Exceeded. Caused by Deterioration of Effectiveness of Radwaste Sys to Perform as Designed.Radwaste Sys Being Updated

ML20084S350
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities
Issue date:	01/04/1977
From:	Kalivianakis N, Markwalter T COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
To:	James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
References
NJK-77-4, RO-50-254-76-37, NUDOCS 8306160698
Download: ML20084S350 (3)

Text

- -

onwealth Edison /~x -

3 Qua .ies Nucloir Power Sttti:n ./).,,/,/' g//f /j

/

- f 22710 206 Avenue North V ,- Corcova, Illirois 6124'.

Telephone 309/654-2241 w - _-

IE FILE 00gg g~.

,,/ -

5

/

.; NJ K-77-4 @ [p .

h q ,;p!

January 4, 1977 p fh JNjly,3 S,

- apw* pp HR @ f ,. ,

J. Keppler, Regional Director Office of Inspection and Enforcement Region til ['.h(sfhhi U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 799 Rooseve1t Road Glen Ellyn, i11Inois 60137 l

Referelice: Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Station Docket No. 50-254, DPR-29, Unit 1 Appendix A, Sections 3.8.E and 6.6.B.2.d Enclosed please find Reportable Occurrence Report No. RO 50-254/76-37

for Quad-Cities Nuclear-Power Station.

This report is submitted to you.in accordance with the requirements of Technical Specification 6.6.B.2.

Very truly yours, C0tiMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY QUAD-CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION s

^~ '

J. Kallvianakis Station Superintendent NJK/FJG/lk

• 4 cc: G. A. Abrell - - ,.

g 581  ;

l  ;. *'

8306160690 770104 6 .

PDR ADOCK 0500025 ,

s i

. JN1 'l1977 a

w. CONTROL BLu:(ol l LibENSEE EVENT RE0 ORT l l I l [PLEASE PRINT CLL REQUIRE 2 INFORMATION) i 1 6 AME LICENSE NUMBER VPE TV 01 I ilL lo f Al DI il 1010 l-10l 0l 010l 01-10 lo l l4 l1 l1 lt li l l0l3l

_ 7 89 14 15 25 20 30 31 32 CATEGORY T SU DOCKET NUMBER EVENT DATE F4EPORT CATE O

7 8 CONTl 57 I

58 l [L_j 59 W60 l Ol 5101-10121514 l l1l2101Sl716l l o l 11014171 71 61 60 69 74 75 80 EVENT DESCRIPTION gg l At 8:00 am on December 5, 1976, the 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> limit for having no more than 2 curies l 7 89 00 3[ [ activity in the radioactive waste tank farm was exceeded.

1 The activity was found I 7 89 00 Ql 7 89 to be 5.85 curies at a 25% tank level at the end of the 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> period. At 8:00am 80 l

@l on December 4, 1976, the waste surge tank was routinely sampled and found to have 1 7 89 UO EH L_ an activity of 17.5 curies at a tank level of 75%. The sudden occurrence of the l 7 89 mt 80 EY COD [ COMPONENT CODE $ R M AC R VIDLATION 8 I M1 A I (F_l IZ lZ lZ lZl Zl Zl [y_j l Zl9 19 19 l [1(j 7 89 10 11 12 17 43 44 47 48 CAUSE DESCRIPTION gl The cause of this occurrence is attributed to a combination of circumstances icading l 7 Du 80 32 ' to a deterioration of the effectiveness of the radwaste system to perform as l 7 1 a0 11 desinned. There was equipment malfunction during the waste surge tank (see attached)l

^

sA  % POWFf4 OTHER STATUS D S O ERY DISCOVERY DESCRiPTON 1 (_Ej l0 l9 l 5 l l NA l [jLl l Waste surae tank sample l 7 8 g 10 12 13 - 44 45 46 80 AELE SED AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY LOCATON OF RELEASE

@l 7 8 9 W OF UF ELEASENAl 10 11 l

44 45 l NA l 80 PERSONNEL EXPOSURES NUMBER TYPE DESCAIPTON BE I 01010l yl NA l

7 89 11 12 13 60 PERSONNEL INJUnlES Ntw 1FR OfSCRIPTON 3[ l Ol 0 l 0 l l NA 's l

7 89 11 12 00 OFFSITE CONSEQUENCES DE I NA l

7 09 80 LOSS OR OAMAGE TO FACILITY TYPE DESCRIPTON D2 ]

7 89 l

10 NA l

. 60 PUBLICITY gl NA .

l 7 09 UO ADDITIONAL FACTORS gg l (Event Description continued) high curie content is attributed to the mixing of l 7 89 -

,, , og

]l 7 u9 snent resins which had settled in the tank due to filtering and resin problems.

HQ l

NAME: Thomas Markwalter PHONE: 309-654-2241 ext. 233 cro ses.sef y w

< PAGE 2 p)

\

, CAUSE DESCRIPTION CONTINUED processing. .The delay in processing is attributed to the capacity limits of the other radwaste tanks during this time, resin and filter problems, and a poorly functioning condensate transfer pump system. This hindered the effi-cient backwashing of the radwaste demineralizer.

. EVENT DESCRIPTION CONTINUED Preparations were then made to process the waste surge tank. At 8:27 p.m. on December 4, processing of the waste surge tank to the waste sample tanks was

• Initiated. At 9:30 p.m., processing was stopped because of high differential pressure across the radwaste demineralizer. This situation was compounded by pump problems within the condensate transfer system which hindered the effi-cient backwashing of the radwasto demineralizer and, in turn, delayed pro-cessing of the waste surge tank. Also, during this time, there was excessive water in the condensate pump room basement, adding to the processing load on the Radwaste System.

At 12:30 a.m., on December 5, 1976, processing of the waste surge tank was continued to the waste sample tanks. At 3:25 a.m., processing was stopped and the radwaste deminera!Izer was backwashed and precoated. Also, the sediment drum was changed. At 7: 10 a.m., the waste surge tank was then pumped to the floor drain surge tank. Delay in emptying the waste surge tank was again encountered due to the capacity level of the floor drain surge tank. By 9:25 a.m., the waste surge tank was empty.

Between 8:00 a.m. and 9:25 a.m., on December 5, 1976, the Technical Speci-fication limit allowing no more than 2 curies total activity in the radio-active waste tank farm for longer than 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> was therefore exceeded.

The time period the 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> limit was exceeded was minimal. There was no damage to the radioactive waste tanks and pipes, although large .oads were placed on the demineralizers due to processing the large volume of radio-active waste during this 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> period. No personnel injuries or exposures occurred. There was an increase in the volume of radioactive materials but no change in the composition of these materials and all volume increases were contained. No radioactive materials were released to the environs as a result of this occurrence. The health and safety of the public were not endangered in any way during this occurrence. (R0 50-254/76-37)

Corrective Action to Prevent Recurrence

• The corrective action taken to process ' the high activity water in the surge tank was appropriate, only that numerous delays were encountered in performing this action.. The Radwaste System is currently being upgraded'through installation of a third floor drain demineralizer and the Resin Solidifi-cation Facility. Completion of these projects, along with their efficient use, should prevent recurrence of this event.

Failure Data .

Radwaste tank farm high curie content conditions have occurred in the past.

However, the most recent of these took place on August 15, 1975. That-  !

particular event was a non-reportable occurrence, whereby a high waste, surge tank activity condition caused the radwaste tank farm to exceed the 2 curie limit. However, the curie content was red,uced to below this value 3' within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.

l. '