ML20133N091

Responds to NRC 821208 Request for Addl Info Re Application for Amend to License SNM-1476.Licensed Matl Used as Samples for QA Testing of Fuel Pellets,Including Chemical Analysis, Visual & Dimensional Insp & Pore Morphology

ML20133N091
Person / Time
Site:	07001622
Issue date:	02/24/1983
From:	Mills L TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:	Davis F NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
Shared Package
ML20133N071	List: ML20133N067 ML20133N091 ML20133N112
References
21345, NUDOCS 8508130367
Download: ML20133N091 (8)

Text

. _ _ _ _

O y -- g p a TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY 7

CHATTANOOGA. TENNESSEE 37401 400 Chestnut Street Tower g g '.D d2/9(9

's3 February 24, 1983

~~ Mr. Frank C. Davis Material Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.

20555

Dear Mr. Davis:

In the Matter of

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Docket No. 070-1622 Tennessee Valley Authority This is in response to your December 8, 1982 letter to me concerning additional questions to SNM-1476 amendment application, Control No. 21345.

Enclosed is our response to each question.

If you have any questions regarding our response or if we can be of any assistance, please get in touch with P. J. Hammons of my staff at FTS 858-2736.

Very truly yours, TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY L. M. Mills, Manager Nuclear Licensing Enclosure 8508130367 850723 REG 2 LIC70 SNM-1476 PDR h.Q.SIRI REGlott 8

1. M An Equal Opportunity Employer A

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A. ~ ENCLOSURE

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36;g1.. Question:

h h,:[With respect to the use of the licensed material requested, please "e. ' '

.Jdescribe all uses of this material in more clear, specific, and concise

-3 7 t 3. terms. For instance, in your present submission, it is not clear J

exactly what new authorized uses you desire nor does the request seem to 7

7- - -identify which presently authorized uses are to be retained.

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Response

l*1VA's use of the license materisi is as samples for quality assurance t-,

__ --testing of the fuel pellets. The material is used for chemical and spectra-chemical analysis, visual and dimensional inspection, density determination, and inspection of pellet microstructure and pore morphology. In addition, we test to determine the oxygen to uranium ratio, water content, F-content, and the trace elements Ca, A1, B, and

_ C. _ Fe.

The material is low enriched uranium dioxide (UO ) powder and pellets ~

2 enriched to less than four percent in the U-235 isotope.

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SNM-1476 authorizes such testing; therefore,-we request no ew authorized use of the license material.

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Question:

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Identification by manufacturer and model number of the survey and 1.

measuring instruments that shall be used with your radioactive material

'22; A r program.

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Response

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~ (a) Eberline - Radiation Monitor RM-15 equipped with interchangable -

alpha and beta / gamma detectors.

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-(b) Eberline - Scintillation Alpha Counter SAC-4. '

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Question:

h A description of your calibration proctdures that shall be followed when calibrating both the measuring and survey instruments and identify the frequency at which they shall be calibrated. With respect to your survey instrumynts, please confirm your commitment to calibrate the instruments to wiJhin f 10 percent of the calculated or known values for each point chycled on each range of the survey meters or that the instruments will be calibrated to + 20 percent of the calculated or known values at each point on each range provided a calibration chart or graph is prepared and

--- --a t ta ched to the inst rument.

Please note that this criteria is that stated in section 4.5 of Regulatory Guide 10.3 (copy enclosed).

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Response

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%m n '1VA's Laboratory Services calibrates an RM-15 in the f ollowing manner

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An instrument / probe curve of count rate vs. high voltage dial j

4 setting is determined with a **Tc source. The correct operating l kg..-,

' voltage is selected from the curve.

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With a standard calibrated pulser, the count rate meter of the j

instrument is adjusted to match the pulse rate of the pulser.

This is in a.cordance with the manufacturer's recommended methods.

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If a counting efficiency for the probe is required, it is

__. calculated from data obtained by counting an NBS traceable **Tc

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g. m._._ _ _

l source at the operating voltage.

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A calibration record (attached) is filled out and a calibration

, cd sticker is attached to the instrument and/or probe. Calibration

<-aL records (and repair records) are kept by Laboratory Services for

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the life of the instrument.

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, Accuracy must be + 10 percent of full scale for each range.

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.'This will be checked for efficiency before each period of use with a thorium-230 source measured by 'IVA's Laboratory Services at v.~.r -~ ~~ ~ _,

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7,664 disintegrations per minute. A period of__use is one of the cM - c;. intermittent 3-to 4-week periods that we work with fuel pellets.

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'Ibess periods occur at irregular intervals about twice a year.

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Question:

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. Identify the manuf acturer and model number, if any, of the glove box used

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with your radioactive material program and provide technical rg e M specifications for this device. A pictur'e of the glove box would be M N helpful. Also, provide a diagram of the ventilation system associated a bbwith the glove box and describe the individual operations performed in the

' ~ ~ ^ glove bor under both open and closed process conditions.

Also, describe the airborne contamination created by such operations and identify the y

' filtration system used to collect particle effluents, if any.

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- The glove box is manuf actured by Labconco Corporation, Model 50000. ' It is i grif a.g". essentially as shown in the attachments except that it does not have a

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transfer chamber in the door.

Airflow through the glove box is as shown

_ u;; Cin the sketch and then exhausts outside the building through a wall that h

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.is immediately behind the glove box.

i The box is used closed (with gloves) and three operstions are performed in l

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1.

Crushing (not pulverizing) pellets in a tool; steel mortar and pestle.

Particles formed is this operation are large and are not likely to become airborne.

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Sectioning pellets with a diamond saw.

This is done ' wet' and, again, airborne contamination is unlikely.

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_._--3.

Transf erring uranium oxide powder - (e.g.,_ f rom.the 0/U oxida tion te st) _

back to storage vlais, h ere is no significant cause for airborne loss in this operation, but any ma,terial so carried will be caught in the HEPA filters before the air is exhausted.

5.

Anestion: _

r ur_ Discuss the wet-polishing operations that will be performed in the sample

. preparation room and discuss any airborne contamination that may be 7

created by the operation and its containment.

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-I I Response:

4 Af ter a pellet is sectioned (see response 4), the wafer is mounted in a

plastic mount and the surface wet polished on a slow speed metallurgical polishing wheel.

Successively finer grit abrasive is used to effect a

-scratch-free surface.

The polishing wheel used is reserved for this operations and all of the coolant / lubricant (water) drains to a seamless, stainless steel bucket.

The water is filtered through a 1-micron membrane filter and discarded to

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drain. He membrane and any residue are disposed of according to section VIII-F-1 of the applica tion.

No airborne contamination is generated by this operation.

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' 6. ~ Questlon:

.ly, f f With respect to your radiation survey program, please specify the

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f requency at which both smear and survey instrument surveys will be

q. g.. conducted in your laboratory and unrestricted areas.

Response

. Analysis of nuclear fuel pellets is an intermittent operation that occurs during a 3-to 4-week period at irregular interval.s. n e radiation survey progrse applies only to the controlled laboratory area.

Upon receipt of the samples, shipping boxes and sample containers are surveyed as outlined in section VIII-D-1 and 2 of the application. When a given period of work I

is completed, the controlled laboratory area is surveyed as outlined in section VIII-I-4 and 5 of the application.

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i EDT RADIATION MONITOR CALIBRATION RECORD

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Eberline DATE:

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RM-15 SIGNED:

PP.".r.0*JS CAL. CATE :

NEXT CAL. DT?:

-C liigh Voltage

. Probe Number

. Pulse Amplitude Pulse Width Pulse Rise Time Pulse Polarity J

> 10 !!L111 volts 2 Microseconds 0.2 Microseconds Negative Pulse Standard Instrument PPM Range As Found As Left 400 X1 4K X10 40K X100 400K X1K Alarm Function Bcttery: Test Charged Replaced Made Repairs Parts Used Remarks:

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1 RETURN SCllEDULE 90 DAYS ACCURACY MUST BE + 10*. OF FULL SCALE FOR EACll RANGE J

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MANOMETER,

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. Each LABCONCO Giove Box 4%-

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is supplied with an easy to read manometer. After long,

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My continuous use as the fitters

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y',4 begin to clog, air flow may be

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trol powerstat to speed up the

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Mf' motor and blower, thus pro-i

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filters. Air flow may also be I5

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adjusted to overcome air fric-

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Y ^ ~ VARIABLE SPEED MOTOR AND BLOWER M

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__ The LABCONCO Radioiso _ - - _

tope Glove Box is equipped

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with a 115-volt,1/25 H.P. vari.

able speed motor and blower.

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5 knob provides infinite speed j

i 'i control from 0 to 75 cfm or up

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to 3 full air changes per min-

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ute. The blower has a 2* diam-

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with clamps, is furnished with 1

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k FILTERS

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The LABCONCO Radioiso-r g[-

tope Glove Box is equipped Ji;,.;g r s

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with two outlet filters (Mil. Std.

282). Each filter will remove

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'.< microns or larger in size. The g,~.,.

y' Inlet air filter, both exhaust v

filters, the motor and blower

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and all connecting hoses are mounted out of sight under the canopy for a neat unclut-tered, du st.f ree, modern appearance.

LARGE SAFETY GLASS COMFORTABLE ELECTRICAL LIGHT, BRIGHT VIEWING WINDOW PORTS

' OUTLETS WORKING AREA Maximum observation area LABCONCO Glove Boxes are The Radioisotope Glove Box A 24* fluorescent light is is provided by a large 16* x 31*

fitted with 8* inert plastic is equipped with 3 conven.

mounted outside the box at x %* safety glass window. The stove rings on 17 centers. The iently placed 3. wire 115 volt, the top of the viewing window.

gtsss is tightly sealed in place large size and spacing makes polarized and grounded elec.

The tube is hooded by the by a specially designed leak-it possible for people of differ-trical outlets. Each outlet is canopy 50 that all light is di-proof, zipper typegasket. Win-ing sizes to work with maxi-cperated by a separate touch rected into the working area.

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"'~ dow stopes 30* from vertical mum comfort at the same box.

operated switch located on The non glare interior and ta eliminate glare and opera-Each port is double grooved the front of the box. Each adequate light, minimize op-tor discomfort.

So that the gloves may be switch has a built.in light to erator fatigue.

I changed without disturbing indicate when the outlet is i

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the integrity of the box.

energized. All switches, out-j lets and wiring are factory installed.

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operated on an off by a switch located on the right-hand corner of the switching ' area.

The speed of the blower is regulated from zero to 100, or 100% speed.

Normal operation will be in the 50%

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..c.._.___to 60% area, depending on filter condition.- It may be necessary,

-I n during continued operation, to increase the blower speed to compen-sate for possible restrictions to air flow caused by a dirty filter.

Negative pressure or positive pressure inside the box can also be controlled by regulating blower speed.

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NEGATIVE PRESSURE OPERATION (See Fig. 1)

The boxes are normally assembled for the mode of operation..The room air passes through the polyurethane air inlet filter located

- -- on the back stack of the glove box.

The even flow of air comes out of the holes in the top back and proceeds through_to the maniy_.__ _ __

fold on the top front of the box.

The air then passes through one

" absolute" filter in the standard Bacteriological glove box, or

. two absolute filters in the standard Radioisotope glove box, into the blower intake where it is exhausted either into the room or away through a 2" diameter flexible hose.

Additional filters may I

be coupled to the exhaust.

All tubing is 2" internal diameter and g, j

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all connectors are 2" external diameter, thus making many " set-up" r ; variations-possible.-

Note:

Maximum working pressure 5" vacuum 10" of water.

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