ML20148J531
| ML20148J531 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07109100 |
| Issue date: | 10/19/1978 |
| From: | Deuel J RANCHERS EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT CORP. |
| To: | Macdonald C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7811160032 | |
| Download: ML20148J531 (4) | |
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[(NRC PUcuc nvouy a,e m RANCHERS EXPLORA TION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORA TION 5
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Box 02U / In6 Montano Road N.W./ Albuquerque. New Muico BM07 / Telephone (505) 344-3542 October 19, 1978
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f Mr. Charles E. MacDonald i
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Chief, Transportation Branch, 5' CMS Division l[
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission 3333
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i 2CCXET CLEAM
Dear Chuck:
1 Dick Odegacrden tells me you have been hospitalized lately difd;--U necessity, away from your office. By the time this 1ceter arrives
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I hope you will be feeling much better and back to your normal, hard working self.
Enclosed are results of our low temperature effects experiment that we discussed several times before by telephone.
The experimental results show conclusively that any expansion of the approximately 50%
t water-50% solid slurry inside our yellowcake tanker will take place l
in the convex (40%) void above the original 60% full slurry level.
There will be no pressure of any consequence exerted against the quar-ter-inch thick stainless steel side walls.
Therefore, it is requested that the minimum 320F operational restriction listed in Paragraph 9 of the Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corporation registered user license (Docket No. 71-9100 of May 1, 1978) be rescinded.
The appropriate fee for this minor license change is enclosed.
1 With the onset of winter conditions and the possibility of below 320 days it is requested that confirmation of the removal of the low temperature restriction be forwarded us at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely, ik &
. K. Deuel Environmental Project Manager JKD:mah Enc.
cc:
Mr. William Shelley, Kerr-McGee_.,.
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F LOW TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON IIRANIUM YELLOWCAKE I
j)2 Tanker Experiment q:p Hypothesis:
p The approximately 50% water-50% solid slurry, when placed' in a horizontal, cylindrical,1/4!' steel tanker, loaded to only 60%
capacity and vented (rupture disc), will expand upon freezing, into the convex (40%) void space and not exert any significant pressures on the side or end walls of the cylinder, i.e. tanker.
Assumptions:
1.
A glass, vented cylinder is much weaker than a similar,1/4" stainless-steel vessel and therefore introduces a degree of conservatism to the experiment.
A 100% water solution will expand more than a 50% water-50% solid 2.
slurry would thereby adding additional conservatism to the experimental design.
43.
Liquids, according to time tested laws of physics, expand about 10%
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in the change of phase to a solid when frozen.
4.
The freezing temperatures will be introduced quickly forcing the phase change effects promptly without allowing for slower, pres-sure relieving adjustment.
Ejuipment:
1.
Three, 1000 ml glass aspirator (vented) bottles filled to volumes of 60%, 85% and 95% and firmly stoppered.
2.
Yellow food coloring dye.
3.
Thermometer capable of (-)40 F readings.
4.
Photographic recording equipment.
0 5.
A low temperature facility capable of temperatures to (-)40 F (a former AEC/LASL cold chamber was used).
Predictions:
The liquid in 60% and 85% full bottles will expand into the available void space as the phase transformation is effected but the 95% full bottle will be breached f rom the pressure build-up due to the expansion.
Procedure:
1.
Fill the three experiment bottles accurately.
a.
Each bottle was weighed empty and then with the contained deionized water until its stipulated volume, i.e. 60%, 85%
or 95% was established.
2.
Add yellow food coloring.
(See photos A & B) 3.
Lower the temperature in the AEC/LASL cold chamber to (-)400F or below.j 4.
Place the board with the experiment bottles on it into the cold-chamber.*
5.
After two hours at (-)400F or below inspect bottles.
Note:
Ap-I proximately one-third of the experiment time in the cold chamber I
was at (-)500F. (See photo C) 6.
Remove the board with the three experiment bottles.
Note:
The black reference mark indicated the "before" liquid level and the red reference mark the "after" freezing level.
(See phote D).
- The bottles will then rapidlyf freeze and be fully f rczen at 0
(-)40 F in less chan an hour.
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Observations:
1.
The 95% full-bottle was breached no' predicted.
2.
Both the 60% and 85% full-bottles remained intact and accommodated the phase change expansion in to the void space above.
-3.
All bottles behaved as predicted.
==
Conclusions:==
t The NRC licensed, yellowcake slurry tanker, if ?illed no more than to 90% of its volume (actually it is filled to only 60% volume), will never have its containment breached from expansion due to freezing, no matter how improbable this latter event may be, under any set of possible circumstances.
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I RANCHERS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Box 6217 /1776 Montano Road, N.W. / Albuquerque, New Mexico 87197 / Telephone (505) 344-3542 LOW TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON URANIUM Yellowcake Tanker Experiment (conducted at the University of New Mexico's low Temperature physics laboratory)
October 17, 1978 iW@MAh6@ A I^
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Experimental setup (in office)
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Experimental setup (in lab)
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Experiment results (in lab)
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Cold chamber (-40 F) following experiment
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