ML20148L948

Forwards Results of Measurements of Radioactive Matl in NRC Phantom on Whole Body Counter.Encl 1 Contains Actual Amount of Each Radionuclide Present,Encl 2 Gives Ratio of Measurements to DOE Values & Encl 3 Gives Recommendations

ML20148L948
Person / Time
Site:	Farley
Issue date:	11/09/1978
From:	Sutherland J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Barton A ALABAMA POWER CO.
References
NUDOCS 7811200425
Download: ML20148L948 (5)

Text

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a UNITED ST ATES

[p* RECo, 'o, NUCl.E AR REGULATORY COMMISSION g

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[C p ATLANTA. GEORGI A 30303

% **..+ # NOV 0 91978 l In Reply Refer To:

RII:WJM 50-348/78-16 Alabama Power Company Attn: Mr. A. R. Barton Executive Vice President Post Office Box 2641 Birmingham, Alabama 3529.

Gentlemen:

1 This refers to the inspection conducted by Mr. W. J. Millsap of this office on June 28, 1978, of activities authorized by NRC License No. NPF-2 for the Farley 1 facility. The results of this inspection are discussed in our Inspection Report No. 50-348/78-16 which was enclosed with our letter to you dated August 10, 1978.

During the inspection, members of your staff measured the amount of radioactive material in an NRC phantom on the whole body counter. This measurement was also made by other NRC licensees and three Department of Energy laboratories. The results of these measurements are given in the enclosures to this letter.

Enclosure 1 gives the results of the measurements made by your staf f, the actual amount of each radionuclide present in the phantom at the time of this measurement, and the ratio of measured to actual amounts. Enclosure 2 gives the ratio of each measurement result to the amount actually present in the phantom at the time of the measurement for all measurements made by DOE laboratories and NRC licensees. Power reactor facility values are denoted by single letters; Department of Energy laboratory values are denoted by double letters. Enclosure 3 discusses general recommendations based on the inspector's observations of these measurements.

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Alabama Power Company Should you have any questions concerning this letter, we will be glad to discuss them with you. No reply to this letter is required.

Sincerely, e i ihn

.d. T. Sutherland, Chief Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch

Enclosures:

As stated .

cc w/ encl.

Mr. W. G. Hairston, 111, Plant Manager Drawer 470 Ashford, Alabama 36312 AW .

4 Enclosure 1 Facility: J. M. Farley Nuclear Plant Facility Designation: B Date of Measurement: June 28, 1978 Measurement Ratio Result Actual (Measured / Actual)

a. Co-60 0.26 pCi 0.24 pCi 1.08

b. Cs-137 0.25 pCi 0.13 pCi 1.92

c. Co-57 0.66 pCi 0.54 pCi 1.22

d. Cs-134 Not Reported 0.58 nCi l

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t Enclosure 2 Ratios (Measured / Actual)

Facility Co-60 Cs-137 Co-57 Cs-134**

1. A* 1.29 1.62 0.07 NR

2. B 1.08 1.92 1.22 NR

3. C 1.42 1.31 0.66

4. NR D 1.46 0.85 NR** NR

5. E 2.04 2.77 NR NR

6. F 1.25 0.85 1.22 NR

7. 0 1.42 1.62

8. 1.33 NR H 0.88 1.62 0.63 43 9- 1 1.63 2.38 0.23 NR

10. J 2.42 2.62 NR NR

11. AA 1.36 1.38 12.

2.97 NR BB 0.78 0.92 0.67 h1

13. CC 1.13 1.38

} 1.00 NR Facility A reported Cr-51 present in the amount of 0.10 pCi. This was not present in the phantom.

• • NR - Not Reported.

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l Enclosure 3 Observations by the inspector during the course of all phantom measurements suggest three general recommendations for the improvement of the whole body counting programs.

1.

'lhe spectrum resulting from each whole body count should be observed in its enti rety in order that the presence of unexpected radionuclides will be recognized. Several licensees failed to recognize the presence of the Co-57 apparently because its gamma energy falls outside a pre-determined region of interest.

2.

Each licensee should determine the energy response (energy / channel) of his detector over the full range of the spectrum. Several licensees had difficulty identifying the Co-57 once the presence of a low energy emitter was recognized because of the unexpected response of the detectors at low energies.

3.

Each licensee should consider some sort of intercompa rison or inde-pendent standard test of his whole body counter (s). A test cf this nature might reveal problems not immediately apparent to an individual group working independently of all others.

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