ML20149E544
| ML20149E544 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Virginia |
| Issue date: | 11/30/1987 |
| From: | VIRGINIA, UNIV. OF, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20149E535 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8801130378 | |
| Download: ML20149E544 (41) | |
Text
~V DISMANTLING PLAN FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA 100 W CAVALIER REACTOR AND APPLICATION FOR POSSESSION-ONLY LICENSE NRC LICENSE No. R-123 DOCKET 50-396 November 1987 REACTOR FACILITY DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING PHYSICS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 22901 8801130378 880105y6 DR ADOCK 0
I l
i TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary.....................................................Page 1
List of Figures and Tables................................... 11 1.0 Introduction...........................................
1 2.0 Applicable Criteria
..................................... 3 l
3.0 Operating History of CAVALIER reactor..................
5 Description and Current Status of CAVALIER reactor......
4.0 CAVALIER Dismantling Operation.........................
6 l
5.0 l
8 5.1 Financial Considerations Management Organization...........................
8 5.2 10 5.3 Reactor Staff Technical Competence 12 l
5.4 Procedures and Records
............................. 13 i
5.4.1 Measures to Prevent Accidental Criticality.
14 l
5.4.2 Environmental and Facility Surveys 15 5.4.3 Physical Barrier Inspections Abnormal Occurrences.......................
17 5.4.4 17 5.5 Disposal of CAVALIER Compenents...................
18 5.5.1 Fuel Elements..............................
18
(
5.5.2 Neutron Start-up S ource....................
19 l
5.5.3 Reactor Console 19 5.5.4 Grid Plate.................................
20 5.5.5 Control Rods
...............................20 5.5.6 Liquid Wastes..............................
21 5.5.7 Miscellaneous Solid Waste..................
21 5.5.8 CAVALIER and ARIS Tanks...............
Irpacts...........................................
22 5.6
.....22 5.6.1 Health and Safety of the Public............
23 1
5.6.2 Occupational Hazards 24 5.6.3 Environmental Hazards......................
25 5.6.4 Consideration of "No Significant Hazards" 26 5.7 CAVALIER Site Final Status........................
27 5.8 CAVALIER Post-Dismantling HP Survey...............
28 5.9 Schedule
..........................................30 6.0 Revision to Facility Documents
.........................31 6.1 CAVALIER Safet'f Analysis Report
...................31 6.2 CAVALIER Technical Specifications
.................31 6.3 CAVALIER Standard Operating Procedures Continuing Surveillance Plan...............
31 6.3.1 31 6.4 Reactor Facility Emergency Plan...................
32 6.5 Reactor Facility QA/QC Plan.......................
32 6.6 Reactor Facility Physical Security & Safeguards Plan 32 6.7 Reactor Facility Annual Reports Operator Requalification................................ n 7.0 33 8.0 Future Changes to CAVALIER Dismantling Plan............
33 9.0 Safety Analysis 9.1 Dismantling Activities............................
33
....33 1
9.2 Proposed Technical Specification Chan Effluent Releases...................ges
..........36 9.3 9.4 F ina l S t a tu s..................................... 3 6 36 Appendices
i
SUMMARY
The management of the University of Virginia Reactor Facility has communicated to the NRC its desire to forego the conversion of one of its two research reactors to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel.
Inctead, the licensee wishes to obtain NRC approval for a dismantling plan of the 100 W CAVALIER training reactor.
Additionally, NRC amendment of the present operating license for this reactor to a "possession only" status is sought.
This amendment would permit the licensee to possess but not operate the facility.
The licensee further abilcipates that the NRC will agrce that the fuel for the CAVALIER %ay be transferrable to the operating license for the 2 MW UVAR research reactor, and usable in that reactor until it is converted to LEU.
At that time, the former CAVALIER fuel elements will be shipped off-site in spent fuel shipments.
It is also proposed that the actual decommissioning of the CAVALIER be deferred and completed in synchronization with that of the UVAR, at some future date.
The licensee is presenting a dismantling plan for the CAVALIER reactor to the NRC for approval.
In it are described the actions that the licensee wishes to take, and the reasons for these actions.
Also described are the resources, financial and technical, at its disposal to successfully complete the proposed plan.
The management of the Reactor Facility believes that the dismantling of the CAVALIER can be accomplished by its regular reactor staff in a safe, orderly, and expeditious manner, and in conformity with existing federal regulatory and its own procedural requirements.
These actions are also believed to pose no unreasonable threat to the security, health and safety of the public.
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES 11 FIGURE Title Pace 4.1 University of Virginia Grounds 7a 4.2 Aerial View of Reactor Facility Site 7b 4.3 U.Va. Reactor Facility Building Lay-out 7c 4.4 Plan View of CAVALIER Room and Pit 7d 4.5 Typical CAVALIER Core Configuration 7e 4.6 CAVALIER /UVAR MYR-type HEU Fuel Elements 7f 5.1 Organizational Structure Of Reactor Facility 10a 5.2 CAVALIER Room Typical Radiation Survey Results 16 a TABLE Title Pace 2.1 Release Criteria (Reg. Guide 1.86) 3a 2.2 Acceptable Residual Contamination Levels 4a 5.9 Proposed CAVALIER Dismantling Schedule 30a
f' 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This document has been prepared to provide a detailed plan i
for the dismantling of the University's 100 W CAVALIER reactor.
The CAVALIER reactor has been used during the past 13 years for reactor operator training, and in the teaching of nuclear laboratory classes.
After the approval of the dismantling plan by the NRC and the conclusion of the operations specified in it, the licensee requests that a downgrading of the license R-123 from "operating" to "possession only" status be granted by the i
NRC.
These actions are meant to relieve the licensee of the burden of (1) converting the CAVALIER to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel as required by 10 CFR 50.64, and (2) continuously performing reactor operator training, surveillance and maintenance operations, at a time when the student enrollment is low and the reactor is under utilized.
The dismantling plan for the CAVALIER, together with the implicit request for a license amendment, is being submitted to the NRC pursuant to 10 CFR 50.90, 10 CFR 50.82, 10 CFR
- 50. 4 (b) (1), 10 CFR 50.90, 10 CFR 50.91 and 10 CFR 50.92.
Since a termination of license is not being sought at this time, the licensee will not submit a~n Environmental Report (ER) (see 10 CFR 51.45).
However, the dismantling plan will broadly address the I
topics normally covered in the Environmental Report: (1) the collective dose equivalent to workers for the entire dismantling project, (2) exposure of the general public to radioactive effluent released during the proposed activities, and (3) anticipated exposure levels of the general public following operating license amendment.
The licensee expects that the plan will present sufficient arguments to permit the NRC to conclude in its Environmental Assessment (EA) that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will not be necessary.
The licensee vould like to point out that the University of Virginia operates a second nuclear research reactor within the same building that houses the CAVALIER.
It is expected that this 2 MW reactor, the UVAR, will remain in operation under Licen.*e R-66 (Docket No. 50-62) and be converted to LEU in the nesr future, very likely within the next two years.
The operating license for i
the UVAR extends until Septewaer 30, 2002.
i The licensee intends to finalize the actual decommissioning of the CAVALIER at some future date, coinciding with that of the UVAR decommissioning, since both reactors are located in the i
Reactor Facility building.
The entire Reactor Facility is and t
will remain a restricted access area until both reactors are i
decommissioned.
A date for this decommissioning will not be established at this time.
1
2 From NUREC/CR-1756, Vol.1, page 2-1, a definition for the term "decommissioning" which is acceptable to the NRC has been obtained.
"Decommissioning of a nuclear facility means to safely remove the property from radioactive service and to dispose of residual radioactive materials.
The level of any residual radioactivity remaining on the property after decommissioning must be low enough to allow unrestricted use of the property."
Regulatcry Guide 1.86 on "Termination of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Reactors" states that the i
"possession-only license permits various options and procedures for decommissioning, such as mothballing, entombment, or dismantlino".
A generally accepted definition for the term "dismantlement" is "the removal of all equipment, materials and structures that are radioactive at levels greater than permitted for unrestricted use of the property."
In the case of the CAVALIER, dismantling can be accomplished by the removal of all its fuel elements and internal transfer to the UVAR reactor and its license (with no fuel shipment involved), disassembly of the CAVALIER reactor console to make it inoperable, disposal of some unusable radioactive components and proper storage of the remainder.
It should be emphasized that the CAVALIER facility site will not be converted to an unrestricted area following the reactor dismantlement, from both the physical security and radiological points-of-view.
This is not desirable, given that the UVAR is located within the same building as the CAVALIER.
Since the removal of radioactive materials to reduce radiation and
{
contamination levels to permit unrestricted use of the site is mandatory for a full license terminction, the licensee is at this time only requesting the amending of the CAVALIER license to "possession only" status.
While a "possession only" license permits ownership and possession of fuel, by-product material, and reactor components, l
and only prohibits operation of the reactor, after the CAVALIER fuel and source materials have been transferred to the UVAR license, the licensee expects that authorization for special nuclear material (10 CFR Part 70, "Special Nuclear Material"),
byproduct material (10 CFR Part 30, "Rules for General l
Applicability to Licensing of Byproduct Material"), and source material ( 10 CFR Part 40, "Licensing of Source Material") undar the CAVALIER license will not be retained.
However, such authorization will be retained under the UVAR license.
The licensee realizes that, should it eventually desire at some future date to request an upgrade of the CAVALIER license back to operating status, the CAVALIER would have to use LEU fuel.
3 The purpose of this dismantling plan is to provide a general description of the process or methods by which the CAVALIER reactor will be safely defuelled, its console deconfigured, the component parts either re-used, stored or disposed of, the fuel transferred to the UVAR reactor, and the CAVALIER room decontaminated.
Detailed aspects of the dismantling will be left for the implementing procedures to this plan, to be developed as may be necessary during the time that the NRC is reviewing this plan.
Upon successful completion of the dismantling operations, a
radiation survey will be.made, to document the new radiation levels in the CAVALIER room.
As previously explained, the area vacated by the CAVALIER will not be released to unrestricted use.
It is foreseen that this area might be used in the future for conducting other radiation experiments.
The CAVALIER operating license will be amended to possession-only status by the NRC at some point in the dismantling process, and will remain in that status until the licensee requests a further amendment or a license termination.
A license termination request for the CAVALIER would most likely be synchronized with a decommissioning plan for the UVAR.
A date for UVAR decommissioning has not been established, and this reactor is scheduled to be converted to LEU fuel within the next several years.
2.0 APPLICABLE CRITERIA As a result of a review of dismantling plans for other nuclear research facilities, the following levels of radiation appear acceptable to the NRC for the release of such facilities to unrestricted use:
a)
Surface Contamination i
Maximum permissible levels are taken from Table 1 of Reg.
Guide 1.86, and are presented in our Table 2.1.
It is noted that this Reg. Guide pertains specifically to power reactors, and therefore only thoso parts that appear applicable to non-power reactors are used for guidance in the development of this plan.
An ANSI standard that may also provides some guidance is ANSI N13.12 "Control of Radioactive Surface Contamination of Material, Equipment, and Facilities to be Released for Uncontrolled Use".
l l
1 3a i
4 Table 2.1 Relecse Criteria (Reg. Guide 1.86) t F
ACCEPTABLE SURFACE CONTAMINATION LEVE13 NUCLIDEa AVERAGE c MAXIMUMbd b
b REMOVABLE e U nat, U 235, U 238, and 5,000 dpm c/100 cm2 15,000 dpm a/100 cm2 1,000 dpm a/100 cm2 associated decay products Transuranics, Ra 226, Ra 228, 100 dpm/100 cm2 300 dpm/100 cin2 20 dpm/100 cm2 Th 230, Th 228 Pa.231, Ac 227,1 125,1129 Th nat, Th 232, St 90, 1000 dpm/100 cm2 Ra 223, Ra 224, U 232, 3000 dpm/100 cm2 200 dpm/100 cm2 1126,1131,1133 Beta gamma emitters (nuclides 5000 dpm $9/100 cm2 15,000 dpm h/100 cm2 1000 dpm h/100 cm2 with decay modes other than alpha emission of spontaneous fission) except Sr 90 and others noted above.
~
aWhere surface contamination by beta-gamma-emitting nuchdes should apply independently.both alpha and beta gamma-omitting nuclides exis i
b At used in this table, dpm (disintegrations per rrdnute) means the rate of emisdon by radioacthe material the counts per mirauta observed by an approprute detector for background, efficiency, and geometric factors as instrumentation.
C Measurements of average contaminant should not be averaged over more than I square meter. For objects average should be denved for each such object.
d The inaximum contamination level appbes to an area of not more than 100 cm2,
'ne amount of r soft absoroent paper, applying moderate pressure, and assessing the amou 2
I instrument of known efficiency. When removable contam6 nation on 2)octs of less surface area is determ shculd be reduced proportionally and the entire surface s!,ould be wiped-i 4
e i
i 1
l
)
i l
4 l
b)
Other than surface contamination Isotopes such as Co-60, Eu-152, and Cs-137 may exist in
{
concrete, components, structures,-etc... The radiation level from these isotopes at a distance of one meter from I
the surface should be less than 5 uR/hr above natural background (as measured at a comparable uncontaminated
)
structure or exterior soil surface), or 10 mrem /yr above
-j 4
background, considering reasonable proximity and i
occupancy (from NRC Div. of Lic.'s "Guidance and
{
Discussion of Requirements for an Application to Terminate i
e Non-Power Reactor Facility. Operating License").
j From-NUREG/CR-1756, pg.
6-7, the following is quoted: "a residual radioactivity level for permitting release of a nuclear facility for unrestricted use should be consistent l
with ALARA. Guidance in establishing such a level is best i
expressed in terms of a value which bounds the dose for 6
the majority of nuclear facilities.
This value is determined co be 10 mrem /yr whole-body dose equivalent..."
NUREG/CR-1756 contains tables on page.2-12 and page 9-10 depicting acceptable residual radioactive contamination l
levels inside a reference research reactor. These tables are reproduced in our Table 2.2.
i It is the intention of the University of Virginia Reactor l
Facility staff to make reasonable efforts to decontaminate the i
CAVALIER reactor room, following reactor dismantling, to meet the i
above levels.
However, the area presently occupied by.this facility will not be released for unrestricted access. Therefore, l
if the Reactor Facility staff is unable to decontaminate the area to reach the above suggested limits, for some as yet unanticipated reason, the radioactive material will be considered to have been transferred to the Reactor Facility's by-products j
license, which applies to the entire building, housing both the CAVALIER and the UVAR reactors.
In any case, the Reactor Facility will provide physical barriers. preventing public access i
to hazardous levels of radiation.
The radiation dose standards i
to be applied within the Reactor Facility, and specifically the CAVALIER room, will be for individuals in rectricted areas (10 j
CFR 20.101).
l l
1 l
I v,-.-
,-wi 3..
.ww,
-w y
4a Table 2.2 Acceptable Residual Contamination Levels Susanary of Calculated Example Acceptable Residual Radioactive Contamination Lev 61s for the Reference Research and Test Reactors Acceptable Residual Contamination Levels Time Exposwre Corrisponding to an Annual oose of 10 meeche 6egins 5wrrace son contastnetton (Years After) Limiting Contamination Mixed to 10 as Mixed to 0.15 e sNtdown)(a organ M i/ms)
(pct /a)
(pct /c)
Researen(b) Reactor 0
Total Body 0.066 Facility 100 Lung 0.074 Reseprgh Reactor ho reactor. produced site contamination is anticipated sitetCJ (see section E.1.2.3 of Appendia (),
festReacgor 0
Bone 0.18 Factittyti 100 tone 0.22 fest Reactor site 0
60ne 0.21 14 0.93 100 Bone 0.11 7.4 c.49 (s) The time that continuous exposure begins.
(b) In the f act11ty, a determination of acceptable surf ace contantaatton levels, based on the atiture of radionuclides. is asswned to be used to help deterstne the necessary decosatssioning procedures.
(c) In any case, to do the final site certification survey before the Itcense termination is approved, a confirmation of site specific residual radioactive contamination levels wuld be required based on current acceptable measurement techntwes, including the necessary doCweentatten vertfying the survey results.
]
1 l
Example Acceptable Residual radioactlye) Contamination Levels Inside the Reference Research Reactorta Time Exposure Dominant 1
Begins Limiting Radionuclide Acceptable (Years Aft Shutdown)\\gr Organ of Contributor Residual Contamination J
Reference To Dose Levels hCi/m')
60 0
Total Body Co 0.066 60 10 Lung Co 0.041 60 30 Lung Co 0.040 60
$0 Lung Co 0.052 60 100 Lung Co 0.074 (a) Corresponding to an annual dose of 10 mres/yr.
(b) The time that continuous exposure begins.
5 The following regulations (Code of Federal Regulations, CFR) or guidance, in total or in part, have been identified as possibly pertaining to the dismantling of a non-power reactor such as the CAVALIER:
Title 10 of CFR Subcart and Section Part 2 Subpart A 2.100 (a) (1) ; Subpart B 2.204; Subpart G 2.701, 2.708);
Part 20 20.101, 20.103, 20.105, 20.301-311, Part 40 40.44; Part 50 50.82, 50. 4 (b) (1), 50.33, 50.34, 50.36, 50.54, 50.56, 50.59, 50.64, 50.90, 50.91(a), 50.92; Part 51
- 51. 2 0 (b) ( 5), 51.23; Part 70 70.24, 70.34, 70.42, 70.54, Part 72 72.18, 72.38, 72.39, 72.51, 72.52, 72.54; Part 73 73.60; Part 170
- 49 CFR, Parts 173 through 178.
- Also NRC Generic Letter No. 84-18 from Darrell Eisenhut, dated July 6, 1984.
- Additionally, "Guidance and Discussion of Requirements for Application to Terminate a Non-Power Reactor Facility Operating License", Rev.1, Sept. 15, 1984 by Div. of Licensing, NRC.
The ANSI /ANS-15.10-1981 guide on the decommissioning of research reactors, and ANSI N13.12, has also been consulted for the formulation of this dismantling plan.
3.0 OPERATING HISTORY OF THE CAVALIER The CAVALIER (Cooperatively Assembled Virginia Low Intensity Educational Reactor) first went into operation in October 1974, under facility license R-123, at a licensed power of 100 watts.
The operating license was renewed in May 1985, for a period of 20 years.
Between October, 1974 and April, 1984, the CAVALIER has been i
operated for 3347 W-hours on its original flat-plate MTR-type l
fuel.
Since April, 1985 it has been operated for 230 W-hours on the present curved-plate fuel.
The flat-plate fuel elements were i
l
6 transferred and used in the UVAR beginning in May 1984. These same elements had nearly reached the end of their usefulness and were shipped in the early fall of 1987 to the Savannah River Plant for reprocessing.
The CAVALIER has been used primarily for reactor operator training, and undergraduate laboratory experiments, such as prediction of. critical rod heights, rod calibrations and approach to critical experiments.
During the operation history of the CAVALIER there were no contamination events, i.e.,
spills, radioactive leaks penetrating concrete or soil, and airborne radioactivity contaminating ventilation duct-work, piping, etc.
The radiation dose rates above the reactor, with the CAVALIER shutdown, are less than 0.5 mR/hr.
In a corner of the CAVALIER room there is a subcritical natural uranium assembly, used in laboratory submultiplication experiments, which will remain in place.
This facility produces the highest dose rate in the room when the reactor is shutdown, ranging from 0.5 mR/hr to about 1.5 mR/hr.
The purity of the CAVALIER water is maintained by either a water change (using purified water from the UVAR) or by running a small filtration system.
The integrity of this system has been maintained throughout the operating history.
No radwaste effluent releases from the CAVALIER to the environment above regulatory limits were ever made.
Also, the fuel integrity has always been maintained.
On several occasions, the CAVALIER has been defuelled without incident as per CAV SOP's, and the fuel elements stored temporarily in the Reactor Facility's fuel storage room.
There are no known areas of substantial activation or contamination of the concrete biological shield.
Low activation levels derive from the fact that the concrete wall is about 2 feet distant from the nearest core face, and the CAVALIER has been operated at low powers.
4.0 DESCRIPTION
AND CURRENT STATUS OF THE CAVALIER The CAVALIER is located at the Reactor Facility, which is sited approximately 2000 feet west of the city limits of Charlottesville, Albermarle County, Virginia, at latitude 0
38 2' 0
30 N, longitude 78 31' W, and at an elevation of 700 feet. To
{
the north, east and south of the site, no closer than 2000 feet, i
there are city residential districts.
Approximately 3/4 mile west over a nearby ridge, there are thinly populated suburban developments.
The only highway access to the Facility is by way i
of Old Reservoir Road.
A map of the University of Virginia "Grounds" is included as Figure 4.1.
7 The Reactor Facility is also located next to an abandoned reservoir that lies in the ridge between Mt. Jefferson and Lewis Mountain, some two miles from the downtown business district of the City of Charlottesville.
The reservoir is formed in a draw which begins at the top of the ridge, collecting water over a watershed area of 105 square feet.
The Reactor Facility is on a side of this draw, approximately 50 feet above the water level of the reservoir.
The Reactor Facility houses both the UVAR and CAVALIER reactors, as well as the Department of Nuclear Engineering, with its offices for faculty, students and staff, and also laboratories, machine and electrical / electronic
- shops, and a classroom.
In Figure 4.2, an aerial view of the Reactor Facility site and immediate vicinity is shown.
A general building layout of the Reactor Facility is presented in Figure 4.3.
The plan view of the CAVALIER room and reactor pit is presented in Figure 4.4.
Also, a typical CAVALIER core configuration is shown in Figure 4.5.
The CAVALIER reactor employs four bayonet type boron-stainless steel and aluminum clad control rods.
The control rods are positioned at the four corners of the reactor, in order to minimize relative rod worth and excess reactivity.
An 3
"experimental" fuel element (in grid position 43) is used to adjust excess reactivity, by either insertion or removal, from this element only, of individual fuel plates (12 of 18 plates being removable).
The curved MTR-type plate HEU fuel elements used in the CAVALIER are identical to those used in the UVAR (see Figure 4.6).
The maximum CAVALIER reactor power level was set in the Technical Specifications at 100 watts, but the actual 3
administrative set-points were set at more conservative values.
over the past 10 years the operation has been at a maximum power of about 60 watts.
With a water level above the core of approximately 8 feet, measured dose rates have been obtained at the top of the tank of about 4 mR/hr, and of less than 1 mR/hr in j
the general control room area.
An emergency system for borated water injection called ARIS (Alternate Reactivity Insertion System) is associated with the CAVALIER and provides additional assurance that the reactor can be shut down and maintained subcritical in the event of all four control rods failing to respond to a scram signal.
f..
7a
.\\i.\\
Figure 4.1
.i w
s' m w s pa\\e n. @# 'A g
I h
w~c &nw', e; s,,. w/.y' w
n 71 n/ ' rM\\S@\\
X ".j o
, ;& v g.
y;'
i g3 //\\
,t N
I
\\ j,# :
52g)
E
'V i
.Ay !
c
/
.. i g
%,, ):
~,c a
u\\ *\\j{ I s/>,> hs '
< sldp(.-I w // L
'4
//
g e
'A N.
\\', \\
-v
) f g/ Q:' ' pg(( g a
\\ \\,/, /
t
,-r e
y
}'
4: (g j
g
/,yJ' g
/
f,:((/
hllk(kii%h;O,V'l
//
~ \\,,
9 Sw e
v-4 x
An t
,\\
.' a e m hm\\ n~ n a
n'_Y
~ce 3.. xlpw \\/.xk, ['?
\\
' *a LHCfi i
- c. tk7(k}hf.s;)'c.,j/j, rD,:
E' F W
..',E' T N
l+
p?% my?.7.$g 5'b ['7,6',' '.
t}
,-S x./,
- 4Q, Nf
'J(3
,t
[
w, (! '~ 34 afiWO ',/
44 y
+1 y
':</gslIl
\\'
%^
d I'/
fij y. y?
W ^;%/'G%
n I!
' r
-l k$spfi Q[
.,'a ie
[
q %..,
s 1
'A u.
x0
_. ? ' Th Qn, h
-*://
Page 7a
E l
. [' Q.,.,wL ?;. % g, g y^7ff63MP n
=
- .m..: f h.'.i-N
- 4. st a.,-
. q...,. -
f.
K.y$a,,,3,,,; y.. -v',.og y
s v
g 45,_4p:,p*,.
p-
. p y
- c.
.y
=-
c.
4
, j.;*
l'.
c
.c ~g"y...
f,,
y s.3. 9,.*,f:
.;. m g.p.S My4
,M '..
E-A w,f.: p _-e 1
..!v.
~
.. ;,4 4
. : W*.av
- 'i
?
L
., cfic l%q~:'-Ql?f" lS y
f.. W.W;~&j$ -
,c 1
fn f b
3.'N.f' W O*' I
..;ff
^
x3 W,..,,.
Q e, f -
V N*: s i.g.,X' $ & r
+ g(,Q.N,f...**
\\?
Q-i.
Q ?' 4, ;M%;
, t'p y ;
y% M*.
q h$f:kf*ff 4
np m
4
+
-fl
.N h kf.N:
f Yl
+...
g4 p.L e eq,% y. -
s.%'..g: -
o
- e. *. -
u%.
-e
'? f.p. :
Kt *
.s W }iyygfly'..Q:?!..<-p.g
- .m W w
[
=
t it.nf..n W % A.
M
-?C
-'w J
j gg' L f
,.9~.;. Q::;.Qpyj _ g.y.:_.g,,jp,
'q.,
..'.p5Eil j.4
?g.:q p.
3.;
[
.y
- f. $ y
%le ',._ aA.y
.;,.. y.
-1. y.' '.' '-
I*
s,
. Y *;;;.
- 1: w-yr B-G M -, :# W Mp,' rW. 6'
.d ;
.3 E
v
. -n0 L-
.L
.r:p g, \\ T.s v
......T y.-.
,s
- 1 t
Y;}2's'W{V+.'Q y ) }.$
Q*('.k. ' ;
.s
- i. v i
.k. :
,,X.i 6;
.r X.
WU.N E
).]MW::.f$%f&.kh.*D..ql2$;
l
~=='*
h*~
s:
Y
.,'. d h."9R..
k Obs b.
k
~
- .4% $.
, q.
b.
- h. k h.g ]
p.
)
N 5
-)
~
>~
f"'T'k%'g*$%g-l5Oh.f;:-&h*V i.;y9<.'R4: N.,:4f -
t nf... '.$
b.k. {Nh $
Y
$ $?
'eY f
h hffffkkkf..;..hih?:.ff's,:.#.f S$k
.f [h hf 0-te$, >.
R p9.p,..
.h.F e f) < %.y. %a
..g'..
' :k J:.d,h.
.gt.e
j.".
m e
~
..).
a-ys
?
j'.
p.g.
-k'.e, g
. 4ge 1
4 :.. YC..- h' ^ N :. Q :
E.'R lf'?
'( -
]f..y',sp.f ?. J '.,~-li-f D
.G.):'e N
s, %.
.R X;
' ' i.c: -:qw n
p
- [., ); _ '
,Q Figure 4.2.
AERIAL VIE W OF REAC. TOR SITE AND IMMEDIATE VICINITY (1967)
7e t
//
1 I.r,,.
- t. :
~
o D
]d
)
s e,
m T.
/
y&,
\\
)
w e
m A
~~
c E
N kWddi h 9J em:n-#pN k
sa
=.,0
=
3g[ --
I K3.
my g 'rer..
CLW U
J cm%~ k- @
-:%We 1
FIRST FL99R PLAN
]
oY.
i u
1 C Tl'r 3 2 y WLN v
v y%s.
)
a K
D B.
,d
=s ww m
. y-,-.
c~ b
- j t
J
/
3 f
m,m
=. - -
p= tg-n,
{A9 dn tu+
=
=
i
- 0
- y
.w r:t u TC f i
3 1iW C
-i M
li I~~
['
o MEZZANINE LEVEL UVAR Core h m 2 c :-
T man.,
g
- n f (^ N
~ (N
[
U -
l l
l o
o b- =.
1 7
kM h M -~. '.J.f
~
!f
?
Er CAVALIER iiW b\\
L: __. -.
j Reacter Pit GRGUND FLOOR PLAN
~ - -.
l 1
Tigure 4.3.
UVA Reactor Facility Building Lay-out.
1
l l
l Plan View of CAVALIER Room and Pit 7d i
i i
r, MECHANICAL I
EQUIPMENT ROOM i
p' i
J t
t i
,/
l STAIRS TO ~
l MEZZANINE s
i OPERATING AREA CONCRETE SHIELD
,'_'A'9a*.'A
%a i
MODERATOR o
4 REACTOR o
i 3
m 6
PIT TANK s
6a l
g b
4 a
A A _V m
1 L
Figure 4.4
?
i i
5 i
b 6
4 CAVALIER REACTOR LOADING CHART Loading No.
M Y Date April 2, 1985 Total Mass 2635 gram U-235 F - Normal Fuel Element Excess Reactivity 1.01% ok/k P - Partial Fuel Element C - Control Rod Fuel Element i
E - Removable Plate Fuel Element Shutdown Margin 1.47% ak/k Rod #4 Withdrawn 4
AL Wire Mesh
\\
f/
//
/
u a
3, m
m
/
,i
/
m"vii
- v.,
se u v F
E Gr.
ai mi i v...,
v.
v.
/
F F
,F F
n e
5 S.
V oil V olo V.oof V eof F
F,,F
,. F u
a V @I F F
@n/
I V oi3 v.ett iI 7
y
", \\
+
,nn p
/
/
l
/
l FUEL ELF. MENT l-RP HAS ONLY 10 FUEL PLATES
-> n Figure 4.5 Tynical CAVALIER Core Configuration f
71;
'Tigure 4.6 CAVALIER /UVAR MTR-type HEU Fusi Elsmento l
i l
'Y-1 r4
...t..
l n im-ns / s a i
{
n.r. -
'h l
y Cu
[
sN
[
4 s
s i
s s
s j
s s
s
,s v
y u, / / s >.
i i
(
=G-l Q.
t 9
_. Rp o-I v
NB w
MD o
3 M v i
9 3
~
\\
U w
a sten.m staant comet non rwemt I
- !
- :(g '
4 j
C."
. s.
,11:: t
>.. - g j-
[i p,i p
],' lim,,.i,
A. [M g
a".
g,,
{ict' b
c.n
/
c, y.
7 i g._y..
ddP
__ I
=_ j E
j a-,,~..._,_..
STAirDARD ELD ett i
1 l
i tu -
'tn' i
i
]
1 a "h /fF-Y 4
K r" V m.._ \\, h.y-
...a i
W',
,,.N..b...
e.
o t,,,
,a.gb w.a
-~-
\\
... s v.
, *. fmfr"se CDerTM L RCD t W T 1
1
8 S.0 DISMANTLING OPERATION 5.1 Financial Considerations The federal regulation that relates to the financial qualifications of an applicant to construct, operate, and shut down and maintain the facility in a safe condition is 10 CFR 50. 3 3 (f).
The possible cost categories that were identified for estimating the dismantling charges for the CAVALIER, in order of approximately decreasing amounts, are as follows:
a)
Staff labor b)
Disposal of spent fuel c)
Disposal of radioactive waste materials d)
Miscellaneous tools, equipment and supplies e)
Nuclear insurance f)
Specialty contractors It should be noted that the dismantling of the CAVALIER, vnich will stop just short of outright decommissioning, and will Dat involve the disposal of systems normally associated with larger research reactors, such as activated and/or contaminated beam tubes, rabbit systems, thermal column, primary system piping, resin demineralizer system, heat exchanger system, radwaste storage room &/or tank, cooling tower, graphite reflector elements, emergency discharge basin, hot cells and laboratory hoods.
The dismantling will be accomplished by the existing in-I house reactor staff, and outside specialty contractors will not be needed or used.
The labor cost associated with the preparation of documentation, dismantlement operations, decontamination work, and surveys can and will be borne by the operating budget for the Reactor Facility.
For a ball park estimate of the dismantling cost, one might cite the less than $ 10,000 cost for the dismantling of Oregon State University's AGN-201 reactor (NUREG/CR-1756, pg 5-7).
The University of Virginia labor costs are expected to be on the order of $ 50,000.
This will be the single largest cost item associated with the dismantling.
It is observed that a sizeable fraction of this cost would have to be committed to maintaining the CAVALIER's operating license.
The CAVALIER's HEU fuel elements are of exactly the same type as thoso presently used in the UVAR.
Due to infrequent and short periods for CAVALIER reactor operation and the low powers achieved, the elements are not very radioactive (maximum dose rate of about 2 mR/hr at 1 foot).
i
9 an easy, quick transfer of CAVALIER fuel to the The UVAR Therefore, UVAR pool and its license will be possible.is such that all CAVALIER fuel c license's fuel limit transferred to it.
It should be noted that the Reactor Facility no longer has the practice of storing fresh fuel on its premises,However, used reactor within the secure fuel storage room.
elements of low activity may be stored thero safely andIt legally.
and that they used in the UVAR until it's conversion to LEU, The spent be eventually shipped off-site as spent fuel. fuel shipments LEU conversion program for the UVAR.
The residual radioactive items associated with the CAVALIER may be kept temporarily in the UVAR pool, or in vaste drums stored in the unused hot cell, or in other areas until a and conditions at the discretion of the licensee, sufficient n Thesa for burial as low specific activity solid radwaste.
shipments would be paid for out of the operating budget for the Reactor Facility.
and The CAVALIER was assembled by the reactor staff, some of the original constructors are still employed at theThi Reactor Facility.It is believed that all necessary tools and disassembly.
supplies already exist on site for the CAVALIER although j
Arc cutting and welding devices, i
dismantlement.
available, will not be employed.
Many structural supports have been bolted together.
i Miscellaneous supplies for the CAVALIER dismantling may anticontaminant clothing, possibly include HEPA air filters, cleaning and contamination c (chemical sweeping compounds, rags, mops, expandable handtools, and decontamination
- agents, For the most part, sheeting),
chemicals, as well as office supplies.
these supplies are routinely available at the Reactor Facility and are purchased through the operating budget.
The yearly NRC indemnity fees for research reactors are relatively low, on the order of $ 100.
Normally, the fee to be charged by the NRC for dismantling licensing services and 10 CFR Part 170, for amending the license is delineated inThis fee is waived for research Table J.1-10 in Appendix J.
reactors.
It is anticipated that the nuclear insurance fee paid by the Facility will be reduced as a result of the CAVALIER
10 dismantlement. Since actual decommissioning will not be undertaken, the present operating liability coverage will likely romain the same.
The insurance company (ANI) is being contacted in this regard.
The present costs of providing special essential services and energy at the Reactor Facility will not be substantially affected by the CAVALIER dismantling.
5.2 Management Organization Structure The Reactor Facility is an integral part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of f
Virginia. The organizational structure of the management of the Reactor Facility is shown in Figure 5.1 Responsibilities The Chairman of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics has overall responsibility for management of the Reactor Facility (Level 1).
The chairman is a professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and i
Engineering Physics and has a doctorate degree in physics.
The Reactor Facility Director is responsibility for the overall facility operation (Level 2).
He has a doctorate degree in nuclear engineering and is an assistant i
professor in the department.
The Director is responsible i
for overall planning and for providing direction to the reactor supervisor and administrator.
He will largely be responsible for developing the plan and documentation for the dismantling operations.
r Below the Reactor Director (at Level 3) are the Reactor Supervisor (responsible for day-to-day operation) and the Reactor Administrator (responsible for facility records & budgets, quality assurance, operator training, facility security, and month-to-month operation).
They have ten and twenty-one years of experience at this facility, respectively.
Their degrees are in nuclear engineering and health physics.
During the active phase of the dismantling they will have day-to-day oversight and will direct the dismantling group crew leaders.
(It is intended that the dismantling plan remain unaffected by an eventual change in personnel, so the personal information is for illustrative purposes only).
I k
i a
NUCLEAR REACTOR FACILITY ORGANIZATICN CHART Novemb wr-.I987 PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY of VA.
M F ENGINEERim REACTOR SAFETY CHAIRMAN COnedlTTEE OEPT. of NE 3 EP U.Va. RAD. SAFETY OFFICER DIRECTOR l REAcTm H.P. l-p Reeclar Focility a
"a u
SECRETARY REACTOR ADMINISTRATOR REACTOR StPERVISOR RADIATION SAFETY COhadiTTEE REACTOR SERVICES FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND ENG. SLPPORT RESEARCH PROGRAMS Nc. Ree. Sen. Op.
Elwotronto Shop R
.cch Sea.nts.t Rc. Reo. Op.
Machine Shop Nc. Res. Sen. Op.
Lob. Tech.
Nc. Reo. Op.
5
11 The staff (Levels 4 and 5' is usually composed of licensed senior reactor opera. tors and reactor operators, reactor operator trainees, and electronic and machining technical support staff.
Many individuals on staff hold college degrees.
Staff members will be rnsponsible for carrying out specific dismantling tasks, in accordance with supervisor instructions and procedures.
Normally, dismantling activities will be performed during a single 8-hour shift, 5 days per week.
A total staff effort of about 2 man-years is estimated for the completion of the dismantling plan.
A reactor health physicist, who is organizationally independent of the Reactor Facility operations group, is responsible for the radiological safety at the Reactor Facility.
During the dismantling process, the HP will provide surveillance in accordance with the Facility procedures, and strive to minimize the radiation exposures incurred, in conformity with the ALARA concept.
Other services to be provided by ihe HP coverage include: survey meter calibrations, performan.e of radiological surveys and control-zone postings, personnel dosimetry, protective clothing and respiratory protective device services, facility and equipment decontamination, handling of contaminated injuries, maintenance of radiation exposure records, liquid effluent and gaseous effluent monitoring and control.
Operations review and audit functions are and will be performed by the Reactor Safety Committee (RSC) composed of seven members. One of the members of this committee is from outside of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, while another is the University of Virginia's Radiation Safety officer.
To assure that the dismantling will be accomplished safely, the dismantling plan and possible implementing procedures will be reviewed by the RSC.
The licensee reserves the right to make substitution of members of its staff and to assign these to dismantling activities, notwithstanding the detailed and personal descriptions given above, in case more positions are created, or resignations occur in the future.
Dismantling operation The line organization described above will be responsible for the dismantling of the CAVALIER.
Personnel 1
12 experienced in reac*or operations and in radioactive material handling will perform the actual dismantling operation.
This group will include the reactor health physicist, reactor supervisor, reactor administrator, several senior reactor operators, reactor operators, reactor operator trainees, and technical support staff.
The reactor surervisor shall be responsible for the safe dismantling of the CAVALIER.
As such, he shall assure that operations are conducted in a safe manner, within the limits prescribed by the facility license, federal regulations, the Facility's QA/QC Plan and the requirements of the dismantling plan.
He shall be advised by the reactor director, the reactor administrator, and by the reactor health physicist en radiological requirements.
In the event that problems are encountered with the e:<ecution of the dismantling plan, the reactor supervisor will inforin the reactor director.
Significant occurrences shall be reported to the Feactor Safety Committee, stating the causes and corrective actions taken or proposed.
Reports to the NRC of abnormal occurrences shall be made as d efined and prescribed in the CAVALIER Sop's, which will c ontinue to apply until the successful termination of the dismantling activities.
All of the dismantling work will be done in a closed building, making off-site releases of radioactive materials a relatively straightforward process to prevent or control.
The CAVALIER room does not have a stack or a direct ventilation system with the outside environment.
Demolition of concrete structures, or soil removal, are not planned.
5.3 Staff Technical Competence Personnel performing dismantling tasks shall be under the direction of the Raactor Supervisor, who is a licensed SRO.
He will be assisted by the Reactor Administrator, also a licensed SRO.
They are both qualified users of radioactive material, and as such are authorized to handle radioactive materials without supervision and to direct the handling of radioactive material by personnel designated as restricted users.
As qualified users of radioactive materials, they are familiar with standard health physics procedures, use of counters and detectors, facility documents and plans, standard operating procedures and
13 federal regulations.
They will also have had a part in the preparation of the dismantling plan and the specific plan implementation procedures.
Personnel assigned to the dismantling crew shall belong to the reactor staff.
They will have had training in HP procedures to the extent necessary to qualify them as restrictad users of radioactive materials.
Various areas of expertise are represented among staff members, with electronic engineering being one of most utility.
They will work under the direction of the Reactor Supervisor.
The present Heatth Physicist is employed by the University of Virginia's office of Environmental Health and Safety, an organization independent from the reactor management group.
(His background involves five years of experience as a power reactor HP, and one year at our Reactor Facility.
He has a degree in atmospheric physics.)
The HP normal responsibilities which will be applicable to the dismantling program include:
a) Performing or supervising performance of area radiation, i
contamination and air surveys by technicians.
b) Administering the respiratory and bio-assay programs, c) Supervising the shipping and receiving of radioactive
- material, d) Supervising personnel, equipment, and facility I
decontamination and waste disposal.
e) Conducting HP and Radiation Safety training of Reactor Staff.
f) Generation and maintenance of HP required records, g) Providing for personnel radiation monitoring.
1 l
1 5.4 Procedures and Records The federal regulation that outlines the information and procedures necessary for the termination of an operating license is 10 CFR 50.82.
I The procedures that will be used in the CAVALIER dismantling operations are meant to insure that a criticality accident is made inpossible, that special precautions are taken to isolate radioactive materials and avoid contamination, that releases of radioactivity from the CAVALIER facility are prevented or minimized, that the Reactor Facility's QA/QC Program is followed, that members of the public are not overexposed and that personnel exposures are kept to a minimum (ALARA concept).
h i
14 The dismantling activities planned do not involve major construction or demolition aspects.
The disposal of systems normally associated with larger research reactors, such as activated / contaminated beam tubes, rabbit systems, thermal column, primary system piping, resin demineralizer system, heat exchanger system, radwaste storage room &/or tank, cooling tower, graphite reflector elements, emergency discharge basin, hot cells and laboratory hoods, will not be necessary in the CAVALIER dismantling program, because they do not exist.
Explosive techniques, or remote cutting apparatus will not be needed.
Soil decontamination will not be performed.
Gaseo, vapors, fumes, dusts and mist are not expected to be i
generated in appreciable quantities, and therefore a toxic l
or radioactive atmosphere that requires the wearing of breathing air supply equipment may. Tot be necessary.
The requirements of 29 CFR 1910 "Occupational Safety and Health Standards" are expected to be met in the development of the work procedures.
The required essential support systems and services for
{
the CAVALIER dismantling such as power, heat, water, communications, safety, security, etc... will be maintained by virtue nf the continuation of operations of the UVAR reactor in tia Reactor Facility.
5,4.1 Measures to Prevent t.ccidental Criticality Written and approved procedures, including checklists when appropriate, shall be in effect and followed for the following dismantling operations:
a)
Removal of fuel elements and control rods from CAVALIER core. {using RSC approved CAV SOP 5.4 "Procecure for Unloading Core".}
b)
Emergency conditions involving releases of radioactivity. (Such conditions are addressed by the Reactor Facility's NRC approved Emergency Plan and Implementing Procedures.}
c)
Security controls. (The provisions in the NRC approved Security Plan shall be in effect and followed.
The CAVALIER reactor room wjll be kept locked and the intrusion alarms activatad as required.}
d)
HP Controls. (Visitors will not be admitted to tne CAVALIER control room when radiation and contaminatic, exposures are considered to be likely.
ReLotor equipment will be removed from the CAVALIER room upon HP clearance.
Staff will wer.r appropriate dosimetry when working and will
15 observe the HP instructim as for meeting frisking requirements.)
e)
Removal cf rod drives and core support structure.
f)
CAVALIER tank draining and decontamination.
Substantive changes to dismantling procedures, if necessary, shall be made only with tho approval of the Reactor Safety Committee.
However, tho reactor director may approve temporary changes to the procedures, with the proviso that their original intent is not changed.
Such temporary changes to procedures shall be documented a.id subsequently reviewed by the RSC.
S.4.2 Environmental and Facility Surveys As stated in UVAR SOP 10.4.C:
"Surveys shall be taken by the Reactor Health Physicist or his designee at predetermined locations outside the Facility to nasure that radiation and/or contamination levels a e monitored.
Samples of air and water shall be collected and analyzed on a monthly basis.
Radiation level surveys around the outside of the building shall be performed on a weekly basis."
The environmental monitoring program conducted at the Reactor Facility consists of the following:
a)
Monthl.: invironmental Air Samples, taken at:
1)
Thu Reactor Facility rooftop.
2)
The Barrack's Road Shopping Center.
3)
University of VA.'s water filtration plant.
b)
Monthly Water Samples, taken at:
1)
U:iversity of VA.'s wr.ter filtration plant.
2)
C/eek adjacent to Barrack's Road Chopping venter
.c two po3nts downstream from the Reactor Facility 1.4 quid discharge point.
3)
Creek fee 62ng the Reactor Facility pond, upstream f rom point of liquid discht rge.
c)
Quarterly Integrated TLD Environr. ental Gamma Measurements, at seven locations surrounding the Reactor Facility site.
16 The radiation surveys required by the UVAR SOP's for the entire Reactor Facility will continue to be made prior to, during and following the CAVALIER dismantling.
Before the disassembly of non-fuel reactor components, a thorough radiation survey will be performed to determine the status of the CAVALIER pit and its immediate surroundings.
This information can be used in estimating the radioactive waste inventory and in planning detailed activities of the dismantling program.
This will also permit the estimation of occupational radiation dose during dismantling and the waste disposal requirements (see Figure 5.2, which nepicts a recent survey taken in the CAVALIER room).
Substantial releases of radioactivity to the environment as a result of the CAVALIER dismantling are not expected.
The reactor tank water will most probably be routed to the Reactor Facility's liquid radwaste tanks, and treated as radioactive liquid waste as per UVAR SOP's.
An alternative would be to return the CAVALIER tank water to the UVAR reactor pool, or to make a release of this very low activity water to the Reactor Facility's on-site retention pond.
The disposal options are at the discretion of the licensee.
The removal of material from the CAVALIEP tank will be.arefttlly done to prevent contamination of the work area and the Reactor Facility.
This material will also be preperly disposed of, to avoid the creation of unposted radiation areas.
The daily and other normal programmed Zacility radiation surveys will be performed to avoid such situations.
The CAVALIER tank will most likely be left in place.
It may also be removed, disassembled and packaged for solid waste shipment, if so desired by the licennee.
It would be kept in place, after decontamination attempts are rade, if it is determined that it could be used in the performance of other radiation experiments.
Attempts will be made to decontaminate it as soon as it is emptied of its reactor coolant water, by washing and wiping.
If necessary, spray painting will be considered as a means cf fixing contamination in place. The decontamination method to be ultimately used will be at the discretion of the licensee.
l I
16a 1
I I
I m
l.'.'.'
umu
.... n'...
- :.,- x:.;
,7
~,.....
...,.y Control Room
- 1 L
4;.
< 0.5 Mr/hr
.J..'.'.
,. Fuel
' Storage 0.85 mr/hr*
j i'
g g.,.,.,.
{WE tV' rt2t{
.T.
5 '
CAVALIER Tonk & Pit I
Sub-critical 1
4 ~.U
" ' r y' g F
'"Facility
<0.5 mr/hr N m
1.44 mr/hr j
.77?P
, "W 4
M N.l
.['"].'
y t
Outside Building 0.06 mr/hr b
Instrument: ESP Serial /fl561 Date Surveyed: September 17, 1987 I
t
?
L
)
l t
I l
l 1
l I
Figure 5.2 CAVALIER Room Typical Radiation Survey Results l
a t
I f
e
17 5.4.3 Physical Barrier Inspections The Physical Security Plan for the Reactor F3:ility will be followed prior to, during and following the CAVALIER dismantling.
That means that existing doors, fences, intrusion alarms, and reactor staff will be continue to be employed.
The integrity of the physical barriers is checked daily and inspected weekly.
5.4.4 Abnormal Occurrences Adm;nistrative procedures for the notification and reporting of abnormal occurrences such as (1) the entrance of an unauthorized person or persons into the Reactor Facility and (2) a sign!ficant changa in the radiation or contamination levels in the Fac._ity or the offsite environment, are presenhly in effect and will continue to exist throughout the period of validity of the NRC operating license for the UVAR.
This period clearly extends through and beyond the period for the CAVALIER dismantling.
Teese procedures cover the manner in which authorized access into and movement within the Reactor Facility is granted and monitored.
Records The following records and logs shall be prepared and retained at the Reactor Facility until the termination of the NRC License R-123:
a)
CAVALIER operational logbooks and documents (SAR, old and new Technical Specifications, old and new SOP's).
i b)
CAVALIER Dismantling Plan and QA/QC records associated with execution of the plan, c)
HP rad!.ation surveys of the CAVALIER reactor room.
i d)
Radiation exposures records for personnel associated with the physical dismantling operations of the CAVALIER.
e)
CAVALIER fuel inventory and transfer records, f)
Content and disposition of solid waste containers, g)
CAVALIER facility drawings.
h)
Records of inspection of physical barriers (same as i
Reactor Facility Security Plan inspection records).
i)
Abnormal occurrences.
l j)
Reactor Safety Committee meeting minutes.
18 5.5 Disposal of CAVALIER Components It should be noted that the dismantling of the CAVALIER, which will stop just short of outright decommissioning, will not involve the disposal of systems normally associated with larger research reactors, such as activated / contaminated beam tubes, rabbit systems, thermal column, primary system piping, resin demineralizer system, heat exchanger system, radwaste storage room &/or tank, waste evaporator, cooling tower, graphite reflector elements, reactor bridge, emergency drainage basin, hot cells, laboratory hoods, and exhaust stack.
5.5.1 Fuel Elements The CAVALIER HEU fuel elements are of the materials testing reactor type (MTR), consisting of 18 curved fuel plates containing nominally 195 grams of U-235 per standard element.
The flat-plate elements are no longer used in the CAVALIER and were transferred to the UVAR in 1984 and received sufficient burn-up there to warrant shipping off-site as spent fuel, at some date in the early fall.
In the present curved-plate control elements, there are 9 fuel plates containing nominally 98 grams of U-235 per element.
Partially loaded elements with some of the fuel plates removed and substituted with aluminun plates are also used.
Finally, there is in use an experimental" element from which individual fuel plates can be removed or inserted to provide shimming.
Some of the curved plate elements from the CAVALIER were surveyed on 7-11-86 and it was determined that the highest dose rate from a typical element at one foot was about 2 mR/hr.
As one ei the initial steps of the dismantling process, the fuel elements will be removed from the CAVALIER as per CAV SOP 5.4 "Procedure for Unloading Core".
Nuclear criticality is a consideration in the plan and it is satisfied by this previously used standard operating procedure, which adequately addressas this concern.
Next, the 16 fuel elements, comprising 2639 grams of U-235, will be transferred to the UVAR license R-66, and used in the UVAR as needed.
Before use in the UVAR, these fuel elements may be stored in the Reactor Facility's fuel storage room.
The fuel will be
19 considered so be "irradiated fuel", from the standpoint of having beon 10 an operating reactor.
Radiologically speaking, there is very little difference between this fuel and "fresh" fuel (which self irradiates!).
Since the fue*& elements will be transferred to the UVAR and its license, and since the UVAR is located in the same. building, spent fuel shipping procedures will not be needed as part of the CAVALIER dismantling plan.
When the former CAVALIER elements have ended their utility in the UVAR, they will be shipped off-site for reprocessing according to federal snipping regulations, as implemented by written and approved procedures prescribed by the Facility's QA/QC Plan.
The staff has had recent experience in shipping spent fuel, and several UVAR spent fuel shipments are imminent.
The MTR type fuel elements shipped from the Reactor Facility do not have their ends cut off by remote underwater cutting cols, as is the case at most other facilities.
Disposal of spent fuel will, as always, be accomplished in accordance with the requirements of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and applicable NRC and DOT regulations.
Also, as the fuel is owned by DOE, DOE will decide on its destination and disposition.
Thero are no graphite or other reflector elements used in the CAVALIER core, and therefore to be disposed of.
5.5.2 Neutron Start-up Source The CAVAL 1rR's neutron source is a 1 Curie Pu-Be source and it will be sweared for contamination before removal from the CAVALIER room.
After decontamination, it will remain on the Reactor Facility's By-product Materials License, and when not in use at the Reactor Facility it will be stored in the source storage room.
5.5.3 Reactor Console The following reactor measuring channels are associated with the CAVALIER consolei a) Start-up Count Rate b) Linear Power (Gamma-Ion Chamber)
{
c) Log N and Period (CIC) i
=. -
20 The console will be de-energized and deconfigured following the removal and transference of all CAVALIER fuel. The console components will be checked for contamination and the majority of these may go into storage at the Reactor Facility. If not needed, these components may also be properly disposed of as waste.
Radioactive components may be kept under the UVAR R-66 license until disposed of as radioactive waste.
5.5.4 Grid Plate The aluminum grid plate was last surveyed on 5-4-84 and the dose rate on contact was found to be less than 1 mR/hr.
The dimensions of the base plate are 36 in, by 36 in. by 1 in., and of the two center plates (with twenty-eight 3 in, holes) are 25 in, by 25 in. by 0.5 in., with a combined weight of about 150 lbs.
Underwater cutting of core support structures is not anticipated. Bolted rather than welded construction techniques were used in assembling these structures.
The core support structures will be kept either in the CAVALIER tank, UVAR pool, the soitrce storage room, or the hot cell, at the discretion of the licensee.
Eventually they will be used or disposed of in an appropriate manner.
5.5.5 Control Rods The control rods are made from boron-stainless steel with an aluminum jacket.
The four CAVALIER control rods are the most radioactive compo7ents of the reactor.
The dose rates measured on 5-4-84 are as follows:
ROD CONTACT READING (mR/Hr) 1 200 2
350 3
400 4
1 It should be noted that the high values obtained for three of these rods is due to the fact that they were at one time used in the UVAR reactor, before their transfer to the CAVALIER.
21 The four control rod blades will probably be individually transferred to and stored in the UVAR pool.
Location of storage will be at the discretion of the licensee.
Good HP practices will be observed for this undertaking.
Use of one or more of these rods in the UVAR core at some future date is not precluded.
5.5.6 Liquid Wastes The Reactor Facility's liquid waste tanks will remain in service for the UVAR.
Liquid wastes resulting from the CAVALIER can be placed in these i
waste tanks and disposed of as per UVAR SOP's.
5.5.7 Miscellaneous Solid Waste The following components and hardware associated with the CAVALIER may be slightly contaminated:
a)
Water pump and demineralizer system b)
Water drain lines c)
Concrete shield biracks d)
Tank water level 4.ndicator e)
Radiation detectvrs and chambers f)
Rod drive ansemblies g)
ARIS boron solution tank and syatem
{
Salvageable equipment and miscellaneous items may be reloccted to other onsite areas, or left in place as part of new experiments.
All items will be checked for contamination and carefully bagged, when naeded, before storage.
Decontamination will be attempted on items which are salvageable, while other items will be properly disposed of as LSA solid radwaste.
Radwaste generated during the dismantling will be transferred to the Reactor Facility's By-product Materials License.
Preparation, packaging, storage and disposal of th6t waste shall be in compliance with the materials license.
Waste intended for disposal shall be sent to a licensed waste burial facility, in accordance with the applicable provisions of 10 CFR Parts 61 and 71, at a date convenient to the licensee.
There are no graphite reflectors or other core elements, experimental facilities, bridge, fuel storage rack, demineralizer regenerator, pri, mary system piping
22 or heat exchanger associated with the CAVALIER requiring disposal.
The long-lived radionuclides which are generally considered the most probable sources of contamination at research reactor facilities are Co-60, Ni-59, Zn-65 and Nb-94, originating from the activation of reactor structural materials.
Dose rates are largely determined by the amount and decay of Co-60.
Assuming no decontamination, Co-60 decays to 10% of the shutdown value in about 17.5 years, and to 1% after 35 years.
It should be noted however that the UVAR and CAVALIER reactor components contain aluminum 6061-T6 and 1100, not steel.
This leads to short-lived Na-24 and Al-28 activation products and very small amounts of Zn-65.
The decontamination requirements to be met are given in Regulatory Guide 1.86, Table 1 (see out Table 2.1).
The methods chosen for decontamination shall be appropriate for the type of surface to be cleaned and the type of contamination present.
It is anticipated that washing, scrubbing, or light abrasion of surfaces will be sufficient.
Economic value will be a major justification for decontamination attempts.
5.5.8 CAVALIER and ARIS Tanks The aluminum tank in which the CAVALIER sits measures 67 in, by 67 in. and is 11 feet deep, with a minimum thickness of 0.25 inches.
Its total weight is about 1950 lbs.
The tank vclume is 2970 gallons, and it has been normally filled with 2900 gallons of reactor grade water.
The tank will be emptied and decontaminated after the removal of the CAVALIER fuel and rods.
It will most likely remain in place, and may prove useful for other experimental uses involving radiation sources.
The ARIS tank holds a solution of boric acid.'
This solution will be discarded.
The tank is not expected to be contaminated, and this will be checked.
It will be left in place or removed at the discretion of the license.
I 5.6 Impacts It should be noted that the dismantling of the CAVALIER, which will stop just short cf outright
{
decommirsaioning, will ngt involve the disposal of nystems j
2
23 normally associated with larger research reactors, such as activated / contaminated beam tubes, rabbit systems, thermal column, primary system piping, resin demineralizer system, heat exchanger system, radwaste storage room &/or tank, waste evaporator, cooling tower, reactor bridge, emergency retention basin, hot cells, laboratory hoods and exhaust stack.
This will result in a reduction of the cost of the dismantling, reduction in the volume of radioactive wastes for disposal, and reduced radiation dose to be received by the dismantling crew.
{
5.6.1 Health and Safety of the Public The public could hypothetically suffer an impact from a postulated atmospheric release of radioactive materials during the dismantling of the CAVALIER.
Radiation exposure pathways normally considered for postulated atmospheric releases are (1) direct external exposures, (2) inhalation, and (3) ingestion of food products.
The primary hypothetical sources of radioactive effluent resulting from a routine reactor dismantling are radioactive liquid aerosols produced during localized chemical decontamination, vaporized radioactive metal released during equipment or pip'ng removal, and radioactive concrete dust lifting dr
.g concrete removal.
However, as described elsewhere, demolition of concrete structures, or soil removal, are not planned, and at any rate, the contamination levels associated with the CAVALIER are minute.
Therefore, it appears highly unlikely that the public will be subject to these sources and pathways as a result of CAVALIER dismantling.
Note should be taken of the fact that the CAVALIER room does not have a stack.
All of the dismantling work will be done in a closed building, making off-site releases of radioactive materials a relatively straightforward process to prevent or control.
Since it is not unreasonable to expect that, at worst, negligible atmospheric releases will occur as a consequence of CAVALIER dismantling, the public radiation doses should be virtually non-existent.
It may be considered possible that the general public could receive some very small exposure as a result of the shipment of spent reactor fuel.
This is then a final possibility to be considered in a public impact analysis.
In the case of the CAVALIER
24 dismantlement, the fuel will not be immediately shipped.
Rather, all or fractions of it will most likely be used in the higher power UVAR.
Therefore, when it is shipped, an estimate of the fuel's impact on the public will depend on its irradiation history in i
the UVAR.
Hence, no impact on the health and safety of the public is expected as a result of the dismantling of the CAVALIER.
On a more general note, the radiation doses to i
the public from research reactor spent fuel shipments are recognized as being very low, and this is a reflection of the relatively small amounts of radioactivity present in research reactors, as compared to power reactors.
In conclusion, no public impact from the CAVALIER facility is believed to be possible during and following the disnantling of the CAVALIER, completion I
of the fuel disposa.'
and amendment of the operating i
license to possession-only status.
/
5.6.2 Occupational Hazards j
l The occupational exposure expected to be i
associated with dismantlement of the CAVALIER is
(
dependent principally on the method adopted for unloading the core, and the radiation levels presented by the fuel elements and control rods.
The structures of the CAVALIER have been constructed from highly purified aluminum, hence low amounts of long-lived activation products can be expected.
Data has been presented elsewhere on these radiation levels, and it indicates that with prudent work habits the exposure to be incurred will be well within regulatory limits.
When possible, tools will be used to maintain the radioactive items at a distance.
Time analysis and shielding considerations can also be brought to bear.
The reactor HP will provide guidance on maintaining exposures as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).
Due to the low power of operation of the 4
CAVALIER, the use of aluminum structures, and the excellent history of fuel element integrity, it is expected that the internal surface contamination of the tank should be very low.
At present, no radiation levels or radioactivity above normal background levels are detected on reactor console components or on the floor surfaces of the CAVALIER rcom (refer to Figure 5.2 for recent survey results).
25 The HP requirements that will be met by the dismantling methods and procedures to be developed are:
a). Maintain exposures of personnel ALARA.
b)
Prevent personnel contamination.
c)
Prevent contamination of other areas of the Facility.
d)
Prevent airborne contarination and monitor for
- same, e)
Provide adequate protective clothing.
f)
Provide adequa'
'rsonnel dosimetry.
g)
Perform detai; rveys as work progresses, h)
Train and advia <ersonnel involved in the dismantlement, as necessary.
i)
Legally dispose of and ship (if necessary) radioactive waste.
In the development of necessary procedures and methods, the following should be considered:
a)
Activity concentration of CAVALIER pool water.
b)
Induced activity of reactor components.
c)
Contamination levels of reactor components, d)
Area radiation levels.
e)
Removal of start-up source, f)
Movement of fuel.
g)
Potential for airborne contamination.
h)
Generation of radioactive waste.
5.6.3 Environmental Hazards Title 10, CFR 51 pertains to licensing and regulatory policy and procedures for environmental protection.
Section 51.5(b) (7) provides guidance for determining if an environmental impact statement is i
needed for decommissioning a nuclear facility.
The 1
licensee does not believe, and expects the NRC to agree, that such a statement is necessary for the CAVALIER dismantling.
The environmental effects that may be postulated result from the CAVALIER disassembly are radiation J
exposure, liquid and airborne radioactive release, and solid radwaste disposal.
{
l Airborne radioactive release due to CAVALIER dismantling can be predicted to range from non-existent to very small and unmeasurable amounts.
I l
26 The dismantling of the CAVALIER will be done in a closed room, which does not have a stack to the outside.
No credible mechanisms for airborne release are foreseen, as a result of the benign techniques to be employed.
The amounts of solid low-specific-activity (LSA) radwaste that are anticipated to be generated are small, certainly no more than several barrels, and will eventually be sent off-site for legal disposal in a licensed burial ground, probably in Barnwell, South Carolina.
The principal environmental impact of solid waste disposal is the land area that must be committed to this activity.
Shipping of these wastes may also involve a very low dose to the drivers and possibly to persons along the transportation route.
Clearly, the environmental impact of this aspect of the CAVALIER dismantling will be minuscule.
The water contained in the CAVALIER tank has a volume of about 11,000 liters.
It originally was obtained from the UVAR, and has very low activity.
It will be disposed in conformity with the Reactor Facility's procedures, or, at the option of the
- licensee, returned to the UVAR pool.
Little environmental impact is expected in its disposal.
Soil contamination outside of the Reactor Facility is also not expected.
Soil or concrete l
removal operations will not take place.
Other forms of solid waste will leave the facility sealed in proper j
packages for burial at a licensed waste facility.
1 5.6.4 Consideration of "No Significant Hazards" A consideration of potential hazards, to lead to a conclusion that no cignificant hazards exist
{
associated with the CAVALIER dismantling, may use criteria contained in 10 CFR 50.92, 51. 2 0 (b) (5), 51.23, and 51. 32.
It is pointed out that the license amendment i
request does not involve irreversible consequences, such as one that permits a significant increase in the amount of effluent or radiation emitted.
Alto clearly not involved are (1) a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated, (2) the possibility for the creation of a J
27 new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) a significant reduction in a margin of safety.
The licensee believes that an environmental impact statement is not required by 10 CFR 51.20(b) (5) for the CAVALIER, which is a small research/ training reactor.
Consultation of 10 CFR 51.23 indicated that a generic finding of no significant impact arising from the temporary storage of on-site spent fuel after cessation of reactor operation has been made by the NRC.
In conclusion, the licensee believes that the present dismantling plan describes the proposed actions in sufficient detail to permit the NRC to reach the finding (10 CFR 51.32) that no significant impact will result from the CAVALIER dismantling.
5.7 CAVALIER Site Final Status There is a good possibility that the CAVALIER tank will be left in place for possible use in other radiation experiments.
If this is the case, energetic efforts will be made to decontaminate the tank, by chemical or other means.
Also left in place, in a corner of the CAVALIER room, will be the natural uranium subcritical assembly.
The fuel storage room will remain as it is at present.
The barriers to entry into this room and into the CAVALIER room will remain in place after the CAVALIER dismantling.
These barriers, with their penetration alarms, are described in the physical security plan for the Reactor Facility.
This plan has been recently revised, to take into account the planned effect of a CAVALIER dismantlement.
28 5.8 Post-Dismantling HP Survey The purpose of a final post-dismar.tling survey is to provide assurance that the facility and the site meet prescribed radioactivity levels that permit their safe and legal use.
In the case of the CAVALIER area, the area is destined for further restricted use, within the Reactor-Facility building also housing the UVAR.
The nature of operation of the CAVALIER was such that the likelihood of finding significant contamination or activation is extremely low.
The CAVALIER was operated at powers below 100 W on an infrequent basis.
A distance of about 2 feet separates the core and the tank wall.
This distance will have served to prevent major activation of the tank and concrete biological shield.
The reactor fuel has existed in a sealed ftrm, and no fuel leaks wera ever detected.
The fuel did not receive sufficient exposure to accumulate a significant fission product inventory.
On the basis of the past radiation heelth physics surveys of the CAVALIER room, there is good indication that radiation and contamination hazards in that room have been and are very low.
The area that can be expected to be slightly contaminated is the area in the immediate vicinity of the CAVALIER tank.
Radioactive waste will be packaged and shipped to a licensed commercial waste disposal firm at the appropriate time, in accordance with 10 CFR 71, and according to our procedures under the Reactor Facility's QA/QC Plan.
After removal of the reactor components and completion of the decontamination, it is expected that the radiation and contamination criteria presented in Section 2.0 of this plan can be met.
Shielding will be used if and when needed.
A final post-dismantling HP survey will be performed.
It will consist of-a gamma radiation level survey with a calibrated low-level reading instrument at approximately 3 feet above floor level throughout the CAVALIER room and within 6 inches of the floor in specific areas in the immediate area where the CAVALIER was located.
Internal walls and ceiling will also be surveyed.
In general, the survey instrumentation to be used will have sufficient range, accuracy and sensitivity to determine that compliance with the criteria referenced in this plan and the Facility's sop's are met.
If possible, a release criterion of 10 uR/hr above natural background when measured at one meter from a surface will apply, subject to best efforts in J
29 decontamination (since the CAALIER area will not be released for unrestricted use).
Natural background levels will be established by m iasuring the activity of similar materials that have not Jeen exposed to a neutron flux.
A contamination survey will also be made, of CAVALIER equipment removed from the CAVALIER room, of the interior of remaining CAVALIER tank piping, and of selected locations on j
the CAVALIER room surfaces, consisting of the measurement of removable contamination by the taking of small area smears 2
(of approximately 100 cm ) with dry filter paper disks, in accordance with standard industry practice, and counting the smear samples in a laboratory (gas proportional) low-background counter, for beta / alpha count rates.
The release contamination criteria specified in Regulatorn Guide 1.86, June 1974, Table I will be used, if possible, subject to the restrictions already noted several times before in this plan.
Count rates obtained with the low-background counter will be converted into surface contamination levels for i
comparison with the limits, using internal HP procedures which call for counter calibration with NBS traceable beta and alpha sources.
Smears taken will be identified and analyzed in accordance with HP procedures.
Should contamination be found that is fixed and difficult to remove, attempts will be made to identify the nuclides involved by gamma spectroscopy, in our NAA lab, supported with several germanium counters.
1 I
J
30 5.9 Schedule The sequence of CAVALIER dismantling program steps and a prchable schedule is provided below.
The schedule assumes that the plan will be NRC approved by the indicated date.
The schedule will slip by the number of months that the NRC approval is delayed.
Dismantling operations will begin after NRC approval of the plan has been obtained.
Dismantling operations will be conducted in accordance with the plan, CAVALIER SOP's and the procedures implementing the plan.
The schedule is tentative and may have to be modified, however, best efforts will be made to maintain it.
Table 5.9.1 PROPOSED CAVALIER DISMANTLING SCHEDULE 1_198.7___
1988 1989 ND JFMAMJJASOND JF NRC Dis. Plan Review Order to Dismantle Pos.-Only License Procedure Preparation Personnel Training Comprehensive Rad. Survey Defuelling & Transfer Control Rod Storage Tank-water Drainage Core Structure Removal Tank Decontamination General Cleanup Console Deconfiguration Final Decontamination Storage of Items j
HP Normal Surveys HP Final Survey I
Packaging LSA Wastes Shipment of LSA Waste N
Shipment of CAV/UVAR Fuel N
N=
Date not foreseen i
f
31 6.0 REVISION TO FACILITY DOCUMENTS 6.1 CAVALIER Safety Analysis Report (SAR)
Following the dismantling of the CAVALIER, the CAVALIER SAR will no longer be applicable.
Dismantling of the CAVALIER will be deemed to have been completed once the post-dismantling HP survey results have been found to be acceptable, by criteria given in this plan.
6.2 CAVALIER Technical Specifications (T.S.)
The Technical Specifications are part of the operating license and meant to assure the safe operation of the reactor.
Afte.r the CAVALIER fuel has been transferred to the UVAR license, the Technical Specifications for License R-123 will no longer be applicable, to the extent that they apply to the operation of the facility.
Therefore, subsequent to the removal of fuel from the CAVALIER, and transfor of the Pu-Be sealed start-up source, the present Technical Specifications shall be replaced with new Technical Specifications, the proposal for which is further described in the Appendices to the plan.
The proposed substitute Technical Specifications reflect the safety precautions that will be necessary during the dismantling and post-dismantling phase.
The new Technical Specificatice+ will become part of the license and as such will ccmpletely replace tne original Technical Specifications, which now are Appendix A to the CAVALIER operating license.
6.3 CAVALIER Standard Operating Procedures
)
i I
6.3.1 Continuing HP Surveys l
i Following the post-dismantling HP survey, the requirements for surveys to be made in the CAVALIER
{
j area tfill be essentially the same as requirements for other areas within the Reactor Facility, as determined by present UVAR SOP's.
J
32 6.4 Emergency Plan for the Reactor Facility The Emergency Plan has been "bounded" by the requirements imposed by the higher power UVAR, and was
{
formulated for the Reactor Facility as a whole.
Therefore, j
no changes to the plan are. foreseen other than the dropping of all sections or references to the CAVALIER.
6.5 QA/QC Plan for the Reactor Facility i
Much like the Emergency Plan, the QA/QC plan has been applied to reactor related activities taking place within the entire Reactor Facility, and has been "bounded" by the requirements imposed by the UVAR.
The plan already does not mention the CAVALIER by name, and changes to it due to the.
CAVALIER will.nat be necessary.
Recently, the plan underwent a revision, and it is currently being reviewed by the licensee's Reactor Safety Committee befcre it is presented to the NRC for approval.
While the revision is not NRC approved, the current version of the QA/QC plan will be app 7.icable, j
6.6 Physical Security and Safeguards Plan Changes to the Physical Security and Safeguards Plan aust be protected from public disclosure in accordance with 10 CFR 73.21 or 10 CFR 2.790, and sent under separate cover.
The licensee has not identified major plan alterations, due in great part to the fact that the CAVALIER and the UVAR share the same building, protected areas, etc.. and because the UVAR will remain operational.
A recent revision to this plan was recently reviewed by the licensee's Reactor Safety Committee, and was sent to the NFC for approval.
6.7 Annual' Reports A summary of the CAVALIER dismantling' efforts and results will be documented in the appropriate Annual Report for the Reactor Facility that is sent yearly to the NRC.
Following this report, it is not likely that mention of the CAVALIER will need to be made in future annual reports, as no occurrences are foreseeable which would involve the CAVALIER.
i i
33 7.0 OPERATOR REQUALIFICATION The staff currently trains and the NRC licenses our operators on both the CAVALIER reactors.
Requalification lectures given by the staff presently cover both CAVALIER related topics.
With the CAVALIER dismantled, licensing and requalification on the CAVALIER will no longer be required.
8.0 FUTURE CHANGES TO DISMANTLING PLAN The licensee does not expect to change this plan in the future, once it has been approved by the NRC.
For this reason the plan is general and not extremely detailed.
It has been formulated with a view to retaining some measure of accommodation through implementing procedures.
However, the most perfect plan may need alteration in light of newly perceived realities.
Changes to this plan which constitute an unreviewed safety question as defined in 10 CFR 50.59 will be made only with the specific approval of the NRC Division of Reactor Licensing.
Changes which do not constitute an unreviewed safety question 63 defined in 10 CFR 50.59 may be made if the proposed changes are reviewed and approved by the Reactor Safety Committee.
Minor changes which do not change the original intent of this plan may be made with the approval of the Reactor Director who will describe these minor changes in a e
follow-up information memo to the Reactor Safety Committee.
9.0 Safety Analysis Pousible (but improbable) occupational, public, and traneportation safety impacts from dismantling the CAVALIER are sucmarized in this section.
These safety impacts might include (1) radiation doses and induc. trial accidents involving the reactor staff memborn in"olved in the CAVALIER dismantling, (2) radiation doses to the public from routine or accidental atmospheric releases of radioactivity during the dismantling, (3) 2adiation dosss to transportation workers and the public during shipment if radioactive matorial from the Reactor Facility site.
9.1 Dismantling Activities It,should be noted that the dismantling of the CAVALIEh, which will stop just short of outright decommissioning, will not involve the disposal of systems normally a.ssociated with larger research reactors, such as activated / contaminated beam tubes, rabbit systems, thermal
34 column, primary system piping, resin demineralizer system, heat exchanger system, reactor bridge, radwaste Gtorage room
&/or tank, waste evaporator, graphite elemente, cooling tower, emergency drainage basin, hot cells, laboratory hoods, and exhaust stack.
Criticality Safety The CAVALIER reactor will be defuelled according to and the existing CAV SOP 5.4, at the beginn(ng of the CAVALIER dismantling program.
It has been proven by the successful use of this SOP that the defuelling can be safely accomplished.
The CAVALIER fuel will be temporarily stored in the Reactor Facility's fuel storage room, in racks designed to prevent a criticality event.
These racks have been used to store fresh CAVALIER and UVAR fuel in the past.
Following defuelling, nuclear criticality safety is no longer a consideration under this plan.
Radiation Safety
't is very difficult to estimate the occupational dose resulting from the dismantling of a small training reactor.
The occupational estimate of 18 man-rem for the decontamination of a research reactor is made in NUREG/CR-1756 pg. 12-1.
It is not unreasonable to estimate that for a training reactor such as the CAVALIER, subject to the considerations previously stated, the dose may well be lower by a factor of 1000 or more, considering also that the CAVALIER dismantling will involve mostly defuelling and very little decontamination work.
Occupational doses will be kept ALARA by (1) performing radiation surveys to identify radiation areas, (2) minimizing the expesure of personnel to radiation exposure by limiting the time spent in high radiation areas, by using remote devices, and
/ using shielding, (3) promptly decontaminating any areas accidentally contaminated during the course of operations, (4) careful accounting of the radiation doses as they are being incurred, to take corrective acti.on as necessary, (5) the wearing of throwaway garments where cc led for, and (6) body frisking upon leaving the work area.
It is noted that the Reactor Facility has a record of very low occupational exposures of its personnel.
After the CAVALIER has been defuelled, the neutron start-up source will be removed and properly stored, to prevent staff exposure. Exposure to radiation and contamination will be controlled by the Reactor Health Physicist and HP Technicians.
35 Radiation exposure pathways normally considered for airborne releases are (1) direct external exposures, (2) inhalation, and (3) ingestion of food products.
The primary hypothetical sources of radioactive effluent from routine dismantling are radioactive liquid aerosols produced during localized chemical decontamination, vaporized radioactive metal released during equipment or piping removal, and radioactive concrete dust resulting from concrete removal.
Demolition of concrete struct.ures, or soil removal, are not planned, and the contamination levela are minute at any rate.
Therefore, it appears highly unlikely that the dismantling crew will be subject to these sources and pathways.
Note should be taken of the fact that the CAVALIER room does not have a stack.
All of the dismantling work will therefore be done in a closed building, making off-site releases of radioactive materials a relatively straightforward process to prevent or control.
Since it is not unreasonable to expect that the CAVALIER dismantling under the described conditions will result in negligible atmospheric releases, the public radiation doses should be virtually non-existent.
It could be considered possible that the general public could receive some very small exposure as a result of the shipment of spent reactor fuel.
This is then another possibility to be considered in a public impact analysis.
Iri the case of the CAVALIER dismantlement, the almost fresh fuel will not be immediately shipped.
Rather, it will most i
likely be used in the UVAR.
Therefore, when it is shipped, an estimate of the fuel's impact on the public will depend on its irradiation history in the UVAR.
Hence, no impact on the health and safety of the public is expected as a result of shipping the CAVALIER fuel.
On a more general note, the radiation doses to the public from research reactor spent fuel shipments are insignificant, as a reflection of (1) the relatively small i
amounts of radioactivity present in research reactor fuel, as compared to power reactor fuel, and (2) the carefully designed procedures that minimize atmospheric releases from the cask.
Industrial Safety Industrial type accidents are no more likely to occur in the CAVALIER dismantling operations than routine plant operations.
Procedures are followed and the personnel receive training, as a means to prevent all types of accidents.
It is felt that continuing proper management and
l
.37 physical security provided by the confinement, the susceptibility to release of radiation as a result of natural phenomena, and the duration of required surveillance.
No public impact from the CAVALIER facility la believed to be possible following the dismantling of the CAVALIER subject to this plan, and amendment of the CAVALIER operating license to possession-only status.
APPENDICES A '.
Current CAVALIER Technical Specification's B.
Proposed Revised CAVALIER Technical Specifications 1
4 4
s
. i
..,._m....,...;..
,,__,.u,
,.... _.