ML20206H652
| ML20206H652 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/31/1987 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20206H621 | List: |
| References | |
| TASK-CE-602-4, TASK-RE REGGD-03.001, REGGD-3.001, NUDOCS 8704150409 | |
| Download: ML20206H652 (5) | |
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\g Section 8.0 of ANSI /ANS-8,5-1986 lists additional documents referred to in the standard. The specific applicability or acceptability of these listed documents will be covered separately in other regulatory guides, where appropriate.
D. IMPLEMENTATION The purpose of this section is to provide information to applicants regard-ing the NRC staff's plan for using this regulatory guide.
This proposed revision has been released to encourage public participation in its development. The methods described in this guide were applied in a number of specific cases during reviews and selected licensing actions. These methods reflect the latest general NRC approach to criticality safety in opera-tions involving use of borosilicate glass raschig rings as a neutron absorber in solutions of fissile material. Therefore, except in those cases in which the applicant proposes an acceptable alternative method for complying with
(' specified portions of the Commission's regulations, the methods to be described in the final guide reflecting public comments will be used in the evaluation of submittals in connection with license applications submitted under 10 CFR Part 70.
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8704150409 870331 PDR REGGD 03.001 R PDR 3
O DRAFT VALUE/ IMPACT STATEMENT
- 1. PROPOSED ACTION 1.1 Description Each application for a specific license for special nuclear material is required by the Commission's regulations to contain proposed procedures to pro-tect health and minimize danger to life or property, such as procedures to avoid accidental conditions of criticality. These procedures are elements of a nuclear criticality safety program for operations with fissionable materials outside reactors in which there exists a potential for criticality accidents. The pro-posed action would provide guidance acceptable to the NRC staff for use of borosilicate glass raschig rings as a neutron absorber for criticality control in plants processing special nuclear materials outside reactors.
1.2 Need for Proposed Action The NRC staff has been involved in the development, review, and approval of ANSI /ANS-8.5-1986, "Use of Borosilicate-Glass Raschig Rings as a Neutron Absorber in Solutions of Fissile Materials," which was approved by the American National Standards Institute on January 3, 1986. Guidance on the use of borosilicate-glass raschig rings as a nuclear criticality safety procedure in operations with fissionable materials outside reactors should be updated to reflect this latest ANSI /ANS standard on this subject and, consistent with past NRC practice, this guidance should be provided in the form of a regulatory guide endorsing the approved revised national standard.
- 1. 3 Value/ Impact of Proposed Action 1.3.1 N_%
The standard presents criteria for a nuclear criticality safety procedure in operations with fissionable materials outside reactors in which there exists a potential for criticality accidents. The proposed action would reestablish an NRC position on a revised national standard and therefore would reduce j d
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J uncertainty as to what the staff considers acceptable in the use of borosilicate-glass raschig rings for nuclear criticality safety for operations with fission-able materials outside reactors. This will result in more efficient regulatory actions and decisions.
1.3.2 Other Government Agencies Not applicable unless a government agency is an applicant. See Section 1.3.3 if a government agency is an applicant.
1.3.3 Industry The proposed action would provide a convenient reference for the licensee or license applicant in using nuclear criticality safety procedures to meet l regulatory requirements and standards of good nuclear criticality safety practice.
l Most of the impact on industry has already occurred during development, review, and approval of the national standard. gedditional impact associated with the NRC endorsement of the standard should be minimal.
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1.3.4 Workers The proposed action should result in a more effective nuclear criticality safety program and therefore be of benefit to workers.
I 1.3.5 Public l There could be a cost reduction to the public as taxpayers and consumers 4
because of the improved efficiency of the licensing process.
1.4 Decision on Proposed Use of Borosilicate-Glass Raschig Rings
, As previously stated, guidance should be furnished to maintain nuclear
! criticality safety in operations with fissionable materials outside reactors.
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- 2. TECHNICAL APPROACH e
- 2.1fiechnicalAlternatives ,
The proposed action is intended to provide guidance for a specific nuclear j criticality safety procedure in operations with fissionable materials outside
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reactors. Alternative approaches relating to this technical consideration are described in the following section.
2.2 Discussion and Comparison of Technical Alternatives An acceptable approach on use of borosilicate glass raschig rings for nuclear criticality safety for operations with fissionable materiais outside reactors is available in ANSI /ANS-8.5-1986. As previously stated, ANSI /ANS-8,5-1986 is a revised national standard and is approved by the NRC staff. The alternative to referencing this standard is to inform licensees on an individual basis concerning NRC positions on the issues raised as interchanges occur between the licensee and the staff pertaining to use of borosilicate glass raschig rings for nuclear criticality safety for operations with fissionable materials outside reactors.
2.3 Decision on Technical Approach The guidance contained in ANSI /ANS-8.5-1986 should be used where applicable.
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- 3. PROCEDURAL APPROACH Updating the existing regulatory guide is the only appropriate procedural approach.
- 4. STATUTORY CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 NRC Authority Authority for the proposed action is derived from the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, and implemented through the Commission's regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
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- 4. 2 Need for NEPA Assessment l The proposed action does not require an environmental impact statement since it is categorically excluded from the NEPA process in accordance with
- paragraph 51.22(c)(15) of 10 CFR Part 51.
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- The proposed guide does not conflict with or overlap requirements promul-A gated by other agencies. Implementation of the proposed action is discussed
- in Section D of the proposed regulatory guide.
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- 6. SUMARY AND CONCLUSIONS A regulatory guide endorsing ANSI /ANS-8,5-1986 with any necessary supple-j mental provisions should be prepared.
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