ML20209D191

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Summary of 730725 Meeting w/Kerr-McGee in Oklahoma City,Ok Re Licensee Progress & Plans for Compliance W/License Conditions of License SNM-1174 Concerning Determination of Unmeasurable Pu in-process Holding Quantity
ML20209D191
Person / Time
Site: 07001193
Issue date: 08/03/1973
From: Peck C
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
Shared Package
ML20209D148 List:
References
FOIA-86-281 NUDOCS 8609090229
Download: ML20209D191 (8)
v • d • e


Text

-

c

'e. ,

' UNITED GTATES  ! ,

J-- I g

  • l l o . - , ,

ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSIONi

/

DIRECTORATE OF REGULATORY OPERATIO j g O

J REGION Ill ,

j (g[4rts o' g 799 HOOSCVELT ROAD ;I wm f GLEN ELLYN. ILLINOIS Gol37 l 012) 858-2e 60 l

-August 3, 1973 Region III Films - ,

STA'1TS OF KERR-McCEE LICENSE CONDITIONS (SNM-1174) ,

On July 25, 1973, I met with Kerr-McGee representative Mr. W. J. Shelley, Director of Regulation and Control, Nuclear Division, and Mr. R. A. Janka, Manager, Administration and Accountability. He meeting was held at the licensee's corporate headquarters in Oklahoma City. The purpose of the meeting was to obtain information concerning the licensee's progress and plans for compliance with the license conditions of SNM-1174; of particular interest was the licensee's progress in determining his unmeasurable plutanfum in-process holdup quantity, a quantity that h'is license condition 6.2 requires him to determine by June 30, 1973, and to use in all subsequent monthly inventories during the term of the FFTF contract.

SUMMARY

OF MEETING The licensee representatives statec tnat eney woula cecide on a holdup quantity that will be based on the results of monthly physical inventories conducted in March, Ma and twice in June. There was no inventory in ted holdup quantities in April. Thes kilograms . 6 hat order. It was stated that .

the quantic would obably be about 16.9 kgs. The reaso.n given for not having established the holdup number by June 30 as required by the license condition is that at that time results of the June inventories were no.t fim because of analytical problems. However, the number will be based on inventories performed prior to June 30. The reason that the number is still not firm, although expected to be about 16.9, is that the statistician primarily responsibic for accountability l statistics has not completely analyzed the inventory data and is l presently not available. He is expected to conclude his work on the -

l problem during the week of July 30.

l  % c holdup number will be needed for application to the licensee's July l

At the time of the meeting this inventory had not phys (calinventory.The been conducted. licensee stated that it would take place during o-k.-

N l .

8609090229 860815 ,

+ -

PDR FOIA _

CANTREL86-281 PDR

-- C/z r

~-

the week of July 30, and that they would communicate with the Directorate of Licensing should the inventory not be possible until August, since the lateness would be a license violation. The delays in completing the data analysis from the June inventories were cited as the reason for delaying the July inventory, , ,

DETAILS OF MEETING Tabulations of the more significant inventory data received from the licensec prior to and during the meeting is presented in the attachment.

Conclusions drawn by the licensee from these data and my comments are:

1. The licensee states that the principle reason for the increase of holdup with each successive inventory is the accumulation of plutonium in the scrap recovery area. This area was essentially clean at the start of the FFTF campaign. Throughput through the scrap area increased during the May-June petiod, causing an increase of unmeasurable material in the area. ~

.The data tend t3 support the above con,clusion. Between the }hrch and May inventory, there was a net increase in the scrap inventory frem 13.3 kgs to 14.8 kgs. with not much scrap processing. The principle

- -- - plant activity-during this period- was movement of powder from the -

ceramic area to the vault, an activity that would not cause any change in holdup. Holdup from lbrch to May thus increased only 1.1 kg. During' the May-June 11 period, scrap processing increased, resulting in a decrease in scrap inventory from 14.8 kgs to 3.7 kgs. The cleaned scrap was transferred to the ceramic area which showed a net inventory increase.

Presumably a ;ubstantial quantity of plutonium was left in the scrap area since holdup increased from 12.6 kgs, to 15.2 kgs. In the June 11 to June 29 period there was also a sharp increase in h'oldup from 15.2 kgs.

to 18.7 kgsj the major activity during this period was the transfer of powder from the vault to and through the scrap area to the ceramic area.

2. The licensee has no specific information on exactly where in the process
the plutonium is being held up. The two wet processing areas, ceramic areas and scrap area, are logically assumed to be the places where most of. the accumulating is taking place. Criticality control was a primary

, consideration in the design of both areas with the result that most vessels have small diamotars. Storage vessels are long lengths of 2" pipe. The ratio of the volume of connecting piping whose contents cannot be sampled and analyzed to the volume of the vessels themselves is therefore large.

., ..e . , - , ,

.. . .. e- ,w S

., O me

3 I +

3. The licensee has little confidence that the quantity that will be selected as an official holdup number,.whatever it is, will be reliabic. The variability of the holdup calculated from the four inventories to dato c$ no assurance that the system is now saturated. Thus f '

o rail system inventory has not been much larger than a n c lograms at an ==ar2 4 "= - it is expected that this quantity will increase to about /E3 kilograms during FFTF. This could result in increas 1 dup, since holdup may not necessarily be a fixed quantity; holdup could have two components, a constant and variabic quantity that fluctuates with the quantity of plutonium in the system.

The licensee is prepared to establish a number, nevertheless, to use monthly through the FFTF campaign and to accept the consequences.

The main consequence to Kerr-McGee will be that MUF determined af ter the holdup has been f actored into the material balance equation will have to be reported monthly to OR, and the licensee will have to pay

- for these quantitics. The licensee expects that the MUF and the ,

money will be recovered when the system is flushed out at the end of FFTF. Also there may be several requirements for the licensee to report and explain excessive MUF's and LEMUF's to the AEC during the campaign. -

4. The licensee admitted that there might be some prob 1 cms in the concentration analyses of plutonium sampics. The single method of analysis that is used for plutonium samples, except vaste streams where accuracy is not so important, is amperometric titration. This in a volumetric method that has an accuracy as good as other volumetric methods and is simpler than most. It is knownthat the method has given good results in other laboratorice. However, the complete dependence of the licensee on the method for samples containing many impurities could be the cause of inaccuracies. The licensee is aware of this possibility and, is investigating solutions to the possible problems.

Chromium and manganese interfere in the method because they are oxidized and reduced in the method, and are thus indistinguishable from plutonium. Normally chromium and manganese are present in trace amounts and a correction can be made for their presence by analyzing for them by emission spectrograph and correcting the amperometric titration data accordingly. The licensce uses hydrofluoric acid in the scrap recovery system, however, to dissolve pellets and powder. The HF dissolves stainicss steci in the vessels, greatly increasing the quantity of managanese and particularly chromima in intermediate samples.

When the concentrations of these ions exceed certain limits, their spectral lines become too intense to permit a quantitative measurement.

The licensec states that the chromum concentration of some scrap solutions is about 0.027, which may or may not be too high for the o

  1. e.

/

m O.- g g

~ ~ ~

. t ca ,== -

4

, ,,.3,,gg,*phic method, but the licensee says that he is

, u tunetric methods of analysis for chromium.

o Jelug some laboratory work with the isotopic dilution

,,,,st,te substitute for amperometric titration. This

. s tiue consuming and expensive, should be the most

,e pessibic and would be effective on any of the typeg'

.: the licensee has. The licensee did not s'ta,tc

.: the method would be used or to what extent. One

. that the licensee no longer has the full time services

, . : 0scopist to implement the method. 'Ihcir former mass

.: is available, however, as a consultant.

(($s' t.

C. C. Peck, Chemist Materials and Plant Protection Branch

  • e r .a1

- e %*e

's. DL, HQ w/enci

  • .. Tiles I , , . . .

. , r

  • i a--- _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . ___.- __ _

L . .

  • i- - -

PLUTONIUM PLANT

~*, .

MARCil 12, 19.73 INVENTORY EUMMARY / /jfjj) th ,

. 2.q ,p MBA 5 . 7 8 00 Arca C'eramic ,

. Scrap Fab. Plant ql*I& B.1 -

10,676 4;5'35' 14, 1 29,472 i 150 1 349 . t 31 1 381 R 10 625 46,173 ,645 -

83,181 1 16 1 560 1 469 2 51

' ~

. S . 53,2 l'3,293 42,945 176 1 533 2 198 i 513 12

. NOL 81 482 23 586 i 11 1 143 -

1 4.. i 174 E.1 55 037 - 40,0 '10,979 106,064 4 L i 208 + 8 1 5 1 671

. s .

8,983 -

~, 15 .- 41 5,827 1 630 -

0. .i - - - -

_! 69_6 .

i 793 p .%.

110 y 659' 3,.728 1,252 5,639 b>

-:'~" ' - " '

I-~ - -

. 7/VII/72 4 -- .-

,w - -

' C ' '

. HU 9,6,42[ 613 Y / 1,,211// 11,466 12/I,II/73 a .

(j,. n

,f-/e.p ?.v, snll 4 Os}

, .jfw.,p u,

- g o C' o 'o 1 g g .,e u__

- BPID=0=MUF 1 11U } ,,

s ? (1 _

  • ;Y z

s, s 2, 5 3 ')

t . .

'f f t e ,..,. 3 / ,, < . ,. ,ea.' A ~, y h ,p. i',$ $ $ is .

cf 2. 4JL.; ( .A,Z~< as ,j ,

~

7.>l,,...'Cf <. g .i's % " %I'-/>'.

h

. L s . :' ., .>ia ...r'<.J, <: ,,:.,... .: . . . :/. Z:. n.d

., . .'.! gz

~~ ,'

.y ,j,. :;//r .i.;i .., .; 2C... -

v h ,/ n J t1 / ^ ' E A Y f A J l' ~ms,,,., ,

<.:- i a t.<. .

s~ * ' g- ! , ,. . .... c< < <,,,,,/; ~-~ . *

. sm<ms c y* ,/,s.) ,,. ,

.cr'.e. J. . ,, .,,, _. .,., A a f .;...i ,:' 4.s / . , *

,..a. n . G.. i J....., u ~ . . L .

rA3*.3 I Fu Plent May 14, 1973 Inventory Sumary .

11 -

12 13 21 ,

22 .

23 31 00 .

MBA ,SCRA? VAULT CERAMIC PE'.,LET
  • E. STORAGE PLANT V. STORAG2 FA3R{CA- M

~

F~ '-

13,os, 2 a , a 2F ~5'17,t'97 -~ T~ 5 10,697 42 G,G5*

!._,Z_3I .17s

_ ._ s s s _# 2 e 7 .o

  1. 1

_ 4_ 5 41

.57'1 l ,

2 e ,1. s s- 135,6s5 3s,ess 171,s39' 554 Sa,73a A ,525 to I j .s , g e2 3 135 5 g 3  :

_ . . . .I t , S bb 53,053 86,765 170,52C 324 [ 070 7,215 5,528 l 34 #199

_ 4_122 , . i

  1. 3

.24 l

~~ T 4", Y 3'1 5'S~,*E*3T -

ST z ITT3T* 19,366 3,497 $$,291 , ,'

.  :. _# 3 3 8 _64 4 #14 4

2 41 # 5 41 #1 013

<128) 0 1,575 0 0 4 b5 3 l 1,133

/ N I i 1,026 642 3 182 . 7 6 1,2*2 12/III/73;

7. .. . . . . . -

s13 e s s 'e z 1,211 l o o 11,sss

! vu i

J.. ...__f  ! N

!14/*l/73 ks7 o 11,217 -

392 0 3 <, . 1 2 ,.t h s li

as - -

.g x r 45,2., 35, 54 p. 15, 2,.3. 235 1.,:.5 2, 52 1. ,,u

. E.AL.AN .. . __ .

l

/ .

  • Contains the KOL ,
    • Maintaini.g XUF=0 *

. . go .

    • , ,.= g 1 ,

, p- . ,. . . . .

  • e .

~ , -

. -[ ce- .

~

' TABL% I .,

=. .-

l .

- Plutonium Plant 11 June 1,973 Inventory (grams) ,

00 11- 12 .

13 21 22 23 31 -

! M3A Scrap Vault Ceramic Pellet E. Storage W. Storage Fabricatfor. PJdnt

*2 27a 13,363 3 , - 3 7, , f33,2s2 i '

14 7e2 *3'"33 1,03a 1 5 g 1 - 1 310 3?I 393 g 54 g 143 1 i A 4

4 X .

13,309 1,279 258

[17,h61 28 2 s,s h 5,648 11,010 2

136 g 63 . 6 ,

3 R g 296 -

go,

! .,. 3 1... . . . . . .

13,0.. ..m~ ,,,,,

  • 22 51 5 g 59

, 34 g a2 53 j I

N 9,326 1 1 Z , 4 7 fd i*353 8 3 , 5 a= 5 518 3'723 45'544 15*744 75 g 4 4 0,. 4

. . -4 2

. 471 4 197 .

j

- gp7

~ 632 2,5ss 3pyp 2,524 0 <671 3

  • # SS7 0 0 *

<45> 12'lb3 1 487 0 11 j

14,f *.'* 7 $

  • 5" "'2"

'uf..tf73 3,011 0 4 0,5 s . 'i . n > 0 i

?.*J** / 10,833 2 , '3 6 A 2,430 ** '*'#*3 . .

2s,190

" .3

        • 6,739 [45,5h4 '

j 3alance / 317 111 g 5 -

23 \ 1 ,,1 3 7 75 tr (:: AF) l ,142 N

74 7, 05 .

5 i e 12,353 2,171 g ,

j * '

LE "v F) s,305 -75

~

~

.

  • Cor.tains NOL
    • Itaintaining MUF=0 .

3  ! .

.j .

1 2

i

9 e .

.*

  • 8 e

A

, 0 e e e e ,

e e y g M b O @ #

, e og o .P M b

. , N b H 10 M a a a e 4 g n, M N W U N gD ** ee F 44 b

,1 b e M 89 *4

,  % e e b M #

M fl fl

, et li

. y V a

.# r

, ,g W N N

,a @ O b H H .

O 1l- S s S 8Ft M e o o o M e4 e4

%e # ,

e t *

. = e

\

\

e M N ** N 9

  • e me is b 49 O O b . ,

4 as *t O J ft M 40 e & A

  • e e l w N ee **

W .

a .

2 e en o ee es e e e4 N A e g 2 09 10 b a.e M

  • M es M b .

.a a e a * .

e 61

  • , e e is *** St ee og re e

e e e. o o e e 86 o o o s b b

    • 61 ee e , a
  • w
  • ee O
  • - g gn.
  • , O

- a n e4 . O = = 3:

n ce e. w M N .

  • * . o a. w J M 4 M

's . . . . . . = 0 C en . b e4  % v4 e g C

-

  • Un v4 s;.

-- -.i.

s, C o

. ,,) ,o - u 4 5 is o m m O C I

N  % U N W 4J v4

  • " N 4: .-* 4: C *'. D C 4 f) 74: .-e 4: 83 7. 7. O Z
  • et sp ., n p- v v U
    • t.. mz s; o r:
  • ?

e (O LQ M

50 M I 4

S f f) ed Ch

. N *

  • e e e

-~ .

O g g e i

. - - . _ _ _ _ _ - - . _ - _ _ . . _ _ - - - - - - - . . - - - . - - - . _. -. . _ . . _ . _ . - - _ . - _

Retrieved from "https://kanterella.com/w/index.php?title=ML20209D191&oldid=3317782"