ML20214X232

Matl Control & Accounting Insp Rept 70-0371/86-08 on 860908-12.No Noncompliance Noted.Major Areas Inspected: Measurement Control Program for SNM

ML20214X232
Person / Time
Site:	07000371
Issue date:	11/05/1986
From:	Keimig R, Zibulsky H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20214X217	List: ML20214X214 ML20214X232
References
70-0371-86-08, 70-371-86-8, NUDOCS 8612110019
Download: ML20214X232 (3)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I Report No. 70-371/86-08 Docket No.70-371 License No. SNM-368 Safeguards Group 1 Licensee: UNC Naval Products Division of UNC Resources, Inc.

67 Sandy Desert Road Uncasville, Connecticut 06382 Facility Narre: UNC Naval Products Inspection At: Uncasville, Connecticut Inspection Conducted: September 8-12, 1986 Date of Last Material Control and Accounting Inspection: June 2-6, 1986 Type of Inspection: Routine, Announced Material Control and Accounting Inspectors: k N' H. Zibulsky, Cfusnist 5

/C 7- T(o date Approved by: $Ef // t -4

/R. R. Keimi/j, Ch)ff, Safeguards Section, date Nuclear Materia W Safety and Safeguards Branch Inspection Summary: Routine, Announced Material Control and Accounting Inspection on September 8-12,1986 (Report No. 70-371/86-08)

Areas Inspected: Measurement control program for special nuclear material.

Results: The licensee was in compliance ir, the area examined during this inspection.

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8612110019 861114 PDR ADOCK 07000371 C PDR

i Details

1. Persons Contacted

• T. Collopy, Manager, Nuclear Material Control

• N. Grenon, Supervisor, Nuclear Material Control

• M. Kelly, Statistical Specialist

• S. Ververis, Supervisor, Chemistry

• A. Santaniello, Manager of Laboratories C. Jordan, Chemistry Technician The inspector also interviewed other licensee personnel involved in the control and accounting of special nuclear material and chcaistry.

• present at exit interview

2. 30703 - Exit Interview The inspector m'et with the licensee representatives (denoted in paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on September 12, 1986, and summarized the scope and findings of the inspection.

At no time during this inspection was written material provided to the licensee by the inspector.

3. 85207 - Measurement Systems Nine standards with varying matrices and concentrations of uranium were provided to the licensee for analyses by the NRC inspector. The liquid standards were prepared with normal uranium and certified by the New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL). The uranium concentrations and matrices were within the normal range of the material the licensee routinely analyzes.

The inspector observed an analyst perform a test on three of the standards using the spectrophotometric TOP 0 extraction procedure. This procedure is used to analyze low level uranium concentrations found in laboratory waste solutions. Analysis of the control standard, which was analyzed with the NRC standards, identified a significant positive bias. The analysis of the NRC standards also indicated a significant positive bias. The licensee initiated an investigation into the possibility of contamination of the U 38 0 standard that was used for calibration, since the slope of the calibration curve showed a change.

The inspector observed another analyst, using the gravimetric Davies and Gray titration, analyze the remaining six NRC standards. The analysis

-w Details 2 of three of the NRC standards compared well, with good precision.

NRC Standard Relative % Bias Uncertainty 0.024970gU/g +0.06 0.05 0.030010gU/g +0.01 10.02 0.035064gU/g +0.C3 10.07 The analysis of the other three NRC standards also resulted in large biases and uncertainties. The licensee initiated an investigation into the problem. The licensee will follow their measurement control proce-dures and 10 CFR 70.57(10) and (11) and will not use these methods for the accountability of uranium. The licensee must first demonstrate, by the analyses of standards, that these systems are capable of measuring to within 2 sigma of the standards. Another evaluation of the spectro-photometric method and the titration method will be made by the NRC at a subsequent inspection. (Inspector Follow-up Item (IFI) 86-08-01)

As a verificati,on of the licensee's measurement capabilities on actual finished fuel material, twenty-six samples were taken for analysis. Also, to verify the licensee's engineering factor used for U-235 content on certain inventory items, twenty-six sections from two elements, with assigned U 235 values, were taken by the inspector for analysis. These samples will be sent to NBL for analyses to independently determine the licensee's measurement capabilities. On completion of the analyses, a statistical evaluation will be made by the inspector. (Inspector Follow-up Item (IFI) 86-08-02)