ML20217D679
| ML20217D679 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/01/1997 |
| From: | Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Boyle R, Coplan S, Lubenau J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20217D567 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-97-105 NUDOCS 9710060066 | |
| Download: ML20217D679 (1) | |
Text
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.e g / "%'*t UNITED STATES s j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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NOTE TO COMMISSIONER ASSISTANTS OCH/SJ OCH/KR OCH/GJO
_ Marty Virgilio cc w/o Myron Karman Brad Jones
_ Victor McCree _ Hort Fleishman _ Terence Chan
_ Karla Smith _ Jack Sorensen _ Antheiy Markley
_ James Johnson L Seth Coplan L Joel Lubenau
_ Brian Holian _ Lil Van Cise cc w/o Torre Taylor L Regis Boyle _ Ann Haikalis Donna Smith
_ Jackie Silber _
,_ Joanne Field
_ Clare DeFino
_ Janice Dunn Lee OCH/ND OCH/EH Elmo Collins
_cc w/o Jim Smith cc w/o Maria Lopez Otin cc w/o Joe Gray Evelyn Williams Roger Davis Gladys Ordaz L Janet Schlueter L Charleen Raddatz James Beall
_ Judy Ledbetter _ Tony Hsia _ Jeffry Sharkey
_ Leslie Hill Les Constable _ Cathy Grimes Frances Marek _ Harriet Karagiaunis Linda Lewis
_ Pat Celenza _ Alice Gehl
_ Vicki Bolling FR71: James L. Blaha Assistant for Operation , OEDO
SUBJECT:
THE POTENTIAL FOR CRITICALITY FOLLOWING DISPOSAL OF URANIUM AT LOW LEVEL WASTE FACILITIES VOLUME 1: ORANIUH BLENDED WITH S0Il The subject report, which bears upon the issue of wLther Envirocare should be granted an exemption to possess U 235 in excess of current regulatory limits, (SECY 96 033), is being provided for your information, Please note that enrichment in tables in Appendix B are for U 235, not U 238.
The staff will be providing a recommendation on the Envirocare exemption in the near future which may differ from that contained in SECY-96 033.
Attachment:
As stated '
cc: J. Callan, EDO (w/o attaclwent)
E. Jordan, DED0 (w/o attachment)
H. Thompson, DEDR (w/o attachment) l P. Norry, DEDH-(w/o attachment)
J. Blaha, A0 (w/ attachment)
K. Stablein, OED0 (w/ attachment)
V. Colten Bradley, NHSS (w/o attachment)
SECY (w/ attachment)
OGC (w/ attachment)
OCA (w/o attachment)
OPA (w/o attachment) 9710060066 97092:!
/g B9 - 5 PDR
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- Vol.1 ORNLfrM-13323N1 4
The Potential for Criticality Following Disposal
- of Uranium at Low-Level Waste Facilities Volume 1
- Uranium Blended With Soil L. E. Toran, C. M. Hopper, M. T. Nancy, C. V. Parks, J. F. McCarthy, and B. L. Broadhead NRC Technical Monitor: Virginia A. Colten Bradley Manuscript Completed: January 1997 Date Published: February 1997 Prepared by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp.
Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Prepared for Performance Assessment and Hydrology Branch OfLee of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Conumssion Job code L1376, Task 14
-..I .
e ABSTRACT
'Ihe purpose of this study was to evaluate whether or not fissile uranium in low inel. waste (LLW) facilities can be cr=* aerated by hydroge M1 processes to permit nuclear criticality. A team of experts in hydrology. EcoloEY.
geochemistry, soil chennistry, and criticality safety was fonned to develop achievable scenarios for hydrogeochemical mcreases in concentration of special nuclear material (SNM), and to use these scenarios to aid in evaluating the pnaential for nuclear criticality. The team's approach was to perform simultaneous hydrogshemic21 and nuclear criticality studies to (1) identify some achievable scenanos for uranium migration and concentration increase at LLW -
disposal facilities,(2) model groundwater transport and sihsequent concentration increase via sc.gon or precipitation of uranium, and (3) evaluate the potential fc. nuclear criticality resulting from potential increases in uranium c= centration over disposal limits. The analysis of SNM was rer.tricted toSUin the present scope of work.
& <=dre , of the work i@~ that criticality is possible given established regulatory limits on SNM disposal.
However, a rev;ew based on actual disposal records of an existing site operation indicates 19 the potential for criticality is not a emeern under current burial practices.
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NUREG/CR-6505, iii Vol.I