ML20237A006
| ML20237A006 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000600 |
| Issue date: | 12/09/1987 |
| From: | Mccaughey D, Swift J NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236Y622 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8712140187 | |
| Download: ML20237A006 (6) | |
Text
___ _ - _ -. _ _ _
1 I
DEC 0 91987.
IMUF: DAM DOCKET NO: 70-600 LICENSEE. Seattle University
SUBJECT:
-- SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT, APPLICATION DATED JULY 24, 1987, AND_ SUPPLEMENT DATED OCTOBER 5, 1987, RE LICENSE RENEWAL BACKGROUND Seattle University (50) was first issued Special Nuclear Material License No, i SNM-589 in 1961. The license was last renewed in August 1982. The current license was scheduled to expire on August 31, 1987; however, on July 24, 1987, SU submitted an application for renewal. Accordingly, the license has remained
! in effect in accordance with the timely renewal provisions of Subsection 70.33(b) of 10 CFR 70. The licensee submitted additional information on emergency plans on October 5, 1987.
SCOPE'0F REVIEW The review of SU's renewal application included the application of July 24, 1987, the supplemental information dated October 5, 1987, and the licensee's compliance history during the past 5 years.
The topics of review included an evaluation of the applicant's radiation safety -
and nuclear criticality safety programs and the organization. The renewal application was discussed with NRC Region V staff.
DISCUSSION The renewal application demonstrates that SU has an adequate technical staff with the proper qualifications to administer an effective radiological safety program. The following sections contain a description of the applicant's ,
organization, safety program, and proposed license conditions developed by the i IMSB staff.
POSSESSION LIMITS SU requests authorization to possess and use the following material:
Material Form Quantity A. Uranium enriched A. Clad fuel elements A. 2,190 kg
<0.947 w/o U-235 07 00 97121hB7Cg 07 pp PDR C
DEC 0 91987 Seattle University, SER 2 i
B. Plutonium B. Encapsulated Pu-Be B. 155.33 gm neutron cources ACTIVITIES The uranium is used as fuel for the subcritical assembly at 50. To operate the subcritical assembly, a single Pu-Be neutron source is used. The subcritical assembly is used as an instructional tool in nuclear physics courses offered by the Physics Department. These courses include lectures in the theory of nuclear fission and laboratory experiments which deal with the basic' parameters of nuclear fission reactors. The subcritical assembly and the Pu-Be neutron sources may also be used by advanced students or faculty working on special projects.
Accordingly, the staff recommends the following license condition:
Authorized Use: For possession and use in accordance with the statements, representations, and conditions specified in the licensee's application dated July 24, 1987, and supplement dated October 5, 1987.
SNM is used and/or stored in the Nuclear Facility, Room 105, of the Bannan Building on the 50 campus. The staff recommends the following license condition:
Authorized Place of Use: The nuclear materials shall be used at the location specified in the application dated July 24, 1987.
ORGANIZATION The principal position with safety-related responsibilities is the Radiation Safety Officer (RS0). The RS0 is responsible for establishing and maintaining safe working conditions for all university personnel and for cs.npliance with all pertinent federal and state regulations.
The RSO reports to the Dean of the School of Science and Engineering. The Dean is kept informed of any matters related to radiation safety and security of the nuclear facility.
Written procedures describing the experimental methods to be used and the radiation precautions to be followed are prepared by the R50 and approved by the Dean of Science and Engineering. However, the licensee has not committed to having written approval from the Dean of Science and Engineering for these procedures and their revisions. Therefore, the staff recommends the following license condition:
Prior to implementation, procedures and revisions shall be approved in writing by the Dean of Science and Engineering.
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS j The application specifies the minimum educational and experience requirements for the RSO. These requirements are deemed adequate for the position. The RS0's resume shows that his qualifications of education and experience are more than sufficient to meet the minimum requirements.
Seattle University, SER 3 DEC 0 91987 RADIATION SAFETY CONTROL The proposed activities involving nuclear material will be conducted at the Nuclear Facility which is posted as a radiation area and indicates the presence of radioactive materials. Unauthorized acc.ess to this restricted area is controlled with secured doors and an intrusion alarm. The licensee has requested authorization to possess and use materials as sealed sources and clad fuel slugs. Although the materials are contained and nondispersible l resulting in negligible contamination and internal exposure hazards, SU has committed to require personnel monitoring following work with these materials.
SU, however, has not indicated acceptable levels at which facilities and .;
equipment are released for unrestricted use. Therefore, staff recommends the '
following condition:
Upon termination of operations or prior to release of equipment for unrestricted use, the facility and equipment shall be decontaminated in accordance with the enclosed Annex, " Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material," August 1987.
In accordance with the " License Condition for Leak Testing Sealed Plutonium Sources," dated September 1980, the sealed Pu-Be sources are leak tested at 6-month intervals. Wipes of the Pu-Be sources are measured on.a scintillation detector system. The staff recommends the following condition to update the criteria for leak testing of plutonium sealed sources:
Sealed plutonium sources shall be subject to the leak testing and actions specified in the enclosed Annex, " License Conditions for Leak Testing Sealed Plutonium Sources," August 1987.
Radiation surveys in the two levels of the Nuclear Facility are performed semi-annually with a G-M survey meter. A recent survey of the facility i indicated radiation levels of <1.5 mR/hr. '
Personnel exposures are monitored using film badges which are worn at all times by individuals using the nuclear materials or entering the Nuclear Facility to i perform maintenance or repair work. These badges are sensitive to x-rays, gamma !
rays, neutrons, and beta radiation. Exposed badge are processed by an outside vendor who reports the exposures to the RSO. Since 1972, exposures have been reported a- below the limits of 10 CFR Part 20. With the exception of two exposures, personnel exposures have been less than 10 mrem.
E The licensee has indicated an annual calibration frequency for the G-M survey neter and no frequency for the scintillation detector system. Therefore, the staff recommends the following condition to ensure an ecceptable frequency for instrument source checks and calibration:
(
i a _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ -
Seattle University, SER 4 DEC 0 91987 ,
Prior to each use, the licensee shall source check survey meters and smear counting equipment to verify proper operation. The licensee shall calibrate smear counting equipment at least every 6 months and after each repair.
NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY A. General The fuel consists of aluminum clad, hollow uranium metal slugs. The aluminum clad dimensions are 6.64" long, 1.43" OD and 0.349" ID. Each slug has uranium dimensions of 6.053" long, 1.356" OD and 0.423" ID.
The uranium enrichment is 0.947 percent U-235. The licensee possesses 900 slugs for a total of 2,190 kg of uranium containing 20.721 kg U-235.
The slugs are used in a subcritical pool assembly for students partici-pating in Fermi Age, Diffusion Area, Buckling, and Multiplication Constant experiments. The experiments are done using one of four Pu-Be sources (155.33g Pu total). Prior.to certain experiments, the assembly is unloaded by placing the slugs on shelves in the room.
The subcritical assembly is located in a concrete pool on a concrete pedestal.
Seven slugs are loaded into each plastic cylinder. The cylinders are positioned by spacer grids above and below the fuel. A total of 896 slugs can be loaded into the plastic cylinders. When experiments are not being performed, water is drained from the pool.
The combination of U-235 and one Pu source is subcritical for all foreseeable water-fuel mixtures. This was independently confirmed in the attachment to the staff's Safety Evaluation Report dated August 17, 1982.
B. Exemptions There is currently an exemption from the criticality alarm system as required by 10 CFR 70.24, and because the subcritical assembly cannot be j made critical, SU has requested a continuing exemption. Accordingly, the '
staff recommends the following condition:
The licensee is hereby exempted from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, l insofar as the section applies to the material held under this l license. '
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
.The authorization of SU activities is in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(14)(v),
l and therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is warranted for this action.
I l
l
q
,. A .
DEC O's 1987 i; Seattle University, SER- 5 EMERGENCY PLANNING-The' licensee'has established procedures that-are to be followed-in the_ event of emergencies.or accidents involving sctual or potential radiation hazards.
The procedures address such events as fires, unauthorized entry, and injury.
COMPLIANCE HISTORY The' licensee's inspection and enforcement record since_the last renewal was reviewed and discussed with David Skov, Region V Inspector. There was one-inspection during this time period, and two violations were identified. The violations were primarily of_.an administrative nature,-such as not. posting a radioactive material sign in the laboratory and not labeling the Pu-Be sources to indicate the presence of radioactive material. Of the two violations reported,.
none had any adverse effect on personnel or the general public.
The proposed renewed license was discussed with Region V staff, and there was no objection to the issuance of the renewed license as described in the SU.
application and the proposed additional conditions.
4 ' CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
' Upon completion of the safety review of the licensee's application and discussion with the Region V Inspector regarding the licensee's compliance-records, the staff has concluded that the licensee has the necessary technical-staff-to. administer an effective radiation and criticality.eafety' program.
Conformance~ by the licensee to their proposed conditions, as well as to those developed by the IMSB staff, should ensure a safe operation and quick. detection of unfavorable trends or effects resulting'in corrective actions-being taken.
Based on_the discussion above, it is recommended that the license be renewed for a 5 year period in accordance with the application, supplement, and subject to the recommended conditions.
Original Signed Byf David A. McCaughey Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS Approved by:
Jerry J. Swift, Section Leader Uranium Fuel Se on
__[ __...5_. ____.____[ __ ___[ l
_ _[_ [ ___ [. __ T$ ...__ __$"_" ."..$."I ...______ ....____.
DATE:IAt9/87 :
/ :3d'3/87 : /No9 /8f/
- 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
_ _ _ o
NMSS/ Fuel Cyc!e Material FCUF.
FCAF File:
Docket # % 600 l Project #
Other PDR
/
LPDR Return to cww SS396 l j L
I
- - _ _ _ _ - I