ML20238F342
| ML20238F342 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003051 |
| Issue date: | 09/10/1987 |
| From: | Rouse L NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20238F325 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8709160094 | |
| Download: ML20238F342 (5) | |
Text
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SEP 101987 l
l IMUF:MLH DOCKET N0:
70-3051 APPLICANT:
Transnuclear, Inc. (TN)
Aiken, South Carolina
SUBJECT:
CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR REQUEST DATED MARCH 2, 1987, AND SUPPLEMENT DATED JULY 22, 1987 By letter dated March 2,1987, and supplement dated July 28, 1987, TN submitted
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a license application to receive, possess, store, and transfer special nuclear material in the form of UF. The naterial will be in the form of " heels". The 6
UF as received will be in solid form and contained by cylinders. Under normal g
conditions, the storage of these cylinders will not result in the release of radioactive materials or hazardous chemicals.
If a small leak or opening in the cylinder were to occur, the UF. would react with moisture in the air to form UO F on the surface of the so id UF or in the area of the leak, tending to se$fsealtheleak. Allfirehazardkfromtheareahavebeenremovedsothe 2
possibility of a fire or explosion is remote.
There should be no adverse effect on the environment or the public heelth and safety.
Due to the amount and nature of the material, the licensing of TN's activities is in accordance with 10 CFR SI.22(c)(14)(xvi), and therefore, neither an Environmental Impect Statenent nor an Environmental Assessment is warranted for this action.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Original Signed by Leland C. Rouse, Chief Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS
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UNITED STATES NL' CLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the matter of
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Licensee Name
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Docket No.
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License No.
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l ORDER MODIFYING LICENSE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY I
Li.censee name is the holder of Nuclear Regulatory i
Commission (NRC) License No.
that authorizes it to possess and use special nuclear material for, among other things, the heating, emptying, filling, or shipping of uranium hexafluoride (UF ) in 48-and 30-inch diameter cylinders.
6 The license was most recently renewed on expired on
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, and is presently II On July 24, 1987, the U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations Office Safety Division (DOE), notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission-(NRC) of parallel cracks thac were observed in and around the threads of 1-inch valves used in 30- and 48-inch diameter uranium hexaflunride cylinders.
The cracks were observed in the valve threads of valves in lots 17 and 20 manufactured by Superior Valve Company.
NRC licensees were notified by phone to look for defects in valves in these lots. On July 29, 1987, after further investigation, DOE again notified and reported to NRC that Superior valves in lots 16 through 22 inclusive could be suspect for thread cracking. The affected lots were later confirmed to be lots 16 through 22 inclusive. DOE is in the orocess of i
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, determining the reasons for the cracking and recommended that cylinders fitted with ich valves in lots 16 through 22 not be filled, emptied, heated, or shipped until a determination of their safety is made. NRC does not have objections to the use of 30- and 48-inch cylinders refitted with valves not in the affected lots but cautions that valves be thoroughly inspected before refitting and that valve changes be made using approved procedures.
Superior Valve Company fabricated about 4,500 valves in lots 16 through 22.
Of these, about 60 percent were designated for DOE use, and about 40 percent of l
the valves were procured by the private sector. The valves, fabricated from aluminum-silicon-bronze alloy, have been in use for many years by industry for this application without incident.
The defect cbserved by DOE is a parallel I
cracking of the 1-inch valve thread used to fit the valve to the cylinder.
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Valves in the affected lots, lots 16 through 22, can be identified by a lot number stamped in the body of the valve.
Further identification of the valve
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and its applications may be found in ORO 651 Rev. 4, " URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE:
1 Handling Procedures and Container Criteria."
Failure of a valve with a defect as noted above could cause a UF release 6
if sheared from a cylinder during installation, removal, handling of the valve l
during operation, or accidental impact on the valve. Such a release could cause injury from the toxic fumes of the reaction products uranyl fluoride and hydro-fluoric acid.
For the reasons given above, to avoid unnecessary health and safety risks, j
I have determined that valves identified as potentially defective should be l
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-. removed from service and other valves manufactured by Superior Valve Company should be inspected before further use.
Furthermore, I have determined in the interest of public health and e.iety, these measures should be made immediately
, effective.
III Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 161b,1611, and 161o of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Commission's regulations in 10 CFR Parts 2, 40, and 70, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THAT LICENSE NUMBER, ']-
IS MODIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
l 1,
Licensee Name shall not fill, heat, empty, or deliver to a carrier for transport 48-inch and 30-inch uranium I
hexafluoride cylinders fitted with Superior Valve Company 1-inch valves manufactured in Superior Valve Company lots numbered 16 through 22.
2.
All 1-inch valves in your warehouse stock manufactured by Superior Valve Company shall be visually inspected.
The valves shall be visually reinspected prior to fitting to a cylinder. Defects noted during these inspections shall be reported to the Administrator of the appropriate NRC Regional office.
The. Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, may relax or rescind any of the above conditions upon a showing by the licensee of good cause.
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_4 IV The licensee, or any other person who has an interest adversely affected by this Order, may request a hearing within 20 days of the date of its issuance, if a person other than the licensee requests a hearing, that person shall set i
forth with particularity the manner in which the petitioner's interest is 1
adversely affected by this Order and should address the criteria set forth in 10 CFR 2.714(d). Any request for a hearing shall be filed with Mr. Richard E.
Cunningham, Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission, Washington,D.C.20555,withacopyto{the Assistant Generaj Counel for Enforcement, Office of the General Counsel, a't the same address. Any request for a hearing shall not stay the immediate effective-ness of this Order.
If a hearing is requested, the Commission will issue an l
Order designating the time and place tor the hearing.
l In the event a hearing is requested, the issue to be considered at such a hearing shall be whether this Order should be sustained.
FOR THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f
e-w Robert M. Bernero, Acting Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Dated at Silver Spring, MD I
this 19th day of August 1987.
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