ML20245E986
| ML20245E986 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000371 |
| Issue date: | 06/15/1989 |
| From: | Bidinger G, Rouse L NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20245E984 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8906280013 | |
| Download: ML20245E986 (3) | |
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70N 151989 l
-DOCKET NO:- 70-371 LICENSEE: UNC,Inc.(UNC) I Montville, Connecticut '
SUBJECT:
SAFETY EVALUATI0N' REPORT, LICENSE AMENDMENT APPLICATION, DATED.
.MAY 22, 1989, RE LIMITED OPERATIONS IN NEW BUILDING'L j
Background. l UNC is authorized to receive enriched uranium fuel and to fabricate fuel components for the naval reactero program. In the subject application, UNC
. proposes to expand limited tperations into the new Building L Vault.
UNC submitted an application to use Building L on 0ctober 14, 1988. On i January 16, 1989 UNC supplemented the application with environmental infor-mation for operation of the new building. On January 17, 1989, a meeting be-tween a UNC' representative and the staff was held'to discuss problems with the
- original submittal. Accordingly, a supplementary revision was submitted by UNC on February 10,;1989. 'This supplement did not resolve the issues and further
' complicated the application by contradicting the environmental information submitted in January 1989. On May 4, 1989, another meeting was held between-
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four UNC re)resentatives and NRC headquarters and regional. staff. UNC agreed to revise tie application based on NRC staff comments. Written comments were forwarded to UNC on May 10, 1989. During a site v.isit on May 24, the draft-revised application was perused, and as a- result, additional revisions were made. The revised application,,although dated May 22, 1989, was handcarried to the NRC on the afternoon of May 30, 1989. (It should be noted that KEN 0 8.9.1 and KENO 8.9.2 were omitted in the revised safety demonstration section of the application.)
Discussion The new building contains a vault for incoming and inprocess fuel storage and equipment for.the initial process steps in fabricating reactor. fuel components.
The vault is free of lines carrying moderating materials. Fire protection consists of fire detectors but no sprinkler system. Pending completion of Building L, the fuel from the initial process steps will be returned to the existing fabrication areas for additional process steps.
The radiation safety program in existence for similar processes will be used in the new building. No further evaluation of the program is provided here. The nuclear criticality safety analysis for the new building resulted in revisions to Tables 3.9.5.1 and 3.9.5.2, Section 8.2.4, and a new Section 8.3.4 in Part I and supporting Gmonstrations in Part II of the license document.
8906280013 890615 PDR ADOCK 07000371 C PDC
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. .. 1 JON 151989 UNC, Inc. 2 l
In Table 3.9.5.1, Part I, Items 12 to 15 were added. These items describe the {
process steps and the limits and controls for nuclear criticality safety. The i limits and controls include unit size and spacing requirew nts and to a certain extent, limits on moderating material in the facility. The bases for the 1 limits and controls are provided in Part II. The licensee is increasing the i margin of safety by establishing operating controls on moderating material in j the process area and work stations. The establishment of these controls, while j not yet sufficient to claim absolute moderation control at all times, does l provide an enhancement of nuclear safety. The licensee has sufficient margins 4 of safety so that the process steps would be subcritical with the addition of moderators, for example, by firefighters. ,
Table 3.9.5.2, Part I. established, as license requirements, certain physical l properties of the fuel which are assumed in the demonstration sections in Part i II. These physical properties are important considerations for nuclear )
criticality safety. This revision establishes the limits in Part I, and hence, '
the assumptions of fuel properties in Part II are c 4eptable.
The addition of Items H to L in Section 8.2.4, Part I, provides nuclear I criticality safety limits and controls for transport of fuel in the new building on carts or by hand carrying a single container. The carts do 1ot provide 12 inches edge-to-edge separation between fuel on the cart and o:.her fuel. The 12-inch separation is a general requirement in the license. The
' licensee,.however, has shown that the spacing is not required for the fuel on the carts and the work stations in the vault.
A footnote for the above Items H to L indicates that the cart specified in Item K can be used outside the vault. Such use would allow operators to ignore the spacing requirement in the vault but would be required to maintain the 12-inch spacing in other parts of the plant. The staff cannot agree to limits and controls which are not applicable in the entire plant. Accordingly, the staff recommends the following license condition.
- 39. The transport cart designated as Item K in Section 8.2.4, Part I, is not authorized for use in Building L.
Incoming and inprocess fuel will be stored in the vault. Different types of containers and shelves will be used for incoming and inprocess material. The containers and the shelving materials contribute to array safety because the structural materials are treated as neutron absorbers. The shelves and containers are also designed so that double batching of containers is prevented. The incoming and inprocess materials should be free of moderating material. The safety analysis assumed limited moderation of the material and accordingly, is conservative for normal operations. It is doubtful that all containers would contain moderator material in an abnormal situation.
Accordingly, the safety evaluation is reasonable for credible abnormal situations.
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JUN 15.1989 l UNC , -_ I n c.- 3
- Conclusion / Recommendation.
>W The' staff = concludes that the:new facility can be' operated without undue risk ~to
. health and safety. Subject to the condition identified above, approval of the
. application is recommended.
The Region I Princip'a l : Inspector has no objection, to this proposed action.
M $@ed BF George H. Bidinger i Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and o gggggggggyyj gg Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS ;
Approv'ed byi
- Leland C. Rouse, Chiet 1-s f
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DATE:6/F/89 '
6/lk/89 6//$/89 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
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