ML20247F270

Reg Guide 3.63,Task Es 401-4, Onsite Meteorological Measurement Program for U Recovery Facilities-Data Acquisition & Reporting

ML20247F270
Person / Time
Issue date:	03/31/1988
From:	NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES)
To:
References
TASK-ES-401-4, TASK-RE REGGD-03.063, REGGD-3.063, NUDOCS 8907270115
Download: ML20247F270 (6)

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March 1988 f a @[$) REGULATORY GU DE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

• ..o OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH REGULATORY GUIDE 3.63 (Task ES 4014)

ONSITE METEOROLOGICAL MEASUREMENT PROGRAM FOR URANIUM

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RECOVERY FACILITIES-DATA ACQUISITION AND REPORTING l

A. INTRODUCTION 10 CFR Part 40, which provides the regulatory basis for f

this guide. The information collection requirements in Section 40.31, " Applications for Specific Licenses,"

10 CFR Part 40 have been cleared under OMB Clearance of 10 CFR Part 40, " Domestic Licensing of Source Mate-No. 3150-0020.

rial," requires that applicants for a license to receive, possess, or use source material in con} unction with B. DISCUSSION uranium recovery facilities provide information needed to assist in demonstrating that operations can be con-An onsite meteorological measurement program ducted to meet the requirements set forth in 10 CFR employs instrument systems physically located on or Part 40. Section 40.65, " Effluent Monitoring Reporting near the site that are capable of mencuring meteorolog-Requirements," requires that licensees routinely report ical information representative of the site vicipity and radionuclides releases to unrestricted areas in liquid end that are operated under the authority of the applicant gaseous effluents. The 'Jranium Mill Tallines Ramation or licensee. The purpose of such a program at a uranium c.ntrol Act (UMTRCA) requires the NRC to conform recovery facili;y is to provide the meteorologicalinforma-to 40 CFR Part 192, which sets f.:murds for the tion needed to make assessments to assist in demonstaat-centrol of releases from tailings related to production inF that the facility design and the conduct of opera-operations. Meteorological data are also relevant to the tions are such that releases of radioactive materials to

[h preparation of environmental reports pursuant to 10 CFR unrestricted areas can be kept as low as is reasonably

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i Part 51, " Environmental Protection Regulations for achievable. The information is used (1) for the design Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions" and operation of tailings impoundments and (2) for (see Regulatory Guides 3.8,". Preparation of Environmental estimating the maximum potential annual radiation dosa Repocts for Uranium Mills," and 3.46, " Standard Format to the public and the environmental impact resulting and Content of License Applications, including Environ-from the routine release of radioactive materials in mental Reports, for in Situ Uranium Solution Mining").

gaseous and particulate effluents.

Meteorological conditions in the vicinity of the Taihngs impoundments need to be designed and facility need to be considered in the design and opera-operated so that they do not overfill or breach the tion of tailings impoundments, the assessment of the impoundment restraints, either of which could result in potential impact of airborne effluent releases, and the offsite releases. The guidance in the regulatory position monitoring of airborne effluents. This guide provides assumes that changes in the quantity of liquid in the guidance acceptable to the NRC staff regarding the impoundment are related only to facility operation and meteorologmal parameters that should be measured, the to the site precipitation and evaporation characteristics.

siting of meteorological instruments, system accuracies, instrument n aintenance and servicing schedules, and the The maximum potential airborne annual radiation recovery, reduction, and compilation of data.

dose to the public and the environmental impact result-I

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ing from routine releases is dependent on the meteoro-j Any informaion collection activities mentioned in logical characteristics of the site. Wind direction, wind this regulatory guide are contained as requirements in speed, and atmospheric ::tabi2y near the site are factors USNRC REGULATORY GUtDES The guides are issued in the 'foHowing ten broad divisions:

Regulatory Guides are issued to describe and flake available to the publK methods acceptable to the NRC staff of implementing

1. Power Reactors

6. Products specific parts of the Comrnission's regulations, to deimette rich-

2. Research and Test Reactors

7. Tra isportaflon niques used by the staff 6n evaluating specsfit problems or postu-

3. Fuets and Materials Fat.lhtles

8. Occupational Health lated acc'oents or to provide gusdance to af placants. Replatory 4, Environmental and Siting

9. Antitrust and Financial Review Cul des are nod substitutes for regulations, and compliante with

5. Mater 6als ane Plant Protection 10. General them is not regulred. Methods and solut6ons ditforent from those set i

out in the guides wilt be acceptable if they provide a basis for the A

findings reouisite to the issuance or continuance of a permit or Copies of issued guides may be purchased from the Government I

d6censo tcy tt.. Commkalon.

Printing C?fice at the Current GPO price. triformation on current i

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GPO prices may be obta6ned by cc ntacfing the Superintendent of

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Thlt, gulos was issued af ter consideration of co Timents received from Documents, U.S. Government Pr6nting Of' ice. Post Office Box t o ptone (202)275-2060 or

%s the pubhc. Comments anti suggestions for itnprovements in these 37082, Washington, DC 20013-7082, e

gubnes are encouraged at all tirles, and guides will De revised. as (202)275 2171.

a roprLate, to accommodate comments and 1o reflect flew informa.

Issued guides may al.o be purchased from the National Technical Written comments mew be submitted to the Rules and Procedures Inf ormation Service on a standirig order basis. Details on trus Oranch, DRR

ADM, U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, service may be obtained by writbeg NTIS, 5285 Dort Royal Road, Washington, Dd 20555.

Enrtngficid, V A 22161.

8907270135 0B0331" l

PDR REGGD E

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that determine where the effluent will be transported

2. Siting of Meteorological Instruments and its concentration. The following guidance applies only to routine releases that occur within 30 meters The location of the meteorological instruments should (100 feet) of the ground.

represent as closely as possible the long-term meteor-ological characteristics of the area for which the measure-l C. REGULATORY POSITION ments are being made. Whenever possible, the base of l

the instrument tower or mast should be sited at approxi-l

1. Meteorological Parameters mately the same elevation as the facility operation.

Ideally, the instruments should be located in an area The meteorological parameters needed for the design where localized singular natural or man-made obstruc-l and operation of tailings impoundments are precipitation tions (e.g.,

trees, buildings) will have little or no q

and an indicator of evaporation. The parameters needed influence on meteorological measurements. Measurements l

to "imate the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive of wind speed, wind direction, and sigma theta (if f

meet 1 are w.ind direction, wSd spee4 ond an 5 dica-meputed) should te made at lert 10 c%tmetion tion of atmospheric stability. For obtaining an indica-heights away from the nearest obstruction (Ref. 5). To tion of the atmospheric stability, a method such as one the extent practicable, these instruments should not be of the following (Refs.1-4) rnay be used: insolation-located in the prevailing downwind direction of an cloud cover and wind speed (Pasquill-Gifford and similar obstruction. At most facilities, the instruments could all methods), temperature lapse rate method, wind fluctua-be sited at one location. At some sites, instruments may tion method, split-sigma method, or Richardson Number.

need to be sited at more than one location if the meteorological conditions are not similar throughout the Precipitation and evaporation data should be totaled site vicinity. For example, a site could have a milling daily and recorded as monthly and annual summaries.

operation on a mesa where the wind blows predominantly from one direction and a tailings impoundment on the The basic reduced wind direction, wind speed, and plain below in the lee of the mesa where the wind is atmospheric stability data should be averaged over a most frequently from another disection at a lower speed period of I hour. At least 15 consecutive minutes of and with an atmospheric stability regime different from continuous data during each, hour should be used to that at the release point on the mesa.

represet>t a 1-hour average. Wind direction data should be recorded as quarterly and annual wind rose summaries for the 16 compass directions. Quarterly and annual Precipitation and evaporation are usually measured wind direction, wind speed, and atmospheric stability near ground level. If an evaporation pan is used to l

data should also be compiled in joint frequency and estimate evaporation, a fence or other barrier may be

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joint relative frequency (i.e., decimal frequency) form needed to minimize animal intrusion. Parameters such as i

for heights representative of effluent releases. An examisle air temperature, atmospheric moisture, and the pun of a suitable format for data compilation and reporting water temperature should be monitored as appropriate purposes is shown in Table 1. Stabdity categories should for the type of evaporation model messment being be established to conform r.s closely as possible with

made, those of Pasquill (Ref. 4)

The minimum amount of meteorological data needed For atmospheric dispersion assessments, wind speed for a siting evaluation is considered to be that amount and wind direction should be monitored at approximately of data gathered on a continuous basis for a consecutive 10 meters (33 feet) above ground level. For an open 12-month period that is representative of long-term (e.g.,

lattice tower, instruments should be located on booms 30 years) meteorological conditions in the site vicinity.

oriented into the prevailing wind direction at a minimum To determine whether the period during which the distance of two tower widths from the tower to preclude onsite data was collected is representational, compare a substantial influence of the tower upon measurements concurrent period of meteorological data from a National (Ref. 5). Siting of the instruments used to estimate Weather Service.(NWS) station with the long-term atmospheric stability is dependent on the methodology meteorological data from that NWS station. The NWS used. If mstrumentation is used to measure incoming

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station selected for this comparison should, if possible, solar radiation, it should be located in an area as free as

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be in a similar geographical and topographical location possible from terrestrial shadows. If the temperature and be reasonably close (preferably within 50 miles difference with height.t ethod is used to estimate the (80 kilometers)) to the site. In some sections of the atmospheric stability, the lower temperature-difference country, the spacing between NWS stations may teces-sensor should be located at 10 meters (33 feet) above sitate the selection of an NWS station more than the ground and the upper set.sor should be positioned i

50 miles away. The reduced data and supportive docu-not less than 30 meters (100 feet) above the lower mentation should be retained and should be available sensor. Aspirated temperature shic!ds should either be for review for the period of facility operation.

pointed downward or laterally toward the ncrth.

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TABLE 1

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PERIOD OF RECO9D: PASQUILL STABILITY CATEGORY Wind Speed at 10-m Level l

Wind 0.22-1.7 1.8-3.5 3.6-5.8 5.9-8,5 8.6-11.2 111.2 m/s l

Direction (0.5 3.9) -

(4.0-7.9)

(8.0-12.9)

(13.0-18.9)

(19.0-24.9) 2(25)(mph)

Total

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r N

p NNE' NE ENE E

ESE SE SSE S

SSW

,k SW WSW W

WNW NW NNW Total Number of Calms'

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Number of Invalid flours Number of Valid Hours

• A calm is any average wind speed below the starting threshold of the wind speed or direction sensor, whichever is greater. Calms should be included in tlie table above by assigning to each calm a wini speed that is equal to the starting threshold of the wind speed or direction sensor, whichever is greater. Wind direction during calm uinditions should be essigned in proportion to the directional distribution of noncalm winds in the lowest noncalm ' wind speed category. Trie directional distribution of calms should then be included in the lowest concal wind speed category,

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3. System Accuracy and Instrumentation Specifications should sample data at intervais no longer than 60 seconds for wind direction and speed measurements.

l System accuracy refers to the composite accuracy reflectinq the errors introduced by the entire system Accuracies for analog records of parameters that may from the sensor to the data reduction process. This vary rapidly with time (e.g., wind direction and wind syste:n :;ormally consis's of sensor, cable, signal condi-speed) should not be more than 1.5 times those stated tioner, recorders, the humidity and temperature environ-above. The system accuracies should include the reduc-i ment for signal conditioning and recording, and the data tion of data from the strip chart recorder to digital j

reduction process. The errors introduced by each of the form.

separate components of the system should be determined by sta:istical methods (Ref 6). The accuracies of all

4. Spem Maintenance, Servicing Schedules, and Data systems should be appropriate to the use to be made of Recovery

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the information over the range of environmental condi-tbns er.pected to c; cur during the lifetime of f=ihty TM systems chculd be pmtected agai:st uwm operation and should be consistent with the current environmental conditions such as blowing sand, lightning,

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state of the art for the measurement, and icing that may occur at the site. Meteorological systems shoilld be inspected at least once eve 15 days The accuracies for time-averaged values of each param-and serviced at a frequency that will minimize extended i

eter thould be:

periods of outage and ensure an annual data recovery of at least 90% for each individual parameter measured (at

a. hecipitation: as measurcd by a recording rain least an annual 75% joint data recovery for wind speed, gauge with a resolution of 0.25 mm (0.01 in.). The wind direction, and atmospheric stability). The use of accuracy of the recorded value should be within 10 per-redundant sensors and recorders n..y be an acceptable cent of the total accumulated catch for amounts in means of achieving this recovery goal Systems should be excess of 5 mm (0.2 in.).

calibrated at least semiannually to ensure that the system accuracies in this guide are met. In areas with high

b. Evaporation: consistent with the current state ambient acrosol or particulate loadings in the atmosphere of the art. For information on installation and a descrip-(e.g., deserts), calibrations should ba performed on a tion of measurement techniques using an evaporation more frequent basis to maintain system accuracies.

pan, see Reference 7. An aspirated shielded device :.uch as a lithium chloride or optical dewpoint hygrometer Sufficient records should be retained and should be (Ref. 8) is suggested for measurement of humidity. Use available for review for the period of uranium recovery i

of a hair hygrometer is not recommended. Temperature facility operation to document any activities that may sensors should be consistent with the current state of affect the quality of the meteorological data. The the art for their use, records should include operating logs and results of reviews, inspections, maintenance, calibrations, and

c. Wind direction: 15' of azimuth with a starting audits; a description of the types of observations taken threshold (the minimum wind speed above which the with the results and theis acceptability; and actions measuring instrument is performing within its minimum taken in connection with any deficiencies noted.

specification) of less than 0.5 m/s (1.0 mph).

D. IMPLEMENTATION

d. Wind speed: 10.2 m/s (0.5 mph) for speeds less than 2 m/s (5 mph), 10% for speeds between 2 m/s The purpose of this section is to provide information (5 mph) and 22 m/s (50 mph), with a strrting threshold to applicants and licensees regarding the NRC staff's of less than 0.5 m/s (1.0 mph).

plans for using this regulatory guide.

Parameters not covered above but used to determine Except in those cases in which an applicant proposes atmospheric stability should be measured with accuracies an acceptable alternative method for complying with consistent with the current state of the art br measure-specified portions of the Commission's regulations, the ment of these parameters (Refs.1, 3).

methods described in this guide will be used by the NRC staff in evaluating pertinent portions of apphcations The recording system for data acquisition may be submitted to the NRC for new uranium recovery facility y

either analog or diF tal. Analog recorders shculd be of Licenses and for amendments to existing licenses involv-i the continuous strip chart secord..ng type. Digital recorders ing major modification of current facilities.

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REFERENCES

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1. International Atomic Energy Agency, " Atmospheric

5. R. C. lillfiker, " Expo.ure of Instruments," in A.?

Dispersion in Nuclear Power Plant Siting," Safety fallution Meteorology, USEPA Air Pollution Training Series No. 50-SG-S3, Vienna, Austria,1980.

Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, September 1975.

2. S. R. 'elanna, G. A. Briggs, et al., "AMS Workshop on Stability Classification Schemes and Sigma Curves-

6. C. E. P. Brooks and N. Carruthers, llandbook of Summary and Recommendations," Bu!!etin of Statistical Methods in A'eteorology, M.O. 538, Chap-t.

A mcrican Meteorological Sociery, Vol. 5 8, No.12, ter 5,

lier Midesty's Stationery Office, London, I

pp.1305-1309, December 1977.

1953.

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3. American tiuclear Society, "American National

7. U.S. Department of Commerce, Substation Obserra-Standard for Determining Meteorological Information tions, Weather Service Observing liandbook No. 2, at Nuclear Power Sites," ANSI /ANS-2.5-1984,1984.

Chapter 5,1972.

4. F. Pasquill, "The Estimation of Windborne Material,"

8. L. J. Fritschen and L W. Gay, Environmental Instru-Meteorological Magazine, Vol. 90, pp. 33-49, 1961.

mentation, Chapter 6, Springer-Verlag, New York,1979.

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l VALUE/ IMPACT STATEMENT l

A draft value/ impact statemmt was published withTask has 3.ot been prepared. A copy of the drait value/ impact ES 401-4 when the draft guide was published for public statement is availab?e for inspection and copying for c. fee comment in September 1985, No changes were necessary, at the Commissions Public Document Room at 1717 11 i

so a separate value/ impact statement for the final guide Street N W.,

Washington, DC, unuer Task ES 401-4 l

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3.63-6

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