ML20247M678
| ML20247M678 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000036 |
| Issue date: | 05/17/1989 |
| From: | Bidinger G, Horn M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247M668 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8906050104 | |
| Download: ML20247M678 (5) | |
Text
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. 'y ~ UNITED STATES e o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
,; yl WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 k.....,/
MAY 171989 DOCKET NO: 70-36 LICENSEE: Combustion Engineering (CE)
Hematite, Missouri
SUBJECT:
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT - OPERATION OF THE NEW PELLET LINES Introduction By application dated March 22, 1989, CE requested authorization to initiate startup testing of the pellet lines using depleted uranium and to use the new warehouse space. CE requested authorization to introduce enriched uranium into the pellet lines by application dated May 1, 1989. On March 29, 1989, CE submitted environmental information to support startup testing and production operations of the revitalized ..ematite facility. In accordance with 10 CFR Part 51.21, the NRC has prepared this assessment of the resulting impacts. The assessment includes the evaluation of impacts from operations with enriched uranium.
Background
Currently, the Hematite plant receives UF, enriched up to 5 percent in U-235 and converts it to U0,, powder. Most of the U0 powder produced at Hematite is shipped as powder to the Combustion Engineerin, g Windsor plant where it is fabricated into pellets. The remaining powder is fabricated into pellets at the Hematite plant. After the revitalization effort is complete, all pellets will be fabricated at the Hematite piant. To increase pellet production at Hematite, CE is constructing three new buildings (a warehouse and shipping dock, storage / utilities / office building, and a pellet building). The pellet building will contain two pellet production lines. The old pellet line will be maintained for special pellet runs. Figure 1 shows the new building layout.
The Proposed Action The proposed action is an anendment to License No. SNM-33 to authorize CE to operate new pellet production lines. The existing line will be maintained for special pellet runs. Below is a description of the operations.
U0 granules are processed into pellets in two new parallel pellet 3roduction lines. The granules are received in 1,000 kg hoppers. The filled hoppers move on a wheeled transporter through the current pellet Building 255 and into the adjoining new pelletizing Building 254. In Building 254, the granules flow by gravity from the hopper to the mill (micronizer), and the resulting powder is pneumatically transferred by negative pressure into a blender. The blended powder is pneumatically transferred by negative pressure ihto a new dry powder preparation process that includes the addition of a pore-former and lubricant, 8906050104 890518
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I 4 Combustion Engineering 3 MAY 171989 slugging, and granulating. The granulated powder is pressed on new rotary presses. The pellets pass through two furnace steps (dewaxing to burn off additives and sintering). The sintered pellets then go through a wet grinding process, similar to that currently used. The finished pellets are then packaged for shipping and loaded directly into drums on shipping skids in the new warehouse building 256.
Building 254 also has the capability for recycle of green scrap and hard scrap. The process employed is the same as the current process used in Building 240 for recovery of clean dry scrap from the existing line. The clean scrap is oxidized in a furnace, milled, and reduced to U0 in a second furnace.
2 The new warehouse serves as a storage and shipping facility for finished pellets and as a receiving warehouse for site supplies. Solidification is performed in the south end of new Building 253. The center area provides storage of 00 powder, chemicals, and maintenance items. New process engineering offices 2and a change room occupy the north end of the building.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action A. Construction Impacts The land intended for the new buildings is aiready committed for industrial use. The new buildings replace buildings that were demolished. Thus, there will be no significant. impact as a result of the construction of the new buildings.
B. Liquid Effluents Addition of the new lines will not require any changes to the treatment methods for the liquid effluent streams. There will be a potential increase in the volume of liquid effluent. The volume of laundry water will increase in proportion to the number of new production personnel for the pellet lines. T1e laundry water is filtered, held in a storage tank, and sampled prior to release. The amount of liquid going to the sanitary water system will also increase in proportion to the number of new personnel. Trace amounts of radioactivity enter the system from sinks and showers. The control limits for the liquid effluent remain the same. The volume will increase by approximately 20 percent. The impact from liquid discharges will be minimal.
C. Solid Waste I The main source of solid waste is from the solidification of liquid waste end product from the recovery / recycle operating and mop water. These liquid j wastes are heated and concentrated; the concentrate is solidified and put !
into drums for transport to a commercial licensed disposal facility. The increase in solid waste is expected to be small and to cause an insignificant impact.
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E Combustion Engineering 4 I 7 E9 D. Gaseous Emissions Air effluents from the existing oxide building and the recycle / recovery building are not expected to increase. Effluent from the current pellet building will decrease as the pellet production is moved to the new building.
Effluents from the Windsor plant are also expected to decrease as the pellet production activities are relocated to the Hematite facility.
Exhausts from the new pellet building are filtered through a double bank of HEPA filters. The exhaust air from the process areas is sampled continuously during operations. CE has a current limit on total plant exhaust of 150 microcuries per calendar quarter; this limit remains unchanged. CE's objective is to increase pellet production with no significant increase in the existing rates of effluent release. However,.
radioactive releases are expected to increase. If it is conservatively assumed that the release doubles, the critical organ dose to the nearest resident would only be 0.15 mrem /yr to the lung. An infant at the nearest residence would' receive only 0.27 mrem /yr to the lung. This is well below the 25 mrem permitted by 10 CFR Part 20, Section 20.105(c), which incorporates the provisions of EPA's standards in 40 CFR Part 190.
E. Chemical Usage The increaseo pellet production increases the ammonia used by 200,000 lbs per year. A new 8,000-gallon storage tank is located aboveground near the 10,000. gallon tank. The excess hydrogen from the ammonia used in the pellet furraces burns off and is exhausted to the atmosphere along with the nitrogen. No significant change to existing environmental discharge occurs as a result of increased ammonia usage. CE has installed a new hydrant connected to the Hematite City water supply. In case of an ammonia release, the water supply will aid in reducing offsite ammonia dispersion.
The use of Cranko and trichloromethane will decrease in proportion to decreased pellet production in the existing line. These will no longer be used in pellet production.
CE plans to use ammonium oxalate to control porosity of the sintered pellets. Usage will be approximately 1,500 lbs per year. The ammonium oxalate burns off cleanly in the pellet furnaces.
l Zinc stearate will be employed as a pellet die lubricant. Approximately i
1,500 lbs per year may be used, this will also be burned off in the pellet furnaces.
F. Environmental Monitoring There will be no change in the environmental monitorie program. When in operation, the six new stacks will be continuously sampled.
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1 Combustion Engineering 5 MAY 171989 G. Accidents There are no accident situations that are unique to the new pellet lines.
Potential accidents have been assessed in previous assessments and are not repeated here.
Need for the Proposed Action As part of a plan for.its' nuclear fuel fabrication program, CE plans to conduct all uranium pellet production at the Hematite plant. In order to accomplish this relocation, CE plans to install new pellet production lines at Hematite.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action Alternatives to the proposed action include complete denial of CE's amendment application.- This action would result in operations remaining unchanged.
Another alternative would be approval of only o:ie new pellet line. Since impacts from the new operation are expected to be minor, neither of these alternatives offers any real benefit.
Agencies and Persons Consulted In performing this assessment, staff utilized the environmental report dated March 29, 1989, and the amendment applications dated March 22, and May 1, 1989.
Conclusion-Although there will be an increase in the effluents, the staff concludes that ;
there will be no significant impacts associated with the operation of the new pellet lines.
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Merri Horn Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS Approved by: M.sengMd A Jp George H( Bidinger,/5ection Leader l
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