ML18141A193

Suppl to Proposed Tech Specs,Consisting of Process Control Package to Be Included W/Previously Proposed Radiological Effluent Tech Spec Submittal

ML18141A193
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	10/06/1983
From:	WILSON J L VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.)
To:
Shared Package
ML18141A192	List: ML18141A191 ML18141A193
References
NUDOCS 8311090016
Download: ML18141A193 (11)

Text

-;. e 8311090016 831104 PDR ADOCK 05000280 P PDR SURRY POWER STATION RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESS CONTROL PROGRAM 10-6-83 e 1.0 Scope and Purpose 2.0 Definitions 3.0 System Description Surry Power Station Radioactive Waste Process Control Program Table of Contents 4.0 Waste Sources and Characteristics 5.0 Sampling, Analysis and Process Surveillance 6.0 Contractor Services/Station Interface and Requirements 7.0 Station Records 8.0 References 10-6-83

-SURRY POWER STATION RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESS CONTROL PROGRAM PCP-2.0 10-6-83 1.0 Scope and Purpose The Process Control Program (PCP) for Surry Power Station provides the minimum requirements and guidelines to be followed to assure that "wet" radioactive waste are processed and packaged in accordance with all Federal and State regulations.

The program encompasses those forms of radioactive wastes as defined in section 2.0 and establishes the processing parameters through sampling, testing and determinations, to ensure an acceptable product for portation and burial. Methods will be provided to assure that waste solidification/dewatering systems are operating properly and to substantiate an acceptable solidified/dewatered product. The Process Control Program shall be implemented by all personnel who operate dewatering and solidification equipment, collect and process samples used to establish process parameters and those who prepare documentation for shipping of radioactive wastes. 2.0 Definitions 2.1 2.2 2.3 Batch -A discrete quantity of waste material exhibiting certain chemical and physical properties which maybe considered as a homogeneous mixture for the purposes of sampling, testing and processing.

Sample -A reasonably representative aliquot of a batch, as defined above, to be obtained for the purpose of determining/verifying solidification parameters.

Direct Measurements/Analysis

-The methodology used to quantify the radioactive concentrations existing in the waste. Direct gamma spectroscopy measurements/analysis of the waste form itself and/or acquisition samples for subsequent measurement/

analysis, constitutes an acceptable means of quantifying the radioactive content of the waste.

2.4 2.5 2.6 e PCP-3.0 10-6-83 Indirect Measurements/Analysis

-The methodology used to quantify the radioactive concentrations existing in the active waste. A representative composite of the waste stream influent and effluent concentrations may be considered a reasonably representative sample for the purpose of performing radiological analysis.

For radioisotopes not readily measured, the establishment of an inferential measurement program to allow the ratios of readily measurable isotopes to those not easily measured, may also constitute an acceptable means of performing radiological analysis.

Wet Wastes -Those forms of radioactive materials normally generated as by-products from the liquid waste processing systems, including spent bead resins and filter elements which contain greater than one half percent by volume of liquids per container.

In addition, wet wastes will also include radioactive contaminated oily wastes that require disposal at a licensed facility.

Solidification

-Solidification is the conversion of radioactive wet waste to a homogeneous, monolithic, immobilized free standing solid, with a definite volume and shape. 3.0 System Description Burial ground requirements for stabilization and/or dewatered radioactive waste are complied with by processing the wet wastes through the following systems: 3.1 Dewatering System The Dewatering System at Surry consists of a dewatering container (usually a shipping container), a dewatering pump and associated hose and piping. Station personnel use the following procedures, approved by the station Nuclear Safety Operating Committee, to transfer the spent resins and to dewater in preparation for shipment or solidification:

-Vepco Procedure OP-20.1, "Resin Waste System" -Vepco Procedure OP-22.9, "Liquid Waste Ion Exchange System" 3.2 e PCP-4.0 10-6-83 The above procedures specify the minimum time periods for dewatering pump operation, settling time and subsequent verification that the waste contains "no detectable free standing liquids" as required by applicable radioactive waste burial ground license conditions.

These procedures also require that each step be initialed, thus insuring that the operating personnel comply with the dewatering procedures and document their completion.

Solidification System Wet wastes, as defined in Section 2.0, and ion exchange resins containing isotopes with greater than five year half-lives, having a specific activity of all these isotopes greater than or equal to one microcurie per gram must be solidified prior to burial or disposed of in high integrity containers.

In addition, radioactively contaminated oily wastes, as described in Section 2.0, must be solidified prior to transportation and burial. Wet wastes, as described in Section 2.0 and/or wastes containing greater than or equal to one microcurie per gram as described above, may incorporate alternate methods of stabilization as specified in the Burial Site Radioactive Materials License. These stabilization methods, such as filter encapsulation will be acceptable, in lieu of requirements of the Process Control Program, only upon review and approval of these methods by the burial site operators.

No changes or deviations to the stated methods will be acceptable unless prior approval is obtained from the burial site. Surry Power Station currently has no installed solidification system onsite to process wet wastes. In the event that such processing is required, an outside contractor will provide a solidification system to Vepco. The contractor shall also furnish to Vepco a system description and system operating procedures that specify the process control parameters.

The parameters may include but are not limited to waste pH, waste/liquid/solidification agent/catalyst ratios, waste oil content, and mixing and curing times. Once established, the process control parameters will provide boundary conditions which assure solidification will be complete and that the requirements for no detectable free standing liquids are met.

e PCP-5.0 10-6-83 The system operating procedures for solidification will be submitted to Vepco for determination of compliance with the Process Control Program. Upon approval by the Station Nuclear Safety and Operating Committee, the procedures will be incorporated into the appropriate Operations and/or Health Physics Procedures as an attachment.

The solidification system will not be considered operable until the operating procedures are approved by Vepco. 4.0 Waste Sources and Characteristics 4.1 Bead Resin Four (4) systems currently exist at Surry Power Station for processing radioactive liquids. 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 The Liquid Waste Processing System processes radioactive liquids normally associated with primary and secondary leakage which are collected from various sumps/tanks and transferred to the high and low level waste tanks for processing.

Liquids collected in these waste tanks are pumped through one or more trains of filters and/or ion exchange resins and transferred to the liquid waste test tank. The liquid waste tank is isolated, recirculated, sampled and analyzed for radioactive content. The tank may then be released to the discharge canal provided the radioactivity is within the release limits.' The Primary Coolant System is purified by processing the letdown flow through the letdown filters and one of two mixed bed demineralizers.

The mi~ed bed is a combination of anion and cation bead resin, used for removal of fission and corrosion products.

A cation bed is used intermittently to adjust primary coolant pH by removal of Li-7 and a deborating demineralizer (anion resin) used to* reduce boron concentrations

• . Primary coolant is passed through a post resin filter, then returned to the system through the volume control tank. The Boron Recovery System processes primary vents and drains for the purpose of recycling or disposal of boric acid and removal of gaseous products.

Liquids are pumped from the primary drains tanks to the Gas Stripper System, through the Cesium Removal Ion Exchangers (cation resin), the Boron Recovery Filters and finally to the Boron Recovery Tanks.

4,. 2 4.3 4.1.4 e PCP-6.0 10-6-83 The Spent Fuel Pit Purification System provides a means to cool the Spent Fuel Pit water. The purification system is a closed system, circulating spent fuel pit water through a heat exchanger, a filter element and ion exchanger (anion/cation resin), and discharging back into the fuel pit. Resins from these various systems are considered "spent" when decontamination factors indicate a significant decrease or when activity levels reach a pre-determined level. Spent resins are transferred to shipping containers using primary grade water. Resins will remain in the shipping container while the sluice water passes through a retaining element, discharging into the liquid waste system. Bead resins are normally processed by solidification or dewatering.

When solid~fied, the normal solidification agent is cement. When alternate solidification agents are used, the description shall be provided in the contractors solidification system operating procedures.

Filter Elements Mechanical filters normally using wound cartridge are used for. removing particulate matter from systems described in Section 4. Spent filter elements are removed from systems and piaced in storage bunkers to await processing and shipment.

The filter elements are stabilized by cement encapsulation prior to shipment.

Methods and procedures for encapsulation have been approved by the Burial Site operators.

Alternate packaging methods such as placement in high integrity containers may be considered. lization of these methods would be subject to approval by the Burial site. Organic Waste Oil used in systems for cooling and lubrication which comes into contact with radioactive contamination, must be processed to ensure compliance with Burial site requirements.

Oily waste is generated by system leakage or from normal system replacement and stored until the batch can be processed.

All contaminated waste oil requiring burial at a radioactive waste burial grounds will be stabilized by solidification.

Solidification equipment, materials and procedures will be supplied by the contractor and included as an attachment to station approved procedure.

Sampling, Analysis, and Process Surveillance J

5.1 5.2 e Collection of Samples PCP-7.0 10-6-83 As required by Radiological Effluent Technical Specifications, at least one representative sample from at least every tenth batch of wet radioactive waste, shall be tested to verify solidification.

For collection and handling of high activity wastes, where handling of samples could result in personnel radiation exposures inconsistant with ALARA practices, representative nonradioactive samples may be used for solidification testing. Nonradioactive samples shall be as representative as possible to the actual waste with regard to chemical properties.

Samples of actual waste are also used for direct radiological analysis to determine waste classification.

Samples should be drawn reasonably close to date of shipment or date of processing.

Analysis Analysis shall be performed on radioactive waste to define process control parameters, prior to waste solidification.

The types of analysis to be performed on waste samples will be dependent on the specific solidification operation procedures submitted by contractor services.

Results of analysis will be recorded on Waste Solidification Data Sheets, contained in solidification operating procedures.

_Samples of wet waste, taken to determine isotopic content, shall be analyzed for major gamma emmitters by radioassay techniques in accordance with approved Health Physics Procedures.

5.3 Process Surveillance If any sample, taken to verify solidification, fails to solidify, the solidification batch under test shall be suspended until such time as additional samples can be obtained, alternative cation parameters can be determined in accordance with the Process Control Program or its supporting procedures, and a subsequent test verifies solidification.

Solidification of the batch may then be resumed using the alternative solidification parameter determined.

If the initial sample from a batch of waste fails to verify solidification, then representative samples shall be collected from each consecutive batch of the same type of wastes until three consecutive initial test specimens demonstrate solidification.

The Process Control Program and/or its supporting procedures shall be modified as required to ensure solidification of subsequent batches of waste.

5.4 e PCP-8.0 10-6-83 Acceptance Criteria 5.4.1 5.4.2

• 5.4.3 Solidification Acceptability

-The following criteria define an acceptable solidification process and process parameters:

Sample solidifications used to v-erify batch solidification will be considered acceptable if there are no visible or drainable free liquids. Sample solidifications are considered acceptable if upon inspection the waste will retain its shape when removed from the test container.

Radioassay Acceptability

-The results of the radioassay are considered acceptable when it has been verified and documented that the wastes material is packaged in a container which is acceptable for transportation and burial considering the radioactivity concentrations which exist in the waste. Standard containers are acceptable for waste containing less than 1 microcurie per gram activity as described in Section 3.2, when dewatered to less than 0.5% liquids, by volume of container.

High integrity containers are required for wastes containing more than 1 micro-curie/gm activity as described in Section 3.2 and must be dewatered to less than 1.0% liquids, by volume of container.

Dewatering Acceptability

-Procedures for dewatering specific containers are specified in Section 3.1. These procedures specify the minimum time periods for dewatering pump operation, settling time and subsequent verification that the waste contains "No detectable free standing liquids." 6.0 Contactor Services/Station Interface and Requirements Currently there is no installed solidification system onsite to process wastes that require solidification.

In the event such services are required, a contractor will be requested to submit, for approval, solidification system operating procedures, a list of physical faces, materials required, and a list of expected utility/contractor responsibilities.

e PCP-9.0 10-6-83 The solidification system operating procedures will be reviewed in accordance with the Process Control Program to determine adequate station control and Quality Assurance criteria are met. Once approved by the Station Nuclear Safety Operating Committee, the system operating procedures will be incorporated into existing Health Physics and/or Operations Controlling Procedures.

7.0 Station Records 7.1 7.2 Station Process Records Station records shall be maintained, to document that the dewatering and solidification process was carried out in accordance with the Process Control Program. Applicable procedures specified in Section 3.0 and procedures which may incorporate contractor services operating procedures, utilized during solidification, will be retained, Data sheets shall be used to record test sample solidification data. The data sheets may include but are not limited to, type of waste to be solidified, major constituents, pH, waste/liquid/solidi-fication agent/catalyst ratios, waste oil content, mixing and curing times. Data sheets may also include batch number, batch volume, and date solidified for each batch solidification.

Station records shall be maintained for any Direct or Indirect Measurements/Analysis perform on the waste material.

Changes to Process Control Program Changes to the Process Control Program shall be submitted in the Semi-annual Radioactive Effluent Report. The report shall include detailed information that totally supports the rationale for the change, determination that the change did not reduce the overall conformance of the solidified waste product to the existing criteria for solid wastes, and documentation that it has been reviewed by the Station Nuclear Safety Operating Committee.

Change to the Process Control Program shall become effective upon review and acceptance by the Station Nuclear Safety Operating Committee.

... e 8.0 References 8.1 Surry Power Station Technical Specification:

3.11 PCP-10.0 10-6-83 8.2 State of South Carolina Radwaste Material License No. 097 8.3 Surry Power Station Operating Procedures 8.4 Branch Technical Position -ETSB 11-3