Regulatory Guide 3.45

Nuclear Criticality Safety for Steel-Pipe Intersections Containing Aqueous Solutions of Fissile Materials

ML122430316
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/30/1989
From:	Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
To:
References
CE 802-5 RG 3.45, Rev. 1
Download: ML122430316 (4)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Revision 1 April 1989 REGULATORY GUIDE

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH

REGULATORY GUIDE 3.45 (Task CE 802-5)

NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY FOR STEEL-PIPE INTERSECTIONS CONTAINING

AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF FISSILE MATERIALS

A. INTRODUCTION

by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Section 70.22, "Contents of Applications," of on April 3, 1987.

10 CFR Part 70, "Domestic Licensing of Special Nu- ANSI/ANS-8.9-1987 provides specifications for clear Material," requires that applications for a spe- pipe intersections containing homogeneous aqueous cific license to own, acquire, deliver, receive, possess, solutions of fissile materials. All dimensions are inter- use, or transfer special nuclear material contain pro- preted as nominal values of schedule 10 or heavier posed procedures to avoid accidental conditions of standard steel pipe. Only single columns with inter- criticality. This regulatory guide provides guidance for sections are considered in the standard. For multiple complying with this portion of the Commission's regu- columns or columns in the vicinity of other fissile ma- lations by describing procedures acceptable to the terials and the influence of environmental factors, the NRC staff for the prevention of criticality accidents in standard requires that experimental data or validated the storage and processing of aqueous solutions of fis- computational techniques be used to determine the sile materials in steel-pipe intersections.

safe configuration. Criteria and data provided are Any information collection activities mentioned based on criticality experiments and validated calcu- in this regulatory guide are contained as requirements lations that are generally applicable to homogeneous in 10 CFR Part 70, which provides the regulatory ba- aqueous solutions of fissile materials. Specific infor- sis for this guide. The information collection require- mation is included on fissile solutions containing ura- ments in 10 CFR Part 70 have been cleared under nium enriched in the 235U or 233 U isotope or pluto- OMB Clearance No. 3150-0009. nium and on uranium solutions having a 23U content not exceeding 5 weight-percent of the total uranium.

B. DISCUSSION

ANSI/ANS-8.9-1987, "Nuclear Criticality Safety

C. REGULATORY POSITION

Criteria for Steel-Pipe Intersections Containing Aque- ous Solutions of Fissile Material,"' was prepared by The nuclear criticality safety practices and guid- Subcommittee 8, Fissionable Materials Outside Reac- ance for calculating safe steel-pipe intersections for tors, of the Standards Committee of the American aqueous solutions of fissile materials contained in Nuclear Society. ANSI/ANS 8.9-1987 was approved ANSI/ANS-8.9-1987 provide procedures generally acceptable to the NRC staff for the prevention of

'Copies may be obtained from the American Nuclear Society, criticality accidents in the storage and processing of

555 N. Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60525. aqueous solutions of fissile materials.

USNRC REGUIATORY GUIDES The guides are Issued in the following ten broad divisions:

Regulatory Guides are Issued to describe and make available to the pub- lic methods acceptable to the NRC staff of implementing specific parts of the Commission's regulations, to delineate techniques used by the 1. Power Reactors 6. Products staff in evaluating specific problems or postulated accidents, or to pro- 2. Research and Test Reactors 7. Transportation vide guidance to applicants. Regulatory Guides are not substitutes for 3. Fuels and Materials Facilities 8. Occupational Health regulations, and compliance with them is not required. Methods and 4. Environmental and Siting 9. Antitrust and Financial Review solutions different from those set out in the guides will be acceptable if 5. Materials and Plant Protection 10. General they provide a basis for the findings requisite to the Issuance or continu- ance of a permit or license by the Commission.

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guides are encouraged at all times, and guides will be revised, as ap- Government Printing Office, Post Office Box 37082, Washington, DC

propriate, to accommodate comments and to reflect new information or 20013-70B2, telephone (202)275-2060 or (202)275-2171.

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Written comments may be submitted to the Regulatory Publications Issued guides may also be purchased from the National Technical Infor- Branch, DFIPS, ARM, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washing- mation Service on a standing order basis. Details on this service may be ton, DC 20555. obtained by writing NTIS, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161.

D. IMPLEMENTATION

pipe intersections. Therefore, except in those cases in The purpose of this section is to provide informa- which the applicant proposes an acceptable alterna- tion to applicants regarding the NRC staff's plan for tive method for complying with the specified portions using this regulatory guide. of the Commission's regulations, the method de- These methods reflect the latest general NRC ap- scribed here will be used in the evaluation of submit- proach to criticality safety in the storage and process- tals for license applications submitted pursuant to ing of aqueous solutions of fissile materials in steel- 10 CFR Part 70.

3.45-2

VALUE/IMPACT STATEMENT

A draft value/impact statement was published for the final guide has not been prepared. A copy of with the proposed Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide the draft value/impact statement is available for in-

3.45 (Task CE 802-5) when the draft guide was pub- spection and copying for a fee at the Commission's lished for public comment in May 1988. No changes Public Document Room at 2120 L Street NW., Wash- were necessary, so a separate value/impact statement ington, DC, under Task CE 802-5.

3.45-3

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