ML20205B155

Forwards Safety Insp Rept 70-1359/85-03 on 850813,consisting of Confirmatory Survey of IRT Corp Fast Spectrum Cell.Fast Spectrum Cell Meets NRC Guidelines for Unrestricted Use. Record Copy

ML20205B155
Person / Time
Site:	07001359
Issue date:	08/29/1985
From:	Jonathan Montgomery NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V)
To:	Maschka P IRT CORP.
References
NUDOCS 8509040189
Download: ML20205B155 (1)

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. 1 Docket No. 70-1359- l IRT Corporation 3030 Callan Road MUG2ggg San Diego, California 92121 Attention: Mr. P. R. Maschka -

1 Radiation Safety Officer Gentlemen:

Subject:

NRC Inspection of Formerly Used " Fast Spectrum Cell" Located at l

J10955 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, California Thic letter refers to.the special safety inspection conducted'by Mr. J. L. Montgomery of this office on August 13, 1985, at the subject

facility where special nuclear materials had been used under NRC License No.

. SNM 1405.

1 This inspection consisted of confirmatory radiological surveys performed af ter

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i all radioactive sources had been removed from the facility. Necessary I

decontamination.was performed,by the. licensee.and a final detailed survey report was sun itted to our office.

The areas examined and the results of our confirmatory surveys are described in the enclosed inspection report. Based rapon the.results of these surveys, it was determined that the " Fast Spectrum Cell" located at the liceusee's.

Linac ' facility,10955~ John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, California, meets the NRC release l guidelines for unrestricted use.

In accordance.withl10 CFR 2.790 of the Commission's regulations,-a copy of this letter ands the ' enclosed inspection report will be placed in the NRC's

! Public' Document' Room. ,

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.Should you h ve any questions concerning this inspection, we will be glad to discuss them with~you.

Sincerely, Originol signid tig.

Jaek'LN8dtgomery, Chief Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards Branch cc w/ enclosure:  ;

State of CA bec w/ enclosure:

' Mr. Martin; Mr. Faulkenberry; RSB/ Document Control Desk (RIDS) bec w/o enclosure:

Greg Cook; LFMB g__goyy NT ot TH .

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_U. S.: NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION V Report No. 70-1359/85-03 Docket No. 70-1359 License No. SNM-1405 >

Licensee: IRT Corporation 3030 Callan Road San Diego, California 92121

Facility Name

IRT Corporation Fast Spectrum Cell Inspection at: Linac Facility Fast Spectrum Cell 10955 John Jay Hopkins Drive San Diego, California Inspection Conducted: August 13, 1985 Inspector: j H

. C. Montgomery, Chief

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IMte digned l Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards Branch Approved by: , # ff~~

, R. D. Thomas. Chief pteligned Nuclear Matet_als Safety Section Summary:

Inspection of August 13, 1985 (Report No. 70-1359/85-03)

In a letter dated August 7,1985, the licensee reported the results of their radiation surveys and decontamination at the Fast Spectrum Cell located at the

" Linac Facility", 10955 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, California. The confirmatory survey of the licensee's work was conducted by one NRC inspector on August 13, 1985.

Results: This confirinatory survey, conducted with a Micro-R portable gamma scintillation survey instrument; an air proportional alpha survey instrument; and contamination wipes found the radiation and contamination levels to be within the NRC " Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material, July 1982," which are referenced in Condition 13 of the license. Based on the results of this survey, it was determined that the Fast Spectrum Cell located a: 10955 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, California may be released for urirestricted use.

A total of 3 inspector hours were expended conducting this sursey.

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DETAILS

1. Persons Contacted '

P. R. Maschka, Radiation Safety Officer (RS0), IRT Corporation

2. Background

The licensee has filed a license application amendment with NRC to delete from their license certain cells, including the " Fast Spectrum Cell",

located at 10955 John' Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, California. This address is located on the property of GA Technologies, Inc.

The licensee's activities in this building were mainly the use of a linear accelerstor which resulted in some neutron activation of buildin, materials. Also, some special nuclear material was used including enriched (and depleted) uranium in sealed and unsealed sources.

The survey criteria were based on NRC requirements established by the

" Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses For Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material, July 1982".

3. Confirmatory Survey of August 13, 1985 A. Instrume3ts The field radiation detection instruments selected for this survey were: (1) an Eberline Model FRM-7 micro R meter; and (2) a Ludlum Model 12 count rate meter with Ladlum Model 43-4 air proportional alpha probe. The smear samples were counted on a Tennelec LB-5100 Counting System utilizing thirty minute counts for gross alpha, beta and gamma radiation.

The specific instruments used and their calibration status were:

Calibration Instrument NRC I.D.-No. Due Eberline PRM-7 Micro R Meter 006383 11/4/85 Ludlum Model 12 Count Rate 003565/003562 11/10/85 Meter W/ Air Proportional Alpha Probe Tennelec LB-5100 calibrated with standards prior to use B. Areas Surveyed (1) Micro R Meter Survey The survey included all reachable floor, wall and ceiling areas in the Fast Spectrum Cell Area (approximate dimensions 40 feet t

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. 2 by 15 feet). The room was empty except for a 3 feet by 8 feet wooden table.

This instrument indicated-a background level'of 8-10pR/hr.

One small area located at the left edge.,0.f a steel wall plate gave readings of 50-100 p R/hr. It wes not' clear whether the radiation was emanating from the steel or the adjacent stucco wall. Wipes taken on both the wall and: plate indicated no significant removable contamination. _

No other significant readings above background were noted.

(2) Alpha Surveys Approximately 50% of the reachable floor and wall surfaces were surveyed for alpha contamination. Surveys.were concentrated in areas where the accerat'or, beam ports and fuel elemtate were used. With the following exceptions, all readings were background (i.e. less than 50' cpm):

3 fuel element storage bins - 100-200 cpm Accelerator beam port - small fragments of metal read up to 1000 rpm The RSO attempted to remove these fragments and contamination in the beam port with a wet paper towel. This reduced the alpha readings by 10-20%. Wipe sample results indicated slightly elevated readings for both alpha and beta / gamma radiation but well below the NRC release limits previously referred to in ttis report.

The RSO was instructed by the NRC inspector to decontaminate and resurvey the area in the interest of the ALARA philosophy.

(3) Wipe Surveys Wipe surveys were taken in areas where SNM had been used; in areas where the linear accelerator and neutron generator hat been used; and in areas which showed gamma or alpha radiation readings above background.

The wipe results are shown in Table 1. All wipe results were acceptable.

4. Conclusion The radiological survey of the Fast Spectrum Cell located at 10955 John Jay llopkins Drive in San Diego, California, indicated that all areas of the facility are well within the NRC release limits for unrestricted use.

Since this building has been found to meet the NRC guidelines for release to unrestricted use, it is the recommendation of Region V that the Fast Spectrum Cell facility be removed from NRC License No. SNM-1405.

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I TABLE 1 Date Taken: August 13, 1985 Inspector: J. L. Montgomery Location: IRT Corporation (Fast Spectrum Cell)

Removable Radioactive Contamination

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Alpha Beta / Gamma Sample Location dpm/100 cm2 dpm/100 cm2

1. 'A-elevated concrete pad '

2.1 6.5

2. B-entrance passage flo'or! 0.7 3.0 C-beamip6rt - internal 2.2 2.6

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4. ' D-shielding blocks _ s 1.5 2.0

5. 'E-steel wall' plate-(north) '

O.9 0.5

6. F-north beam port-internal: front 18.5 11.0 l 7. G-steel wall plate 0.4 2.0

8. H-stucco wall adjacent to steel 0.7 0.6 wall plate

9. I-beam port steel plate 1.7 41.3

10. J-vooden table surface 0.9 3.3

11. K-fuel element storage bin B-2 1.1 3.0

12. L-North beam port-internal rear 61.6 55.3 NOTE: All data are within the NRC guidelines for release to unrestricted use.