ML20062J608

Requests 90-day Extension to Permit Mod Granted Per ,Due to Operational Problems Encountered W/Vendor Solidification Sys.Operable Solidification Sys Expected to Be Available by 810114

ML20062J608
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	10/28/1980
From:	Elashry M TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:	Harvey S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
References
NUDOCS 8011030554
Download: ML20062J608 (4)

Text

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TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHCRITY ms rewsses naa 0CT :: ; 80 Mr. Sanford W. Harvey, Director Watar 2nforce= ant Division Invironmental Protection Agency Region IV 345 Courtland Street, NE.

Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Dear Mr. Harvey:

SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT - NFJES P2mi1T NO. TN0026450 - ZXTENSION OF MODIFICATICN REQUEST FOR DISCHARGE NO. 012 TVA reque ced a permit modification for the nubject plant in ordar to continua startup operation whilo probicas with the evaporator systess vere loing resolved. Tour letter dated July 31, 1900, allowed us to bypass the cycporator system until October 29, 1930.

The ovaporator syatc= is used to recover na:eriala for reuse in the plant or to remove substancos which are undesirabla according to plant operational critaria. In the case of tha boric acid evaporator system.

the evaporatora ara designed to recover boron for rouce. During tha recent startup period, ve encountared icvsla of silica above tha plant criteria in the influent strenna proccsced by the boric acid evaporator 3.

Infor=ation obtained from another plant similar in design to Sequoyah indicatas that high silica lovels may continue to occur until continuous full power operation begins. As a result of the silica contasinatas, the evaporator concentrate is rendered unacceptable for reuse. Consequently, the concentrate is procassed through a portable vendor-supplied solidifica-tion system for disposal. Operational prob 1c=a have been encountered with the present vendor solidification system; which resulted in an unapproved solidiflad matarial. Alternata solidification systen contractors are nov being evaluated. An operable solidification system is expected to be available by January 14, 1931. Therefore, we request a 90-day extension to the permit modification granted by your letter dated July 31, 1980.

This situation vill result in the inability to operata the plant avaporatora until the enclosed listed nodifications ara co=plete. As baforo, the only alternative we have to coasing plant startup is to continue the processing of vaste by bypassing the evaporators and discharging vastevatar. Tha wastevatar vill, as before, contain small anounts of radioactivity, but all discharges will be within 10 CFR 20 limita as established in tha y Sequoyah tochnical specifications, gog o .- mm, m ,

THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS 8011030 SD .

POOR QUAUTY PAGES

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':z,0 Mr. Sanford U. Harvey For your information, a cetpilatica of data concerning borca ralaasea through October 1, 1980, from the holdup tanka at Sequoyah is also encloced. If you have any quections concerning this permit nodification request, please contact Wally Carpenter at FTS 356-6450. We woulu appraciata a tclcphona call notifying us of your responce to this natter na coon ao possible due to the October 29, 1950, ceasa diccharac date.

Sincerely, Mohamed T. ll-Aahry, Ph.D.

Director of Enviroumental Quality Enclosures cc (Enclosures):

Tennesace Departnent of Public Health Division of "ater Quality Control 621 Cordell Hull Building Ma s hville , Tennessee 37219 Mr. Ebrold R. Da-e - '

Oftice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Cc= mission 79 0 Norfolk Avenue Usshinsten, DC 20555 Mr. Ja cs P. O'Railly, Director Office of Inspection and Enforcanent U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Concissica Region II - Cuita 31C0 101 Marietta Street Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Mr. Jasos R. Patrick, Jr., Chief Uater Enforcement Branch Environmental Protection 12cncy Region IV 345 Courtland Street, :iE .

Atlanta, Ccorgia 303C8 Mr. Jack McCormick, Regional Engineer Division of Water Quality Control Tennessee Department of Public Health 2501 Milne Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37406 m

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l EVAPOR.\ TOR MODIFICATIONS l i

i In order to return the evaporator system to an operable status, TVA is working on the following evaporator modifications.

1. Reduce steam pressure to 1.25 - 1.5 (2 manimum) psig or the amount that is required to overcome gas handling system back pressure.

The harder the unit is steamed, the greater the chances of carryover.

2. kecalibrate/ span all evaporator level transmitters, so that 0 percent-is the bottom and 100 percent is the top. The technical ennual is in error.

3. Review the heat tracing for hot / cold spots, especially on the instrument sensing lines where localized boiling is causing erratic level indication.

4. Enclose concentrate pumps in heated enclosures.

5. Drill holes, grind slit, or remove excess skirt that protrudes down into the submerded tube evaporator shell at the base of the absorption tower.

6. Balance the distillate recycle valves and the distillate discharge valves so that the valve positions versus flow are the same in either mode for a givea air signal from the controller.

7. Shorten the timers so that the changeover from recycle mode to distillate out mode will be smoother.

8. Perform a wiring change on the boric acid evaporator per FDR-OHI-10212.

This will prevent contamination of the condenser with feedwater during the changeover from recycle to distillate out.

, 9. Insulate the vaste evaporators the same as the boric acid evaporator.

10. Replace evaporator pumps which have proven to be operationally defective.

These modifications are now in various stages of completion and shoul; he completed within 90 days.

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BOROM RELEASES FRCM THE HCLCUP TANKS Table 1

.,_ SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT Soron Ocncentration Ccoling icwer Ciffuser Pend Elowdcwn (CT3) Effluent (CpE)

Da t e Time Linit 14.0 p3m Limit 1.1 cra 8/1/80 C530 0.49 0.099 8/i/80 0930 1.3 0.30 S/1/80 1425 1.2 0.36 S/l/30 2030 2.0 0.16 8/2/S0 0200 1.3 0.77 S/2/80 0500 1.3 --

3/2/30 1145 1.2 0.18 8/3/30 1415 start release 3/4/30 1340 end release 3/3/30 1530 0.25 0.66 S/3/SO 1850 0.29 1.0 S/3/80 2330 0.30 1.4 8/3/80 0330 0.39 1.5 S/3/30 0700 0.33 1.4 S/3/80 1130 0.CS 0.30 3/3/80 1500 0.09 0.05 S/7/S0 0200 start release 3/7/30 1700 end release 8/7/30 0700 < 0. 01 0.03 S/7/30 1340 0.026 0.87 S/7/30 2030 0.027 0.14 8/15/30 - Scron concentration prior to release 1100 ppm; based or previous releases the DPE and CTB baron limits of <1.1 ppa and <14.0 ppm were not exceeded. No sacples were taken at the cooling tower blowdown or the diffuser pond during the release of the holdup tank. The ccoling tower blowdown flow was ap::roxicately 15,CCO gpm and the diffuser pond flow was at least 350,CC0 gpm.

3/13/30 2i00 start release 3/19/30 C530 end release 8/19/30 0035 1.6 0.33 S/19/30 0430 1.3 0.33 9/3/30 2300 start release 9/9/30 0915 end release 9/9/30 0230 1.15114.0 ;pm 0.24 4_1.1 ppm 9/9/80 0530 0.23 0,03 9/9/80 1030 0.42 0.07 9/22/30 2130 start release 9/23/SO 1030 end release 9/22/30 2130 2.21 0.C3 9/23/30 0230 0.35 0.29 9/23/30 0630 0.19 0.25 9/23/30 1030 0.12 .0.59 10/1/30 0300 start release 10/1/30 0700 er.d releasa 10/1/80 0300 0.05 0.27

. 10/1/B0 c ' Y' O.33 0_.04 M