Information Notice 1986-30, Design Limitations of Gaseous Effluent Monitoring Systems: Difference between revisions

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page by program invented by StriderTol)
(Created page by program invented by StriderTol)
Line 14: Line 14:
| page count = 4
| page count = 4
}}
}}
{{#Wiki_filter:SSINS No.: 6835IN 86-30UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENTWASHINGTON, D.C. 20555April 29, 1986IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 86-30: DESIGN LIMITATIONS OF GASEOUS EFFLUENTMONITORING SYSTEMS
{{#Wiki_filter:SSINS No.: 6835 IN 86-30 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY
 
COMMISSION
 
OFFICE OF INSPECTION
 
===AND ENFORCEMENT===
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 April 29, 1986 IE INFORMATION
 
NOTICE NO. 86-30: DESIGN LIMITATIONS
 
OF GASEOUS EFFLUENT MONITORING
 
SYSTEMS


==Addressees==
==Addressees==
:All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license or a con-struction permit.
:
All nuclear power reactor facilities
 
holding an operating
 
license or a con-struction
 
permit.


==Purpose==
==Purpose==
:This notice is provided to alert licensees to two design limitations noted inthe use of Eberline's SPING-4 (system particulate iodine and noble gas) gaseouseffluent monitoring systems. The first deals with the limitations of thedetection capability of the SPING-4 monitoring system. Some licensees areincorrectly relying on the SPING-4 to meet all of the post-accident require-ments of NUREG-0737. The second deals with noble gas adsorption that couldinterfere with routine operational low-level monitoring.It is expected that recipients will review this information for applicabilityto their facilities and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude problemsrelated to these limitations at their facilities. However, suggestions con-tained in this notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specif-ic action or written response is required.
: This notice is provided to alert licensees
 
to two design limitations
 
noted in the use of Eberline's
 
SPING-4 (system particulate
 
iodine and noble gas) gaseous effluent monitoring
 
systems. The first deals with the limitations
 
of the detection
 
capability
 
of the SPING-4 monitoring
 
system. Some licensees
 
are incorrectly
 
relying on the SPING-4 to meet all of the post-accident
 
require-ments of NUREG-0737.
 
The second deals with noble gas adsorption
 
that could interfere
 
with routine operational
 
low-level
 
monitoring.
 
It is expected that recipients
 
will review this information
 
for applicability
 
to their facilities
 
and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude problems related to these limitations
 
at their facilities.
 
However, suggestions
 
con-tained in this notice do not constitute
 
NRC requirements;  
therefore, no specif-ic action or written response is required.Description
 
of Circumstances:
The Eberline SPING-4 is designed to monitor radioactive
 
noble gasses, particu-lates and iodines in plant gaseous effluents.
 
===By using three overlapping===
channels, the noble gas (NG) monitor has a detection
 
capability
 
of 10-7 to 105 pCi/cc (Xe-133 equivalent).
 
The low-range
 
channel employs a beta scintillation
 
detector.
 
The mid- and high-range
 
channels of the NG monitor use energy-compensated
 
GM tube detectors.
 
Conformance
 
to NUREG-0737 II.F.1: Item II.F.1.1 of NUREG-0737, "Clarification
 
of TMI Action Plan Requirements," issued November 1980, requires licensees
 
to have the capability
 
to detect and measure concentrations
 
of NG fission products in plant effluents (up to lo5 pCi/cc for undiluted
 
containment
 
exhaust) during and following
 
an accident.Recent NRC regional inspections
 
of NUREG-0737 implementation
 
indicate that 8604280122 IN 86-30 April 29, 1986 some licensees
 
have installed
 
SPING-4 monitors and mistakenly
 
consider them adequate to meet all of the requirements
 
of Item II.F.1.1.
 
Although the SPING-4 does have an upper detection
 
capability
 
of 105 pCi/cc, its associated
 
microcomputer
 
is vulnerable
 
to radiation
 
damage from a total integrated
 
dose greater than 1000 rads. Therefore, it is unlikely the SPING-4 would survive the course of an accident.
 
Eberline has indicated
 
that the SPING-4 was designed primarily
 
as a normal-range
 
monitor with extended capabilities
 
for brief excursions
 
to concentrations
 
greater than 102 pCi/cc. Full-range
 
moni-toring consistent
 
with Item II.F.1.1 can be achieved by using the SPING-4 in conjunction
 
with an accident monitor (with a remote microprocessor)
such as Eberline's
 
model AXM-1. The accident monitor comes on line when excessively
 
high activity levels are sensed while the SPING-4 isolates itself and goes into a purge cycle.Noble Gas Adsorption:
Eberline has noted noble gas adsorption
 
with the plastic scintillator
 
while performing
 
a SPING-4 calibration.
 
This calibration
 
compared the SPING-4 output with a GeLi detection
 
system output, as the concentration
 
of a reference
 
gas (Xe-127) was decreased.
 
The concentration
 
of Xe-127 (initially
 
at 210 pCi/cc)in the closed test loop was decreased
 
by vent and dilution operations.
 
Cali-bration was interrupted
 
after 2 days to correct problems with the GeLi system.The system was allowed to stand idle for 10 days with 0.3 pCi/cc Xe-127 concen-tration. When the calibration
 
resumed, the response of the beta scintillator
 
did not decrease in the expected proportions.
 
An investigation
 
indicated
 
that both the inner and outer mylar sheets that cover the plastic scintillator
 
had adsorbed Xe-127 gas.Although the levels of activity used in this calibration
 
were much higher than those normally encountered, the noble gas adsorption
 
noted on the low range of the detection
 
system could indicate a generic operational
 
concern. The high background
 
resulting
 
from the adsorbed gas could cause overestimations
 
in any effluent release calculations
 
that are based on the monitor output. This is particularly
 
true if low-level
 
monitoring
 
is resumed following
 
either a large activity excursion
 
(3 or 4 orders of magnitude
 
above normal) or an extended moderate increase (1 order of magnitude
 
for a week or more). Following
 
such releases the monitor should be purged and a new background
 
taken. It should be noted that this gas adsorption
 
phenomenon
 
is probably not unique to SPING-4 monitoring
 
systems. Other manufacturers
 
of plastic scintillation
 
detectors
 
use similar construction
 
techniques.
 
Any effluent monitor that employs a plastic scintillation
 
detector may experience
 
the same difficulties.
 
IN 86-30 April 29, 1986 No specific action or written response is required by this information
 
notice.If you have any questions
 
about this matter, please contact the Regional Administrator
 
of the appropriate
 
regional office or this office.ward L. Jordan Director i Division of Emergency
 
Preparednes
 
and Engineering
 
Response Office of Inspection
 
and Enforcement
 
Technical
 
Contact: Roger L. Pedersen, IE (301)492-9425 James E. Wigginton, IE (301)492-4967 Attachment:
List of Recently Issued IE Information
 
Notices
 
Attachment
 
1 IN 86-30 April 29, 1986 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION
 
NOTICES Information
 
Date of Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to 86-29 86-28 86-27 Effects of Changing Valve Motor-Operator
 
Switch Settings Unauthorized
 
Transfer and Loss of Control of Indus-trial Nuclear Gauges Access Control at Nuclear Facilities
 
Potential
 
Problems In Generators
 
Manufactured
 
By Electrical
 
===Products Incorporated===
Traceability
 
And Material Control Of Material And Equipment, Particularly
 
Fasteners 4/25/86 4/28/86 4/21/86 4/17/86 4/11/86 86-26 86-25 All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or a CP All licensees
 
author-ized to possess and use industrial
 
nuclear gauges.All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or CP, research and nonpower reactor facilities, and fuel fabrication
 
& pro-cessing facilities
 
All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or CP All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or CP All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or CP; research and test reactor facilities;
fuel cycle licensees
 
and Priority 1 material licensees All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or CP All power reactor facilities
 
holding an OL or CP and research and test reactors 86-24 Respirator
 
Users Notice: 4/11/86 Increased
 
Inspection
 
Frequency For Certain Self-Contained
 
Breathing
 
Apparatus
 
Air Cylinders 86-23 Excessive
 
Skin Exposures
 
Due To Contamination
 
With Hot Particles Underresponse


==Description of Circumstances==
Of Radition Survey Instrument
:The Eberline SPING-4 is designed to monitor radioactive noble gasses, particu-lates and iodines in plant gaseous effluents. By using three overlappingchannels, the noble gas (NG) monitor has a detection capability of 10-7 to 105pCi/cc (Xe-133 equivalent). The low-range channel employs a beta scintillationdetector. The mid- and high-range channels of the NG monitor use energy-compensated GM tube detectors.Conformance to NUREG-0737 II.F.1:Item II.F.1.1 of NUREG-0737, "Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements,"issued November 1980, requires licensees to have the capability to detect andmeasure concentrations of NG fission products in plant effluents (up tolo5 pCi/cc for undiluted containment exhaust) during and following an accident.Recent NRC regional inspections of NUREG-0737 implementation indicate that8604280122 IN 86-30April 29, 1986 some licensees have installed SPING-4 monitors and mistakenly consider themadequate to meet all of the requirements of Item II.F.1.1. Although theSPING-4 does have an upper detection capability of 105 pCi/cc, its associatedmicrocomputer is vulnerable to radiation damage from a total integrated dosegreater than 1000 rads. Therefore, it is unlikely the SPING-4 would survivethe course of an accident. Eberline has indicated that the SPING-4 wasdesigned primarily as a normal-range monitor with extended capabilities forbrief excursions to concentrations greater than 102 pCi/cc. Full-range moni-toring consistent with Item II.F.1.1 can be achieved by using the SPING-4 inconjunction with an accident monitor (with a remote microprocessor) such asEberline's model AXM-1. The accident monitor comes on line when excessivelyhigh activity levels are sensed while the SPING-4 isolates itself and goes intoa purge cycle.Noble Gas Adsorption:Eberline has noted noble gas adsorption with the plastic scintillator whileperforming a SPING-4 calibration. This calibration compared the SPING-4 outputwith a GeLi detection system output, as the concentration of a reference gas(Xe-127) was decreased. The concentration of Xe-127 (initially at 210 pCi/cc)in the closed test loop was decreased by vent and dilution operations. Cali-bration was interrupted after 2 days to correct problems with the GeLi system.The system was allowed to stand idle for 10 days with 0.3 pCi/cc Xe-127 concen-tration. When the calibration resumed, the response of the beta scintillatordid not decrease in the expected proportions. An investigation indicated thatboth the inner and outer mylar sheets that cover the plastic scintillator hadadsorbed Xe-127 gas.Although the levels of activity used in this calibration were much higher thanthose normally encountered, the noble gas adsorption noted on the low range ofthe detection system could indicate a generic operational concern. The highbackground resulting from the adsorbed gas could cause overestimations in anyeffluent release calculations that are based on the monitor output. This isparticularly true if low-level monitoring is resumed following either a largeactivity excursion (3 or 4 orders of magnitude above normal) or an extendedmoderate increase (1 order of magnitude for a week or more). Following suchreleases the monitor should be purged and a new background taken. It should benoted that this gas adsorption phenomenon is probably not unique to SPING-4monitoring systems. Other manufacturers of plastic scintillation detectors usesimilar construction techniques. Any effluent monitor that employs a plasticscintillation detector may experience the same difficulties.


IN 86-30April 29, 1986 No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the RegionalAdministrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.ward L. Jordan Directori Division of Emergency Preparednesand Engineering ResponseOffice of Inspection and Enforcement
To High Radiation


===Technical Contact:===
Fields 4/9/86 3/31/86 86-22 OL = Operating
Roger L. Pedersen, IE(301)492-9425James E. Wigginton, IE(301)492-4967Attachment:List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices


Attachment 1IN 86-30April 29, 1986LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDIE INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issue Issued to86-2986-2886-27Effects of Changing ValveMotor-Operator SwitchSettingsUnauthorized Transfer andLoss of Control of Indus-trial Nuclear GaugesAccess Control at NuclearFacilitiesPotential Problems InGenerators Manufactured ByElectrical ProductsIncorporatedTraceability And MaterialControl Of Material AndEquipment, ParticularlyFasteners4/25/864/28/864/21/864/17/864/11/8686-2686-25All power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or a CPAll licensees author-ized to possess anduse industrial nucleargauges.All power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or CP, researchand nonpower reactorfacilities, and fuelfabrication & pro-cessing facilitiesAll power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or CPAll power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or CPAll power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or CP; researchand test reactorfacilities; fuelcycle licensees andPriority 1 materiallicenseesAll power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or CPAll power reactorfacilities holdingan OL or CP andresearch and testreactors86-24Respirator Users Notice: 4/11/86Increased Inspection FrequencyFor Certain Self-ContainedBreathing Apparatus AirCylinders86-23Excessive Skin Exposures DueTo Contamination With HotParticlesUnderresponse Of RaditionSurvey Instrument To HighRadiation Fields4/9/863/31/8686-22OL = Operating LicensePIr r,.^-,4>. n,.
License PIr r,.^-,4>.


}}
n,.}}


{{Information notice-Nav}}
{{Information notice-Nav}}

Revision as of 13:00, 31 August 2018

Design Limitations of Gaseous Effluent Monitoring Systems
ML031220651
Person / Time
Site: Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date: 04/29/1986
From: Jordan E L
NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-86-030, NUDOCS 8604280122
Download: ML031220651 (4)
v • d • e


SSINS No.: 6835 IN 86-30 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION

AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 April 29, 1986 IE INFORMATION

NOTICE NO. 86-30: DESIGN LIMITATIONS

OF GASEOUS EFFLUENT MONITORING

SYSTEMS

Addressees

All nuclear power reactor facilities

holding an operating

license or a con-struction

permit.

Purpose

This notice is provided to alert licensees

to two design limitations

noted in the use of Eberline's

SPING-4 (system particulate

iodine and noble gas) gaseous effluent monitoring

systems. The first deals with the limitations

of the detection

capability

of the SPING-4 monitoring

system. Some licensees

are incorrectly

relying on the SPING-4 to meet all of the post-accident

require-ments of NUREG-0737.

The second deals with noble gas adsorption

that could interfere

with routine operational

low-level

monitoring.

It is expected that recipients

will review this information

for applicability

to their facilities

and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude problems related to these limitations

at their facilities.

However, suggestions

con-tained in this notice do not constitute

NRC requirements;

therefore, no specif-ic action or written response is required.Description

of Circumstances:

The Eberline SPING-4 is designed to monitor radioactive

noble gasses, particu-lates and iodines in plant gaseous effluents.

By using three overlapping

channels, the noble gas (NG) monitor has a detection

capability

of 10-7 to 105 pCi/cc (Xe-133 equivalent).

The low-range

channel employs a beta scintillation

detector.

The mid- and high-range

channels of the NG monitor use energy-compensated

GM tube detectors.

Conformance

to NUREG-0737 II.F.1: Item II.F.1.1 of NUREG-0737, "Clarification

of TMI Action Plan Requirements," issued November 1980, requires licensees

to have the capability

to detect and measure concentrations

of NG fission products in plant effluents (up to lo5 pCi/cc for undiluted

containment

exhaust) during and following

an accident.Recent NRC regional inspections

of NUREG-0737 implementation

indicate that 8604280122 IN 86-30 April 29, 1986 some licensees

have installed

SPING-4 monitors and mistakenly

consider them adequate to meet all of the requirements

of Item II.F.1.1.

Although the SPING-4 does have an upper detection

capability

of 105 pCi/cc, its associated

microcomputer

is vulnerable

to radiation

damage from a total integrated

dose greater than 1000 rads. Therefore, it is unlikely the SPING-4 would survive the course of an accident.

Eberline has indicated

that the SPING-4 was designed primarily

as a normal-range

monitor with extended capabilities

for brief excursions

to concentrations

greater than 102 pCi/cc. Full-range

moni-toring consistent

with Item II.F.1.1 can be achieved by using the SPING-4 in conjunction

with an accident monitor (with a remote microprocessor)

such as Eberline's

model AXM-1. The accident monitor comes on line when excessively

high activity levels are sensed while the SPING-4 isolates itself and goes into a purge cycle.Noble Gas Adsorption:

Eberline has noted noble gas adsorption

with the plastic scintillator

while performing

a SPING-4 calibration.

This calibration

compared the SPING-4 output with a GeLi detection

system output, as the concentration

of a reference

gas (Xe-127) was decreased.

The concentration

of Xe-127 (initially

at 210 pCi/cc)in the closed test loop was decreased

by vent and dilution operations.

Cali-bration was interrupted

after 2 days to correct problems with the GeLi system.The system was allowed to stand idle for 10 days with 0.3 pCi/cc Xe-127 concen-tration. When the calibration

resumed, the response of the beta scintillator

did not decrease in the expected proportions.

An investigation

indicated

that both the inner and outer mylar sheets that cover the plastic scintillator

had adsorbed Xe-127 gas.Although the levels of activity used in this calibration

were much higher than those normally encountered, the noble gas adsorption

noted on the low range of the detection

system could indicate a generic operational

concern. The high background

resulting

from the adsorbed gas could cause overestimations

in any effluent release calculations

that are based on the monitor output. This is particularly

true if low-level

monitoring

is resumed following

either a large activity excursion

(3 or 4 orders of magnitude

above normal) or an extended moderate increase (1 order of magnitude

for a week or more). Following

such releases the monitor should be purged and a new background

taken. It should be noted that this gas adsorption

phenomenon

is probably not unique to SPING-4 monitoring

systems. Other manufacturers

of plastic scintillation

detectors

use similar construction

techniques.

Any effluent monitor that employs a plastic scintillation

detector may experience

the same difficulties.

IN 86-30 April 29, 1986 No specific action or written response is required by this information

notice.If you have any questions

about this matter, please contact the Regional Administrator

of the appropriate

regional office or this office.ward L. Jordan Director i Division of Emergency

Preparednes

and Engineering

Response Office of Inspection

and Enforcement

Technical

Contact: Roger L. Pedersen, IE (301)492-9425 James E. Wigginton, IE (301)492-4967 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued IE Information

Notices

Attachment

1 IN 86-30 April 29, 1986 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION

NOTICES Information

Date of Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to 86-29 86-28 86-27 Effects of Changing Valve Motor-Operator

Switch Settings Unauthorized

Transfer and Loss of Control of Indus-trial Nuclear Gauges Access Control at Nuclear Facilities

Potential

Problems In Generators

Manufactured

By Electrical

Products Incorporated

Traceability

And Material Control Of Material And Equipment, Particularly

Fasteners 4/25/86 4/28/86 4/21/86 4/17/86 4/11/86 86-26 86-25 All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or a CP All licensees

author-ized to possess and use industrial

nuclear gauges.All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP, research and nonpower reactor facilities, and fuel fabrication

& pro-cessing facilities

All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP; research and test reactor facilities;

fuel cycle licensees

and Priority 1 material licensees All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP All power reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP and research and test reactors 86-24 Respirator

Users Notice: 4/11/86 Increased

Inspection

Frequency For Certain Self-Contained

Breathing

Apparatus

Air Cylinders 86-23 Excessive

Skin Exposures

Due To Contamination

With Hot Particles Underresponse

Of Radition Survey Instrument

To High Radiation

Fields 4/9/86 3/31/86 86-22 OL = Operating

License PIr r,.^-,4>.

n,.


Retrieved from "https://kanterella.com/w/index.php?title=Information_Notice_1986-30,_Design_Limitations_of_Gaseous_Effluent_Monitoring_Systems&oldid=1010395"