ML20212H884

Requests Assessment of Controls Which Prevent or Detect Introduction of Hydrocarbons Into Cylinders & UF6 Sys During Processing & Transport.If Controls Not at Facility, Assessment Should Be License Amend.Doe Safety Alert Encl

ML20212H884
Person / Time
Site:	Framatome ANP Richland
Issue date:	03/02/1987
From:	Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Malody C SIEMENS POWER CORP. (FORMERLY SIEMENS NUCLEAR POWER
References
NUDOCS 8703060249
Download: ML20212H884 (4)

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L MAR 0 21937 j l

FCUP:GHB 70-1257 l

Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corporation ATTN: Mr. C. W. Malody, Manager Corporate Licensing 2101 Horn Rapids Road Richland, Washington 99352 Gentlemen:

1 The presence of hydrocarbons in UF, cylinders and UF, process systems is of serious concern to the U.S. NucleaF Regulatory Commission (NRC) since the reaction of UF, with hydrocarbons, even in small quantities, may be quite vigorous and cNn result in serious explosions. The Department of Energy (DOE) is also concerned about the presence of hydrocarbons in licensee's cylinders because the cylinders may be emptied or filled at the DOE enrichment plants.

Because of these concerns, you are requested to provide an assessment of your controls which prevent or detect the introduction of hydrocarbons into the cylinders and the UFgsystems during processing and transport. The assessment should cover procurement, recertification, and maintenance of cylinders; the UFg process systems, including cold traps if used, for filling or emptying cyTinders; and seals on either full or " empty" cylinders during transport and storage.

Unless the above identified controls exist in your lict nse, the assessment should be presented in the form of a license amendment application. The application should be in two parts - proposed controls as license conditions, and a safety demonstration showing the adequacy of the controls. The proposed conditions should be formatted as revised pages for insertion into the referenced section of license conditions in your current license. Your response is requested within 45 days from the date of this letter.

Enclosed is a 1983 DOE Safety Alert which provides some information and '

guidance on isolating hydrocarbons and UF, process systems. OR0-651, Revision 4, " Uranium Hexafluoride: Hand 1Yng Procedures and Container Criteria," U.S. ERDA, April 1977, is currently under revision by DOE.

Revision 5 should be available soon.

YFR88e,T888?g, PDR

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. Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corp. 2- MAR 0 21987 ~

Ifyouhavequestions,Icanbecoritactedat(301)427-4510.

a Sincerely, f

blginal signed Byr W. T. Crow,'Actirig Chief Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety, NMSS

Enclosure:

As stated ,

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Assistant Secretary. Environmental Protection. Safety & Emergency Preparedness Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety & Health i

DOE /EP-40$0/3 Issue No. 3 February 1983 i

LIQUID UF6EXPLODES WHEN IT CONTACTS HYDROCARBON OIL PROBLEM: I.Jquid UF6 cas explode if it comes in g ;- .-"""r. ";p- :- :q :  :-

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contact with hydrocarbon oil, even when the quantity of G .M

" ui Ei n.c!/j oil is quite small (i.e., a few hundred cc's). If a E ~ ut e:. . ..,

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ill contamiunted standa rd UF6 cy'.inda rated at 100150 psi I!

30.050 ,...jjl did explode, the force probably woaki not be contained. h OlA. ""jjg

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woe transported to a concrew storsee pad. Ancr the cyhnder wu l

- . . lowered to the ped. an emplosme occurnd withis the cylinder u cM by a loud report and the outward belging of both concave 72 - -Q' i -

g ende of the cyboder la tids 3==sa=<* the explosion was contamed but

%,.,' e samks bessa to emerge froen a crack la the valve and a crack appeared  ;

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l Ihe presence of amatt quantities of oilinside a cylinder is g ,

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[- o Thevaporpsessuseof theetis=an,d mesylowthat to the sylladerisimsudisiset to held thedisplaced oil, the oil wlE not imeerises with liquid UF 6 Ming the the all wlE be fesund late the syllader.

'. cylinder.

RECOMMENDA110NS:

o Analysis of Ikys&d UF6 samples freen the sylinder cannot reliably detect senaE quantities of oil. I. The inside of new UFg sylindere shosid be e

thoroughly cleased if the presones of any Primarily, the entry of oillate UF 6esauro se follows: hydroenrhos oil is suspected. Elisative ped for einaming newsynoders and the-

, Oil used during fabrication may remain oatheimside of large sylleders ass instuded is the appendises of l surfeos of the cylinder if it is leadequaesty steamed. ANSI N 14.1 - 1982, "Feekagles of Uraniums .

This cas,be etiadasted if the fabrioster applies -

HexaGueride for TreasW

!, appropriate quality assuremos precedueue and the

..- buyer thorougidy inspects a statistiesty signi6 east 2. Only oildres air should be used to pressarias f number of cylinders. cylinders. Consider air operated ejectors for l f, evacuation. They provide the most positive l} Oil may be forced into the cylinder during and aAer ' assuranos that oil will act enter the cylinder during '

j evacuation through improper operation of an oil.- the evacuation :;x- ^'= . -

filled vaasua pump. Should the pump stop for any reason (Le., power interruption, anotor bura up, belt 3. An oil trap should be lastalled between an oil.nlied

breaklag, operator error, or saechanical failure), the vacuum pump and any UF6 cylindir being i'

atmospheric pressure on the pump diseharge can evacuated. The oil trap (shown below) should have a foros the oil back.through the pump to the section volume greater than the oil capacity of the vacuum side. If the volume of the pipe cosaasting the pump pump.

To

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Vesuum Pump d, Trop SI.ht UFsCylinder y,,,, Glen i

lastaB as cel uep heteens as all.ause veaumes psm,and any 4 UF sylinder beingsveemsted. Opmeting pW1)uep M ausst he yenest thee et vetusse of pumpt 3 erop suust he emp7 ef eil as shown by sieht Wase hafore using systess to evousses UF6eyender, and

3) welve I and syttador valve most he elseed befase shusales edt pump.

f For mese informanien essenet WiBism A. Pryer. Seiser and Beskommissaal Comesel Division, Oak Rides Operosises Od5se, FTE: 444893; eesemeroink (414 SMessa.

3(ery AJere is pukilshed for DOE propen namesse and samuestere le ehere latenmaties shout peesuelal esempseisaal asisey prehisms reisweat to DOE eparh For addhiemalespise, sesenet Nees Othert. Edlear. EP 3s.l. Propen Ceneret Seef. Assiseest Sosseenry.

Eevireemament Prunession, Safssy and Esmerosesy Properadames, U.S. Department of Emergy. Washlagees. D.C 3sS45, tetspinees:

H3 233 29Ss; Comunercial(301) 3S3 29$s.

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