ML20148U131

Forwards Pages of IE Inspec Rept 50-184/78-04 & Requests That Noted Portions Be Withheld from Pub Disclosure

ML20148U131
Person / Time
Site:	National Bureau of Standards Reactor
Issue date:	08/23/1978
From:	Rozier Carter NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS & TECHNOLOGY (FORMERL
To:	Crocker H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
Shared Package
ML20148U115	List: ML20148U131
References
NUDOCS 7812060286
Download: ML20148U131 (7)

Text

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e . . b ._. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Bureau of Standards

:, .f[j'. /,, GWashington, D.C. P0234

1. 4 7t 3 O' August 23, 1978 i

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l Hilbert W. Crocker, Acting Chief U.S. Nuclear Regula tory Commission Region 1 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 _

Subj ec t: Inspec tion Report 50-184/78-04.

Dear Mr. Crocker:

This is in reference to the above subjec t inspection report trans-mitted to NBS August 7,1978. NBS respec tfully requests that all references to fuel included in the report be withheld f rom public disclosure. 'Diis is consistent with past NRC de termina tion that sensitive informa tion dealing with security and safeguards may be withheld in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790. Attached heredith are marked pages of the report where information that should be with-held appear. NBS also requests that the contents of this letter be withheld for the same reasons.

Sincerely, g, ~c Lg ',4i *H L-hohert S. Carter Chief, Reactor Radiation Division

2. NUCLEAR. REGULATORY COMMISS.

f. ,

. . OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT Region I NODcE

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Report.No. 50-184/78-04 4 AUC 1978 AS OF f maioN 1 HAS NOT oBIAINED PROPRLETARY J Docket No. 50-184 CLLARANCE IN ACCORDANCE WlIH 10 Cf R 2790 License No.TR-5 Priority --

Category E  !

Licensee: U. S. Department of Commerce National Bureau of Standards i Washington, D. C. 20234 Facility Name: NBS Reactor j Inspection at: Gaithersburg, Maryland Inspection conducted: July 6,11 and:13,1978  !

Inspectors: Nm /A

/k! E. P'luslee, Radiation Specialist date signed .

date signed

/ - - - - - - -

7 date signed T>M

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Approved b 'E NMAnu r-~

wwo G k7M P. M Kriapp, Chief,' Radiation SupWrt d#te8 signed l Section, Fuel Facility & Material Safety l Branch '

Inspection Summary:

Inspection on July 6,11 and 13,1978 (Recort No. 50-184/78-04)

Areas Insoected: Routine, announced inspection of r=cre r=ctor "c'ueng, .

radiation protection program, and waste management including: fue' e *

• P '"al W '4ng; neutron monitoring; procedures; posting of information; cntrol of access to restricted, radiation and high radiation areas; control and monitoring of personnel exposures; portal monitoring; indoctrination and training of radiation workers; surveys; instrument calibrations; personnel exposure records; effluent records; waste shipping records; and spent fuel shipping records. Upon arrival, areas where work was being conducted were examined to review radiation safety control procedures and practices. This inspection involved 20 hours2.314815e-4 days <br />0.00556 hours <br />3.306878e-5 weeks <br />7.61e-6 months <br /> on site by one NRC ,

inspector.

Results: Of the 14 areas inspected no apparent items of noncompliance were identified in 13 areas. One apparent item of noncompliance was identified in one area (Infraction - fume hood airflow not maintained at value required by procedures - .

Paragraph 3). I Region I Form 12 (Rev. April 77) 4 m ~" ,- l

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3 Part of the inspection effort was to determine the availability of -

signs and posted instructions necessary for radiation protection and radioactive contamination control and to determine the workers adherence to these instructions.

On July 11,1978, at 3:00 p.m., the inspector observed that, contrary to a conspicuous sign indicating the maximum correct door height on each hood, the doors of two unattended radioactive fume hoods, numbers C001-1 and C001-2, were fully raised. The resulting face openings were about a foot greater in heignt than allowed by these signs and the face flow velocities were below the referenced required minimum of 90 ft/ min. Hoods C001-1 and C001-2 each contained contaminated receivers for samples irradiated in the reactor, using the pneumatic transfer (rabbit) system, and sample storage space containing radioactive materials.

The licensee representative acknowledged that the face flow velo-cities as found were only about two-thirds of the required minimum.

He lowered the doors to the indicated maximum permissible height and demonstrated that the face flow velocities were restored to 100 ft/ min.

The inspector identified the condition as found as an item of non-compliance. ~ During the exit interview, the licensee representative

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stated that the users'~would be reinstructed on hood operations and that additional auditing of this item will be provided. (78-04-01) 4 Refueling Operation Part of the inspection effort was to review the licensee's com- j pliance with procedures for the inspection, handling and loading of fuel during refueling.

On July 6,1978, the inspector observed the refueling operations, including the status of the ventilation system, reactor instruments and recorders, ventilation monitors, area radiation monitors, air g samplers, surveys, personnel protective clothing, personnel monitor-ing equipment, portal monitors, and the control points for access to various areas. The inspector also reviewed the adherence to procedures and the record keeping during refueling.

No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified involving the refueling operations.

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5. New Fuel Storage and Handling The inspector observed the transfer of four new fuel elements from i the new fuel storage facility to the assigned positions in the i reactor core, including the preparation and inspection of each  !

element for use in the reactor. I l

During these operations, the inspector noticed that although there l

{ were several vacant storage positions and the Final Safety Analysis i Report (FSAR) in subsection 7.2.1.7, "New Fuel Storage Facility" )

stated that the new fuel elements are stored in slots in numbered  !

fuel rack positions, one fuel element was stored in a corner of the j new fuel storage facility instead of in a fuel rack. i g The licensee representative stated that this is a special fuel element that has been set aside and. secured to preclude inadvertent handling or use. He stated that an evaluation of this arrangement ,

has been documented, but he requested a postponement of the review  ;

of this item until a more convenient time for reviewing those i documents. I l

The licensee representative stated that no additional fuel will be j stored in the new fuel-storage facility until this item is reviewed, '

and that no new fuel is on order or due to arrive.

The review of the licensee's documentation of this item will be -

done on a subsequent routine inspection. The inspector had no further questions on this item at this time. (78-04-02)

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6. Spent Fuel Storage f The inspector observed the transfer of four spent fuel elements, one at a time from the reactor through the transfer tube and the spent fuel storage pool to the assigned positions in the spent fuel Q storage racks.

The inspector also reviewed the record keeping and the radiation protection practices maintained during this operation.

The ins,,ector noticed that' the applied protective coating on the e pool walls and floor was discolored, except near stored fuel. The coating had flaked off at several points and appeared to be deteri-orating.

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9 The licensee's 1977 Annual Report indicated that 594 Ci of 41 -

Ar and 195 Ci of tritium was released to the atmosphere.

Review of the gaseous release logbook entries and calculated values did not identify any discrepancies.

The release rate for the first calendar quarter of 1978 was significantly greater than the average quarterly release rate for 1977, by 16% and 235% for 41-Ar and tritium, respectively.

This stack release rate appeared to be less that 6% of the TS limit, which includes a stack dilution allowance of 1,000.

The second calendar quarter,1978, determination had not been completed at the time of the inspection.

The licensee representative stated that the tritium release rate would be reduced by maintenance directed to reduce primary system leakage.

No items of noncompliance were identified.

13. Radioactive Material Shipping Record _s_

a. Ge ne ra_1_ _

The licensee reported making 1,101 shipments of radioactive materials during 1977, not all of which involved the reactor.

Excluding radioactive waste, vari = =d pluterium di;rcr,t; ,

the major isotopes received and shipped were: 241-Am (4.2. Ci received, 6.8 Ci shipped), 99m-Tc (0.8 Ci received, 7.5 Ci shipped), tritium (2.1 Ci received, 2.1 Ci shipped), radioiodine isotopes (2.2 Ci received 0.8 Ci shipped), and 99-Mo (1.9 Ci received, 0.3 Ci shipped). The total received during 1977 was.

14.5 Ci and the total shipped was 19.8 Ci.

No items of noncompliance were identified by the review of these shipping records.

b. Solid Waste The licensee released 2.2 Ci of 144-Ce in 15 cu. ft. of waste, and 0.55 Ci of mixed isotopes in 580 cu. ft. of waste during 1977. There were records of six shipments during 1977, the most recent shipment being in August, with no shipments during 1978.

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p t 10 The licensee uses a compactor to reduce the volume of waste.

The-inspector reviewed the waste shipping records, and also toured and surveyed the waste storage building. The highest radiation level. was 100 mr/hr at contact in the building, and 0.1 mr/hr outside the fenced area.

No items of noncompliance were identified.

c. Spent Fuel fTheinspectorreviewedtherecordsofspentfuelshipments during 1978 up- to July. The records indicated that the licensee completed the procedures and the checklists for the shipping Q cask receipt, loading, and shipment. The licensee retained copies of the certificate of compliance for the shipping cask.

$ The most recent spent fuel shipment was indicated to contain 3 x 105 Ci of beta-gamma activity.

Review of the shipping records did not identify any items of noncompliance.

L.

14. Housekeeping Electrical Penetrations -

During tours of the facility, the inspector noticed that the sealant removed during electrical work in floor penetrations near the reactor console appeared to be a flammable type of material. The licensee representative stated that the sealant had been covered with an asbestos sheet when it was originally installed. The licensee representative stated that a non-flammable grade of sealant would be used to Mnse these penetrations, but no specific selection had been made as yec.

The licensee's disposition of this item will be reviewed on a subsequent routine inspection. (78-04-06)

15. Split Samole Analysis Comparison

! The results of an effluent sample. split during a previous NRC

. inspection (NRC:I Inspection Report 50-184/78-01) indicated that one measurement was in agreement under the criteria used by the Office of Inspection and Enforcement for comparing measurements '

(see Attachment 1) and one measurement was in disagreement. The l ,

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3 11 measurement in disagreement was a tritium measurement. The inspector noted the. licensee's tritiv i value was higher than the NRC value and therefore, was in a corfscrvative direction and would not result in the licensee exceeding any effluent release limits. The inspector stated that this area would be reviewed during a subsequent inspection.

(78-04-07)

16. Personnel Changes Review indicated that the only change in the radiation protection organization for the NBSR during the past 14 months was the promotion of one technician to the position of Health Physicist. A co-op student was working temporarily in this organization during the inspection.

No items of noncompliance were identified.

17. Exit Interview The inspector met with the licensee representatives (denoted in Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection. The inspector reviewed the scope and findings of the inspection, including the control of radioactive fume hood operations (Paragraph 3), ee-

_ ter g: cf f;;! in the neo '"el ster:g: fa_ility (Paragr # 5), and  ;

the respiratory protection program (Paragraph 9). l l

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