Reprocessing And Recycli

Design And Operationa

Requirements

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissio

Reprocessing Workshop

October 19th and 20th, 2010

Albuquerque, NM
NRC Regulatory Approac

• Three general areas, with ALARA

– Prescriptive requirements– Risk informed/performance based– Minimum criteria or areas for review

• Mi i it i i l d th Mi

nimum criteria inclu

de, among oth

– Design criteria, GDC/BDCs– Technical specifications– Training and qualifications of personne

• These support redundancy, diversity

defense in depth, and safety functio

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
What Are GDC/BDC?

The NRC establishes minimum requirements for propo

facilities or applications of licensed radioactive mateprovide:

– assurance that important to safety SSCs will have the 

reliability to perform their intended safety functions 

– assurance that uncertainties and errors, from design a

and unknowns, are adequately addressed

– adequate defense in depth adequate defense in depth– redundancy and diversity– assurances that balance of plant and unanalyzed situa

negatively impact safety

NRC regulations frequently identify these minimum req

by terminology:

– General Design Criteria (GDC) or Baseline Design Cri– Where used, GDC and BDC are essentially synonymo

although the GDC term is more prevalent in the regulatends to be more specifically stated.

October 2010

SSC = Structure, Sys

Reprocessing Workshop
Currently ...

• Reprocessing and recycling (R&R) 

facilities are production facilities

• Regulated under 10 CFR Part 50

– GDC in 50.34 and Appendix A

• Analogs might apply to R&R facilities Analogs might apply to R&R facilities

– Other sections of Part 50 imply additio

GDC (e.g., Appendix F, Appendix I, ApS)

• GDC specific to R&R are needed to 

address the large quantities and typradionuclides at these facilities 

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Part 50: 

Previously Proposed Append

• 50.34(a)(3) (i) footnote: “GDC for chem

processing facilities are being develop

• “General Design Criteria for Fuel 

Reprocessing Plants” 

– 39 Federal Register 26293, July 18th, 197

– Indefinitely deferred on April 19th, 1984 un

needed for NRC’s regulation of a reprocefacility (49 Federal Register 16699, April 1

1984). 

• 27 GDC in 7 categoriesOctober 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Part 50:

Previously Proposed Append

• 50.34(a)(3) (i) footnote: “GDC for chem

processing facilities are being develop

• “Design Criteria for Protection of Fuel 

Reprocessing Plants and Licensed MaTherein”

– 39 Federal Register 26296, July 18th, 197

– Indefinitely deferred on April 19th, 1984 un

needed for NRC’s regulation of a reprocefacility (49 Federal Register 16699, April 1

1984). 

• 19 GDC in 3 categoriesOctober 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
NRC Staff Review and Sta

• Reviewed the existing GDCs/BDCs 

relevant documents

– Regulations have no thresholds for app

existing GDCs/BDCs

• Identified

– 10 potential categories of GDCs/BDCs– 77 potential areas within the ten categ

• Found significant fraction of areas co

become draft GDCs

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Ten Potential Draft 

GDC/BDC Categories

• Overall/General• Multiple Confinement 

and Containment Barriers, and Systems 

P Sft

• Physical Secu• MC&A• Fuel and Radio

Waste

•

Process 

S

a

f

e

ty 

Features

• Nuclear Criticality 

Safety 

• Radiological 

Protection

• Siting• Decommission

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Some Samples Of 

Potential Areas For GDCs/BD

• Quality 

standards/records

• Minimize risk from R&R• Fire and explosion 

protection

• Emergency pro

heat removal

• Control Room• Criticality Safety 

Monitoring and 

• Negative pressure 

differential

• Flammable gas 

monitoring and control

• Habitability• Seismic Protection

•

ALAR

A

• Shielding• Waste Manage• Aircraft Impact • Design for Even

Decommissioni

October 2010
Technical Specifications

• Required for reprocessing facilities

– By law – AEA – Atomic Energy Act– Part 50.36 has specifics for reprocessing

• Extensive documentation for Tech Spe

– For Part 50 and reactor facilities– FRN 10815, May 2, 1973, “Technical Spe

for Fuel Reprocessing Plants”

• No technical specifications in Part 70

– Uses ISA and IROFS

• GDPs (Part 76) have Technical Safety 

Requirements (TSRs) which are similatechnical specifications

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Technical Specifications

• Derived from safety analyses to protect people 

uncontrolled releases (50.36 – 50.36a for efflu

• Five Categories

– Safety limits (event level - uncertainty allowances 

limiting control settings (alarm/correction level – malarm/response uncertainties/inaccuracies and sy

responses)

– Limiting conditions for operations (minimum equip

performance)

– Surveillance requirements (inspect, test, maintain– Design features (e.g., types of steels, geometry)– Administrative controls (e.g., minimal staffing, cal

• Include both technical (engineered) and admin

matters

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Operator Training

• AEA requires NRC to 

– Establish criteria for operators of producti

utilization facilities

– Determine the qualifications of individuals 

applying for licenses

– Issue licenses as appropriate Issue licenses, as appropriate

• Codified in 10 CFR Part 55• As with Part 50, regulations and assoc

guidance now focus more on power re

• Appropriate level for R&R facilities nee

be determined, and included in Part 55 revision or new R&R regulation

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Potential Questions

For Discussion

• Should there be a minimal set of GDC applicable to R&R • Do any standard criteria apply universally (e.g., SNF burn

discharge)?

• Should the NRC consider different GDCs for different type

technology applied?

• What is the appropriate level of detail for GDCs?

• Should the NRC include emergency planning requiremen

Should the NRC include emergency planning requiremen

Part 50, Appendix E? Should there be an Emergency Plaaround R&R facilities?

• What issues, areas/categories, or considerations should t

evaluate for technical specifications?

• Should the NRC consider any additional or different requi

R&R facility operators as compared to current practice witoperators?

• Are there specific training requirements for specific R&R f

or by hazard/risk/safety significance?

• Are there any thresholds for applying criteria and requirem

GDC, technical specifications, training)? October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Background Slides

Potential Categories And Areas 

For GDC/BDC

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Relevant Sources For 

Potential GDCs/BDCs

Regulations:• Part 20: Basic radiation protection/principle• Part 50: Licenses Production Facilities• Part 52: Design Certification etc. for Part 5• Part 70: Licenses SNM/materials• Part 72: LicensesProposed Regulations:• Part 50: Proposed Appendix P• Part 50: Proposed Appendix QOther Documents:• NEI White Paper• NUREG-1909May 2010 
Potential GDCs/BDCs Categories 

Reprocessing Facilities

• General Overall 

Categories 

• Multiple Confinement/ 

Containment Barriers and Systems

N l C iti lit

• Process Safety 

Features

• Radiological Pro• Physical Securi• Fuel and Radio

•

Nuclear 

C

riticality 

Safety

• Material Control and 

Accountability (MC&A)

• Siting

Waste

• Decommissioni

May 2010 
Draft Category: Overall/Genera

Potential Areas For GDCs/BDC

• Quality 

standards/records

• Minimize risk from R&R• Fire and explosion 

protection

• Emergency pro

heat removal

• Control Room• Criticality Safety 

Monitoring and 

• Negative pressure 

differential

• Flammable gas 

monitoring and control

• Habitability• Seismic Protection

•

ALAR

A

• Shielding• Waste Manage• Aircraft Impact • Design for Even

Decommissioni

May 2010 
Draft Category: Confinement & Conta

Potential Areas For GDCs/BDCs

• Design or Design Basis• Leakage Rate 

Monitoring and Testing

• Inspection and Testing• Ne

gative 

pressure 

• Flammable Gas 

Monitoring & Co

• Flammable Gas 

Monitoring & CoProcess Ullage 

H bit bilit M 

g p differential

• Pressure Differential• Negative Pressure 

Differential

• Penetrating 

Confinement and Containment Areas

•

H

abit

ability 

Mon

& Control

• System Heat R• Atmosphere Cle

May 2010 
Draft Category: Process Safety Featu

Potential Areas For GDCs/BDCs

• Safety System 

Functions

• Reliability and 

Testability

• Safety System 

Id d

• Residual Heat R• Emergency Pro

Heat Removal

• Inspection & Te

Heat Removal S

In

depen

dence

• Failure Modes• Separation of Safety & 

Control Systems

• Process Boundary• Inspection & Testing of 

Process Boundary

• Control Rooms 

Control Areas

• Chemical Prote• Waste Manage• Electrical Powe

Systems 

May 2010 
Draft Category: Criticality Safe

Potential Areas For GDCs/BD

• Prevent Criticality• Neutron Absorbers• Criticality Safety 

Monitoring and Alarm

• Monitor and Control 

• Control Method• Adequate Critic

Safety Margins

• Safety Control

Potential Accumulation of Fissile Materials

May 2010 
Draft Category: Rad Protectio

Potential Areas For GDCs/BD

• ALARA• Radiation Shielding• Design and Operate to 

Minimize Contamination of 

F ilit d It

• Access Control• Radiation Monit

and Alarm Syst

• Criticality Safety 

Monitoring and 

Facility an

d Its 

Environment

• Waste Management

• Effluent Monitor

Control

• Shielding

May 2010 
Draft Category: Physical Securi

Potential Areas For GDCs/BDC

• Physical Barriers• Plant Isolation• Protective Lighting• Personnel package and 

vehicle control

• Emergency Mo

Capability

• Intrusion Alarm • Essential 

Communication

• Equipment Design and 

Placement

• Shipping and 

Receiving

• Surveillance Capability

• Cybersecurity• Shielding

May 2010 
Draft Category: MC&A 

Potential Areas For GDCs/BD

• Material Control Areas• Process and Related 

Equipment

• Waste Accountability 

Capability

• Computerized D

Processing Cap

• Measurement 

Capability

• Storage of Spec

N l Mt iNuclear 

M

a

teria

Fissile Material, Other Isotopes Interest

May 2010 
Draft Category: Fuel and Radwast

Potential Areas For GDCs/BDCs

• Radioactive Waste 

Streams Output 

• Waste Forms

• Special Nuclear 

Material and Radioactive WaStorage

May 2010 
Draft Category: Siting

Potential Areas For GDCs/BD

• Site Selection• Protection Against 

Wind-Borne Missiles

• Seismic Protect• Protection Agai

Other Natural Phenomena Ha

May 2010 
Draft Category: Decommissionin

Potential Areas For GDCs/BDC

• Design, Construct and 

Operate to facilitate eventual decommissioning

• Material Time Limitation

• Material Invento

Type Limitation

• Decommissioni

and Objectives

May 2010