IR 05000097/1987001
| ML20236H517 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000157, 05000097 |
| Issue date: | 10/28/1987 |
| From: | Jerrica Johnson, Meyer G, Neil Perry NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236H505 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-097-87-01, 50-157-87-01, 50-157-87-1, 50-97-87-1, NUDOCS 8711040177 | |
| Download: ML20236H517 (7) | |
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~ U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY. COMMISSION
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. Report _Nos.:! , .50-157/87-01i 50-97/87-01 I.
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'502 157; 50-97'
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., License Nos. :' ' ;R-80;;R-89 Category: G;'H '
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' Cornell' University Ithaca, New York '14853
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. Facility Namei Ward Laboratory of Nuclear Engineering-
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qg flocationi Ithaca, New York 3 . ,
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'Se tember 23-24, 1987
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, T S. Perry, Resgnt Inspector, Ginna date
~ Approved by: . Mon 9. MN J\/R. Jihn%n, Chief, Reactor Projects
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Inspection Summary: Inspection _on Sep_tember 23-24, 1987 (Report Nos. 50-157/87-01;
, 50-97/87-01J, Areas Inspected: Routine,-un' announced-safety inspection by a region-base . inspector and a resident inspector (18 hours2.083333e-4 days <br />0.005 hours <br />2.97619e-5 weeks <br />6.849e-6 months <br />) of the operation and records of
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the.TRIGA and ZPR reactor l l' '
Results: The inspectors concluded that the reactors were being operated safel However, the inspectors noted that problems continued concerning the licensed operator requalification examinations and the annual operations audi One' licensed operator did not meet the requalification program requirement for an annual examination. The annual audit needed to be upgraded, in that the ;
1986 audit was performed by a staff member of Ward Laboratory without reactor' !
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DETAILS h Introduction TRIG The. Cornell' TRIGA reactor operates under NRC Facility License F807 Docket 50-157. The TRIGA reactor license was renewed and amended l on November 9,'1983, to permit operation at an upgraded steady state l power of 500 kilowatts. The fuel is stainless steel clad U-Zr hydrid l The TRIGA . reactor operates approximately 400 hours0.00463 days <br />0.111 hours <br />6.613757e-4 weeks <br />1.522e-4 months <br /> per year at an average power of 100 kilowatts.
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ZP The Cornell Zero Power Reactor (ZPP) operates under NRC Facility l License R-89, Docket 50-97. The ZPR is licensed to operate at 100 watts l steady state power. The fuel is aluminum-clad uranium dioxide. The ZPR operates about 30 hours3.472222e-4 days <br />0.00833 hours <br />4.960317e-5 weeks <br />1.1415e-5 months <br /> per year at an average power of 1 wat '
- 2. Persons Contacted W. Streett Dean, College of Engineering B. Cady Associate Dean, College of Engineering D. Clark Director, Ward Laboratory H. Aderhold Reactor Supervisor P. Craven . Senior Research Technician; Chief Responsible Person, TRIGA R. Reposh Research Equipment Technician The inspectors summarized the inspection results with Dr. Clark and M Aderhold following the inspection on September 24, 1987. Also, on September 24, 1987 the inspectors discussed the continuing problems regarding licensed operator requalification, annual audits, and annual emergency drills with Mr. Streett and Dr. Cady, the Dean and an Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, respectivel . Previous Inspection Items (Closed) Unresolved Item (157/85-01-01). Documentation of daily channel check of the fuel element temperature channel. The inspector had found that the reactor operator was performing the daily channel check, but the check was not documented. On June 4,1985, a revised operating log stamp was first used, which orovided a space for the operator to document the j actual fuel element temperature along with the other operating parameter This revised stamp has been used during all subsequent TRIGA operation This item is close (Closed) Unresolved Item (157/85-01-03). Annual emergency drill. There )
had not been an emergency drill in the sixteen months following approval I of the Emergency Plan. The inspector reviewed the critiques of emergency drills on June 10, 1985 and October 31, 1986. These drills met the commitment for an annual dril This item is close l l
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> j l, .(Open) Violation (157/83-01-01). Annual audit. During Inspection 83-01
. Cornell did not meet the requirement to perform an annual audit and was issued a violation. During Inspection 85-01 Cornell did not meet the annual audit' requirement again, and the inspector noted that the audits
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were. cursory. The inspector had stated that the auditor should be know- i ledgeable of reactor operations but independent of Ward Laboratory. The Reactor Supervisor had agreed that this could be done by reciprocating r audits with other universitie During this inspection the inspector reviewed audits performed in June 1985 and December 1986. Although these audits met the annual requirement, the 1986 audit was a cursory audit performed by a professor from Ward Laboratory. This audit did not appear to be an effective review of reactor operations. The Reactor Supervisor stated that action would be taken to ensure an independent, effective audit, either by reinstituting a !
reciprocal audit agreement or other action This item remains open pending Cornell actions to ensure the effectiveness of the annual audi (0 pen) Violation (157/85-01-02). Licensed operator requalification examination The licensed operator requalification program requirement
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for an annual examination was not met. Although the October 23, 1985 response letter committed to "an improved schedule", the inspector found that one TRIGA licensed operator had not received an examination since December 30, 1985. As problems in this area have existed since 1979, the inspector discussed the problem with Mr. Streett and Dr. Cady, Dean and Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, respectively, and requested that an administrative system outside Ward Laboratory be used to ensure the annual requalification examination requirement is met. They agreed to implement such a method. This item is open pending effective corrective actio . Facility Tour The inspector toured the TRIGA and the Zero Power Reactor (ZPR) facilities located in the licensee's Ward Laboratory of Nuclear Engineering with a Cornell representative after the entrance intervie The housekeeping of the facilities was satisfactory. The inspector observed the required notices were poste . Facility Operations The TRIGA nuclear reactor and the ZPR are used in the Nuclear Science and Engineering Program for graduate research, undergraduate course work for credit in the student's major field of study, experiments for neutron activation analyses, neutron detector testing, and neutron radiograph The reactors are normally operated only on the day shift during the five day work week.
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' z- 7 4-y On September 24', 1987, the inspector observed the startup and shutdown of.
o :the TRIGA reactor under TRIGA Reactor Daily Startup~ Checklist No. 392 '
The startup was initiated at.11:30 a.m., and.the shutdown was completed-t.
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'at 11:55 a.m. The inspector reviewed the checklist and compared the checklist entries to the Technical. Specification requirements, The ,
inspector judged the operator'to be experienced and very knowledgeable of
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TRIGA equipment and~ operation . Logs; Procedure's, and' Records j
The inspectors reviewed a sample of logs and records' associated with.the ZPR-and TRIGA. The specific items reviewed are listed in Attachment A, and are associated with operating records, surveillance tests, procedures, maintenance work. records, and' experiments. The inspectors identified no problem . Review and Audit
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The inspector' reviewed-the minutes of the Ward' Laboratory Safety Committee from 1985, 1986, and 1987,. emphasizing committee composition,. frequency, 'l
and required topics. The three meetings in each year met the Technical '
Specification requirement. Followup on the previous concern for an
. effective annual operations audit is discussed in Section . .Requalification Training Four individuals hold. senior reactor operator (SRO) licenses at the facilit Two individuals hold an SR0 license on both the ZPR and the TRIGA reactors, while the two remaining operators hold a single SR0 license' one on TRIGA, the other on ZPR. The licensee noted that 18 years
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is'the' minimum that any of the four licensed SR0s have held their license, while the remaining individuals have greater than 20 years each of licensed experience at Cornell University. In addition, a fourth operator license on the TRIGA reactor was issued in November 198 The inspector reviewed the ZPR and TRIGA operating logs to confirm that the licensed individuals periodically perform reactor manipulation The Requalification Program for Licensed Operators, dated August 23, 1974, is administered by the Reactor Supervisor, holder of licenses on both facilities. Accordingly, he prepares and corrects the annual written tes The inspector found that one TRIGA licensed operator did not meet the requirement for being tested annually. This is discussed in Section _ _--
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l I 9. Emergency Planning The Emergency Plan for Ward Laboratory of Nuclear Engineering, Cornell University was approved by the NRC on August 15, 1984. In the plan the licensee commits to perform an annual emergency drill and to conduct periodic training. The inspector discussed the general actions prescribed in the plan with the operating personnel and found them to be knowledgeable of their responsibilitie The inspector reviewed the critiques of the emergency drills on June 10, 1985 and October 31, 1986. Based on the critiques, the inspectors ,'
concluded that the annual drill commitment had been me :
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l.<4 l Attachment A L
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LOGS, PROCEDURES, AND RECORDS REVIEWED
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0perating Log 11; 2/27/86 - 4/17/87
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Startup Checklist No. 1; 6/5/87
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Shutdown Checklist; 6/5/87
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Channel' calibration for moderator temperature; 11/12/85, 11/7/86 i --
Control rod drop measurements; 2/27/86, 10/10/86, 2/6/87
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Water chemistry and radionuclides; 12/2/86
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Channel checks and calibrations for Reactor Safety System and radiation monitors during 6/5/87 startup
! TRIGA Procedures:
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TRIGA Operations; 11/9/83
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TRIGA Power Calibration by the Calorimetric Method; 8/13/76
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Inspection of Fuel Elements; 8/18/76
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Fuel Handling and Transfer Operations; 8/13/76
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Transient Rod Removal and/or Replacement; 8/13/76
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Control Rod Removal and/or Replacement for the Safety, Shim, or Regulating Rod; 10/3/75
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Control Rod Drop Time Measurements; 8/18/76 Operating Logs:
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Log 31; 9/6/85 - 10/10/85
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Log 32; 5/5/86 - 7/7/86
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Log 33; 5/11/87 - 6/2/87 l
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. ,' Attachment A 2
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l Experiments: l
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282, Test and calibration.of rhodium self powered neutron detectors; 9/24/87
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313, Neutron activation analysis of bromine in textile material; 5/21/86
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316, Irradiation of mylar, aluminized mylar, nylon, and glass; 7/1/87 Fuel Inspection Reports:
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24, 2/27/86
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25, 1/13/87 _
Control Rod Inspections; 5/26/86, 6/24/87 Surveillance Tests:
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Calorimetric calibration of power level; 3/13/86, 3/16/87
,- Control rod drop tests; 8/17/85, 5/28/86, 6/25/87
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Fuel element temperature calibration, 3/18/87, 6/13/87
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For 1987 reactor operations on 8/13, 8/14, 9/21, 9/22, 9/23, and 9/24, confirmed daily check of reactor pool water level, temperature, and conductivit Daily Startup Checklist No. 3929, 9/24/87 l Maintenance Records:
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Safe rod drive magnet repair, 8/5/85 j
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Log N and linear power recorder repair, 9/19/86
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