IR 05000188/1981001
| ML20037D118 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Kansas State University |
| Issue date: | 03/26/1981 |
| From: | Constable G, Hunnicutt D, Yandell L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20037D117 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-188-81-01, 50-188-81-1, NUDOCS 8105220014 | |
| Download: ML20037D118 (8) | |
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O U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
REGION IV
Report No. 50-188/81-01 License No. R-88 Docket No. 50-188 Licensee:
Manhattan, Kansas Facility:
TRIGA Reasearch Reactor (250 kw) Category G Inspection Conducted:
March 10-13, 1981 Principal Inspector:
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G. L. Constable, Reactor Ihspector Date 1 b lf 2 O&-YI L. A. Yandell, Reactor Inspector ~
Date Approved by:
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D. M. Hunnicutt, Chief, Project Section 2 Date Inspection Summary Inspection on March 10-13, 1981 (Report No. 50-188/81-01)
Areas Inspected:
Routine, unannounced inspection of the licensee's organization, operations and maintenance logs, licensee's internal review and audit program, operator requalification program, operating procedures, surveillance require-ments, experiments, radiation protection, environmental protection, and emergency planning.
The inspection involved 40 inspector-hours by two NRC inspectors.
l Results:
No violations or deviations were identified.
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted Dr. R. E. Faw, Director, Nuclear Reactor Facility Dr. J. P. Lambert, KSU Radiation Safety Officer T. M. DeBey, Reactor Supervisor V. A. Simonis, Reactor Operator Everyone contacted was present at the exit interview.
2.
Status of Previously Reported Items Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/78-01, Details, paragraph 5).
The remaining rods have been radiographed.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/78-01, Details, paragraph 5).
The new power recorder has been received and is installed.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/78-01, Details, paragraph 7).
A mechanism has been established for the periodic review of abnormal and emergency procedures by the operators.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 6).
The requalification exam key for the 1980 examination was available and reviewed by the inspector.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 9).
Experi-ment No. 1, " Isotope Production," and KSUTMII-Form 4 have been
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Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 10).
The reactor power calibration procedure has been modified to account for initial conditions of pool water temperature.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 11).
Visitor dosimeters are now part of the calibration program.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 11).
Pro-vision has been made for exit monitoring of persons leaving the control room.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 13).
The emergency equipment cabinet has been relocated to the lower level of the building to improve access to it during an emergency.
Closed (reference IE Report 50-188/79-01, Details, paragraph 13).
The licensee has initiated a method for verifying phone numbers on an annual basis.
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3.
Organization Logs and Records The inspectors reviewed the operational and administrative organization to verify compliance with Technical Specifications.
The inspectors reviewed the following logs and records:
Reactor Log, March 3, 1980 - January 8, 1981 Daily Checklists (Form KSUTMII-3), March 3, 1980 - January 8, 1981 Request for TRIGA Operations (Form KSUTMII-2)
Monthly Maintenance and Surveillance Reports, April 1979 - January 1981 During the review of the Reactor Log for November 11, 1980, it was noted that an unintentional linear scram occurred due to linear pen oscillation.
In discussing this matter with the licensee, it was learned that while the reactor was operating at greater than 85% power, with the cooling system in operation, power tended to oscillate by various amounts up to a maximum of + 7% on a period of approximately 20 seconds.
When the cooling system was secured the oscillations ceased.
The inspectors were able to observe this phenomenon during one of the reactor operations periods record data, and obtain recorder traces of the event.
The licensee W.ated out that these oscillations have been observed since operations began and had caused spurious trips.
The inspectors noted that the licensee's scram test point was at 104% and the Technical Specification Unit was at 110%.
The inspectors expressed concern that this might be causing unwarranted challenges to the safety system as had occurred on November 11, 1980.
This matter is being evaluated further by the NRC and will be considered an open item pending the results of that review.
(0 pen Item 8101-01).
I No violations or deviations were identified.
4.
Review and Audit l
The inspectors reviewed all records associated with the Reactor Safaty Committee for the period April 1979 to January 1981, including minutes,
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l semi-annual audit reports, and techlical ieviews.
The inspectors reviewed the followi.1g design changes that had been l
implemented since the last inspection.
Proposed change for replacement of timer for the measurement of rod drop timer.
Described in R. E. Faw memo of June 2, 1980, to the Reactor Safety Committee and approved by ballot.
Proposed replacement of reactor aosole dual pen strip chart recorder.
Described in R. E. Faw memo of January 24, 1980, to the Reactor Safety Committee, and approved at RSC meeting No. 95 on February 8, 1980.
Proposed request for modification to pulse rod system.
Described in R. E. Faw memo of January 21, 1980, to the Reactor Safety Committee
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and approved at RSC meeting No. 95 on February 8, 1980.
The proposed control circuit for the pulse rod drive and the performance tests were described in M. L. Roseberry meno of February 25, 1980, to the RSC and approved by ballot.
No violations or deviations were identified.
5.
Requalification Training The inspectors reviewed the licensee's requalification training program including (1) records of lecture attendance, (2) examinations for 1980 and 1981, and the appropriate key, and (3) examination results for all licensed personnel.
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No violations or deviations were identified.
6.
Procedures The inspectors reviewed a sample of procedures for experiments that had been issued or modified since the last inspection.
These included:
Experiment 1, Isotope Production, revised June 1979 Experiment 13, Isotope Production in Central Thimble, revised February 1980 Experiment 43, Rossi Alpha Measurements, issued June 1980. ( This procedure had been submitted to the Reactor Safety Committee for review by R. E. Faw memo of May 9, 1980.
The procedure was approved by ballot and formally issued June 1980.)
In addition, the inspectors reviewed Experiment 41 procedure, " Operation of an Electrically Heated Irradiation Chamber in the Radial Piercing 8eam Port," dated July 1978.
No violations or deviations were identified.
7.
Surveillance Activities The inspectars.eviewed the licensee's surveillance testing program to determine that Technical Specification requirements were being met.
The inspectors reviewed the following records:
Surveillance Frequency Date Performed Verify operation of Semiannual 5/28/80 control and safety 11/26/80 interlocks
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Surveillance Frequency Date Performed Pulse Rod Drive Semiannual 5/7/80 Cylinder Inspection 11/7/80 Measure Reg. Rod Drop Time Semiannual 9/4/80 Measure Shim Rod Drop Time Semiannual 9/9/80 Verify Linear Power Safety Semiannual 6/30/80 Circuits 7/30/80 12/29/80 Comparison Pulse Semiannual 4/11/80 10/10/80 CAM Calibration Annual 1/8/80 Linear Power Calibration Annual 11/7/80 Verify RAM and CAM Set Quarterly 7/30/80 Points and Alarms In conjunction with the surveillance records, the inspector reviewed the following procedures used to perform some of the surveillances:
Procedure No. 5-1, 5emiannual Check of Minimum Interlocks.
(Revised 5/80)
Procedure No. 6, Semiannual Pulse Rod Drive Cylinder and Air Supply Inspection.
Procedure No. 7, Semiannual $1.00 Comparison Pulse Procedure No.
9-Calibration of Iodine Monitor, AIM-3BL, (revised 1/81).
No violations or deviations were identified.
8.
Experiments A review of the licensee's records indi.4ted that one new experiment, Experiment 43-Rossi Alpha Measurements, had been issued since the last
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inspection.
The inspectors reviewed this and several other experiment procedures as discussed in paragraph 6 of this report.
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The inspectors observed on two different occasions the irradiation of specimens by students and noted each time:
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(1) that the experiment had received proper approval, (2) that established procedures had been followed, (3) that proper radiological controls were observed, and (4)
that the experiment was conducted within the constraints of the Technical Specifications.
No violations or deviations were identified.
S.
Radiation Control The inspectors reviewed the licensee's radiation control activities including a review of personnel exposure records, calibration and use of radiation instrumentation and a radiation and contamination survey of the facility.
The inspectors also reviewed the radiation and contami-nation surveys for the facility for 1980.
During the radiation survey, it was noted that essentially all readings were background level, with the highest radiation level being about 25 mrem /hr above the reactor pool during power operation.
Swipes were taken at the walkway around the reactor and at the bottom
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hvel door, with both readings essentially background.
The inspectors also had the 'ieensee draw a sample of the sludge of the bottom of the l
collection pit,3ed to hold waste water.
This sample gave a count of 8114 cpm at about 90% detector efficiency.
Since this pit is
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the final collection point for waste water before it is discharged to the KSU sewage system, the inspectors were concerned at the presence of this contamination.
After discussing this matter with NRC Radiation Specialists, the inspectors feel that the licensee should address the following items:
(1) The licensee needs to ensure that the water sample drawn for i
l discharge monitoring is representative, particularly when the pit is pumped down close to empty.
(2) The licensee needs to periodically identify the contamination l
levels in the pit and perform whatever clean up is necessary
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to remain within acceptable limits for contaminated areas.
This matter was discussed with the licensee and will be reviewed during a future inspection.
(0 pen Item 8101-02)
The licensee had identified in a January 28, 1981 letter to the Bureau of Radiation Control, Division of Environment, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, that KSU had failed to obtain quarterly exposure records
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for the third and fourth quarters of 1980.
Film badges were used from July 1, 1980 to November 15, 1980 before being sent off for processing and the results still were not available at the time of this inspection.
This occurred during the switchover to the new TLD system that took longer to implement than expected.
KSU's position was that they were not in non-compliance with the regulations because the quarterly monitoring program applies only to those personnel for whom nonitoring is required.
According to their exposure records, no parsonnel on campus needed to be monitored because no one approached 25% of the external dose limits as listed in Part 4, Section 28-35-212 of the Standards for Protection Against Radiation, Kansas Radiation Protection Regulations, dated 1976.
The inspectors were able to verify by reviewing several dosimetry records that radiatien level had remainsi low, but expressed concern that the licensee had failed to provide supplemento. monitoring during this period.
No violations or deviations were identified.
10.
Environmental Protection The inspectors reviewed the licensee's program for disposing of radioactive waste.
Kansas is an agreement state and the small amount of solid waste generated is disposed of under state cognizance.
Liquids released from the facility are sampled prior to discharge to the KSU sewage system.
The inspector reviewed the Discharge Log and sample results for discharges made on May 28, 1980, August 22, 1980, October 16, 1980, December 12, 1980, and January 29, 1981.
All releases were well below established limi'.s.
No violations or deviations were identified.
11.
Emergency Planning The inspectors reviewed the licensee's plan for coping with a radiological emergency to verify adequate response capabilitv.
The inspectors verified l
a samplin of phone numbers of agencies idenLiiied in the Emergency Plan.
Although che number for the 74th Ordinance Detachment (E00) at Ft. Riley was correct on the call list, it was incorrect when given in the body of the procedure and the licensee is correcting this typographical error.
The inspectors inventoried the emergency equipment cabinet, found every-
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thing in order, and verified that the spare key in the lock box would open the cabinet.
No violations or deviations were identified.
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12.
Follow up on Bulletins, Circulars and Information Notices The inspectors verified that the following bulletins and circulars had been received and evaluated by the licensee, and where appropriate, the necessary action had been taken.
IE Circular 79-08, Attempted Extortion - Low Enriched Uranium IE Circular 79-09, Split or Punctured Regulator Diaphragms in Certain Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus IE Information Notice Attempted Damage to New Fuel Assemblies 79-12 and 79-12A, IE Information Notice Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island Notice 79-16 IE Bulletin 79-19, Low Level Radioactive Waste IE Information Notice NRC Enforcement Policy - NRC Licensed 79-20 and 79-20, rev.1, Individuals IE Information Notice Transportation and Commercial Burial of 79-21, Radioactive Material.
IE Circular 80-02, Nuclear Power Plant Staff Work Hours IE Circular 80-14, Radioactive Contamination of Plant Dominera'.; zed Water System and Resultant Internal Contamination of Personnel.
IE Information Notice NIOSH Recall of Recirculating - Mode 80-19, (Closed-Circuit) Self-Contained Breathing l
Apparatus (Rebreather).
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IE Information Notice Clarification of Certain Requirements for
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S0-32, Exclusive Use Shipments of Radioactive Materials IE Circular 81-02, Performance of NRC-Licensed Individuals While on Duty 13.
Exit Interview An exit interview was conducted on March 13, 1981, with the personnel indicated in paragraph 1 to summarize the scope of the inspection and the findings, t
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