IR 05000243/1987001
| ML20210A950 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oregon State University |
| Issue date: | 04/21/1987 |
| From: | Cillis M, Andrea Johnson, Yuhas G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20210A946 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-243-87-01, 50-243-87-1, GL-86-11, NUDOCS 8705050199 | |
| Download: ML20210A950 (9) | |
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i i U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION V
Report No. 50-243/87-01 Docket No. 50-243 License No. R-106 Licensee: Oregori State University Curvallis, Oregon 97331 Facility Name: TRIGA Mark II Reactor Inspection at: Corvallis, Oregon Inspection Conducted: March 30 - April , 1987 Inspectors: . 6. - 64 '/ 7 / 7 A. D. Johnson, Enforcement Officer Date Signed
. (J 4 / f7 Date $lgned M. Cillis, Senior Radiation Specialist Approved by: [[ d.b- -
y Da/_ pts / W te Signed G.P.\Yut s. Chfef Faciliti Radiological Protection Section Summary: Inspection on March 30 - April 1. 1987 (Report No. 50-243/87-01)
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Areas inspected: Routine unannounced inspection by regionally based inspectors of the reactor operations program; including organization, audits and reviews, experiments, health physics functions, environmental monitoring program, emergency preparedness program, procedures, reactor operator requalification program, transfer and shipment of radioactive material, a tour of the facility and open items consisting of Information Notice evaluations, followup items and Lictnsee Event Reports (LER). Inspection Procedures 30703, 39745, 40745, 40750, 41745, 42745, 61745, 69745, 82745, 83743, 86740, 92700 and 92701 were addresse Results: In the eleven areas examined, no violations or deviations were identified.
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. DETAILS Persons Contacted
*A. G. Johnson, Radiation Center Director and Reactor Administrator *Dr. B. Dodd, Assistant Reactor Administrator *Mr. T. V. Anderson, Reactor Supervisor D. S. Pratt, Radiation Specialist Dr. S. E. Binney, Chairman, Reactor Operations Committee H. Busby, Electronics Technician A. D. Hall, Reactor Operator * Denotes those individuals attending the exit interview on April 1, 198 . Reactor Operations General The inspection disclosed that reactor operations were consistent with the information provided in the licensee's annual reports of 1985 and 198 The inspection disclosed that the facility continues to provide support for irradiations and teaching program A review of reactor operating records revealed that reactor usage continues to show an increase in the total number of operating hours when compared to previous reporting period The inspector witnessed several reactor operations during the inspectio No violations or deviations were identifie Organization The organizational structure for operation and administration of the TRIGA reactor facility remains unchanged from that previously reported. The organization was found to be consistent with Section 6.1(b) of the TS No violations or deviations were identifie Review and Audits The licensee's review and audit program prescribed in TSs, Section 6.2, " Review and Audit," was examine The examination included discussions with the Chairman of the Reactor Operations Committee (ROC) and a review of ROC meeting minutes and audit report . *
The inspector concluded that the licensee's review and audit program met or exceeded the requirements specified in the TS No violations or deviations were identifie d. Experiments The inspection disclosed that no new experiments have been conducted since the previous inspection. Those experiments performed appeared to be consistent with the requirements prescribed in the T No violations or deviations were identifie e. Changes to the Facility and to Facility Procedures The inspector confirmed that all changes made to the facility, equipment and to procedures were evaluated by the licensee's staff pursuant to 10 CFR Part 50.59, " Changes, Tests and Experiments."
Changes reported in Part 3(E) of the licensee's most recent annual rcport of 1986 and those changes occurring since were examined. No questions pertaining to any unreviewed safety issues were identifie The inspector concluded the licensee's evaluations and documentation of changes met or exceeded 10 CFR Part 50.59 requirements. The reactor operations staff, Reactor Operations Committee and Oregon State Triga Reactor (OSTR) management collectively evaluate and approve all change No violations or deviations were identifie f. Procedures The inspection disclosed that the licensee maintains in effect reactor operating procedures as prescribed in TSs, Section The inspector reviewed the licensee's operating procedures. The procedures appeared to provide thorough instructions. The inspector
noted that the procedures are reviewed on a routine schedule or whenever changes occur that may require revision No violations or deviations were identifie g. Reactor Operator Requalification Program The licensee's NRC approved Reactor Operators (RO) and Senior Reactor Operators (SRO) requalification program dated December 17, 1973, was examined. The program is designed to meet the conditions as set forth in 10 CFR Part 50.54(1) and 10 CFR Part 55, Appendix A.
l Selected training records, R0 and SR0 reactor operations logs and annual R0/SR0 examinations for the period of 1985 through March 1987 were examined.
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The inspector concluded that the licensee's R0/SR0 requalification program. met or exceeded regulatory requirements identified herei No violations or deviations were identified, h. "Surveillances ,
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The inspector examined selected records associated with the performance of surveillance activities prescribed in Section 4 of the TS The parameters selected included: Rod drop times, excess reactivity, reactor pool. water conductivity checks, temperature measuring calibration checks, fuel element temperature channel checks, radiation monitoring instrumentation calibration checks and power calibration check The inspector concluded that the licensee had complied with the applicable requirement No violations or deviations were identifie . Radiation Protection . General Employee Training The licensee's General Employee's Training (GET) program, for assuring compliance with 10 CFR Part 19.12 " Instructions to Workers," was examine The~ examination included the review of the training lesson plans, hand-out material and attendance record The examination disclosed that the licensee's GET program met or exceeded 10 CFR 19.12 requirement ' No violations or deviations were identified, Posting The inspector verified that the licensee's posting practices are consistent with 10 CFR Part 19.11. " Posting of Notices to Workers."
No violations or deviations were identifie Personnel Monitoring The licensee's program for a'ssuring compliance with 10 CFR Part 20.202 was examined and was found to be acceptable. Personnel monitorin0 records' for the period of January 1985 through February 1987 were reviewed. No abnormal exposures were identifie No violations or deviations were identifie .
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d. Liquid Releases and Solid Waste The licensee's liquid effluent release and solid waste records for the period of January 1985 through March 1987 were reviewe Liquids are stored in a holdup tank until the contents are ready to be released. The tank contents are sampled prior to each releas Approximately 6500 gallons of_ liquids were released during the two year period. The sample results were well within 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B limit Solid waste records for the same period were examine Approximately 20 cubic feet of solid waste per year (e.g., spent resins and compactible dry active waste) were transferred to the licensee's Radiation Safety Office for disposal. Disposal is made through the licensee's State of Oregon licens No violations or deviations were identifie e. Surveys The inspector verified that direct radiation surveys, contamination surveys, special surveys and surveys for airborne particulates, gaseous, and liquid effluents are performed on a routine schedul Survey records for the period January 1985 through March 1987 were reviewe The results were consistent with the levels reported in the 1985 and 1986 annual report No abnormal results were identifie The reactor pool water is sampled monthly. The results of pool water samples taken since 1985 were reviewed. No abnormal results were identifie The inspector concluded that the licensee's radiological monitoring program was consistent with 10 CFR Parts 20.201 and 10 CFR Part 20.40 No violations or deviations were identifie f. Gaseous Effluent Releases The principal airborne radionuclide released from the facility is Argon (Ar)-4 Region V Inspection Report 50-243/83-02 describas the licensee's monitoring program for airborne releases. The program has not changed significantly from what is described in the inspection report.
! A review of airborne monitoring records for the period of 1985 , through March 1987 disclosed the following: I i
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No radioactivity in particulate form with half-lives greater than 8 days had been release * Although usage of the reactor facility has shown a continuous increase over the past 6-7 years Ar-41 releases have shown a l steady decrease. For. instance, Ar-41 releases between l 1980-1982 averaged 39.05 curies, in 1983 Ar-41 releases [ averaged 14.00 curies, and between January 1985 to January 1,
1986, the annual average was less than 8.0 curies.
i l Discussions with the licensee's staff revealed that the reduction of , Argon-41 activity was accomplished by minimizing the air volume in l the rotary specimen rack with a blanket of nitroge The percent of the Maximum Permissible Concentration of Ar-41 is a l small fraction of the limits prescribed in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix l B.
l , The inspector concluded that the licensee's program to maintain releases as low as possible is consistent with the ALARA concept prescribed in 10 CFR Part 2 No violations or deviations were identified.
l Offsite Environmental Monitoring Program The licensee has established an offsite environmental radiation monitoring program which includes the analysis of soil, water and vegetation samples, and an airborne radiation monitoring progra Direct radiation measurements are made with an array of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) placed at various locations adjacent to the OSTR facility. The program is consistent with that reported in the licensee's annual report dated September 15, 1986.
, Selected environmental monitoring records for the period 1985 l through 1986 were reviewed.
l The inspector concurred with the licensee's evaluation presented in j the annual report which essentially concluded that there has been no l detectable or meaningful increases of radioactivity in the environs l as result of OSTR operation No violations or deviations were identifie . Radioactive Material Shipments and Receipt A review of radioactive material shipping and receiving records revealed that activities associated with the transportation and receipt of l radioactive material were consistent with 10 CFR Part 20, 10 CFR Part 61, 10 CFR Part 71 and Department of Transportation (DOT) 49 CFR Parts , 173-178.
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g The licensee's Acting Assistant Reactor Administrator'has established a training course on,NRC,'D0T and U.S. Ecology (burial ground) regulatory requirements. The course has been provided to the licensee's~ staf Shipments of radioactive materials are made through the licensee's State of Oregon radioactive material license. The licensee's radioactive material transportatica activities were well documente No violations or deviations were identifie . Emergency Preparedness The licensee's capabilities for responding to emergencies as described in their Emergency Plan of July 1984, and for demonstrating compliance with 10 CFR Part 50.54(q) were examine The inspector concluded through discussions, review of emergency procedures, training records, memorandums of understanding, and other related documents, that the licensee met or exceeded the commitments provided in their emergency pla The examination revealed that evacuation drills and other full scale drills involving offsite agencies were conducted at the frequencies prescribed in the emergency pla No violations or deviations were identifie . IE Information Notices The inspector verified that the licensee was receiving and evaluating Information Notices in a timely manne Licensee evaluations for Information Notices received between June 1985 through March 1987 were reviewed. The evaluations were well documente No violations or deviations were identifie . Generic Letters Discussions held with the Radiation Center Director and Reactor Administrator revealed that an evaluation of Generic Letter 86-11,
" Distribution of Products Irradiated in Research Reactors," was performe The inspector was informed-that the licensee does not plan to irradiate any gem stones for commercial or private us J No violations or deviations were identified.
, 8. Facility Tour The inspector toured the licensee's facility to check the general state - of housekeeping and to verify that posting and labeling was consistent
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with 10 CFR Part 20.203 and that radiation monitoring-instrumentation were in current calibration and were operating properl Independent surveys were performed using a Keithley Model 36100 X-ray / gamma radiation survey meter, Serial No. 11106, due for calibration on August 23, 198 The inspector noted the facility cleanliness was excellent. No fluid leaks were observed. All fixed and portable instrumentation observed were operating properly and were in current calibratio The independent measurements confirmed that the licensee's posting and labeling practices were consistent with 10 CFR Part 20.20 No violations or deviations were identifie . Open Items (01) The status of two licensee OI that are classified as Licensee Event Reports (LERs) were examined. The items examined are as follows: (Closed) LER 81-01-T0 involving an unanticipated reactivity increase due to a faulty rod withdrawal switc The event is documented in a licensee LER that was submitted to Region V on April 17, 1981. The report identified that the net positive reactivity change that took place was actually less than the reporting value listed in TSs, Section'6.7.a.6. The actual need to report the event appears questionable; i Discussions with the licensee's staff and a review of maintenance records revealed that the faulty switch had been' replaced. The inspector verified that the replacement switch was still functional at the time.of this inspection. This matter is close ' No violations or deviations were identifie (Closed) LER 87-03-L0 On March 2, 1987, the licensee reported by telephone to the inspector, M. Cillis, that an apparent defect existed in the count rate channel. During the routine semiannual check of the system on that date, the count rate would only drop to about 10 counts per second (cps) with the neutron source removed from the core. The count rate was expected to drop below the 5 cps setpoint that actuates the control rod inhibit interlock since the reactor had not been operated for several day Details of the licensee's actions, investigation and corrective measures were reported to the NRC by the licensee by letter dated March 6, 198 .
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The inspectors met with the Director, Assistant Director, Reactor Supervisor and Instrument Technician to examine and discuss the design documents, operations, license requirements related to the interlocks associated with the count rate channel and the licensee's event report of March 6, 1987. This channel provides the interlock that prevents withdrawal of control rods whenever the count rate drops below a preset value on the instrumen This value was 5 cps at the time of the inspectio The facility TS require that the control rod interlock actuate at a count rate of not less than 2 cp In addition to the information supplied in the LER, the inspectors learned that the cause of the problem was from a deteriorating capacitor in the circuitry that resulted in the reported reduction in control of voltage from the 15 volt power supply for the count rate channel. This condition was detected when a oscilloscope was used to check the system. Reportedly, the condition did not adversely affect the operation of the channel with the source in the core providing a reported count rate value of 50-70 cp The age of the power supply was stated to be from 8 to 9 year The inspectors concluded that the licensee's report was accurate, complete, and timely, and the corrective measures were prompt and comprehensive. Therefore, the licensee identified and reported violation of the TS will not be the subject of a separate Notice of Violatio This matter is close . Exit Interview The inspectors met with the individuals (denoted in paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on April 1, 198 The scope and findings of the inspection were summarized. The licensee was informed that no violations or deviations were identifie The inspector commented that the licensee's performance in the areas inspected were exemplary.
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