ML080790521
| ML080790521 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dow Chemical Company |
| Issue date: | 03/06/2008 |
| From: | Rigot W Dow Chemical Co |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML080790521 (4) | |
Text
--Oý The Dow Chemical Company Midland, Michigan 48667 March 06, 2008 Document Control Desk United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington D.C., 20555 Dear Sir; Enclosed is the annual report for The Dow TRIGA Research Nuclear Reactor, Docket No. 50-264. If you have any questions, please contact me at (989) 636-6584.
Ward L. Rigot Facility Director and Reactor Supervisor Dow TRIGA Research Reactor Enclosure CC: Alexander Adams; USNRC Kevin Witt, USNRC Kevin Hool, 1897 Thomas J. Quinn RI, 1602 Siaka 0. Yusuf, 1602 Bryan Haskins, 1602 James R. Weldy, 1803 Jay. D. Romick, 1897 Michael E. Buchmann, 1776
DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2007 There was one US NRC inspc'tion in 2007. It was performed by Kevin Witt between December 4"h and 6t", 2007. This was a routine, announced inspection which included a review of activities authorized for the facility. The inspection focused on radiation safety programs, emergency and security programs. Review of ROC meeting minutes and selective examination of procedures and records were also performed. No safety concerns or noncompliance with US NRC requirements were found.
The normal in-house audits of the radiation protection program, safety and housekeeping, anid records were also performed and the recommendations acted upon.
There were no significant changes to the facility during 2007. There were modifications to the security posture of the facility, which have been communicated to The US NRC.
A.
Staff, Licenses, and Training Mr. Ward L. Rigot continued serving as reactor supervisor and facility director of The DOW TRIGA Research Reactor. Dr. Kevin Hool continues to serve as first level manager for the facility. Mr. Thomas J. Quinn HI remains as one of the designated alternates (assistant reactor supervisors) for the reactor supervisor. Dr. Siaka 0. Yusuf and Mr. Bryan Haskins have been elevated to serve as the other designated alternates (assistant reactor supervisors).
W. L. Rigot Reactor Supervisor and Facility Director T. J. Quinn Assistant Reactor Supervisor S.O. Yusuf Assistant Reactor Supervisor B. D. Haskins Assistant Reactor Supervisor Licenses are current. Mr. Rigot's license was renewed in 2005, while that of Dr. Yusuf was renewed in 2006. Mr. Haskins received his Senior Reactor Operator's license in 2006. Mr.
Quinn's license has been restricted to non solo operation effective December 2007 by the NRC.
All operators are current in their required medical examinations; which were taken during 2006 and 2007. Mr. Rigot, at the 4t" quarter ROC meeting in 2007, announced his intention to retire effective March 10t& 2008.
The current two-year re-qualification program was completed in the 1 st quarter 2008. All operators are up-to-date in their quarterly re-qualification participations, including operating experience, participation in emergency preparedness drills, Reactor Operation Committee meetings, operating examinations, and the annual fuel inventory.
DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2007 Operation of the reactor is an important part of the training program, since this reactor is operated on an as-needed basis, which results in numerous operations each involving reactivity manipulations, use of the control console, placement and retrieval of samples and handling of radioactive materials. The reactor was operated for a total of 405 hours0.00469 days <br />0.113 hours <br />6.696429e-4 weeks <br />1.541025e-4 months <br /> during 2007.
Furthermore, each licensee performed about 1/4 of the daily checkout procedures, during the time that their license was active and at least three monthly checkout procedures.
Mr. James R. Weldy is the Radiation Safety Officer and sits as a member of the Reactor Operations Committee. Mr. Jerry Cassiday continues as the Health Physics Technician for the Midland Area and assists in support of the reactor facility. The entire composition of the Reactor Operations Committee is listed below.
K. Hool Chairman W. L. Rigot Reactor Supervisor and Facility.Director J. R. Weldy Radiation Safety Officer T. J. Quinn Assistant Reactor Supervisor J. D. Romick Senior Analytical Specialist M. E. Buchmann Senior R&D Leader Dr. Hool is the Segment Leader for the Core Technology group within the Dow Global Analytical Sciences Laboratory. Mr. Rigot reports, administratively, to Dr. Hool. Mr. Weldy is the Dow Midland location Radiation Safety Officer as well as the TRIGA Radiation Safety Officer and reports through the Dow Environmental, Health and Safety department. Dr. Romick reports through the Emulsion polymer Business with the Specialty Chemicals and Plastics portfolio. Mr.
Quinn reports through The Global Analytical Sciences Organization and Mr. M. E. Buchmann reports through the Research and Engineering Services Capability.
B.
Reactor Operating Experience The reactor was operated for 2.0 Megawatt-days during 2007 for a total of 405 hours0.00469 days <br />0.113 hours <br />6.696429e-4 weeks <br />1.541025e-4 months <br />.
Operational experience is about the same as.2006. The main purpose of operations at the Dow facility is to perform neutron activation analysis. About 8800 experiments were irradiated in 2007.
C.
Major Changes There were no major changes to the facility in 2007 and there were no changes to the facility procedures.
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DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2007 D.
Unscheduled Shutdowns There were 14 unscheduled shutdowns (scrams) during 2007. Of these, 11 were due to losses of computer function. The most common malfunction is still with the DIS064 device which processes the digital signals into the DAC computer. The vendor is working on solution to this situation. There were 3 shutdowns which occurred due to high power indications on the safety channels. One of them was attributed to power excursion at 250kW, another was due to instrument failure and the third one was due to operator error.
E.
Major Preventive and Corrective Maintenance of Safety Significance There was no maintenance, which had safety significance performed during 2007. There were 14 preventive and corrective maintenance items, four of them were replacement of water purification cartridge and three were on the NM1000 safety channel. Also there were three maintenance items on the SRI closed loop cooling system. The other four items were replacement of the vanes in the CAM pump, replacement of the primary pressure sensors, and tightening of shiml screws.
F.
Radioactive Effluents The only radioactive material normally released to the environment from the facility is argon-41, which is produced from activation of the natural argon dissolved in the pool water and subsequently escapes from the pool into the reactor room and from there to the outside of the building, and from the natural argon present in the air used to transport samples from a laboratory into a terminus in the core of the reactor.
G.
Radiation Exposures Radiation exposures received by facility personnel and visitors are monitored using film badges and thermoluminescent detectors. No persons have received exposures approaching 25% of those allowed or recommended in IOCFR20.
W. L. Rigot Facility Director and Reactor Supervisor Dow TRIGA Research Reactor 06 March 2008
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