ML090720161

Lettter Annual Report for the Dow Triga Research Nuclear Reactor for 2007

ML090720161
Person / Time
Site:	Dow Chemical Company
Issue date:	02/27/2009
From:	Krahenbuhl M Dow Chemical Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML090720161 (4)

Text

-4ý The Dow Chemical Company Midland, Michigan 48667 Feb. 27, 2009 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) 638-6932.

Melinda P. Krahenbuhl Facility Director Dow TRIGA Research Reactor Enclosure CC: Alexander Adams; USNRC Siaka 0. Yusuf, 1602 Bryan Haskins, 1602 James R. Weldy, 1803 Jay. D. Romick, 1707 Michael E. Buchmann, 1776 Jýý';cu

DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2007 The annual peer review audit was conducted by Kevin Herminghuysen of The Ohio State University on December 18th and 19th, 2008. The audit reviewed all aspects of the Dow TRIGA nuclear reactor facility programs. The audit indicated that the reactor is in compliance with regulatory requirements of license, technical specifications, federal and state regulations. The U.S. NRC inspects the Dow TRIGA nuclear reactor biennially with the most recent inspection in 2007. Findings and recommendations of these audits are taken under advisement and implemented if found to be practical, safe and within the license obligations.

The normal in-house audits of the radiation protection program, safety and housekeeping, and records were also performed. Findings and recommendations of these internal audits are taken under advisement and implemented if found to be practical.

There were no significant changes to the facility during 2008. There were staff changes and retirements, which have been communicated to The US NRC.

A. Staff, Licenses, and Training Dr. M. P. Krahenbuhl assumed the facility director role for The DOW TRIGA Research Reactor in 2008. Dr. S. 0. Yusuf continued to serve as the Reactor Supervisor. Mr. B. D. Haskins also continued to serve as the designated alternate (assistant reactor supervisor).

M.P. Krahenbuhl Facility Director S. 0. Yusuf Reactor Supervisor B. D. Haskins Assistant Reactor Supervisor Licenses are current. Dr. Krahenbuhl got her Senior Reactor Operator's license in October 2008, Dr. Yusuf renewed his Senior Reactor Operator's license in 2006. Mr. Haskins received his Senior Reactor Operator's license in 2006. Mr. Quinn's license and Mr. Rigot's license have been terminated following their retirement from The Dow Chemical Company in 2008.

The current two-year re-qualification program started in the 1st quarter of 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 REXCTOR

" ANNUUAL REPORT - 2008 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,iuse of the control con~so0elace, ent and retrieval of samples and handling of radioactive materials. The6 reactor was operafd for a total of 380 hours0.0044 days <br />0.106 hours <br />6.283069e-4 weeks <br />1.4459e-4 months <br /> during2008.

Furthermore, each licehsee lerfon'h6d at least 1/4 of the daily'checkout proced'iites, during the time that their license was active and at least three monthly checkout pi'ceduress.

The Reactor Operatibns Committee is currently' domposed of the following staff members:

Mvi. P. Krahenbuhl aFiliiy'Direc" r S. 0., Yus"f 'Reactor Supervisor" J. R. Weldy Assistant Reactor Supervisor "

J. D.Romi ck Senior Analytical Specialist M.E. Buchmann Senior R&D Lader Dr. Krahenbuhl and Dr. Yusuf are the reactor operation staff members of the ROC. Mr. Weldy is the Dow Midland location Radiation Safety Officer as well as the iTRIGA Radiation Safety Officer and reports through the Dow Environmental, Health and Safety department. Dr. Romick reports thiough the EmulsionpblymerBusiness with the Specialty Chemicals and Plastics portfolio and Mr. M. E. Buchmann reports throu the Research and Engineering Services Capability. Mr'.Je.rry Cassiday, an ROC guest, con'tinues as the Health Physics Technician for the Midland Area and assists in'support of the reactor facility.

B. Reactor Operating Experience The reactor was operated for 1.9 Megawatt-days .during 2008 for a total of 380 hours0.0044 days <br />0.106 hours <br />6.283069e-4 weeks <br />1.4459e-4 months <br />.

Operational experience is similar to-2007. The main purpose of operations at the DOW facility is to perform neutron activajion alialysis. About 7800ekperiments weie irirdiated in 2008.

C. Major Changes There were no major changes to the facility in 2008 and there were no changes to the facility procedures.

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• ,: DOW TRIGA RESEARCH. REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2008 D. Unscheduled Shutdowns' ,

There were 24 unscheduled shutdowns (scrams) during,2008. All of these were due to losses of co mputer function., The. most common malfunction is still with the DIS064 device which

,processes the digital signals into, the DAC computer. The vendor continues to work on a solution to this situation. . .

E. Major Preventive and Corrective Maintenance of Safety.Significance There was no maintenance, which had safety significance performed during 2008. There were 19 preventive and corrective maintenance items, two of-them were replacement.of water purification cartridge and five were on the NM1000,safety channel. Also five Were three maintenance items on the SR1 closed lciop cooling systeifi and reactor room exhaust. The other seven items were related to the CAM, Area Monitor, Water radioactivity monitor and Pool temperature monitor.

F. Radioactive Effluents '  :

The only rdjoadotivce material n6rmally released to the environment'fromii the facility is argon-41, whicisfo actiatin of thei-ndtural argondissolved in the,pool water and producedfo acivan~ naua argonan subsequently escapes from the pod iiito the'reactbr room and from there to the outside of the building, arid from the natural argon presetint the Air used to transport samples from a laboratory into a terminus in the core of e reactor.

G. Radiation Exposures Radiation exposures received by fa lltyersonhel and yisitors ae monitored using film badges and thermo0hininescent detectqrs, :No persons; have received exposures approachng 25% of those allowed or recommended in 10CFR2.. pou "p M. P. Krahenbuhl Facility Director Dow TRIGA Research Reactor 27 February 2009

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