ML113540495
| ML113540495 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of New Mexico |
| Issue date: | 01/12/2012 |
| From: | Johnny Eads Division of Policy and Rulemaking |
| To: | Busch R Univ of New Mexico |
| Eads J, NRR/ADRA/DPR/PROB, 415-1471 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML110120338 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-252/OL-11-01 | |
| Download: ML113540495 (17) | |
Text
January 12, 2012 Dr. Robert Busch, Ph.D. P.E.
Chief Reactor Supervisor Chemical andNuclear Engineering Dept., FEC 209 MSC01 1120 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
SUBJECT:
EXAMINATION REPORT NO. 50-252/OL-11-01, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AGN-201M REACTOR
Dear Dr. Busch:
During the week of March 30, 2011, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operator licensing examinations to employees of your facility who had applied for a license to operate your University of New Mexico reactor. The examination was conducted in accordance with NUREG-1478, "Non-Power Reactor Operator Licensing Examiner Standards,"
Revision 2. At the conclusion of the examination, the examination questions and preliminary findings were discussed with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 2.390, a copy of this letter and the enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The NRC is forwarding the individual grades to you in a separate letter which will not be released publicly. Should you have any questions concerning this examination, please contact Greg Schoenebeck at 301-415-6345 or via internet e-mail Greg.Schoenebeck@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Johnny Eads Jr., Chief Research and Test Reactors Oversight Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-252
Enclosures:
- 1. Examination Report No. 50-252/OL-11-01
- 2. Examination and answer key cc w/o enclosures:
University of New Mexico Docket No. 50-252 cc:
City Manager City of Albuquerque City Hall Albuquerque, NM 87101 Mr. James De Zetter, Radiation Safety Officer Radiation Control Program Director, State of New Mexico University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131-1341 TRTR Newsletter University of Florida Department of Nuclear Engineering Sciences 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611
January 12, 2012 Dr. Robert Busch, Ph.D. P.E.
Chief Reactor Supervisor Chemical andNuclear Engineering Dept., FEC 209 MSC01 1120 University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
SUBJECT:
EXAMINATION REPORT NO. 50-252/OL-11-01, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AGN-201M REACTOR
Dear Dr. Busch:
During the week of March 30, 2011, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) administered operator licensing examinations to employees of your facility who had applied for a license to operate your University of New Mexico reactor. The examination was conducted in accordance with NUREG-1478, "Non-Power Reactor Operator Licensing Examiner Standards,"
Revision 2. At the conclusion of the examination, the examination questions and preliminary findings were discussed with those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 2.390, a copy of this letter and the enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The NRC is forwarding the individual grades to you in a separate letter which will not be released publicly. Should you have any questions concerning this examination, please contact Greg Schoenebeck at 301-415-6345 or via internet e-mail Greg.Schoenebeck@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Johnny Eads Jr., Chief Research and Test Reactors Oversight Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-252
Enclosures:
- 1. Initial Examination Report No. 50-252/OL-11-01
- 2. Examination and answer key cc w/encls: Please see next page DISTRIBUTION w/ encls.:
PUBLIC PROB r/f RidsNRRDPRPROB Facility File (CRevelle)
ADAMS ACCESSION #: ML113540495 OFFICE PROB:CE IOLB:LA E PROB:BC NAME GSchoenebeck CRevelle JEads DATE 12/19/11 12/21/11 01/12/12 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OPERATOR LICENSING INITIAL EXAMINATION REPORT REPORT NO.: 50-252/OL-11-01 FACILITY DOCKET NO.: 50-252 FACILITY LICENSE NO.: R-102 FACILITY: University of New Mexico EXAMINATION DATES: March 30 through April 1, 2011 EXAMINERS: Paul V. Doyle, Chief Examiner (CE)
SUBMITTED BY: /RA/ 11/22/11 Greg Schoenebeck for Paul V. Doyle, CE Date
SUMMARY
During the week of March 30, 2011, the NRC administered operator licensing examinations to three Reactor Operator candidates. All candidates passed the operating examination. No candidates failed the written examination.
ENCLOSURE 1 REPORT DETAILS
- 1. Examiners: Paul V. Doyle, Chief Examiner
- 2. Results:
RO PASS/FAIL SRO PASS/FAIL TOTAL PASS/FAIL Written 3/0 N/A 3/0 Operating Tests 3/0 N/A 3/0 Overall 3/0 N/A 3/0
- 3. Exit Meeting:
Paul V. Doyle, NRC Chief Examiner Robert Busch, Chief Reactor Supervisor The NRC thanked the facility staff for their cooperation during the examinations. No generic concerns were noted. The facility reviewed the written examination and as a result Category B, Question1 had two correct answers and Category B. Question 3 was deleted because of no correct answer.
Section A Reactor Theory, Thermodynamics and Facility Operating Characteristics Page 6 QUESTION A.01 [2.0 points, 0.5 each]
Match each term in column A with the correct definition in column B.
Column A Column B
- a. Prompt Neutron 1. A neutron in equilibrium with its surroundings.
- b. Fast Neutron 2. A neutron born directly from fission.
- c. Thermal Neutron 3. A neutron born due to decay of a fission product.
- d. Delayed Neutron 4. A neutron at an energy level greater than its surroundings.
QUESTION A.02 [1.0 point]
The total amount of reactivity added by inserting or withdrawing a control rod from a reference height to any other rod height is called?
- a. differential rod worth
- b. shutdown reactivity
- c. integral rod worth
- d. reference reactivity QUESTION A.03 [2.0 points, 1/2 each]
Using the drawing of the Core Rod Position provided, identify each of the following reactivity worths.
- a. Total Rod Worth 1. B-A
- b. Actual Shutdown Margin 2. C-A
- c. Technical Specification Shutdown Margin Limit 3. C-B
- d. Excess Reactivity 4. D-C
- 5. E-C
- 6. E-D
- 7. E-A
Section A Reactor Theory, Thermodynamics and Facility Operating Characteristics Page 7 QUESTION A.04 [1.0 point]
Reactor power is rising on a 100 second period. Approximately how long will it take for power to double?
- a. 35 seconds
- b. 50 seconds
- c. 70 seconds
- d. 100 seconds QUESTION A.05 [1.0 point]
Reactor period has just stabilized at -80 seconds following a reactor shutdown. If safety channel #1 reads 1 x 104 counts/minute, what do you expect the channel to read in three minutes?
- a. 3 x 103 counts/minute
- b. 1 x 103 counts/minute
- c. 3 x 102 counts/minute
- d. 1x 102 counts/minute QUESTION A.06 [1.0 point]
Most references list the delayed neutron fraction for U235 () as 0.0065. The SAR lists for the core as 0.0074.
The in the SAR is more commonly referred to as effective. Which ONE of the following is the reason that effective is larger than ?
- a. Delayed neutrons are born at higher energies than prompt neutrons resulting in a greater worth for the neutrons.
- b. Delayed neutrons are born at lower energies than prompt neutrons resulting in less leakage during slowdown to thermal energies.
- c. The fuel also includes U238 which has a relatively large for fast fission.
- d. The U238 in the core becomes Pu239 (by neutron absorption), which has a higher for fission.
QUESTION A.07 [1.0 point]
Which of the following power manipulations would take the longest to complete assuming the same period is maintained?
- a. 100 mW to 400 mW
- b. 400 mW to 500 mW
- c. 1 W to 3.5 W
- d. 3.5 W to 4.5 W
Section A Reactor Theory, Thermodynamics and Facility Operating Characteristics Page 8 QUESTION A.08 [1.0 point]
Which ONE of the following is the definition of a cross section?
- a. The probability that a neutron will be captured by the nucleus.
- b. The most likely energy at which a charged particle will be captured.
- c. The length a charged particle travels past the nucleus before being captured.
- d. The area of the nucleus including the electron cloud.
QUESTION A.09 [1.0 point]
Which of the following algebraic terms is the effective multiplication factor (Keff)?
- of neutrons produced from all fission
- a. # of neutrons in the previous generation
- of neutrons produced from fast fission
- b. # of neutrons produced from thermal fission
- of neutrons absorbed in the fuel
- c. # of neutrons absorbed by fission products
- of neutrons in the present generation
- d. # of neutrons in the previous generation QUESTION A.10 [1.0 point]
The term "reactivity" is:
- a. A measure of the core's deviation from criticality.
- b. A measure of the core's fuel depletion.
- c. Negative when Keff is greater than 1.0.
- d. Equal to $0.66 when the reactor is prompt critical.
Section B Normal and Emergency Operating Procedures and Radiological Controls Page 9 QUESTION B.01 [1.0 point]
Identify which ONE of the following correctly describes the relative penetrating power of the listed types of radiation from least penetrating to most penetrating. (Alpha (), Beta (), Gamma (), and Neutron (n).)
- a. , , , n
- b. n, , ,
- c. , , n,
- d. , , , n QUESTION B.02 [1.0 points 1/4 each]
Match the Area radiation levels in column A with the corresponding area type (as defined by 10 CFR 20) from column B.
Column A Column B
- a. 2 mr/hr 1. Unrestricted
- b. 5 mr/hr 2. Radiation Area
- c. 10 mr/hr 3. High Radiation Area
- d. 100 mr/hr 4. Very High Radiation Area QUESTION B.03 [1.0 point] Question deleted per facility comment (no correct answer).
The shutdown margin, required by Technical Specifications, with the most reactive safety or control rod fully inserted shall be at least:
- a. 0.55 % k/k
- b. 0.65 % k/k
- c. 0.80 % k/k
- d. 1.00 % k/k
Section B Normal and Emergency Operating Procedures and Radiological Controls Page 10 QUESTION B.04 [2.0 points 0.5 each]
Match the terms in column A with their respective definitions in column B.
- a. Radioactivity 1.The thickness of a material which will reduce a gamma flux by a factor of two.
- b. Contamination 2. An impurity which pollutes or adulterates another substance. In radiological safety, contamination refers to the radioactive materials which are the sources of ionizing radiations.
- c. Dose 3.The quantity of radiation absorbed per unit mass by the body or by any portion of the body.
- d. Half-thickness 4.That property of a substance which causes it to emit ionizing radiation.
This property is the spontaneous transmutation of the atoms of the substance.
QUESTION B.05 [1.0 point]
Per Technical Specifications the reactor must scram if shield water temperature falls to
- a. 8°C
- b. 13°C
- c. 18°C
- d. 23°C QUESTION B.06 [2.0 points, 1/2 each]
Identify each of the following reactor conditions as either a Safety Limit (SL) Limiting Safety System Setting (LSSS), or a Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO)
- a. The excess reactivity with no experiments in the reactor and the coarse, fine, and safety control rods fully inserted shall not exceed 0.25% )k/k
- b. The maximum core temperature shall not exceed 200ºC during operation.
- c. The polystyrene core thermal fuse melts when heated to a temperature of about 120ºC resulting in core separation and a reactivity loss greater than [some value] )k/k.
- d. The total scram withdrawal time of the safety rods and coarse control rod shall be less than 1 second.
Section B Normal and Emergency Operating Procedures and Radiological Controls Page 11 QUESTION B.07 [1.0 point]
Which ONE of the following materials may not be irradiated, even if doubly encapsulated?
- a. Fissionable gases
- b. Fissionable liquids
- c. Materials corrosive to the reactor
- d. Explosive materials QUESTION B.08 [1.0 point]
One-half inch of steel reduces gamma radiation from a source by 1/2. If you replace the 1/2 inch shield with a five inch shield, radiation levels will be reduced by approximately a factor of
- a. 5
- b. 10
- c. 50
- d. 1000 QUESTION B.09 [1.0 point]
Which ONE of the following conditions violates Technical Specifications for Operating Staff? (Note 2nd person denotes a person certified by Chief Reactor Supervisor as qualified to activate manual scram and initiate emergency procedures.)
- a. SRO on panel, 2nd person in reactor room, no one on-call.
Section C Facility and Radiation Monitoring Systems Page 12 QUESTION C.01 [2.0 points, 1/2 each]
Match the instrument and control system channel in column A with the correct detector listed in column B.
(Note: Detectors listed in column B may be used more than once or not at all, however, there is only one answer for each channel.)
- a. Nuclear Instrument Channel #1 1. Boron-lined Ionization Chamber
- b. Nuclear Instrument Channel #2 2. Gas-filled U235 Fission Chamber
- c. Nuclear Instrument Channel #3 3. Geiger-Meuller Detector
- d. Auxiliary Channel 4. Sodium Iodide Scintillation Detector QUESTION C.02 [1.0 point]
Which ONE of the following statements correctly completes the sentence concerning the access ports?
The access ports
- a. penetrate through the shield tank, passing by the reflector and the lead shield.
- b. pass through the shield tank up to the lead shield
- c. pass through the shield tank, lead shield and the reflector up to the core tank.
- d. pass through the shield tank up to the reflector QUESTION C.03 [1.0 point]
During a startup you attempt to withdraw safety rod # 1. It wont move. Which ONE of the following is the cause?
- a. Counts per second too low on the Nuclear Instrumentation Channel #1.
- b. Nuclear Safety #2 channel level too low.
- c. Reactor period too low.
- d. After the last scram the fine rod did drive fully out.
QUESTION C.04 [1.0 point]
Which ONE of the following is the source presently used in the AGN-201M reactor?
- a. Americium-Beryllium (Am-Be)
- b. Plutonium-Beryllium (Pu-Be)
- c. Radium-Beryllium (Ra-Be)
- d. Uranium-Beryllium (U-Be)
Section C Facility and Radiation Monitoring Systems Page 13 QUESTION C.05 [1.0 point]
Which ONE of the following is the approximate value for how much the reactor will be shut down by if the safety fuse were to melt?
- a. 0.005 k/k
- b. 0.01 k/k
- c. 0.05 k/k
- d. 0.1 k/k QUESTION C.06 [1.0 point]
The shield tank is designed to provide shielding from:
- a. high energy radiation.
- b. high energy radiation.
- c. fast neutron radiation.
- d. the thermal column area.
QUESTION C.07 [1.0 point]
In the event the reactor fails to scram, the TWO design features that serve to prevent exceeding core temperature limits are the:
- a. thermal fuse and large temperature coefficient.
- b. Glory Hole Cadmium plug and thermal fuse.
- c. large temperature coefficient and volume of water shield.
- d. Glory Hole Cadmium plug and volume of water shield.
Section C Facility and Radiation Monitoring Systems Page 14 QUESTION C.08 [1.0 point]
The core loading in use at this time (Core #2 as amended) utilizes a fine control rod made of normal fuel sections. Core loading #1 replaces the normal fuel sections in the fine rod with
- a. polyethylene sections
- b. boron impregnated polyethylene sections
- c. beryllium sections
- d. cadmium impregnated polyethylene sections QUESTION C.09 [1.0 point]
Which one of the following is the method used to prevent burnout of the Nuclear Instrumentation Systems source range detector? After reaching a setpoint on channel
- a. # 1, high voltage to the channel #1 detector is removed
- b. # 2, high voltage to the channel #1 detector is removed
QUESTION C.10 [1.0 point]
Where would you go to energize the ventilation system during an emergency evacuation due to high radiation levels?
- a. On the reactor laboratory room wall near the east door.
- b. On the reactor laboratory room wall near the north doors.
- c. On the reactor room wall just inside the door to the laboratory room.
- d. Just inside the door to room 22 (Counting Laboratory).
Section A Reactor Theory, Thermodynamics and Facility Operating Characteristics Page 15 A.01 a, 2; b, 4; c, 1 d, 3 REF: (Reference 1), Vol. 1, Module 2, Paragraph Neutron Slowing Down and Thermalization on pg. 23, also Paragraph Neutron Classification on pg. 29.
A.02 a REF: (Reference 1), Vol. II, Module 3, see heading Integral and Differential Rod Worths discussion on pages 51 through 56.
A.03 a, 7; b, 5; c, 6; d, 2 REF: Standard NRC Question A.04 c REF: P = P0 et/T --> ln(2) = time ÷ 100 seconds -> time = ln (2) x 100 sec. 0.693 x 100 0.7 x 100 70 sec.
A.05 b, P = P0 et/ = 1 x 104 x e-80/180 = 1 x 104 x e-2.25 = 1 x 10 4 x 0.1054 = 1.054 x 103 REF: (Reference 1), Volume 1, Module 2, page 7.
A.06 b REF: (Reference 1), Volume 2, Module 4, page 12.
A.07 a P = P0 eT/J.
REF: (Reference 1), Volume 2, Module 3, page 11.
A.08 a REF: (Reference 1), Volume 1, Module 2, page 7.
A.09 d REF: (Reference 1), Volume A.10 a REF: (Reference 1), Volume
Section B Normal and Emergency Operating Procedures and Radiological Controls Page 16 B.01 c or a 2nd correct answer added per facility comment.
REF: Standard NRC Question B.02 a, 1; b, 2; c, 2; d, 3 REF: 10 CFR 20 § 20.1003 Definitions B.03 d Question deleted per facility comment (no correct answer).
REF: UNM AGN-201m Technical Specifications 3.1.b B.04 a, 4; b, 2; c, 3; d, 1 REF: Standard NRC question B.05 c REF: Technical specification 3.2(h).
B.06 a, LCO; b, SL; c, LSSS; d, LCO REF: AGN Technical Specifications 3.1.d, 2.1, 2.2.b, B.07 d REF: ISU Technical Specifications 3.3.
B.08 d, 5 inches = 10 half-thicknesses. (1/2)10 = (1/210) = 1/1024 .1/1000.
Ref: Standard NRC Question B.09 c Ref: UNM Technical Specifications ' 6.1.13 Staff Qualifications
Section B Normal and Emergency Operating Procedures and Radiological Controls Page 17 C.01 a, 2; b, 1; c, 1; d, 1 REF: UNM Reactor Operations and Training Manual, ' I.D.1, a through d.
C.02 c REF: UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual Figure 2 C.03 b REF: . UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual C.04 b REF: UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual ' I.A, 7th &
C.05 c REF: UNM AGN-201m Technical Specifications 2.2(b)
C.06 c REF: UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual ' A.A Reactor Description 8th &, next to last sentence.
C.07 a REF: UNM AGN-201m Technical Specifications, Basis for specification 2.2.b C.08 a REF: UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual 'I.B.
C.09 b REF: UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual 'I.D.1.a C.10 a Ref: UNM Reactor Operation and Training Manual ' V, Evacuation step iv.