ML14070A179

Dow Triga Research Reactor - Annual Report - 2013

ML14070A179
Person / Time
Site:	Dow Chemical Company
Issue date:	03/07/2014
From:	O'Connor P Dow Chemical Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML14070A179 (4)

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The Dow Chemical Company Midland, Michigan 48667 March 7, 2014 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) 638-6185.

Paul J. O'Connor Facility Director Dow TRIGA Research Reactor Enclosure CC: Geoff Wertz; USNRC Wayde Konze, 1897 Siaka 0. Yusuf, 1602 Bryan Tomlin, 1602 Bryan Haskins, 1602 James R. Weldy, 1803 Jay. D. Romick, 1707 Michael E. Buchrnann, 433 Paul O'Connor, 1897

DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2013 There was one US NRC inspection in 2013 and there were no violations found. The annual peer review audit was conducted by Prof Mike Hartman in October of 2013. The audit examined all aspects of the Dow TRIGA nuclear reactor facility programs and there were no safety concerns or non-compliances with US NRC requirements found.

The normal in-house audits of the radiation protection program, safety and housekeeping, and records were also performed and the recommendations acted upon.

There were no other significant changes to the facility during 2013, except for the replacement of the Continuous Air Monitor (CAM). There were no staff changes during the year, 2013.

A.

Staff, Licenses, and Training The current reactor staff members are:

P. J. O'Connor Facility Director S. 0. Yusuf Reactor Supervisor B. D. Haskins Assistant Reactor Supervisor B. E. Tomlin Senior Reactor Operator Operator licenses are current. Dr. Yusuf renewed his Senior Reactor Operator's license in 2012.

Mr. Haskins renewed his Senior Reactor Operator's license in 2012. Dr. Tomlin obtained his Senior Reactor Operator license in 2012.

There was a two year cycle re-qualification program which was started in the 1 st quarter of 2012 that ended in 4th quarter of 2013. 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.

Operation of the reactor is an important part of the training program, thus, the reactor is operated on an as-needed basis which results in numerous operations. Each operation involves 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 307 hours0.00355 days <br />0.0853 hours <br />5.076058e-4 weeks <br />1.168135e-4 months <br /> during 2013 by the three Senior Reactor Operators.

DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2013 There were no membership changes to the Reactor Operations Committee (ROC) during the year, 2013. The ROC is currently composed of the following staff members:

W. V. Konze ROC Chairman P. J. O'Connor Facility Director S. 0. Yusuf Reactor Supervisor J. R. Weldy Radiation Safety Officer J. D. Romick Research Leader Dow R&D M. E. Buchmann Associate Quality Director Dr. Konze is the first level manager for the facility on behalf of Analytical Sciences and serves as the chairman for the ROC. Dr. O'Connor is the level 2 manager and facility director. Dr. Yusuf is the reactor operations staff member of the ROC. 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 is a Research Leader and reports through the Dow Coating Materials R&D. Mr. M. E. Buchmann is an Associate Quality Director and reports through the Dow Manufacturing and Engineering.

B.

Reactor Operating Experience The reactor was operated for 1.7 Megawatt-days during 2013 for the total of 307 hours0.00355 days <br />0.0853 hours <br />5.076058e-4 weeks <br />1.168135e-4 months <br />.

Operational experience is slightly up and similar to recent years. The main purpose of operations at the Dow facility is to perform neutron activation analysis. About 6161 samples were irradiated in 2013.

C.

Major Changes The reviews that were carried out before the replacement of the Continuous Air Monitor were documented. The corresponding change to the facility procedure was documented as well. There were no other changes to the facility in 2013 and there were no other changes to the facility procedures.

D.

Unscheduled Shutdowns There were 14 unscheduled shutdowns (scrams) during 2013, down from 2012 numbers. Most of these 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 a solution to this situation.

E.

Major Preventive and Corrective Maintenance of Safety Significance There was no maintenance which had safety significance performed during 2013. There were however, 11 preventive and corrective maintenance items. These were related to replacements of

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DOW TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT - 2013 water purification cartridges, adjustments on the NMI 000 safety channel, replacement of a translator to shim 1, replacement of the high resolution monitor, and repair to the power supply of the Rotary Specimen Rack.

F.

Radioactive Effluents The only radioactive material normally released to the environment from the facility is argon-4 1.

This 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. Ar-41 is also produced from the natural argon present in the air used to transport samples from a laboratory into a terminus in the core of the reactor.

Overall, any release, after dilution is estimated to be less than 25% of the allowed or recommended maximum concentration in 1 0CFR20.

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 1 OCFR20.

P. J. O'Connor

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Facility Director Dow TRIGA Research Reactor March 7, 2014

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