ML19211C454
| ML19211C454 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | North Carolina State University |
| Issue date: | 01/04/1980 |
| From: | Saxe R North Carolina State University, RALEIGH, NC |
| To: | Gammill W Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| ADM-1-1-15, NUDOCS 8001110422 | |
| Download: ML19211C454 (5) | |
Text
.
9 NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY AT RALEIGH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Dzraaruzxr or Nucrman Escrxtraisc NucLEAn Rmacron Paocarx 4 January 1980 Box 5636 Zie 27607 ADM l-1-15 Mr. William Gammill Acting t.ssistant Director for Operating Reactors US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Docket No. 50-111
SUBJECT:
Supporting Information to our Letter dated December, 1979.
Reference is made to our letter of 10 December 1979, signed by the NCSU Chancellor and me, subject " Modification to Request for an Extension to the R-63 Reactor License".
The following information was most recently requested by your office, (Mr. Pete Erickson).
1.
Safety Analysis as pertains to cur request to delete area and stack monitors, daily air samples and weekly cmear surveys; i.e. radiation and contamination surveillance.
Basis: The shipment of the irradiated fuel to SROO and the transfer of unirr adiated fuel to the PULSTAR Bay removes all fissile material from the R-3 Bay.
The shipment of irradiated fuel removes all fission products. Our weekly smear surveys in the R-3 Bay are negative, hence, the surfaces (floor, etc.) are not contaminated. The daily air samples do not evidence any airborne activity. The water was drained from the reactor system in February 1974, and the system has been dry since.
The activation products in the reactor system and in the biological shield remain in place. The biological shield is effectively sealed in that all beam ports and thermal columns are locked each by a three combination tumbler lock.
The top of the reactor (top of shield and tank) is closed by a 2" steel plate. The crane control box, required to move this plate, is locked to prevent unauthorized use.
The R-3 Bay will be retained as a Restricted Area (and Radiation Area) for two reasons:
a.
The activation products cited above; and b.
The Gamma Facility that is located there, and which is licensed by the State of North Carolina.
1735 027 s
s p 1110 4 "
Mr. William Gammill Page 2 Therefore, the potential hazards related to the presence of fissile material (irradiated and unirradiated) has been removed.
Hence, the surveillance associated with this hazard is now un-necessary. Pages 15, 16 and 81 Hazards Summary Report for the North Carolina State University Training Reactor are germane to this request and a copy of each is attached. Those paragraphs that we request to be deleted are:
Page 15-16, f.
Building Monitoring - in its entirety.
Page 16, g.
Campus Monitoring - that part as changed by " Change 1, dated 8-2-72".
Page 81 G.
Sabotage, (5) - Weekly inspection. Delete (5) in its entirety.
2.
A request to transfer the remaining R-3 unirradiated SNM and the 5 C1, PuBe start-up source to our R-120 license (Docket No.
50-297) will be forwarded in the very near future. This action, if approved, will remove all SNM from the R-63 license.
3.
A plan to dismantle / decommission the R-3 reactor will be prepared promptly, submitted to our Radiation Protection Council for their review and approval, and then transmitted to NRC.
Respectfully submitted,
.s___
R.F. Saxe, Head Department of Nuclear Engineering RFS:RDC:nws Enclosure cc:
R.F. Saxe T.C. Bray R.D. Crcss 1735 028 i
i
w.
is channels, the two separate safety channela usually found An additional in instrumentation systems are eliminated.
factor of safety is provided since a difference trip is used between the two channels which will detect failure of either channel and shut down the reactor before a pessible runaway could get started.
Gamma Channe?
e.
The reactor gamma level is monitored by an icni-A fast trip is ration chamber and current amplifier.
I
incorporated in this channel.
f,,f.
Building Monitoring The facility monitoring is done by beta-gamma and ionization chambers.
sensitive geiger counte g
Thee air equtva16t %nization chambers are located in G ~v R
i ldirag/ for direct radiation monitoring.
the rea tor bt.i
\\
are amplified and fed into a multipoint i
v Their utp
\\/
If the level becomes record}Yfor a permanent record.
excessive st any chamber, an alarm is sounded in the 1
control room.
The exhaust air from the reactor building is moni.
.e
-s tored.in the stack by a geiger counter feeding a rate meter
~
74 cm w.
a.>n. w :~
m An alarm is given in case' of an excessive and recorder, J
1735 029 is e
s
- ,,e.t A. -. -
h
~
r i n level.
The waste water fry thMuilding is monitored in 4
f e
the sewage system. If the i
p le holdup tanks ore I
i mes too high in any holdup tank, it is radiation le
>e C*
I automatically shut off so that no more waste is released to the sewage system and an alarm is given.
.f i
1 ^-
g.
Campus Monitoring gj Thermoluminescent (TLD) dosimeters are located at least@4vtr
[
locations on the camp s around the reactor building. These dosi-I fsealedinaweather/ light-proofpacket.
meters consist o" LiF
/
mbient radiation in the vicinity of their l ;
The dosimeters me a ure eh Change par'.icular locati The locations of the dosimeters with respect to y
dated 8-2-72 t y u lding and the facility stack are such that the both the campus is o Li red in a representative way, and stack effluents are J
monitored h the censideration of the prevailing wind being taken into account. The dosimeters are read monthly and the records are i
g maintained pe nanently.
The automatic control system provides both for control of the reactor operating level and for the reacto r per:od.
l A signal from one of the linear level current amplifiers is l
The out-used to provide an indication of the reactor power.
t put of the Log N channel is differentiated to give reactor f
period information. These two signals are added together I
to produce a voltag e which is compared to a " level set" 1735 030 1
16 J
.1 ci T * ~~'*
v W
't 4.
}
building is constructed is sufficiently high above the su1 rounding area so that the possibility of flood damage in the reactor is negligible.
m.
E c.
Sabotage Bd, A considerable number of precautions against sabotage have been incorporated into the reactor design:
(1)
All doors, windows and other outside openings in the building are kept closed and locked except when' authorized t
personnel are present.
(2)
The doors to the reactor room, particularly, are provided T
A with good locks, which can be opened only after electric release
]
of the lock from the Control Roem.
(3)
Electrical current to the crane is turned off and the switches are locked except when authorized personnel are present.
,]
(4)
All external openings into the concrete shield of the re-actor are closed when not in use, by " burglar proof" combination-u -,a lock, safe doors.
~
w
,w~
tt
[.-n (5)
A bfy in pection of'th eactor and its control apparatus a
t is made by a sta me b hese inspections are made on 1
normal working and on the holidays and Sundays that the
(
1 4
3.
reactor is used, j
(6)
The reactor building and the area about the building is t
kept well lighted at night.
t bb
($
1735 031 81 e
i o A O.,C J -/t m
..,.