ML19268A074

University of New Mexico, Department of Nuclear Engineering 2019 Annual Report for the AGN-201M Reactor

ML19268A074
Person / Time
Site:	University of New Mexico
Issue date:	09/05/2019
From:	Busch R, Cooper G Univ of New Mexico, Nuclear Engineering Department
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML19268A074 (4)

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~ lJNM SCHOOL~/'ENGI"!EER ING Department ofNuclear Engineering September 5, 2019 Document Control Desk U.'S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Enclosed is the 2019 Annual Report for the AGN-201M reactor located at the University of New Mexico - Docket 50-252.

• Sincerely, Robert D. Busch, Ph.D, P.E. Gary W. Cooper, Ph.D.

Chief Reactor Supervisor Reactor Administrator ec: Ed Helvenston: EdwardHelvenston@nrc.gov

'( .*_*,. r:.:,,:r:.:*'*

The University of New Mexico* MSCOl 1120

• 1 University of New Mexico* Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 Phone 505.277.5431

• Fax 505.277.5433

• engineering.unm.edu 1200 Farris Engineering Center

REPORT ON FACILITY LICENSE NO. R-102 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO JULY 1, 2018 - JUNE 30, 2019 The University of New Mexico's AGN-201M reactor was only used for teaching and training during 2018-2019. There were no changes in facility design, performance characteristics, or operating procedures related to reactor safety during the reporting period.

The AGN-201M Reactor Facility is an essential part of our educational program, including public education, and continues to serve us well. The use of the reactor from July of 2018 through June of2019 was as follows:

Type of Use July 18 - June 19 July 18 - June 19 Hours Watt-hours Class Demonstrations 0.0 0.0 Faculty Research 0.0 0.0 Graduate Student Research I 0.0 0.0 Maintenance and Equipment Check 17.1 0.0 Operator Training and Requalification 49.3 69.5 Teaching 100.0 214.0 Totals for the Year 166.4 283.5 During the annual maintenance in August 2018, we checked the detector cans and found the poly containers for Channel 1, Channel 2, and Channel 3 to be in good condition. The poly containers appear to be holding up well in the water environment. All detector cans will be inspected again as part of the 2019 annual maintenance.

UNM AGN-201M Annual Report 2018-2019 Page 3 There were no changes to the facility as it is described in the application for license and amendments thereto, nor were there any changes to the procedures as described in Facility Technical Specifications. No new experiments were performed during the reporting period.

During the reporting period, there were no unplanned scrams. There were three maintenance activities that underwent 10 CFR 50.59 reviews. In two cases, it was a simple maintenance; one involving reconnection of a wire and the other re-soldering of a switch activation arm. In the last case, the maintenance was determined to be a like-for-like so there was no 50.59 impact to the facility; During the reporting period, there was no liquid radioactive waste released from the facility nor was there any solid waste released. The annual environmental radiation surveys was performed and is attached to this report. All personnel exposures during the reporting period wefo below 50 mrem per person with the majority of personnel receiving below 5 mrem. No facility visitors received measurable exposures.

An outside environmental survey was performed on March 9, 2018. The radiation levels were all in accordance with those from previous surveys. At 60% licensed operating power, the highest reading outside the facility was O.174 mR/hr gamma with O.4 mrem/hr neutron dose rate.

As of July 1, 2019, the department has a new interim chair, Dr. Charles Fleddermann.

The current personnel assignments are (as of July 1, 2019):

UNM President Garnett Stokes Interim Chair, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering Charles Fleddermann Reactor Administrator Gary W. Cooper Chief Reactor Supervisor Robert D. Busch USNRC-licensed Senior Reactor Operators Robert D. Busch Ken Carpenter Gary Cooper Carl Willis USNRC-licensed Reactor Operators Rowdy Davis Jacob Hunt

. Reactor Operators (inactive) Jedediah Styron (inactive as of 7/1/19)

UNM AGN-201M Annual Report 2018-2019 Page 4 The makeup of the Reactor Safety Advisory Committee as of June 30, 2019 is:

James Bryson Matt Burger*

Charles Harmon II David Hayes David Hindera RonKnief David Summers There are currently no vacant positions on the committee.

The University of New Mexico's AGN-201M reactor continues to be used extensively for teaching experiments as a part of our undergraduate and graduate programs. These experiments include approach-to-critical, reactor period and reactivity measurements, importance functions measurements, sample activation, control rod calibrations, and reactor power and neutron fluence measurements. The reactor is also used throughout the Fall, Spring and Summer sessions of the University. All experiments have received prior approval from our Reactor Safety Advisory Committee.

~---cw c~

Gary W. Cooper Reactor Administrator