ML20028C351
| ML20028C351 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000134 |
| Issue date: | 12/30/1982 |
| From: | Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20028C349 | List: |
| References | |
| R-061-A-007, R-61-A-7, NUDOCS 8301070372 | |
| Download: ML20028C351 (20) | |
Text
.
/
O**
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3.i*
j WASHINGTON, D. C. 2055
- 4
^l WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE DOCKET N0.
50-134 RENEWAL AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 7 License No. R-61 1.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Comission) has found that:
A.
The application for amendment by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (the licensee) dated July 16, 1979, as supplemented by filings dated July 20, 1979, September 27, 1979, October 26, 1979, May 22,1980, J une 12,1980, November 20, 1980 January 19, 1981, March 3,1982 and October 26, 1982, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B.
The facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; C.
There is reasonable assurance (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the regulations of the Commission; D.
The licensee is technically and financially qualified to engage in the activities authorized by this operating license in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission; E.
The licensee is a nonprofit educational institution and will use the facility for the conduct of educational activities, and has satisfied the applicable provisions of 10 CFR 140, " Financial Protection Requirements and Indemnity Agreements," of the Comission's regulations; F.
The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public and does not involve a significant hazards consideration.
G.
The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR 51 of the Commission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.
8301070372 821230 PDR ADOCK 05000 P
. H.
The receipt, possession and use of the byproduct and special nuclear materials as authorized by this license will be in accordance with the Commission's regulations in 10 CFR 30 and 70, including section 30.33, 70.23 and 70.31.
2.
Facility Operating License No. R-61 is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
A.
This license applies to the pool-type training and research reactor (hereinafter "the reactor"), that is owned by Worcester Polytchnic Institute and located on the Institute's campus at Worcester, Massachusetts, and described in the application for license renewal dated July 16, 1979, as supplemented by filings dated July 20, 1979, September 27, 1979, October 26,1979, May 22,1980, June 12,1980, November 23, 1980, J anuary 19,1981, March 3,1982 and October 26, 1982.
B.
Subject to the conditions and requirements incorporated herein, the Coninission hereby licenses the Worcester Polytechnic Institute at Worcester, Massachusetts:
(1) Pursuant to Section 104c of the Act and 10, CFR, Chapter 1, Part 50, " Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities,"
to possess, use and operate the reactor in accordance with the procedures and limitations described in the application and in this license; (2) Pursuant to the Act and 10, CFR, Chapter 1, Part 70, "Special Nuclear Material," to receive, possess and use up to 4004 grams of contained U-235 and 16 grams of plutonium as Pu-Be source for use in connection with operation of the reactor; and j
(3)
Pursuant to the Act and Title 10, CFR, Chapter 1, Part 30, l
" Rules of General Applicability to Licensing of Byproduct Material" to possess, but not to separate, such byproduct materials as may be produced by operation of the reactor.
C.
This license shall be deemed to contain, and be subject to, the conditions specified in the following Commission regulations in 10 CFR Chapter I; Part 20, Section 30.34 of 10 CFR Part 30, and Section 70.32 of Part 70, and is subject to all applicable provisions of the Act and rules, regulations and orders of the Commission now, or hereaf ter in effect, and is subject to the additional conditions specified below:
l l
l l
l i
(1) Maximum Power Level The licensee may operate the reactor at steady state power levels up to a maximum of 10 kilowatts (thermal).
(2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 7, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.
(3)
Physical Security Plan The licensee shall maintain and fully implement all pro-visions of the Commission's approved physical security plan, including amendments and changes made pursuant to the authority of 10 CFR 50.54(p). The approved security plan consists of documents withheld from public disclosure pursuant to 10 CFR 2.790, entitled " Worcester Polytechnic Institute Physical Security Plan dated June 11, 1980, and submitted by letter dated June 12, 1980, as amended by Revision 1 dated November 20, 1980.
D.
Records In addition to those otherwise required under this license, and the applicable regulations, the licensee shall keep the following records:
(1) Reactor operating records, including power levels and periods of operation at each power level; (2)
Records showing radioactivity released or discharged into the air or water beyond the effective control of the licensee as measured at or prior to the point of such release or discharge; (3)
Records of emergency shutdowns and inadvertent scrams, I
including reasons for emergency shutdowns; (4)
Records of maintenance operations involving substitution or replacement of reactor equipment or components.
l l
f
.. (5) Records of experiments installed including description,
~
aa tivity worths, locations, exposure time, total irradiation and any unusual events involved in their performance and in their handling, and (6)
Records of tests and measurements performed pursuant to the Technical Specifications.
E.
Reports In addition to reports otherwise required under this license, and the applicable regulations:
(1) The licensee shall inform the Comission of any incident or condition relating to the operation of the reactor which prevented or could have prevented a nuclear system from performing its safety function as described in the Technical Specifications. For each such occurrence, Worcester Poly-technic Institute shall promptly notify by telephone or telegraph the Director of the appropriate Nuclear Regulatory Comission Regional Office listed in Appendix D of 10 CFR 20 and shall submit within ten (10) days a report in writing to the Director, Division of Reactor Licensing with a copy to the Regional Office.
F.
This license shall expire at midnight twenty years from the date of issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION y
arre 1
. Eisenhut, Director Division of Licensing
Enclosure:
Appendix A Technical Specifications Date of Issuance:
DEC 3 01982 l
-p b
4 APPENDIX A TO LICENSE NO. R-61 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE REACTOR DOCKET NO. 50-134 DESIGNATED QRIGIIAL
. c. start.a y
)
l l
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 DEFINITIONS......................................................
1 2.0 SAFETY LIMITS AND OPERATING RESTRICTIONS.........................
3 2.1 Safety Limits...............................................
3 2.2 General Operating Limitations...............................
4 2.3 Experiments.................................................
4 3.0 SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS........................................
6 3.1 Frequency of Surveillance...................................
6 3.2 Action to be Taken..........................................
6 3.3 Radiation Detection.........................................
6 Y
4.0 SITE AND DESIGN FEATURES.........................................
8 4.1 Site........................................................
8 4.2 Restricted Area and Exclusion Area..........................
8 4.3 Reactor Building and Ventilation System.....................
8 4.'4 Reactor Core................................................
8 4.5 Reactor Safety and Control Systems..........................
8 i
5.0 ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS 11 5.1 Facility Administrator......................................
11 5.2 Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee.................
11 5.3 Radiological Safety 0fficer.................................
11 j
5.4 Fire Protection.............................................
11 j
5.5 Procedures..................................................
11 5.6 Operating Records...........................................
12 5.7 Reports.....................................................
12 5.8 Annual Operating Reports....................................
13 5.9 Fuel Storage................................................
13 5.10 Initial Startup of Altered Core Configuration...............
14
~-
The actual values of dimensions, measurements, and other numerical values may differ from values given in these specifications to the extent of normal con-struction and manufacturing tolerances, or normal accuracy of instrumentation.
- 1. 0 DEFINITIONS Cold, Clean, Critical Condition:
Since xenon and samarium effects are neg-ligible for this reactor in its normal operations, the term cold, clean, cri-tical shall refer to the condition of the reactor core when it is at the normal ambient water temperature of 70 to 75 F and free of any experiments that could affect reactivity.
Critical Reactor Operation:
Critical reactor operation shall refer to any situation when more than 12 fuel elements are loaded in the core and any control blade is withdrawn more than 6 in.
Experiment:
An experiment shall mean any apparatus, device, or material installed in the core or in external experimental facilities that is not a normal part of those facilities.
Movable Experiment:
A movable experiment is one that may be inserted, removed, or manipulated while the reactor is critical.
Operable:
An instrument or channel is operable when the instrument or channel will be operational once it is energized.
Operational:
An instrument or channel is operational when that instrument or channel is installed, energized, and in all other respects performing the moni-toring and safety functions for which it was intended.
Reactor Operation:
Reactor operation shall be any condition wherein either the reactor key is inserted into the console lock or the reactor is not in a shut-down condition.
Reactor Safety System:
The reactor safety system is that combination of control channels and associated circuitry that forms the automatic protective system for the reactor or provides information that requires manual protective action to be initiated.
Reactor Scram:
Reactor scram shall be the rapid insertion of the three control blades into the core by either of the following methods:
(1) Relay (slow) scram:
Reactor relay scram (slow scram) shall be instigated by the relay scram circuits which control current inputs for the trip amplifier.
Interruption of this current shall de-energize the scram magnets.
(2) Electronic (fast) scram:
Reactor electronic scram (fast scram) shall be caused by the application of sufficient negative bias in the trip amplifier to terminate current to the scram magnets.
Worcester Tech Specs 1
Readily Available on Call:
Readily available on call shall mean the licensed senior operator on duty shall ensure that he/she is within a reasonable driving time (1/2 hr) from the reactor building.
The licensed senior operator shall always keep the licensed operator informed of where he/she may be contacted.
Reportable Occurrence:
A reportable occurrence is any of the following conditions:
(1) a safety system setting less conservative than the limiting setting estab-lished in the Technical Specifications (2) operation in violation of a limiting condition for operation established in the Technical Specifications (3) a safety system component malfunction or other component or system mal-function that during operation could, or threatens to, make the safety system incapable of performing its intended safety functions (4) release of fission products from a failed fuel element (5) an uncontrolled or unplanned release of radioactive materia! from the restricted area of the facility (6) an uncontrolled or unplanned release of radioactive material that results in concentrations of radioactive materials within the restricted area in excess of the limits specified in Appendix B, Table 1 of 10 CFR 20 (7) an uncontrolled or unanticipated change in reactivity in excess of 0.5%
Ak/k (8) conditions arising from natural or man made events that affect or threaten to affect the safe operation of the facility (9) an observed inadequacy in the implementation of administrative or proce-dural controls such that the inadequacy causes or threatens to cause the existence or development of an unsafe condition in connection with the operation of the facility Shutdown Condition:
The reactor shall be deemed to be in the shutdown condition if no control or regulating blade is withdrawn from its fully inserted position or if there are less than 12 fuel elements loaded on the grid plate.
Worcester Tech Specs 2
.m 2.0 SAFETY LIMITS AND OPERATING RESTRICTIONS 2.1 Safety Limits Criticality:
The reactor shall be subcritical when the three control blades are at their fully withdrawn positions and the regulating blade is in its fully inserted position.
Magnet Release and Blade Drop Times:
The interval between the occurrence of cutoff voltage (scram) and the separation of each control blade from its magnet shall not exceed 100 msec.
Total time of insertion of the first 24 in of the control blades following initiation of a scram signal shall be less than 600 msec, including the magnet release time.
Maximum Excess Reactivity:
The maximum excess reactivity above cold, clean, critical shall be 0.5% ak/k.
Radiation Alarms:
Upon indication of radiation levels in excess of 50 mrems/hr (20 mrems/hr for fuel storage) area monitors shall actuate audible evacuation alarms in the reactor room and in the second and third floor areas above the reactor pool.
Radiation Levels:
The maximum radiation levels 1 m above the pool surface and at the surface of the concrete shield, when the beam port and thermal column are. closed, shall be less than 50 mrems/hr.
Control Blade Withdrawal:
The maximum withdrawal rate for a control blade shall be 7.5 in./ min.
The maximum reactivity addition rate through movement of the regulating blade shall be 0.06% ak/k sec.
Interlocks shall prevent simultaneous withdrawal of more than one control blade and shall prevent withdrawal of any control blade unless the regulating blade is fully inserted.
Startup Source Requirement:
During reactor startup, a neutron source produc-ing at least 106 neutrons /sec shall be located adjacent to the fuel region.
When readings on the log count rate meter are below 50 counts /sec, an interlock shall prevent withdrawal of any control blade.
l l
Temperature and Void Coefficients:
The temperature and void coefficients of reactivity shall be more negative than -2 x 10 5 Ak/k F and -2 x 10 3 ak/k %
j void, respectively, at 80 F.
l Water Level:
The minimum depth of water above the top of the end box of the l
core fuel elements in the reactor pool shall be 10 ft.
Water Purity:
Corrective action shall be taken promptly if the following limits for the pool water are not met:
(1) pH less than 8.0 and greater than 6.0 l
(2) resistivity greater than 5 x 10s ohm-cm (3) pool water activity less than 10 5 pCi/ml Worcester Tech Specs 3
Water Temperature:
The maximum bulk water temperature of the reactor pool shall be 110 F and the minimum shall be 40 F.
During critical operation of the reactor, the corresponding temperature limits shall be 100 F and 60 F.
2.2 General Operating Limitations (1) Personnel Requirement - Reactor operation shall be permitted only when two or more persons are in the reactor facility, at least one of whom is a
~
licensed operator at the controls.
A senior operator shall be readily available on call during reactor critical operation.
(2) System Integrity - The reactor shall not be operated when there are signi '
ficant defects in fuel elements, control blades, or the reactor safety and control systems.
(3) Abnormal Conditions - When abnormal operation of the reactor occurs, in-cluding its controls, safety systems, and auxiliary systems, action shall be taken immediately to scram the reactor and determine the cause of the abnormal behavior.
The operator at the controls shall have authority to scram the reactor whenever he/she believes that a question of adequate safety exists.
2.3 Experiments (1) The graphite thermal column and the beam port shall be vented to the facil-ity ventilation exhaust system.
(2) No experiments with moving components shall be irradiated with the reactor unless the reactivity worth of the moving component is less than 0.25$.
(3) Experiments shall be designed so that they do nnt significantly block natural circulation flow within the reactor core.
(4) The total worth of all experiments with positive reactivity contributions shall be limited so that summed with the cold, clean, core excess reactiv-ity the total is not greater than 0.5% Ak/k.
(5) All samples or experiments shall be doubly encapsulated and ensured leak tight if release of the contained materials could cause corrosive attack to the facility or excessive contamination of the pool water.
(6) No experiment shall be installed in such a manner that i
(a) it could significantly shadow the nuclear instrumentation system monitors (b) failure of the experiment could interfere with the insertion of a control blade (c) failure of the experiment could damage the reactor (d) failure of the experiment could release excessive airborne contamination i
Worcester Tech Specs 4
i
J (7) No explosive or other materials that could combine violently shall be irradiated in the reactor or in external experiment facilities, in quanti-ties greater than the equivalent of 25 mg of TNT.
In addition, the stress that would be produced _in the experiment container upon detonation of the explosive shall be calculated and/or experimentally determined to be less than the yield stress of the container.
(8) If a container fails.and releases material that could damage the reactor fuel or structure by corrosion or other means, physical inspection shall be performed to determine the consequences and need for corrective action.
f l
1 Worcester Tech Specs 5
L
3.0 SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.1 Frequency of Surveillance Daily:
Before each day's critical operation (vidh the exception of those experiments that require the reactor to be operated continuously for more than one full day), the two safety channels, the Icg-N period channel, and the con-sole annunciator system shall be checked and ensured to be operational.
\\.
^
Quarterly:
The area radiation monitoring systems and the pool water lAvel switch shall be checked and ensured to be operational quarterly.
Semiannually:
At least semiannually, a reactor inspection shall be performed consistinc.> f (1) The excess reactivity of the core above cold, clean, critical shall be measured.
(2) The console instrumentation shall be calibrated by a foil activation measurement of reactor power where appitcable, or calibrated by other means, and checked for proper conditions.-
s e
(3) Pool water pH shall be measured and conducti,'vity and pH cevices :s, hall be l
calibrated.
- y,
,s s
4.
Annually:
At least once each year, all fuel elements shall be\\ removed from the storage racks.
While the fuel elements are thus stored, the co'ntrol bladis shall be brought to the surface and visually inspectad and the blade drivestlub'ri.cated.
Blade drop times and magnet release times shall: be measured for each control blade, and a plot of blade drop times versus dtstance shall be obtained.forb each safety blade and compared with data of previous years.
Abnormal ddviation from previous data will be investigated and reviewed by the Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee.
f i.
e q ~ n9.
N 3.2 Action to be Taken
,y If main'tenance or recalibration is required for any of the items, it shall be performed and the instrument shall be recheck 6d before reactor startup proceeds, y
s 3.3 Radiation Detection Area Monitors:
Area radiation sensors capable'of detecting gamma radiation in the range of 0.1 to 100 mrems/hr shall be installed near the beam, port, deminer-alizer, thermal column door, fuel storaad area, and less than 1 m above the core pool surface.
Upon indication of iad,iation levels in excess of 50 mrrms/hr (20 mrems/hr for fuel storage) these monit' ors shall actuate audible alarms in the reactor room and in the second and third floor areas above the 1eactor pool.,
s 4
1 u
Worcester Tech Specs 6
. k'
^,
j 8
. h ] - '..
l--
s
~
Portable area monitors capable of detecting gamma radiation in the range of 0.10 to 50 mrems/hr may temporarily replace fixed area monitors described above provided that the required alarms are operational.
Portable Monitors:
During reactor operation, operable portable survey instru-ments shall be readily available to the reactor operator for measuring beta-gamma exposure rates in the range 0.01 mrems/hr to 50 mrems/hr, and fast plus thermal neutron dose rates from 0.04 to 1,000 mrems/hr.
One or more portable survey instruments for measuring beta gamma exposure rates in the range 2 mrems/hr to 50 mrems/hr will be kept a n ilable to the reactor staff in an external location (normally the security office) to facilitate obtaining radia-tion readings if a reactor radiation alarm should be activated.
\\ S I
<6
)
. ",m t
i i
j ',
s.
i
/
(.
1 m
4-(
' ?.'
\\
(-
y
~
~,
d
, l'
\\
3
\\ Worcester Te.:n Specsi 7
s.
+
, k'
^
4 y
1
- -w---
- +- - -
+3e-e-r
-- =- ~
v v
m-
-y--
w-
,i-w
, - - -- i-- -
w---e-
4.0 SITE AND DESIGN FEATURES 4.1 Site The reactor and associated equipment is housed in the Washburn Laboratories located between West Street and Boynton Street on the campus of Worcester Poly-technic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts.
4.2 Restricted Area and Exclusion Area The reactor room shall constitute a restricted area as defined in 10 CFR 20 and shall be controlled by partitions and normally locked doors.
In addition, two small areas, one each on the second and third floors of Washburn Laboratories, directly above the reactor control drives, shall become restricted areas when-ever the reactor is operating at power levels in excess in 1 kW.
The exclusion areas, as defined in 10 CFR 100, shall consist of the reactor room and the areas above the reactor.
4.3 Reactor Building and Ventilation System The reactor shall be housed in a closed room that is designed to restrict leakage.
The ventilation system shall provide at least two changes of air per hour in the reactor room whenever the reactor is operating.
4.4 Reactor Core Fuel Elements:
Standard fuel elements shall be flat plate type consisting of uranium-aluminum alloy clad with aluminum.
The width and depth of each fuel element shall be 3 in. x 3 in.
Each element shall have an active length of 24 in.
There shall be a maximum of 18 g of U-235 in each fuel plate and not more than 140 g of U-235 in any fuel element.
Standard fuel elements may be of two types:
(1) with 10 fuel plates, each plate 0.099 in. thick including a clad thickness of 0.030 in.; (2) with 18 fuel plates, each plate 0.060 in, thick with a clad thickness of 0.015 in on each side.
A maximum of 27 stand-ard fuel elements may be installed in the core.
Not more than two experimental fuel elements with eight removable fuel plates similar to type (1) fuel plates and fitted with removable top end boxes may be installed in the core.
These elements may be used as part of the core assembly either as complete elements or as partial assemblies, loaded with from 2 to a total of 10 fuel plates each.
4.5 Reactor Safety and Control Systems l
l The safety system shall be designed so that no single electrical fault that partially or completely disables the automatic scram function can, in any man-ner, impair or disable the manual scram function, and vice versa.
The safety system shall be fail safe with respect to loss of voltage.
l Worcester Tech Specs 8
= ~ -.
i i
)
4.5.1 Nuclear Instrumentation The channels of nuclear instrumentation (listed below with their minimum operat-ing ranges) shall during all reactor critical operations be operational and shall be connected to the safety system, except as noted in Table 4.1.
(1) startup channel; background to 10 2% full power, i.e., background to 1 W j
(2) log-N period chc.inel; 2 x 10 3% to 150% full power; i.e., 0.2 W to 15 kW (3) linear safety channels 1 and 2; 2 x 10 3% to 150% full power; i.e., 0.2 W to 15 kW 4.5.2 Control Blades There shall be three control blades, each consisting of vertical aluminum-clad boral blades 10.5 in, wide x 40.5 in. long x 0.375 in. thick.
The minimum reactivity worth of each blade shall be 3.5% Ak/k, The total worth of the three blades shall be at least 14% Ak/k.
4.5.3 Regulating Blade There shall be one regulating blade consisting of a vertical stainless-steel blade 10.65 in, wide x 40.5 in. long x 0.125 in. thick.
It shall have a cal-culated reactivity worth of less than 0.7% ak/k.
4.5.4 Blade Position Indicators The blade position indicator on the console shall provide an indication of the blade position to within +.02 in.
Signal lights shall be provided for each control blade drive and for the regulating blade to indicate the upper and lower i
limits of travel and, in the case of control blades, an armature engaged by a magnet.
l 1
8
)
Worcester Tech Specs 9
Table 4.1 Safety system functions Set point Condition
- Detector range Action Comment Neutron count B-10 chamber in
> 50 counts /
Interlock prevents May be bypassed rate i set point startup channel sec safety blade with-only when k,ff drawal 1 0.9 Reactor period Compensated ion
> + 5 see Relay scram and i set point chamber in log-N alarm period channel Reactor period Compensated ion
> + 3 see Electronic scram /
< set point chamber in log-N alarm period. channel Reactor power 2 compensated i 150% full Electronic scram /
-> set point ion chambers in power alarm level safety channels 1 and 2 1 compensated ion { 150% full Relay scram / alarm chamber in log-N scale reading period channel of log-N recorder Reactor power Compensated ion i 115% full Alarm
-> set point chamber in scale reading
' linear level of linear channels 1 and level 2
recorder Actuation of Contacts within Relay scram / alarm manual scram switch switch Pool water level Level switch 1 1 foot Building evacua-May be bypassed i set point drop in pool tion alarm provided a water level licensed senior operator is present in the facility l
- Except as noted above none of the conditions listed may be bypassed during critical oper-ation of the reactor. When any of the nuclear detection systems listed above are disabled or undergoing maintenance, the reactor rust be maintained in the shutdown condition, l
Worcester Tech Specs 10
5.0 ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS 5.1 Facility Administrator The Director of the Nuclear Reactor Facilities shall have full responsibility for operation of the reactor facility.
The Director shall report to the Dean of Faculty and shall be responsible to the Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee for conformance to the facility license provisions and all local and NRC safety regulations.
The Director also shall be responsible for proper main-tenance of such records and operating practices as the Committee may deem neces-sary for the safe operation of the facility.
5.2 Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee A Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee shall review and approve all pro-posed modifications affecting reactor safety, as well as general and specific types of experiments and procedures, including determination of unreviewed safety questions pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59.
This committee also shall conduct, at least quarterly, reviews of operations, equipment performance, records, and procedures.
The Committee shall establish written procedures regarding review methods, quorums, and subcommittees, and it shall maintain written records of its activites.
The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the President or Vice, President of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and a majority shall be WPI faculty members.
5.3 Radiologoical Safety Officer A Radiological Safety Officer shall be appointed to serve on the Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee and to review and approve all proposed pro-cedures and experiments concerning radiological safety.
The Radiological Safety Officer shall advise the Director of the Nuclear Reactor Facilities of rules, regulations, and procedures relating to radiologicial safety and shall routinely conduct radiation surveys.
5.4 Fire Protection The licensee shall provide heat or ionization-type smoke detectors, which will alarm when there is a fire in the reactor room.
At least two such detectors shall be operable at all times.
5.5 Procedures Detailed written procedures shall be provided for all normal operations of the reactor, supporting facilities, maintenance operations, radiation protection, experiments, and emergency plans and operations.
These procedures shall be i
approved by the Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee before they are implemented.
l l
l Worcester Tech Specs 11
Temporary procedures that do not change the intent of the initial approval procedures may be authorized by two members of the facility staff at least one of whom shall be a licensed senior operator.
Such procedures shall be subse-quently reviewed by the Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee.
5.6 Operating Records In addition to records required elesewhere in the license application, the following records shall be kept of (1) reactor operation, including power levels and periods of operation at each power level (2) maximum radioactivity released or discharged into the air or water beyond the effective control of the licensee as measured at or before the point of such release or discharge (3) emergency shutdowns and inadvertent scrams, including reasons for emer-gency shutdowns (4) maintenance operations involving substitution or replacement of reactor equipment or components (5) experiments installed including description, reactivity worths, locations, exposure time, total irradiation, and any unusual events involved in their performance and in their handling (6) tests and measurements performed pursuant to the Technical Specifications (7) incore irradiations 5.7 Reports In addition to reports otherwise required under this license and applicable regulations (1) The licensee shall inform the Commission of any incident or condition relating to the operation of the reactor that prevented or could have pre-vented a nuclear system from performing its safety function as described in the Technical Specifications.
For each such occurrence, WPI shall promptly notify, by telephone or telegraph, the Administrator of the appro-priate NRC Regional Compliance Office listed in Appendix 0 of 10 CFR 20 and shall submit within 10 days a report in writing to the Director, Division of Licensing (DL), with a copy to the Regional Office.
(2) The licensee shall report to the. Director, DL, in writing within 30 days, any observed occurrence of substantial variance disclosed by operation of the reactor from performance specifications contained in the Safety Analysis Report or the Technical Specifications.
(3) The licensee report to the Director, DL, in writing within 30 days, any occurrence of significant changes in transient or accident analysis as described in the SAR.
Worcester Tech Specs 12
5.8 Annual Operating Reports A report covering the previous year shall be submitted to the Administrator of the appropriate Regional Office not later than March 31 of each year.
It shall include (1) Operations Summary:
a summary of operating experience having safety sig-nificance occurring during the reporting period, including (a) changes in facility design (b) performance characteristics (e.g., equipment and fuel performance)
(c) changes in operating procedures that relate to the safety of facility operations (d) any abnormal results of surveillance tests and inspections required by these Technical Specifications (e) a brief summary of those changes, tests, and experiments that required authorization from the Commission pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59(a)
(f) changes in the plant operating staff serving in the positions of i
Reactor Facility Director, Health Physicist, or Radiation, Health, and Safety Committee members (2) Power Generation:
the most current summary of thermal output of the facil-4 ity available together with a summary of the total thermal power generated over the life of the reactor (3) Shutdowns:
a listing of unscheduled shutdowns which have occurred during the reporting period, tabulated according to cause, and a brief discus-sion of the actions taken to prevent recurrence (4) Maintenance:
a discussion of corrective maintenance (excluding preventa-tive maintenance) performed during the reporting period on safety related systems and components (5) Changes, Tests, and Experiments:
a brief description and a summary of the safety evaluation for those changes, tests, and experiments that were car-ried out without prior Commission approval, pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.59(a)
(6) Radioactive Effluent Releases:
a statement of the quantities of radio-r active effluents released from the plant 5.9 Fuel Storage Two fuel storage racks are located on opposite sides of the reactor pool.
Each rack shall be designed to contain not more than 18 fuel elements. When the reactor contains a critical mass, all additional fuel elements not in the core shall be locked in place except as authorized by the licensed senior operator in charge.
A fuel element shall not be stored outside of the reactor pool unless it produces radiation dose levels of less than 100 mrems/hr at the storage container surface.
Storage containers of fuel elements shall be locked closed when unattended.
Worcester Tech Specs 13 l
L
- All fuel element transfers to or from the reactor core shall be conducted by a staff of not less than three persons, which shall include a licensed senior operator in charge and a licensed operator.
Staff members will continuously monitor the operations using appropriate radiation monitoring and core nuclear instrumentation.
5.10 Initial Startup of Altered Core Configuration (1) During a critical experiment of a new (not previously used) core config-uration, subcritical multiplication plots shall be obtained from at least two instrumentation channels.
(2) When a change of core configuration involving a single grid position is being made, two control blades shall.be cocked at the half withdrawn posi-tion and the third shall be fully inserted during the fuel transfer.
For a previously untried configuration, the removable plate element shall be used first in the new position with only two plates present.
Thereafter not more than two plates shall be loaded in any step and core excess reactivity measurements shall be made after each step to ensure that the total excess reactivity after fuel insertion will be below the maximum permissible value of 0.5% Ak/k.
(3) When more than one grid position is involved in a loading change, the core shall be unloaded to less than one-half the estimated critical mass and all incore experiments shall be removed.
Multiplication information with all blades fully withdrawn shall be incorporated in a reciprocal multipli-cation curve and a new value of critical mass extrapolated.
The fuel mass in each loading step shall not be more than one-half the difference between loaded and extrapolated critical fuel mass until such difference is less than a single standard element.
Blades shall not be more than 50% with-drawn during the actual loading of fuel into the core.
After the completion of the core loading, tests shall be performed to ascertain that the excess reactivity limits set forth in these specifica-tions are not exceeded.
For a core geometry which hs been previously loaded and for which an excess reactivity mesurement has previously been made, criticality checks shall be made in loading the last 3 elements in lieu of the preceding loading step requirements of this paragraph.
All standard fuel elements shall be unloaded before a control blade may be manually removed.
Procedures for reloading the last half of the core shall prescribe the loading of fuel nearest the grid box center first with fuel loading there-after proceeding outward.
The reactor shall not be brought critical nor shall more than two control blades be fully withdrawn when any vacant grid box position is surrounded by four fuel elements.
The contret blades shall be positioned to intersect the completed core.
Worcester Tech Specs 14