ML20054C726
| ML20054C726 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000047 |
| Issue date: | 06/13/1960 |
| From: | Kirkman R US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17298A033 | List:
|
| References | |
| FOIA-81-311, FOIA-Z81-311 NUDOCS 8204210562 | |
| Download: ML20054C726 (8) | |
Text
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e 4
By
- John R. Sears, New Tort Operations Office i
Title:
CLM WA!ZRILLS Mm"J IIA 7R i
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SMARI I
w terials hsearch Lactor at Vatertcva, :'a.asachusetts, i
N OW,aw a
was visited on Ja 13 thru 1.5,11N50 hy Jean I. Sears, *.sapectica Oivision, TEO.
The purpose of *2e visit was to conduct a ;re-operational inspetion v torials ?aaaamh kac'Ar, a one negawat :ntire:ir4 ;ool of the CrHnaaee a
At the cor:claston of tM,re-crerational isspection, a type reactor.
mcommsendation was ude that a license be issaed for the operation of
- his facility.
The 0eo's reactor contractor, the Curtiss '4right Corporstion, had ss;1oec l
skin divid.g technitas daring the Tre-operational chec.cout. Pa orerati.g license was issued, hcwever, with the unders*29r'i 4 h t no skis divi.g l
weald be employed is the reactor without ;rter writ *.en ;ersission frem the Cosmission. "he 1.dtial start-up of this reactor was vitnessed.
Some faalts in good operating ;recedure were noted. ' heir.g *2e initial inadiy, coanuttoral tools vers employed to place the fuel elesor:ts is The Curti.ssJright representatives have requested the licon.ee, the core.
that is, *.he C)SO ;eople, to obtain an ame:xt:sont to the license so 5%
- 2ey will be allewed to use skin divir4 *.echniques during the initial low ;oser tests of this reacter.
Reviewed byl Robert W. Kim, ?*avetor Inspection Division Period of f.nquiryt J m 11 h M W o
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San m e *s._rectim b CNRO Seeearch Reactor is.s visited en June 13 thr t 16,1940, by John R. Sears, Inspection Division, 3TDO. Maior Radolf Staffa, Chief Health & Safety Branah, 3:alsar Pcwor Oivisico, of the Office of
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the Chief of !agineers, 7. 3. Army, accmaa'ad the inspector. Wa *or Staffa was present daring the inspetion of the ;tyst=al plant en the l
morning of June 13. He was not ; resent daring the instrzmentation j
checs out or similated opration er h subsequent start-up of the i
i mestor.
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Dr. Robert hu of Texas 1 & M was ;msent during *.he ;m-(
l o;eratinnal Lu;ection aaf during the ini+.ial ;hases of '4e start-up l
g of the reactor. Dr. Ooenran is englo/ed as a =casultant to the Ov13.
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Dttring the inspection, the follairing personnel were contactedt
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Owto ? m em.i Jcan O'Connor, Ohief Nuclear Reactor ?acility ltinhard 3. Stanton, Reactor Ecgineer
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Charles E. Niy, RadioLgical Safety Officer Joseph 7ella, Reactor Carata.- Teenteian
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l Robert Mar:h, Reactar Operator Tec:de'an
- hasas Jenkins, Reactor CMrator Technician l
CMiss.:t * +t Te---et-i Vintam dan, Carations Suarvisor Peer Meilsen, ?ro'wt Yanager Houard Aderholt, instr:mest Technician i
N ine;ection included a ;hysical inspection of the ceuplete resetor famility, review of initial start-a; procedures. Wtstrative oontrols, ani normal operating ;recedures. N ins Metion also incladed the vitaessing of the initial loading to criticality of t.his reactor.
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da,m M M e e ti m e 'ame+ce f
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The CMt0 reactor is a one megawatt sir'wi g peel -sactor do.
signed to su;;crt a ;regraa vMeh uses emergent osutron beam for tasis msearch in solid state investigations. *be reactor shield incor; crates an arusals well which surrournis the octagon shaad reactor pool. *here I
is a gate, emaled by an inflatable ganet, between the tool ami the vall.
It is ;roposed to stero discharged f:el elements ani discharged 1.rmdia*.ed ca;eales in thi.s voll. The reactor is housed in a coat = M anet shell.
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A visual ins;eetien of the couplete reac*.or faatlity was mde ani the follonting observattens were noted. The coatainsusnt k ildi g was com;,lete. One airlook was in normal usage, the other airlock had its mer** +=1 interlock bnassed during a repir to the sentals on this interlock.
- 3. The usin reactor coolant eimulatics pump, the beat exchanger, the ten exchange col =nn with its ;n ani ;ost filters were observed.
All piping ami valves en the main coolant system were stated by W. 08 Connor to be of thi tm acustruction. A *;acerlab fission product sonitor had been ins +.alled. This monitor receives a sas;1e of +3e amin osoling strosa, checks it for radioactivity on a contiaaous basis ami then dischargee it back i=to the main ecolant strosa.
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It as noted that the air couvressor for the reactor building did not have carbon rings nor was it labricated with synthetic oil. N wr. O'Ccanor.
advisability of using synthetto oil vs,s ;ointed out to i
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- 3. N reector ha.s taro ;rimumatic rabbit facilities. The operatien of these was dancastrated by Mr. O'Connor. The tubes are under a vacum oonstantly during all ;hases of operstion. Air is sucked into the tuhes and then discharged through a fan to the eshaust dust woric of the main W'MM watilation systest.
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- 6. The reactor control rods were in place a:xi a testir4 prograa i
had been ecur;1sted on their opnti:n. N Lon +2=hars vers in place.
In addition, a fission e%r ami a 3?.3 counter had been installed in f'
a horisontal bona ;crt at a;;/rw*=tely the corr.ar of tM reactor. These da=hars were then comected to scalars located on the ;ile top for the l
initial start-u; of the reactor.
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- 7. Dusay f2el element.s had been insM'=A in the grid plate to check oleanness atri tolera.m:es.
S.
Two harvimg tools wn observed to be in %e pool. A Curtiss-Vright engineer was skin diving 1.n the ;. col to disonarge the taesy fuel elements. Another engineer also attired in skin diving equi;sent vs.s on the ;ile top observirg.
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It as noted that there was evidence of '= ante of water thrs
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the outside of the concrete shield.
Sr. O'Connor said that they had i
el'=in=ted the ;ossibility *. hat the water was 'ma <iy frem the min j
- ool by drui-Mg the aan
- 2lar well ani observing ht h lanes then stopped. It is the o;1cien of the ins;ector that these leaks frem the amadar voll an not serious nor extensive.
'tr. C' Censor stated ht M intensis seeing to it that hiJ genersi contracter re; airs the leaks in the anrm b.
- 13. The liquid vaste diJoo6al facility was inspec*4f. *his includes thne large hold-4; tanks with in*Ar-correcting ;1;teg a:z8
- umps, an. a '.emineraliser vita threr-away ty;e cartridges.
- r. O'Cocutor stated that ;ncedures for disposal of these cartridges and for re;1 ace-meat viu new cartridges have not as yet been worked o*2t.
Se stated i
further tMt *.be samplizg valve sai ce final valve by whi:h liquid mate say be discharged to the Petropolita.n District Oe=M maic.n severage system vill be furnished with loons.
%+2 e -, t The containsmat sMil for tbs Ordnan:o Materials 2eseanh Reactor une stated to have been designed to mintain a leak rate of less than is t
of the shall volume Mr ;ou:31 over ;rsas=n per day. The hasaris summary re; ort specified a==*=r= leak rute of 25 ;er ;euni over pressure per day.
Mr. O'Cosmor stated that in Nrch,1*Ma, the Pittsburgh DoeJoines Steel Costany, the ersetor of the corr.ai:: sect shell coniseted a test to doennstrate that the ooat21-== t shall voeld not exceed the design leak rate. The test esployed a referomoe volume system inside the shall in order to e11='n=to a:ty 'Juperature of humidity effects during the test.
l Pittaturgh Tes Foines isoned a rwrert on tbs containment test to i
CMIO. This report was reviewed by the inspecter. *he report states that the rufs wnee dna system was tested as 3 reig for a priod of 24.
hears to assure that there won no laaks in the reference systen. *be
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'=vi le'1M itself was ut on initial test en Nrch 22, 1960, with the l
imer airlock doon elosed ami the outer airloez doors opened. A seconi test u s ocupleted on Mar.h 23,1960, with the imer airlock doors l
efeend and the outer airlook dwre closed.
Duririg the initial eight boars of each test, the out. side tex;erature r*= min =A fairly eccetant and good agreenset between the unoester diffonnoe ani the eoctainoast shall ;rsaws was obtained. With the p
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imer airlock doors closed, the =av==ter difference in S-hours was e
l' of water Wich is equivaiset to 0.104 ;st in 2bhours, or 0 32%
of the bai' ding vokas ;er ;oumi our possure Mr day.
7 With the outer airlock doors closed, the annometer difference in I
S-bours was 0.38* of water dich is equivalent to a leak of C.2S% of the MWhg volume per pocni over pressun Mr day.
It vue noted ht electrical ;.enetratione through the s; ben are seeamplished sigly by nmi::g tM cables through a section of eenduit, both ends of which are dasoned with oak.us and then this inside spos is i
filled with a se at oceroum*. No attenct has been sade to seal the space betonen corsicatore vicin a cable in a miti-ccMu tor cable.
The leak rate obtained durbs the co=***'==ct shell laak test then ineludes leais which aca e 'hrough the cables at the lar pressurs at which this bu11dir4 vows tested. *here is evidectly a niatinly small seeunt of laaeage thra *.he cables due to the large ;ressun drop.
F1;e lines contmh*ng liquid from the coa *2'--=ct assel ars sealed trap on t2:e outside of h costal=nect nssel. Intake by asans of a 5'.s on the sain %** dhg ventilation systaa are equi;;ed and e - t duct with quics aloebg vaina which han neopress limers for gas tigntnese.
These Tsick alonicq valns are interlocksd with a su;:ly fan and also with a radiation sig al scaing from the s*.act amitor. *he stact mnitor consists of a gaseous detector ami also a ;arti=ulate detector of the movird filter War ty;e.
W. O'Cormor said that tMse detectors are up streaa of the absolate fi1*.or vnich is is the hildi.4 vectilation exhaast duct. Ze also intoais installi:g a GM tube down stroaa of this final aheolute filter, Nst before the exhaast goes 2; the stack. It l
us obsernd that a vini dt.roction 19dienter asi n-caster vore ins +a'ad on the top of *he contai wat shell. Mr. Charles Ady, the I
3emith Phpicist, said that the read-cut f:=ma these instr:sonts has not as yet been Mo<ed ap ht thA*, it vould go to the Heal *.h ?hy71cs Ctflee.
w e w,..s Mr. Charles Jady is the 3salth "hysicist at h eacter. *te Vater.
toen irsenal has a Zealth 'hysicist for the nst of the Arsetal 3;eratisns.
Mr. Dedy is a greduate chemist. Ze was employed three years is an analytical chemistry labora*.or7 ami va.s at Tanderbilt ?ninrsity one year as an AZO Radiolosteal Felloir. Art:ng this tius, he s;est th.ee uneths at Oak Edge is the Esaith ?bystes De;artaant. In addition, he attended for one year most of the oo1.rses is the Cal Ridge fehool of 3enster Technology, ami he as assigned to the 0;erati.acs gn2p for
- r. Ady said ht a Dr. Venks is prosectly fouzsmeeks at the C22.
w giftag weekly lectans to the three men who will be h rsaater oFerators of the CW. These men have toen attendir4 these isetsas noir for the ;ast three ancths. Dady stated that the react.:r will han l
film badge service fna the 1M gton Signal Depot of the 'J. S. Army Signal Corp.
Beta-g=== ami noutan film badges will be used. The beta-gamum badges will be changed enry fccr weeks ami the nostron badges va ry too voeks. Arranntenuants han been made t2st any nadir 4
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over M ur *.ot.al vill be re;crted imunitately Met to C?*.LO arsi also l
to the SarsoomCeneral. Da*; stated that a.vone who would be working at the pacter for aos mocth er m3rs vocid be furnished with a film badge. Is additico, by are setting 63 self-andi=g dosiasters.
ce the basis of the original shield surny. vsen W nactor first goes to power, film tadges will to placed apani the M11 ding. Dady
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said that the only entnxe into the contai:nent shall for rersecnol vill be st the Eealth Physics Office an! ;ast a rooe;t.icnist at i
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the il airlock, to that there should be good control our ;ersor:nel entance to the NNr. He is presently getting tbs data on the gasee-is
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i and particulate monitoring inside *.he coc+m'n-ant building, Ee stated that he interais fWing out exactly what is W delay time of all the i
n diation monitoring. The following 3ealth Physica equi;annt was mated to be on hands Peuble hi-sent 8 GM survey unters. Suelear ~.hicago 3 Fast neutron Hurst detectors. hisar Cor; oration of America 1 Tast aM slow neutron detector holear Chicago i
1 Thermo-asstron detector Ikee l
1 BF-3 counting system scalar, %e asplifier, and detector j
3 June surwy meters, 3 to 5 r/hr 2 Jordan meters 0. 'J,000 r/hr
(*hese last two unters are equipped with 6' extensisas.)
other equipunut inslades a sicale aha-==1 gn== ray s;ectrometer, a l
? icker ty;e voll counter, a 4ca'.ar, and an end-wi:zier Gi cocnter and two IE ;roportioral counters. Lady stated that he has a one M11L 2rie Co 60 soures for a1Ntion ;'xrposes a::1 that he has nece arrs=gemen*.s for borrowing a 4 stiliourte Co-50 sour:e fmm ET for e=1"Tattons.
- hei M. has two 5 eurte N 24 neutron sources. Dady stated that these have been leak tested.
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- he following FTotective equipment was observed to be en ha vit
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gloves, shoe covers, onrshoes, two femme gas msks,1 mask with an oxygen cylizz'er, 3 ; articulate filter mats, 2 complete Mio saits with head ;.ieces,
W. Dady st.ated that all operstars of the reactor of the reactor will be equipped with oovenils azzi yellos radiation area safety shoes.
I Dady stated that 'aral 01711 Cefense re;nsentative and also the l
Tirs Chief ani the Chief of Police of 'a'atertown hats visited the site and han been given a c:eglate tour of the reactor faitlity. 3e also stated that there is a local radio'2gical safety energtocy team cacer the Ch-rdent Varfare Officer of the Venertorn Arsecal Reactor. All af the organ
- ntions have been instr:cted to contact the reactor health
- hysiaist Lamediately in any energency situatien. Arrangementa have lasen ande for *.he disposal of solid waste matertal throtga farine Oisposal of 3oston. Liquid vasta vill be stored in any of three hold-up tanke v tro5elitan Sewerage System a
- zi vill be san;1 d before discharge to the e
far gross beta-gasema and al;ha before discharge.
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7-l The CMt0 had engaged the Yars Cor;cratica as their general contractor.
The Tara Cor;ontion then sub-centrasted the reactor part of *.he contract to the Curtiss Mright Cor;cration. The Maio design of the reactor had been a joent venture of the 3erziiz Cerrontion an1 the CN people at Watertown. Cartiss Wright then manufactured the control rod drives which had been desig: zed by 3ezziix. The instrrentation vae designed by 3ersiix ami CEO and was f2ruished for the est ; art by Imeds and Northrop.
le part of the reactor ccatract, it Le the responsibility de the Curties Wright Cor;eratial to start-ap the reactor, and to perform a series of low ;cwor tests *.o obtain the various co-efficiente of the i
reacter. It will also evaluate the worth of various ex;erimactal arrangemects ani of the beam tubes in either ficoded or :mo-flooded con-dition. The Cd W.right start-up tema consisted of "eer G. Neilsen, Projoet knager, W, V91'9a= Eall, Start-up Surentror, ami Howard Aderholt, Instrument Teehnician.
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l Mr. Reilmen is the project marager for Curtise Vright of +2e Watertown Arsenal reactor. b has worred for Curtissuright from 1956 to the present time, specialising in heat transfer aM thenno dynamic ard fluid dynamic aralysis and design of nuclear systems.
From 1956 thru 1953, he verved for the "artin Con;a,7 in its nuclear I
puser diviston as a s etse analysis er4tneer and for ACT Industries.
Inc., h DCD Naclear Products Civision, as a process engineer. "r.
Heilsen is licensed to oWrate the CartissJrict pool :sactor at cnakanna, Penneylvania.
Mr. Willina Fall had been *.he Operations Suprvisor at the Cartiss.
Wright reactor at behanna, Pennsylvania from last fall to the prosest time.
t W. Aderholt had been an instrument technician on *.he CartissJright reactor.
Both W. Zall and Sr. Ader:: alt are licensed to operate h Certi.ss.
j Wright 0:sebanra reactor. "he CJrtissJright "tvision at hahar.ra is mow defunct aM the CartissJright team at the Vatertown Ar=eral reactor reports to an electronics diviston of Cart 1Js.4right at Princeton, 3ew Jersey.
The licensee for this reactor will be the Crirance Yaterials heearch l
Office at the Watertown Arseral, Vatertown, "amssachusetts, and the arson responsible for the actual oNration of the reactor will to "r. John C' Connor. Mr. C'Connor's background includes a " aster of Science hgree in Physics at Boston College and Graduation from ce Cak Rtdge Sencol of haetor Technology in 1953 3ince 1953, he has worked at various fational
!aboratories as a rmet scientist is the field of reactor physics. k has also been a passt ;hysicist at *As Msachusetta hstitute of Technology.
I Mr. Richard Stanton, vto will be 6 reactor er41neer for CSC, hold.s
.a degree in Engineertr4 freu 3tevens la 17523 he va.s :hief electrician's unte in the 7. 3. Tavy, and holds a ist Ir4tneer's heratir4 'icense in
- he Merchant "arine. L has held engineering positions with Ceebastion Engineeri.r4 and with Stone aM Vebster. L has also earned the degree of Master of ?hysics frea Zoeten College, h had been associated with the Cleo reactor since July,1959.
The CurtissJright team had coupleted a series of start.ap tests, which they reprted in start.ap test re; ort fl. *ests have teen made to chees sticxtr4 or delay due to friction of regslatir4 and control red movements. *hese rods have been withdrawn and inserted into *As reactor.
both with and without coolant flow, a minisua of 100 consecutive tices l
without failare or any LMicatien of mal functionir4 M addition, drop time of the three safety rods had heen determired. "be drop time in all cases was stated to be less than.6 seconds. In addition. *.he fission ahe=Nr was withdrawn and 1.nserted into *2e reactor a miMm= of 13 times to demonstrste propr operation both with sad without full coolant flow of ?)0 gallone/ainute. The level safety amplifiers aM *.be log.in channel were both cheezed by artificial sicals.
When the ine;ector first arrived, the reactor vss loaded with dumey fuel elements. The Cortiss a right team demonstrated the d.atly check out procedure of the instrumentation and also deemstrated the actual operation of the coctrol rods aM a ser-tv of *.hese rods. h ;Te;srutica for the samlear start.ep, the team then discharad the dueety fuel elements from the tsactor. This we.s done by a uma door.ir4 skin diving equipent aM manually rescring the dusuy fuel elenante from the grid plate.
"r. C' Commer said that skin diving had been used by the CartissJright team for h last month of check oct and test of the rod drives. O'Cor
- also said that it was the intaction of the Curtiss.Vright taan to lw the reactor with the hel elements by the same technique. The ins;ector then stated that if such a method were to be ear;.loyed, arztssion must first be obtal:ed
- rem the F.asardo Ivaluation 3*srch of the Division cf licenstr4 and Regulation. A tele @oas call was then placed to "r. Ed Case and also 6-1E
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4 to Clifford Beck of the F.anaris Ivaluation Branch. Mr. Neilsen eroke at some lenge with Clifferd Seck armi reported that 3eck ac,ed that the four ;artial fuel elements which an in the control rod positione could be loaded into *.he reactor by skin divir4 equipment. This decision was reached at the erzi of the first workir4 day of the inspectica, and it was reported that Mr. Beck would give a decision ontether or not to allow skin diving for the rest of the loading armi the low prwor *.ests on the following day. Mr. O'Connor Dr. Cochran, and the inspector vers of the opinion that the skin diving technipe was not the best anthod to empley to load this reactor and conti==ed the discusion with the Cartiss Wright team for some time. Er *.he morr.ing cf the second day, it was acted that no suis diving would be used during the initial start-up. A call was then p'. aced by the i.s;Tctor to the Division of Licenstr4 and Regulation to recosmsend the issuance of as o;= rating licocse for 21s facility. 6 issusace of the license was confl.M over the telephone with the understandi,.g that there would be no skis divi:4 without prior written ;ersission of the Ocaelssion.
l Since W operating license incor;erates W possession a:ti 2se of eaw the special nuclear zater:41, *.be fuel e'aiennte ould not be at the facility befen *.he license was isseed. Won the first at*.espt was sede to load a del element into *.be reacter by means of the een-ventioml long und1Mg tool, it was 11scovend that tbe hel element did bind in the hole in the grid ;1 ate. A decision was made to lower the water is the ;oci so that the clearance of the hel element nose piece is the grid plate could be =vn=N at close hand. The gate was installed la the acaular voll around the pool and the ;ool itself was l
drained down to the top of the hel elements. A souber cf the Curtiss.
Wright tema *.bes evn =* 9=A the clearance of the het element is the grid plate by being lowered into W ;ool aria en a 3csun's chair slang from the on rnead crane. It was then decided that all fuel elements should have the nose )isces turned down by appr:rizately.010* on *2e diaaster, The Curtiss Wright team asked for ;ermission to load the four partial j
eentrol red elements and the first eight elements =-ah while the
- ool lowl us down. The ressen for this as because cf the difficulty in ime+21M-e these elsanata by the long handlir4 tool frem the reactor tap. Mr. O'Connor, Dr. Cochras, and the ins;octor agreed that *.his would be a safe ;rocedun to lead this first Sadi.g by a uma tei=g louvred on the 3osun's chair. The pool was then refilled with domineralised water and the rest of the loadi
- g *.o critacality was sade in the conw ntiona*
umaner by loading one hel eleneet at a time by means of a locg handling tool. Count rates were taken betna:L eleneet ' asings and the i;: verse saltiplication ;1stted against ce number of hel elemente.
A nesber of faalte is good o;erating ;Tecedure by the Oartiss Wright team were noted during the a;proach to criticality 1.
The plot of inverse acltiplication versus the rr.usber of the hel elements predicted that the critical unas weald to ap;ren*==tely 23 hel element.a. ifter the addition of the 2tth hel element, a scalar l
attached to a 37-) cocnter is the horisontal beam tube oeunenced to anlfunction. The Curtis. dright team did not deem this particular sal-i function to be worthy of re; air is s;ite of the fact that this cha=nel had been giving very gooi and reliable infomation during the a;; roach.
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It was not until they wem rs= wad by the ine;ector that the l
Curtiss Wright team agreed te take non than oce coct after nach elemoct was added.
- 3. Counts verv taken with the rods fully withdrurn and also with the
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rode halfway in. Eceover, at no time was a-cos=t taken with the rods fally in, se that a preli=* M evaluation could be got*.en of the worth of the rods before criticality was actually reached.
4 As the 29th fuel element was aMad to the reactor, it bem-evident from the awn =* nation of the a;proach eurne that a re-ar magesset 7-i l
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.m of sous of the fuel elements and the source might bring about a critical configuration. h decision was made to move the source. In order to do this, the Curtiss Wright team did not think it necessary +4 remove
~ more than 1 fuel element when the source was moved. It was only after a length discussion by Mr. O'Connor and the inspector that the Curtiss-Wright team agreed to remove a total of 4 fuel elements in order to get some new points on a new appmsch graph.
b argument of the Curtiss Wright team was that the amr4W7 channels of information were simply indications during h a p roach 1
ami that h final proof of criticality would be gotten from the sir 4 e log count rate recorder on the control beard.
N reactor f%My went critical with the new config.tration.
In view of the evident lack of 'amwledge on the part of the Curtiss-Wright team on good reactor operating procedure, the inspector recomended to Col. Dunn, the Executivs Officer of the Watertown Arsenal after the zwactor, after the inspection, that no mactor operation should be permitted unless Mr. O'Connor is in attendance and that if, at any time, there is a differsnee of opinion, Mr. O'Connor x.st have the final word.
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N inspector also made a number of suggestions to Mr. O'Connor.
[ OMt0 should muina very closely the drawings of the control
~ rod drive for any unusual ; arts which ::sy be incorporated therein.
Since this drin is of Curtiss Wright-ami'acture and Bendix design, s;are par *a may be hard to come by in the futun, azzi any replacement parta shouhi be ordered now.
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b Nuclear instrasentation, with the exception of the temporary scaler, seemed to operate reasonably well during the initi:1 start-up.
Howenr, it vaa ebserved that there was roca for much improvement in the laput of wiring in the back of the control board as far as shielding of cables fmm ion chambers is concerned.
3 It was finally rsecumended to Mr. O'Connor that be insist upon having an ur-to-date viring diagram of a37 and all of the latest changes befors the Curtiss Wright team is allcwed to declare their contract fulfilled.
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70-253 /
JAll i 8 O Depart:nent of the Arny Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center ATTM:
Dr. E. S. Wright Director Watertown, Massachusetts 02172 Gentlemen:
Suoject:
Inspection 78-02 This refers to your letter dated December 20, 1978, in response to our letter dated November 24, 1978.
Thank you for informing us of the corrective and preventive actions documented in your letter.
These actions will be examined during a subsequent inspection of your licensed program.
Your cooperation with us is appreciated.
Sincerely,
$1CcEw a
Robert 0.M cClintock, Chief l
Materials Radiolofjical Protection
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IE Mail & Files (For Appropriate Distribution) i Central Files t
Public Cocu=ent Room (PCR) l Nuclear Safety Infonnation Center (NSIC)
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REG:I Reading Room Cormonwealth of Massachusetts (2)
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DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY ARMY MATERIALS ANo MECHANICS RESEARCH CENTER
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SUBJECT:
NRC Inspection 78-02 Mr. Robert O. McClintock, Chief, Materials Radiological Protection Section U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region I 63 Park Avenue
. King of Prussia, PA 19406
Dear Mr. McClintock:
The following infor=ation is furnished in response to your letter dated 24 November 1978, Docket Nos. 40-2253 and 70-263:
1.
Operations involving depleted uranium which require exhaust stack air sa=pling to ensure ec=pliance with 10 CFR 20.106 are:
a.
Uranium Incinerator, 31dg. 43 b.
Uranium Melt Facility, 31dg. 43 c.
Uranium Machine Shop, 31dg. 312 2.
The following action has been or will be taken to correct the infraction:
l a.
Corrective steps which have been taken and the results achieved:
j (1)
All monitoring of the uranium incineration process was in compliance with 10 CFR 20.106 at the cine of inspection.
Isokinetic stack air samples are taken at least monthly during those conths when uranium machine turnings are incinerated.
(2)
Isokinetic stack air sa=pling of the uranium machine shop effluent will be increased to at least southly.
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SUBJECT:
NRC Inspection 78-02 (3)
Isokinetic stack air sampling is conducted in accordance with the procedures specified in Supplement I (Item 9), para 3.c(3)(c)
, and 3.c(3)(d) of the Army Materials and Mechanics Research center Application for Renewal of Source Material License SU3-238, dated 11 May 1973.
b..
Corrective steps which will be taken to avoid further items of non-comp 1l.ance:
(1)
Action is currently being taken to = edify the exhaust stack to the uranium nelt facility to facilitate isokinetic stack air sampling. As our uranium nelt program is sporadic, stack air sampling will be conducted at least =enthly during crucible cleaning operations where uranium particulate release is greatest.
(2)
Additional isokinetic sa=pling probes are in process of fabrication to facilitate air sampling.
(3)
The feasibility of using continuous stack air =enitors will also be investigated.
c.
Date when full compliance vill be achieved.
Full compliance with 10 CFR 20.106 will be achieved by 23 February 1979.
Sincerely, 9
E. S. WRIGHT Director l
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UNITED STATES f
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J Docket Nos. 40-2253 Nay 2 41373
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70-263 Department of the Army Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center ATTN:
Dr. E. 5. Wright Director Watertown, Massachusetts 02172 Gentlemen:
Subject:
Inspection 78-02 This refers to the inspection conducted by Mr. P. Jerman of this office on November 9,1978, of activities authorized by NRC License Nos. SUS-238 and SNM-242 and to the discussions of our findings held by Mr.
Jerman with yourself and other members of your staff at the conclusion of the inspection.
The inspection was an examination of activities conducted under your licenses as they relate to radiation safety and to compliance with the Commission's rules and regulations and the conditions of ycur licenses.
The inspection consisted of selective examinaticns of precedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, measurements made by the inspector, and cbservations by the inspector.
In addition, cur inspector teck wipe samples of flocrs in your uranium facility. These samples were analy::ed ir our Regicnal Office Laboratory.
The basic purpose of these independent measurements was to verify your l
capability for identifying and evaluating radicactive centaminants in your facility. The results of our analysis indicate ecmcliance with your license conditions and were in agreement with your analysis.
Based on the results of this inspection, it appears that one of your activities was not conducted in full compliance with NRC requirements, as set forth in the Notice of Violation, enclosed herewith as Appendix A.
This item of nonccmpliance has been categori:ed into the levels as described in cur correspondence to you dated December 31, 1974. This notice is sent to you pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.201 of the l
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Department of the Army 2
NIi 2 41171 NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2, Title 10, Ccde of Federal Regulations.
Section 2.201 requires you to submit to this office, within twent; '20) days of your receipt of this notice, a written statement or explanation in reply including:
(1) corrective steps which have been taken by you and the results achieved; (2) corrective steps which will be taken to avoid further items of nonccmpliance; and (3) the date when full compliance will be achieved.
In accordance with Section 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," Part 2 Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, a ecpy of this letter and your reply will be placed in the Public Document Roem.
Should you have any questions concerning this inscection, we will be pleased to discuss them with you.
Sincerely, Robert O. McClintock, Chief
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Materials Radiological Protection Section Snclosure: Appendix A, Notice of Violation bec 'ci/enci:
IE Mail a Files (Fcr A: recriate Distributics)
Central Files Public Document Roca (POR)
Muclear Safaty Infcrmatien Center (!! SIC)
RS'i:I Readinc Rcen Cc:=cnuealth of !'assachusetts (2)
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APPENDIX A
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NOTICE OF VIOLATION Department of the Army Docket No. 40-2253 Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center Watertcwn, Massachusetts 02172 License No. SUB-238 Based on the results of an NRC inscection conducted on November 9,1978, it appears that one of your activities was not conducted in fu'il ccmpliance with NRC regulations as indicated belcw:
10 CFR 20.201(S) requires you to make such surveys as may be necessary for you to ccmply with all sections of Part 20.
Contrary to thi.s requirement, as of November 9,1978, you failed to make such surveys as were necessary to assure ccmpliance with 10 CFR 20.106, " Concentrations in effluents to unrestricted areas," a regulation that limits the average yearly concentration of uranium-238 in air discharged to unrestricted areas. We note that you did make surveys which-were intended to meet this recuirement, but the frequency of these surveys wa: insufficient to assure ccmpliance during all operations.
l This is an infraction.
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