ML20066C137
| ML20066C137 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Issue date: | 10/13/1982 |
| From: | Alger D, Olson O MISSOURI, UNIV. OF, COLUMBIA, MO |
| To: | John Miller NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20066C109 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8211090359 | |
| Download: ML20066C137 (5) | |
Text
Research Reactor Facility UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI Research Park Columbia, Missouri 65211 October 13, 1982 Telephone (314) ss2 42t t Region III, Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 Attention:
J.
R.
Miller, Chief Technical Inspection Branch Docket No. 50-186 University of Missouri Gentlemen:
Referring to your letter of September 15, 1982 reporting the results of an inspection by !!essrs.
P.
C.
Lovendale and W.
B.
Grant, the following response is submitted for each of the items in Appendix Notice of Violation.
Response to Notice of Violation Item 1.
10CPR20.201(b) requires that surveys be made as nec-essary to comply with 10CFR20, including 10CFR20.101 which specifies radiation dose limits for individ-uals.
" Contrary to the above, surveys were not made in the area accessible to personnel around beam port E. "
Response to Item 1.
Routine surveys are made in the area accessible to person-nel at beam port E.
The routine survey has not included mea-suring radiation in the cross section of the beams due to lack of confidence in the methods available for neutron measure-ments.
On October 23, 1980, measurements were made in beams at beam ports A and E.
Evaluation of that data for beam port E gave an exposure rate in the beam of 21.8 Rem /hr.
Radiation components of the beam were 0.43 Rem /hr fast neutrons, 3 Rem /hr gamma and 18.34 Rem /hr thermal neutrons.
Because measurement of the thermal neutron component was difficult, we utilized a conservatively high value of 5 x 106 n em-2 sec-1 supplied by k,1lllf the experimenter based on measurements with his equipment.
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t Region III, Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission October 13, 1982 Page two We recognize that the evaluation was not adequately com-municated to personnel at MURR.
It was reviewed with Reactor Health Physics and beam port personnel August 18, 1982 and will be communicated by posting at beam ports and by training meetings for appropriate personnel.
It was decided to develop a much better capability to perform beam measurements by use of a neutron spectrometer.
A Ludlum model 42-5 neutron spectrometer was purchased.
During the September, 1981 through May, 1982 school term, MURR supported a graduate student for a research project to develop an acceptable method of using the neutron spectrome-ter to evaluate neutron spectra in narrow beams.
May 1982, James Dwight Sohl, Jr. published his thesis Experimental Benchmarking of[ the Bonner Sphere Spectrometer Using Filtered Neutron Beams.
Several months were needed for Mr. Sohl to transfer his knowledge to MURR Health Physics Technician, Steve Growcock, who has been performing trial measurements since May, 1982.
He successfully completed those trial measurements in August, 1982.
Based on new methods of measurement, an evaluation of the radiation exposure rates for beam port E beams are:
Beam
.12 2XE 0.730 10.28
.10
- Refer to attached drawing.
The radiation surveillance program for open beams at beam ports now includes measurement and evaluation of expo-sure rates in beam cross sections when an experiment change will af fect the radiation levels in the beam.
Posting will be maintained at beam ports with open beams to caution ex-perimenters and to meet requirements by 10CFR20.203.
A physical barrier will be maintained at beams accessi-ble to personnel designed to show the location of the beam line and to alert a person moving into a beam.
Temporary barriers have been installed pending completion of hardware for permanent barriers.
Region III, Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission October 13, 1982 Page three Item 2.
10 CFR 20.203 states, in par t, that each radiation area shall be conspicuously posted with a sign or signs bearing the radiation caution symbol and the words:
Caution, Radiation Area, and that each area in which licensed materials are stored shall be con-spicuously posted with a sign or signs bearing the radiation caution symbol and the words:
- Caution, Radioactive Material (s).
Contrary to the above, surveys made by the inspectors and confirmed by the licensee of the Sinclair Farm storage area identified accessible radiation levels of 15 mR/hr.
This area was not posted as a radiation area nor was the area posted as a radioactive materi-als storage area.
Response to Item 2.
The tank referred to in the inspection report was not properly posted at the time of inspection.
It had been labeled with adhesive backed signs that were no longer on the tank.
The immediate remedy was to enclose the tank with a rope bar-rier and post signs to comply with 10CFR20.203.
We are determining the cost of replacing the existing fence with an acceptable security fence to enclose the Sinclair Radwaste Disposal site.
As reported below under item 3, a de-cision about disposition of radioactive materials at the site will be made by December 31, 1982.
Item 3.
NRC License No. R-103 authorizes operation of the reactor, including possession of byproduct material produced by operation of the reactor, as described in the application, which includes the Hazards Summary report.
10 CFR 50.59(b) requires a written safety evaluation which provides the basis for the determi-nation that a change in the facility as described in the safety analysis report does not involve an unre-viewed safety question.
Contrary to the above, radioactive waste is routinely stored at a location (Sinclair Farm) several miles f rom the reactor site.
Such storage is not described
Region III, Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission October 13, 1982 Page four in the Hazards Summary Report nor has the licensee conducted a safety evaluation of such storage in accordance with 10 CPR 50.59.
Response to Item 3.
We are evaluating alternative radioactive waste disposal procedures for the Research Reactor and all other University of I41ssouri radwaste gener'. tors.
By December 31, 1982, a request will be submitted to amend one of the University of liissouri licenses to permit waste generated by operation under license R-103 to be stored and processed at the Sinclair Radwaste Disposal site or we will remove waste generated under R-103 from the site.
It is our understanding that the present arrangement is temporarily acceptable pending resolution of the alternatives discussed in the preceding paragraph.
Sincerely yours, N
Orval L.
Olson, fianager Reactor IIealth Physics i
Don I4. Alger Associate Director OLO/mbs Attachment (1)
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