ML20135J128
| ML20135J128 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000492 |
| Issue date: | 05/21/1980 |
| From: | Newman J, Slater H VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE, LEXINGTON, VA |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20135J117 | List: |
| References | |
| 16439, NUDOCS 8509250294 | |
| Download: ML20135J128 (7) | |
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') O - f 'Z,,r VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE g[
/,j LEXtNGTON. VIRGINIA 24450 21 May 1980 Y
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission j
Material Licensing Branch 3
=f 15 Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety M
Washington, D. C.
20555
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ThisletterconstitutesarequestforrenewalofEL'igens(No.
Pursuant to that request the following infoWhetion Ts supplied:
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1.
Name of Applicant:
Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Virginia 24450 2.
Purpose of License.
The renewal of License No. SNM-443 will enable the Physics Depart-ment of the Virginia Military Institute to continue to operate a nuclear physics laboratory in which Plutonium-Beryllium neutron sources are used for. instruction in nuclear reactor physics in an existing sub-critical assembly.
These sources are also used in the nuclear physics laboratory to activate silver, indium, and other elements for counting experiments and for instruction in gamma ray spectroscopy using a scintillation detector and multi-channel analyzer.
In addition to plutonium encapsulated as Pu-Be neutron sources the license is required for continued possession of 0.001 grams of U-235 contained in a neutron detector manufactured by Reuter-Stokes Company containing U-235.
This detector has been used in the sub-critical assembly in-the applicant's nuclear physics laboratory for instructional purposes.
It is proposed to continue to use it for such purposes.
3.
Specification of Special Nuclear Material:
Renewal of License No. SNM 443 is requested to enable us to continue to possess five Pu-Be neutron sources each containing approximately 16 grams of plutonium and to continue to possess a neutron detector containing 0.001 grams of U-235 so that the maximum amounts of special nuclear materials permitted to be in our possession are:
(a) 80 grams of plutonium encapsulated as Pu-Be neutron sources, and' (b) 0.001 grams of U-235 completely contained in a neutron fission detector.
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Use of Materials The materials specified in License SNM-443 are in sealed sources.
The platonium is the form of five Pu-Be sources manufactured by Monsanto Research Corporation's Mound Laboratory of Miamisburg, Ohio.
These sources are identified by Mound Laboratory number M-1077, M-1078, M1079, M-1080, and M-1081.
The U-235, in the amount of 0.001 grams is contained in a neutron
" fission counter" manufactu' red by Reuter-Stokes Company, Model RSN-37-SM-1.
The materials are used in the applicant's Nuclear Physics Laboratory.
5.
Technical Qualifications of Personnel:
The following persons use or directly supervise the use of the licensed special nuclear material:
Dr. James B. Newman, Professor of Physics Dr. Richard B. Minnix, Professor of Physics Dr. William C. Sauder, Professor of Physics Their qualifications are listed as follows:
J.B. Newman (JBN);
R.B. Minnix (RBM);
W. C. Sauder (WCS)
(a) Principles and practices of Radiation protection (1) (JBN) Rensselaer Poly. Inst; AEC-ASEE Summer Institute N.C. State Univ. and Univ. of Fla. On'the Job 25 years Formal courses in nuclear instrumentation (2) (RBM) Virginia Military Institute On tne Job training 19 years teaching Modern Physics
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(3) (WCS) National Bureau of Standards On the Job 13 years (b) Radioactivity measurement stardardization and monitoring techniques and instruments.
(1) (JBN) Rensselaer Poly. Inst., N.C.
State, Univ. of Florida Formal courses.
30 years teaching nuclear physics laboratory.
(2) (RBM) Va. Mil. Institute 19 years teaching modern physics laboratory at Va. Mil. Inst.
(3) (WCS) 13 years on the job training at Nat. Bureau of Standards (c) Mathematics and calculations basic to the use and measurement of radioactivity.
(1) (JBN) B.S. Electrical Engineering, VMI, Ph.D. Cornell University (Physics) Formal courses 8 years (2) (RBM) B.S. Physics, Roanoke College, Ph.D. Univ. North Carolina (Physics) Formal Courses 8 years (3) (WCS) B.S. Physics, VMI, Ph.D. Johns Hopkins Univ. Formal courses 8 years
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d (d) Biological effects of radiation (1) (JBN) Cornell Univ.; Rensselaer Poly. Inst; N.C. State Univ. and Oak Ridge Nat. Lab; Univ. of Fla.
Formal course work.
(2) (RBM) VMI taught the subject 10 years as area of modern physics course at VMI.
(3) (WCS) VMI taught as part of course in modern physics.
EXPERIENCE WITH RADIATION Individuals Isotope Maximum Amount Where Experience Duration of Type of Use Named in Was Gained Experience Paragraph 5
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JBN 252 Cf 2.6 millicuries Va. Mil. Inst.
2 years Undergraduate PuBe (neutron) 1 curie Va. Mil. Inst.
15 years Laboratory RBM Ba 133 200 millicuries Va Mil. Inst.
15 years Research 198 Au National Research up to 10 WCS 64 Cu Bureau of 13 years Gamma kilocuries et al.
Standards Spectroscopy 6.
Equipment, Facilities, and Instrumentation:
(a) One remote handling device, length 4 feet, in the form of hand operated tongs is available.
The Pu-Be sources are stored ei.ther in a neutron howitzer weighing approximately 650 pounds with locked ports (manufactured by U.S. Nuclear Corporation of Burbank California) or in locked storage facilities consisting of Iron pipes two feet long sunk through the concrete floor slab into tho ground.
These latter source storage facilities are located in a sub-terranean room'that is always kept locked and inaccessible to unauthorized persons.
The. Nuclear Physics Laboratory is locked when not in use.
(b) Air sampling and protective clothing is not required since al.1 the sources are sealed.
Leak tests are performed as described later in this license renewal request.
(c) The Pu-Be Sources are quickly removed from their storage facility to the water in the sub-critical assembly or to a hole in a paraffin cylinder (one foot in diameter)~ when they are used as part of an instructional experiment.
The Pu-Be sources are occasionally used in studies of neutron diffusion in graphite, Such studies employ a graphite pile (1.82 meters x l',82 meters x 2.1 meters).
Care is taken to see that students do not remain in the vicinity of the graphite pile longer than necessa.ry to observe the placement of the Pu-Be source by the instructor, i
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(d) There follows a summary of survey, monitoring, and measuring equipment used:
RADIATION DETECTION INSTRUMENTS Type of Instruments Number Radiation Sensitivity Window Use Available Detected Range Thickness mrlhr malcm2 0-25 1.
" Cutie Pie" Survey 1
y,8 0-250 Survey Nuclear Chicago #2586 0-2500 2.
Scintillation Detector 1
a Measureme't Nuclear Chicago DS-5 (leak tests) 3.
Scintillation Detectors 2 y
Measurement with MCA or SCA 4.
End Window GM Tubes 7
a,6,y 1.4 Measurement 5.
Flow Counter 1
a,6 none Measurement 6.
Liquid Scintillation 1
8 Assay 3 and g
Detector Nuclear 14C Chicago 7.
BF Neutron Detectors 3
n Probe in Sub-3 O
critical assembly 8.
Fast Neutron Detector (lithium 6 iodide scin. detector)-
1 1
58 CPM Ludlum Measurements,Inc.
0"
=1 mrem /hr Survey Mod.3 with 42-4 Detector 9.
Dosimeter Mod. 'L49
~10 y
Exposure Meas.
Lansverk
- 10. Dosimeter Mod. L50 10 y,n Exposure Meas.
Lansverk
- 11. Dosimeter 20 y
Exposure Meas.
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CALIBRATION OF RADIATION DETECTION INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION 1.
Nuclear Chicago This instrument is calibrated annually by the Survey Meter #2586 Radiation Safety Office of the University of (Cutie Pie)
Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Its ca: ibration is verified at each use by employing CC standard source provided by the manufacturer.
a 2.
Scintillation Detector Nuclear This detector is used only to detect alpha Chicago DS-5 particles in making leak test measurements. A standard RaDEF sealed alpha emitting source manufactured by U.S. Nuclear Corporation is used to determined the sensitivity of the detector _ to alpha radiation.
3.
Scintillation detectors with Not calibrated - used for qualitative spectral MCA or SCA measurements'only.
4.
End Window GM tubes Not calibrated - not used for absolute counting.
5.
Flow Counter Not calibrated. Used for an undergraduate experiment on the operation of flow counters.
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6.
Liquid Scintillation Detector Used with standard se'aled C and H source Nuclear Chicago sets for calibration in an undergraduate experiment on the liquid scintillation method.
7.
BF neutron detectors Not calibrated.
Used for qualitative 3
measurements.
8.
Fast neutron detector This survey meter was calibrated by the manu-(lithium 6 iodide scini-
-facturer.
Its calibration is checked when detector) Ludlum Measurements, it is used for suryey_ by employing a 1 curie Inc. Model 3 with 42-4 detector Pu-Be neutron source.
9.
Dosimeter Model L49 The calibration of these dosimeters will (Landsverk) be checked in September and in February of each year by using a 137 s standard C
- 10. Dosimeter Model L50 (Landsverk) source with the dosimeters placed at a The 137 s source measured distance away.
C 11.
Dosimeter Model 540R (Victoreen) used is a New England Nuclear source Model NER 401-H calibrated by comparison with NBS Cesium-137 Dose Rate Source Stan~dard t#47455.
7.
Radiation Protection Program Standard Operating Procedure (1) Students who will use the undergraduate nuclear physics laboratory will be given an orientation lecture on health physics, including definitions in CRF Title 10, Sections 20.4 and 20.5, the use of dosimeters, and procedures to be followed in the laboratory.
The lecture will be given by one of the individuals listed in paragraph 5 of this application.
(2) Students will not be permitted to handle or move plutonium-beryllium neutron sources, the californium 252 source, or any part of the neutron generator that might have become contaminated with tritium.
(3) Students and instructing personnel are required to wear pocket dosimeters in the laboratory and to record, on forms provided, the dosimeter readings on entering the laboratory and on leaving it.
(4) The calibration of dosimeters will be checked in September and in February of each year by placing them at a measured distance from a standard Cs 137 source (1 millicurie).
(5) Smoking or eating in the Nuclear Physics Laboratory will not be permitted.
(6) Radiation surveys will be made whenever there is reason to believe that any change may have occurred in the existing radiation level.
(7) The Nuclear Physics Laboratory will be posted with signs in accord with 10 CFR Section 20.203, particularly Section 20.203e(2).
(8) It is the responsibility of the Radiation Protection Officer that the procedures described above are followed.
(9) The Radiation Protection Officer is Dr. James B. Newman, Professor of Physics.
8.
Radioactive Wastes No radioactive wastes will be produced by the use of the material permitted under License SNM 443.
9.
Leak Tests Leak tests will be made on the Pu-Be neutron sources at intervals not to exceed six months to ensure that alpha contamination on the exterior of the sources does not exceed 0.005 microcurie.
The tests will be made by wiping the source with a small piece of damp absorbent
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cotton or paper tissue and then using an alpha scintillation de-tector, manufactured by Nuclear-Chicago Corporation Model DS-5, to determine alpha activity.
The Radiation Protection Officer will make these tests.
During the' tests, the person performing the tests will not remain close to
,the source being tested longer than the time required to wipe the
's o u rc e.
,.This letter, applying for renewal of license SNM-443, has been prepared by Dr. James B. Newman, Professor of Physics.
The application has the approval of General Richard Irby, Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute.
Sincerely,
'M h
ames B. Newman l
rofessor of Physics Approved:
ThC _
m Hic.urd L.
- Cy, buper saw ci.L By: Hatt Stater, Business Executive 4
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