ML20137F312
| ML20137F312 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000131 |
| Issue date: | 03/20/1997 |
| From: | Phillips J VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPT. OF (FORMERLY VETERANS ADMINIS |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| 636-151, NUDOCS 9704010057 | |
| Download: ML20137F312 (5) | |
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Medical Center 4101 Woolworth Avenue Omaha NE 68105 March 20,1997 in Reply Refer To:
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555 SUBJ: 10 CFR 50.59 Annual Report 1
REF: License R-57 Docket #50-131 l
The following report is submitted for the period January 1,1996 to December 31,1996 '
in accordance with Paragraph 50.59, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations.
i (1) (a) Three new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) were written which contain i directives involving facility surveillance. SOP #17 involves the check of the ventdamper system as specified in Technical Specification (TS) 4.2.4. SOP ,
- 18 provides a procedure for testing the pool level alarm in compliance with TS l 4.2.2(2). SOP #19 provides direction on Time of Flight determinations required in TS 3.3.1. In addition, SOP's #6, #7, and #16 have been modified.
Changes in SOP #6 and #7 are discussed in section 5 of this report. The worksheet attached to SOP #16 was modified to insure that reactor facility users documented their samples under the appropriate approved experiments.
The change, therefore, made the worksheet more clear and concise.
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(b) The quarterly fuel element inspections indicate nothing out of the ordinary. All elements appear to be in good condition. Annual inspection of the facility control rods found the rods to be in good condition. The reactor was power calibrated in accordance with the SOP. Both neutron detectors were within one percent of the thermally calibrated value. They were aojusted to match the calibrated value. The control rods were calibrated using the integral method.
The total excess reactivity was determined to be $0.828 which is in compliance j with TS 3.2(2). The shut down margin was $2.48 meeting the requirement ;
stated in TS 3.2(1). Time of Flight measurements show full rod insertion times !
no greater than 0.7 seconds for any of the three control rods and is less than j the limitation established in TS 3.3.1. j f
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' U.S.' Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 2 March 20,1997 (2) Tabulation showing the energy generated by the reactor:
Month Total KW-Hr January 1294.5 February 823.2 March 527.4 April 136.8 May 336.6 ;
June 573.6 l July 1136.1 ,
August 873.9 l September 1158.3 l October 453.3 l'
November 321.9 December 121.2 Total 1996 7756.8 (3) During 1996 there were 5 unscheduled shutdowns:
- i. The Safety Rod scrammed due to a short in the control rod drive circuit. l Soldered connections were making contact with the cable guide. The !
connections were reinsulated.
ii. The reactor scrammed on % power due to insertion of CTIC IV. The '
oxygenated polystyrene displaced the water in the central thimble increasing the oxygen content in the core and thus creating positive reactivity through increased moderation. The CTIC IV is undergoing testing for its application as an l experiment.
iii. The reactor was accidentally scrammed due to inadvertent pressing of the scram reset button.
iv. The reactor scrammed due to loss in the hospital power supply.
- v. There was a period scram due to accidental introduction of counter high signal via the Burr-Brown. Upon returning the reactor to normal operation, a trip occurred due to the change in signal.
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U.S.' Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 3 1 March 20,1997 l i
(4) The only major safety-related maintenance vias due to a short circuit in the safety l rod drive mechanism. This resulted in a lor s of Safety Rod power. The magnet l wire was too long. The " bunching up" of the coiled wire produced a short. The l wire we.s shortened and the drive was put back into service. During reinstallation ;
the foot position was allowed too much slack. There wasn't sufficient enough !
force to activate the Magnet Down microswitch. In addition, a purple wire that !
went to the Cont Light terminal was discovered to be disconnected. That wire !
was resoldered and the foot was readjusted. The control rod was then thoroughly l checked out and put back into service. When the safety rod's cover was put back i on the diode S3Y2P was inadvertently detached. The diode was reconnected. (
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(5) (a) There were no changes to the faci;ity during 1996 as it is described in the SAR. j (b) There were no changes to procedures as described in the SAR. !
(c) There are four additional experiments that were approved in 1994. These !
experiments were not mentioned in our previous annual reports. They are as j follows: !
94-1 " Mercury in Biological" Semples of blood and urine were activated mainly l in the Lazy Susan for the daterminatic,n of mercury. Activation times in the :
Lazy Susan varied between one day and two weeks (8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> a day).
94-2 " Central Thimble irradiatic,n Chamber" In order to utilize the Central ;
Thimble as an irradiation facility, a device was constructed out of aluminum. l The placement of what is called the Central Thimble irradiation Chamber !
(CTIC) into the central thirable is classified as an " irradiation" as per 3.7 of j the Technical Specifications. The device meets all of the surveillance !
requirements as outlined 11 TS 4.2.5 (2). The air-tight CTIC contains 225ml j of volume for samples anc has a negative reactivity worth of $0.19 when j empty iNhen the CTIC contains samples the negative reactivity worth is !
less due to a decrease in the void coefficient. !
94-3 " Activation of Biological Samples" Blood, tissue, and urine in their natural !
state are to be activated in the reactor's main activation facilities. These are the Central Thimble, Pneumatic Tub, and Lazy Susan.
94-4 " Aqueous Solutions Containing Cl, Na, Aq, Cu, Mg, Ca, Zn, Mo, Ti, I, V, l Se, Cr, Gd, Mn, Co, Ni, & Fe" The before mentioned solutions will be less ;
than one part per thousani Activation times will be limited to one day. The i solutions will be activated in the reactor's main activation facilities. l There are two additional untrie.1 experiments that are still in the process of l testing. These are "CTIC 111" which is a chamber made of polypropylene and !
"CTIC IV" which is made of ox)genated polystyrene. !
U.S.' Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 4 March 20,1997 (6) Due to Mr. Blotcky's retirement in December of 1996, a clarification was made regarding the fuel and control rod inspections. Presently the reactor staff consists of one licensed SRO and one SRO trainee. There are no specific regulations that state that a research reactor facility must have two or more operators. However, during surveillances involving the fuel and control rod inspection, an operator must be at the console and an operator must be at the top of the reactor. Due to the close proximity of the top of the reactor to the console, an operator trainee could perform the duties of a reactor operator under the exemption specified in 10CFR55.13. The SRO, in this case, will situate himself between the console and the reactor tank in order to maximize his supervision.
The Reactor Safeguards Committee determined that the changes made in SOP
- 6 " Fuel Loading, Unloading, Storage and Inspection" and SOP #7 Control Rod Removal And Replacement" do not constitute an unreviewed safety question as specified in 10 CFR50.59.
(7) Summary of radioactive effluents released or discharged beyond the effective control of the license:
(a) Liquid - none (b) Airborne - < 0.3Ci (c) Solid - none (8) During 1996 there were no outside environmental radiological surveys performed.
There have been changes made in staff positions during 1996. Mr. John Claassen has replaced Alan Blotcky as Reactor Manager / Supervisor. Mr. Claassen has been with the VA reactor facility for eight years and has held an SRO license for seven years. Previously, his duties involved medical research, reactor operations, and health physics. Dr. David Shoop was added to the facility staff. His primary responsibilities will include directing new and current research projects utilizing the reactor. Dr. Shoop is also under training as an SRO. The duties of the Radiation Safety Officer have been transferred to Mr. Michael Christensen. As a result, the Reactor Manager is no longer responsible for the Medical Center's Broad Scope Materials license.
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 5 i l
March 20,1997 ,
I The Reactor Facility continues to be utilized for medical research with emphasis on the current health needs of the veteran. The facility also continues to be used by the Fort j Calhoun Nuclear Power Station as a part of their operator training program. ;
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John J. Phillips Director r
cc: Regional Administrator f l
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