ML20150F782
| ML20150F782 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000478 |
| Issue date: | 05/22/1980 |
| From: | Krinsky P, Stwertka A TRANSPORTATION, DEPT. OF, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY, KINGS POINT, NY |
| To: | Jonathan Brown NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| 16062, 16477, NUDOCS 8007090180 | |
| Download: ML20150F782 (9) | |
Text
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Q/b UNITED STATES DEPA 0F C MMERCE l
Maritime Administration United States Merchant Marine Academy l
Kings Point, New York 11024 l
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i May 22, 1980 l
g Mr. Joseph M. Brown, Jr-g i
License Management Branch n
Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety 3
g Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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Washington, D.C. 20555 o
Re: Mail Control 16062.
Dear Sir:
I t
In reply to your letter of April 23, 1980 concerning the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's application, dated April 8, 1980 for renewal of License
?
No. SNM-500, the following information is provided as outlined in Regulatory l
Guide 10.3.
l 1.
Specification of Applicant.
I L
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, N. Y. 11024 F
Academic Dean: Captain Paul L. Krinsky I
Acting Superintendent: Mr. Howard F. Casey
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2.
Activities to be Performed.
1 I
Used as a source for subcritical natural water moderated-natural l
uranium reactor. The sub-critical assembly is a training reactor used for teaching purposes. Also used in neutron howitzer for neutron source.
1j Typical experiments include:
1 h(
a Activation of Ag, Au, and In b
Albedo determination.
e c
Neutron Flux measurements, d) Cross-section measurements.
I-3.
Specification of Special Nuclear Material jgD.'
Plutonium sealed sources. Two each of 2 curie Pu-Be sources and one Q.c,-d..g each of 1 curie Pu-Be source. Each source is encapsulated in stain-
.W g.,
less steel.
QU "0mM RECORD C0W s 08 SQ So70fD/E?o Mi h$
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. oo oo Weight.of total contained plutonium is 80.0 grams. Weight of Pu-239 plus Pu-241 is 80.0 grams.
The source manufacturer is NUMEC, Inc., Apollo, Pa.
The source serial numbers:
Serial No.
Strength 320S32A 2 curies 320S32B 2 curies 160S31 1 curie s
4.
Technical Qualifications of Personnel.
Supervisory Personnel Captain Lawrence A. Ferrari M.E., M.S., Ph.D. (Physics)
Professor of Physics Head, Dept. of Mathematics and Science Research in (a) Plasma Physics (experimental)
(b) Particle Accelerators (experimental and theoretical)
Graduate course work in nuclear physics.
Experience with radiation detectors.
Captain Moses W. Hirschkowitz, B.M.E., M.M.E.
Professor of Engineering N. S. SAVANNAH Training Program Original Crew Lynchburg College; Naval Reactors Idaho Falls G. E. Laboratories, A.E.C. at Hanford Nuclear Power Reactors Semester Course American Society of Electrical Engineers Shipboard Nuclear Training for A.E.C.
N. S. SAVANNAH - First Atlantic Crossing Fast Breeder Reactors Course M.I.T.
Nuclear Power School U. S. Naval Air Station; Corpus Christi, Texas
00 00 Captain Albert Stwertka, A.B., A.M., Ph.D. (Physics)
Professor of Physics Person responsible for safety radiation program.
Courses in Atomic Physics, Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Health Physics given at Columbia University, N. Y.
U., and Adelphi University.
Research in Nuclear and Atomic Structure Brookhaven Laboratory and Columbia University N. S. SAVANNAH Training Program Health Physics Course - E.P.A.
Nuclear Structure Summer Institute:
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Berkeley, University of California Radiation Chemistry Suniner Institute University of California, Irvine, California Radiation Safety Officer 5/6 Description of Equipment, Facilities, and Instrumentation.
The neutron source, when used, is stored in the sub-critical assembly.
This is an aluminum-vessel designed by Nuclear Corporation of America that holds the uranium rods in hexagonal lattice configuration in a light water moderator.
Dimensions - cylindrical, 60" high, 48" diameter.
Minimum shielding of the assembly:
- 1) At the top - At least ten inches of water
- 11) At the bottom - At least four inches of water iii) At the sides - At least six inches of water The gamma flux at the surface of the reactor was detennined, by ex-perimental measurements, to be less than 0.1 mr/hr.
The neutron flux at the lattice boundary is approximately 50 neutrons /
sq. cm-sec., and at the surface of the reactor is essentially zero.
When not in use, the sources are stored in a lockeri source room in the basement of the laboratory.
Radiation detection instruments available consist of:
INSTRUMENT MAKE & MODEL NO.
RANGE 2
Newtron Survey Meter "Nemo" Nuclear Chicago Thermal-0 to 10X"/cm /sec No. 2715 l
l.
Neutron Survey Meter Nuclear Chicago Thennal 15,000 cts / min.
DN 3 Beta-Gama Survey Nuclear Chicago 0 - 2500 mr/hr
" Cutie Pie" No. 2596 O
Beta-Gama Series (End-Window portable series)
No. 2650 0 - 100 mr/hr Beta-Gamma Survey Geiger Nuclear Chicago 0 - 60,000 cts / min l
Counter No. 2612 0 - 20 mr/hr l
l Bendix Dosimeter for gama or thennal neutron 0 - 120 millirem Air Monitoring Staplex High Volume Air Sampler Type TF 1A Alpha Detector Nuclear Chicago 0 - 15,000 cts / min No. AP-4 2
Gama and Beta and Alpha Atomic Accessories (1.4 mg/cm )
G-M detectors-E Tubes aW (organic quench)
Gama-Ray Spectrometer Nuclear Chicago (single channel) For No. 132A Identification of Radio-Isotones
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INSTRUMENT MAKE & MODEL NO.
RANGE Labitron - G-M alarm Nuclear Chicago 20,000 cts / min No. 1619A Beta-Gamma Series AN/PDR-275 0-500 mr/ar Radiac Set G ama Survey Juno 0-5000 mr/hr Model 7 B eta-Gama Series Thyac III 0-200 mr/hr
$l Victoreen e
G ama-Ray Spectrometer Nuclear Data (1024 Channels) with both Series 2200 N I and intrinsic Germanium a
f or Identification of R adioisotopes P ortaisie Neutron Ram Counter.
Eberline Inst. HP-270 Multiple ranges with GEL-CELL Batteries E nergy Compensated Geiger Tube Eberline Inst. HP-270 Multiple ranges Apha-Scintillation Probe Eberline Inst. AC-3-7 Multiple ranges E nd Window Probe (Sursey Meter)
Eberline Inst. HP-190
.5 mr/hr - 50 mr/hr g
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00 Oo -
Our routine area survey program consists of:
a) Leak testing of sealed Pu-Be sources every six months using Model 2112 Portable Count Rate Meter and AP-4 alpha pro-portional detector.
b)
" Wipe" tests every six months of the floor of the laboratory, storage room, area around sub-critical assembly, and bench tops using the alpha proportional detector and NaI scin-tillation detector.
c) Beta-gamma and neutron surveys of the laboratory, subcritical assembly area, and storage rocm are made quarterly using GM detector (Model 2650) and BF neutron detector (Model DN-3) 3 d) Samples of water used as moderator are assayed every six months with a NaI scintillation detector.
Personnel monitoring using film badges is provided as part of a
'tjood health physics" program for anyone working in the sub-critical assembly laboratory or entering the source room. The film badge radiation exposure records are prepared for us by Teledyne Isotopes of Westwood, N.J. and report beta, gamma or x-ray, and neutron ex-posure.
The results of such survevs and film monitoring are logged or re-corded in the Health Physics log book or on separate forms pro-vided for routine surveys. These records are filed in identified file folders in the Health Physics office.
Survey instruments are calibrated semi-anually.
60 Sources used for calibration:I41 Curie Pu-Be; 30 millicuries Co; small microcuries calibrated C and uranium oxide check sources. Our Co-60 sources consist of:
ELEMENT &
CHEMICAL NAME OF MANUFACTURER ACTIVITY MASS NUMBER AND/0R PHYSICAL FORM & MODEL NUMBER MILLICURIES Cobolt-60 Metal Tracer lab Model 10 R31-10 Ser. #697 Cobolt-60 Metal Tracer lab Model 10 R31-10 Ser. #698 Cobolt-60 Metal Tracer lab Model 10 R31-10 Ser. #699 60 When derling with the Pu-Be and Co sources the following safety procedures are practiced:
W18 "DriC A.E0s0 00?Y"
oo Oo a) An. estimate is made, from known source strength, of maximum probable whole body exposure dose which could be received.
b) -Sources are handled by means of 54" inch remote handling source tongs.
c) To minimize handling time practice with dummy sources is initiated before attempting calibration or smears.
d)
Film badges are worn.
Leak Testing of Sealed Sources:
a) A smear of each source to be tested is made, using filter paper moistened with alconox solution.
b)
Filter paper smears are placed-in aluminum planchets and dried under heat lamp.
c) The dry filter paper smears are counted using an alpha proportional counter for one minute.
d) The net activity in microcuries is calculated and recorded for each sample.
Calibration of Neutron Survey Instruments:
a)
Instrument allowed at least one minute to warm up.
b) Suspend Pu-Be source several feet above floor and in an area as free from scatterers as possible.
c) The BF neutron detector is placed at various distances from the neutron source and readings taken on each scale with the switch on " fast". At least three points are taken on each scale (20%,
50%,80%). Distances are measured from the center of the case, d) Readings on the meter.ecked and plotted against values computed from the inverse square law fonnula:
6 4 = 1.70 x 104x(12 x 2.54 x d)2 " 14 for 1 Curie source d
2 where & is the flux in neutrons /cm -sec, sec, and d is the dis-tance from the source in feet.
e) Plot a calibration curve for the meter which will relate the dial readings to computed amounts.
oo Oo Slow Neutron Calibration:
al Moderate the neutrons emitted by the source by placing a paraffin block over it.
b) Set the selector switch on meter to " slow".
c) Read count on meter at the same distances as in " fast" calibration.
d) Find the ratio of the flux measured with foils at three feet to the count read on meter at three feet. Multiply all other readings by yhis ratio. Plot a calibration curve using the converted BF 3 tube readings as'the standard.
e) Check the BF readings against the inverse square law by computing values using the reading at one foot as the standard and taking 1/4, 1/9, 1/16, etc., to obtain other comparison values.
GM Calibration:
a)
Instrument turned on and allowed to warm up at least 1 minute.
Battery check made.
Survey meter serial number recorded.
60 b) A small (point) source,10 mci of Co is positioned in such a way as to minimize scattering.
c) Range selector switch selected and adjusted, d) Most distant ealibration line selected as one resulting in a 25%
scale deflection.
e) Average reading and distance from source noted. Source to in-strument distances measured to the center of the probe held per-pendicularly to the radiation flux.
f) Move toward source, taking a number of meter reading sufficient to accurately calibrate the scale.
g} Repeat above procedure for other ranges.
60 h) ~The intensities of radiation at various distances from a Co source can be calculated from mr/hr = 1.59 x mci of Co/(yards)2 60
- 1) From the distance values rated intensities are calculated.
For case of calculation, distances are either yards or feet, using smaller intervals near the source. We obtain 4 or 5 points distributed over the entire range.
Oo Oo a..
j) Calibration curve plotted, dial readings on the ordinate (Y axis) and calculated intensities on the abscissa (X axis).
Instrument serial number, name of manufacturer, date, type and strength of radioactive source used for calibration, and the persons doing the calibration are reported.
Alpha Proportional Detector Calibration:
a) Unit is switched on for approximately 5 minutes.
l l
b) Source placed in exact center of protective grill and high voltage set to minimum.
c) High voltage (calibrate adjustment) increased very slowly and the count rate allowed to drift up to the value stated on uranium oxide calibrated alpha source.
Emergency Procedures:
In the event of fire in Furuseth Hall, boxes labeled rad'oactive should be removed as soon as possible. The Pu-Be sources are clearly labeled and will undoubtedly remain sealed in their shipping casks. They are safe to transport manually.
Should they, through a rupture of the container, be found without shipping cask shielding, they may be safely handled by a four foot shovel or similar utensil. Simple remote handling gear is available in the Nuclear Engineering laboratory.
In any event, should fire threaten Furuseth Hall, the radiation safety officer, Capt. A. Stwertka on Ext. 462, should be contacted.
The home phone number of Capt. Stwertka is (516) 466-3179.
Sincerely, kkt2Lb Wl L
Albert Stwertka Captain, USMS Professor of Physics Director, Nuclear Physics Laboratory Mu G
Paul L. Krinsky Captain, USMS
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Academic Dean U.S. Merchant Marine Academy h
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