ML20197J484

Forty-Third Annual Progress Rept for Period from 970701-980630, Dtd Aug 1998

ML20197J484
Person / Time
Site:	Pennsylvania State University
Issue date:	06/30/1998
From:	Flinchbaugh T, Helton A, Sears C PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV., UNIVERSITY PARK, PA
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FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT PENN STATE RADIATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER July 1,1997 to June 30,1998 Submitted to:

9 United States Department of Energy '

and The Pennsylvania S: ate University By:

C. Frederick Sears (Director)

Terry L Flinchbaugh (Co-Editor)

Alison Helton (Co-Editor)

Penn State Radiation Science and Engineering Center Department of Nuclear Engineering The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 August 1998 Contract DE-AC07-941D-13223 Subcontract C88-101857 U.Ed.ENG 99-66 Penn State is an affirmative action equa! opportunity university.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE - T. L. Flinchbaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v I . INTRODUCTION - T. L. Flinchbaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II . PERS O NNEL - T. L. Flinchbau gh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 III. REACTOR OPERATIONS - T. L. Flinchbaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 7 IV. GAMM A IRRADI ATION FACILITY - C. C. Davison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 V. EDUCATION AND TRAINING - T. L. Flinchbaugh, C. C. Davison ................ 13 VI . NEUTRON B EAM LAB ORATORY - M. E. Bryan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 VII. RADIONUCLEAR APPLICATIONS LABORATORY - T. H. Daubenspcck ........ 21 VIII. ANGULAR CORRELATIONS LABORATORY - O. L. Catchen .............. . ... 23 IX. RADIA110N SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER RESEARCH AND SERVICE UTILIZATION - T. L. Flinchbaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 A. Penn State University Research and Service Utilizing the Facilities of the Penn State Radiation Science and Engineering Center ........................ 27 B. Other Universities, Organizations and Companies Utilizing the Facilities of the Penn State Radiation Science and Engineering Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 APPENDIX A. Faculty, Staff, Students, and Industries Utilizing the Facilities of the Penn State Radiation Science and Engineering Center - T. L. Flinchbaugh.. ................. 49 APPENDIX B. Formal Group Tours - A. R. Helton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 iii

TABLES Table pagg 1 Personnel.................................................................................... 4 2 Reactor Operation Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3 ' Reactor Utilization Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4 Cobalt-60 Utilization Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5 College and High School Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 FIGURES Figum g 1 . Organizati on Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1

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l PREFACE l

Administrative responsibility for the Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) resided '

in the Department of Nuclear Engineering in the College of Engineering through June 30,1998.

Preparations were made during the past fiscal year for the merger of the Nuclear Engineering Department and the Mechanical Engineering Department into the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department effective July 1,1998. Overall responsibility for the reactor license resides with the Vice President for Research/ Dean of the Graduate School. The reactor and associated laboratories are available to all Penn State colleges for education and research programs.

In addition, the facility is made available to assist other educational institutions, government agencies and industries having common and compatible needs and objectives, providing services that are essential in meeting research, development, education, and training needs.

The Forty-Third Annual Progress Report (July 1997 through June 1998) of the operation of The Pennsylvania State University Radiation Science and Engineering Center is submitted in accordance with the requirements of Contract DE-AC07-941D-13223 between the United States Department of Energy and Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company (LITCO), and their Subcontract C88-101857 with The Pennsylvania State University. This report also provides the University administration with a summary of the utilization of the facility for the past year.

Numerous individuals are to be recognized and thanked for their dedication and commitment in this report, especially Terry Flinchbaugh and Alison Helton who co-edited the report. Special thanks are extended to those responsible for the individual sections as listed in the Table of Contents and to the individual facility users whose research summaries are compiled in Section IX.

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l I. INTRODUCTION MISSION lt is the mission of The Pennsylvania State University Radiation Science :md Engineering )

Center in partnership with faculty, staff, students, alumni, govemment, and corporate leaders to safely use nuclear technology to benefit society thmugh education, research, and service.

VISION j i

Our unique facility has a diverse and dedicated staff with a commitment to safety, excellence, l

quality, customer satisfaction, and education by example. It is the vision of the faculty and staff of the Radiation Science and Engineering Center to become a leading national resource 1 and make significant contributions in the following areas: 1

- Safety -

To actively promote safety in everything we do.

1 F4992io.n - Further develop innovative programs to advance societal knowledge I through resident instruction and continuing education for students of all ages and their educators throughout the nation.

Research -

Expand leading edge research that increases fundamental knowledge and technology transfer through our diverse capabilities.

Service -

Expand and build a diverse array of services and customers by maintaining excellence, quality, customer satisfaction, and efficient service to supplement income and enhance education and research.

In conducting this mission in pursuit of the stated vision, the following activities are highlighted among the numerous accomplishments reported in the pages that follow:

The reporting period began in July as numerous high school groups participated in educational programs at the RSEC under the direction of Candace Davison. This continued into the spring when high school science classes on educational field trips visited and performed experiments. The student chapter of the American Nuclear Society, with Ms.

Davison's support, also used the RSEC for educational events such as Boy Scout and Girl Scout merit bad;c programs. A complete list of groups hosted is presented in Appendix B.

• Reactor fuel performance studies have shown that power is excessively concentrated in the central region of the core whet. ruel elements with a heavier uranium loading am placed.

Efforts to design a new fuel loading are continuing. As a part of that effort, a revised Safety Analysis Report (SAR) and a revised Technical Specifications (TS) were approved by the NRC in March of 1998. Until the new fuel loading takes place, power is restricted to 75% of licensed power to limit the maximum fuel temperature.

• Hot cell use reached an all time high and is continuing into the future as Materials Engineering Associates investigates the properties of irradiated reactor pressure vessel metals.

• Construction of a thermal hydraulic loop in the Cobalt bay as a student design project neared completion. When completed, it will serve as both a teaching and research tool, simulating features of advanced reactor concepts.

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i o In the previous fiscal year, a grant of $30,000 was received from the College of Engineering Dean's Office to upgrade safety related reactor facility equipment. A new I Unintermptable Power Supply is on hand awaiting installation and new Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD's) for the reactor console were installed in March of 1998.

A new heavy water thermal column installed the previous year has increased neutron radiography capabilities.

• A new Fast Net. tron Inadiator (FNI) installed the previous fiscal year has allowed for the irradiation oflarger size silicon wafers. Less thermal activation than in a previous irradiation facility has shortened sample tumaround time for semiconductor customers.

The reactor safety system wide range 6ssion detector was movcil from above the reactor core to the rear of the reactor core. This location is better for monitoring core neutronics.

Auxiliary GIC and CIC detectors are also at this rear of core location. Eventually the auxiliary GIC will replace the reactor safety system power range gamma detector located on

the cast side of the core. These enhancements are made possible since the movable reactor core modifications of a few years ago allow the north core face to be used for all

. experimental facility irradiations.

1 Contact type control rod drive switches were replaced with visible light switches for the safety rod. This system enhancement has improved reliability. Similar upgrades for the other rods are planned for the coming year.

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i The Compton Scatter Gauge used to measure pipe wall erosion was successfully Geld

tested at the Dresden Nuclear Power Station.

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II. PERSONNEL Lisa D. Brazee, Staff Assistant V, returned from a leave of absence on September 8,1997. She resigned her position on May 8,1998. Prior to her departure, the Staff Assistant V position was upgraded to a Staff Assistant VI position and Wendy Donley assumed that position on June 12,1998.

Alison Helton who was serving as a wage payroll secretary during Lisa Brazee's absence continued in that role until November 17,1997, when she assumed the position of Reactor Operator Intern trainee, Alison had previous nuclear experience having completed the Navy Nuclear Power School. Brenden Heidrich, an ex-Navy nuclear reactor operator, was hired as an operator intern effective December 19, 1997.

Mike Morlang was hired as Reactor Engineer / Supervisor, Recctor Operations effective September 15, 1997.

Several staff promotions took place in the Fall of 1997. Mac Bryan was promoted to Research Engineer / Supervisor, Reactor Operations. Thierry Daubenspeck was promoted to Activation and Irradiation Specialist / Supervisor, Reactor Operations. Candace Davison was promoted to Research and Education Specialist / Supervisor, Reactor Operations. Terry Flinchbaugh was promoted to Manager, Operations and Training. Last year's report failed to mention that Pam Stauffer was promoted to Administrative Assistant IIin January 1997.

Erin Carlin, Megan Kovach, Rebecca Levack, Lois Lunetta, Jerrold McCormick, and Ai Morii worked wage payroll in assisting Candace Davison in facility educational programs for high school students.

Marcia Chesleigh worked with Candace Davison and C. Frederick Sears as a WISER (Women in Science and Engineering Research) student. She learned about the facility and worked on a project to study the response of fission and gamma radiation detectors in the reactor core. The WISER project is funded by the NASA Space Grant Consortium.

Chris Davis worked as Computer Suppon Specialist from January 5,1998, to April 8,1998. Jack Lee was hired as Computer Support Specialist effective March 30,1998.

Several changes to the memb< rship of the Penn State Reactor Safeguards Committee (PSRSC) ,

I were effective on January 1,1993. John H. Mahaffy (Associate Professor, Nuclear Erigineering),

the PSRSC chairman, left the committee after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the committee charter. Committee member Warren F. Witzig (Prefessor Emeritus of Nuclear Engineering, Penn State) became the PSRSC chairman. Larry Hochreiter (Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Penn State) was appointed to a first term to fill the vacant position. Rodger W.

l Granlund (University Health Physicist, Penn State) resigned from the PSRSC on September 4, 1997 because of his anticipated retirement from the University. Rodger was a charter member of the PSRSC in 1961 and had served continuously since thrt time. Eric J. Boeldt (Manager of Radiation Protection, Penn State) became the health physics cepresentative to the PSRSC on September 4,1997.

Effective in September of 1997, the Health Physics Depanment was renamed the Office of Radiation Protection and was moved from under Intercollegiate Programs to under the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

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TABLE I Personnel Faculty and Staff Title L. D. Brazee (resigned) Staff Assistant VI

• • M. E. Bryan Research Engineer / Supervisor, Reactor Operations G. L. Catchen Professor

• • T. H. Daubenspeck Activation and Irradiation Specialist / Supervisor, Reactor Operations

• • C. C. Davison Research and Education Specialist /Suwrvisor, Reactor Operations W. R. Donley Staff Assistant VI

• • T. M. Engle Reactor OperatorIntern

• • T. L. Flinchbaugh Manager, Operations and Training

• M. P. Grieb Engineering Aide

• • B. J. Heidrich Reactor OperatorIntern A. R. Helton Reactor OperatorIntern

• • D. E. Hughes Senior Research Assistant / Manager of Engineering Services W. A. Jester Professor J. Lebiedzik Research Support Technician III

• • G. M. Morlang Reactor Engineer / Supervisor, Reactor Operations K. E. Rudy Supervisor of Facility Services

• • C. F. Sears Dimetor P. J. Stauffer Administrative AssistantII Licensed Operator

• • Licensed Senior Operator Technical Service Staff J. E. Armstrong Experimental and Maintenance Mechanic R. L. Eaken Machinist A Wage Payroll E. Carlin R. Levack C. Davis L. Lunetta A. Helton J. McCormick M. Kovach A. Morii J. Lee 4

. - -. -- . - . - -- - - - - = . . . . - . - . . . - . - . . . - . .

Penn State Reactor Safeguards Committee

• • • • E. J. Boeldt Manager of Radiation Protection, Environmental Health and i

Safety, Penn State T. C. Dalpiaz Manager, Nuclear Maintenance, Pennsylvania Power and Light Susquehanna Steam Electric Station P. J. Donnachie, Jr. Health Physicist, General Public Utilities

• • • R. W. Granlund Health Physicist, Intercollegiate Research Programs and i

Facilities, Penn State A. Haghighat Associate Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Penn State

** L. Hochreiter Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Penn State J. H. Mahaffy Chairman, Assistant Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Penn State F. J. Remick Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Penn State (retired) 4 S. Rupprecht Manager of Nuclear Safety Analysis, Westinghouse D. Sathianathan Assistant Professor, Engineering Graphics, Penn State C. F. Sears Ex officio, Director, Penn State Radiation Science and i Engineering Center i ***** W. F. Witzig Chairman, Professor, Nuclear Engineering, Penn State

(retired) l i

i Served through January 1,1998

• • Appointed January 1,1998

• • • Served through September 4,1997

• • • • Appointed September 4,1997

• • • • • Appointed Chairman January 1,1998 5

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DIRECTOR SENIOR RESEARCll h1ANAGER, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT / MANAGER OPERATIONS ASSISTANT II OF ENGINEERING AND TRAINING SERVICES RESEARCil ACrlVATION RESEARCil REACTOR SUPERVISOR STAFF REACTOR AND OF FACILITY ENGINEER / AND ENGINEER / OPERATOR ASSISTANT VI IRRADIATION SUPERVISOR. INTERN (3) SERVICES SUPERVISOR EDUCATION SPECIALIST / REACIUR

& REACTOP, SPECIALIST /

SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR, OPERATIONS OPERATIONS REACIDR REACTOR OPERATIONS OPERATIONS I I ENGINEMING EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCil MACIIINIST A AIDE AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT h1ECIIANIC TECIINICIAN Ill WAGE PAYROLI) WAGE PAYROLI] WAGE PAYROL WORK STUDY WORK STUDY WORK STUDY RSEC Organization Chart 12471db

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1 III. REACTOR OPERATIONS l Research reactor operation began at Penn State in 1955. In December of 1965, the original core, which operated at a maximum power level of 200 kW, was replaced by a more advanced TRIGA core, capable of operation at 1000 kW. The present core may also be operated in a pulse ,

fashion in which the power level is suddenly increased from less than 1 kW to up to 2000 MW for l short (milliseconds) periods of time. TRIGA stands for Training, Research, Isotope Production, built by General Atomic Company.

Utilization of the Penn State Breazcale Reactor (PSBR) falls into four major categories:

Educational utilization is primarily in the form of laboratory classes conducted for graduate and )

undergraduate degree candidates and numerous high school science groups. These classes will vary from the irradiation and analysis of a sample to the calibration of a reactor control rod. ]

Research involves Radionuclear Applications, Neutron Radiography, a myriad of research programs by faculty and graduate students throughout the University and various applications by the industrial sector.

Training programs for PSBR Reactor Operators and Reactor Supervisors.

Service involves Radionuclear Applications, Neutron Radiography, Semiconductor Irradiations, Isotope Production and other applications by the industrial sector.

The PSBR core, containing about 7.5 pounds of Uranium-235, in a non-weapons form, is  !

operated at a depth of approximately 18 feet in a pool of demineralized water. The water provides the needed shielding and cooling for the operation of the reactor. It is relatively simple to expose a sample by positioning it in the vicinity of the reactor at a point where it will receive the desired l radiation dose. A variety of fixtures andjigs are available for such positioning. Various containers j and irradiation tubes can be used to keep samples dry. A pneumatic transfer system offers '

additional possibilities. A heavy water tank and neutron beam laboratory provides for neutron gauging and neutron radiography activities. Core rotational, east-west, and north-south movements provide flexibility in positioning the core against experimental apparatus.

In normal steady state operation at 1000 kW, the thermal neutron flux available varies from approximately 1 x 1013 n/cm2/sec at the edge of the core to approximately 3 x 1013 n/cm2/sec in the central region of the core.

When using the pulse mode of operation, the peak flux for a maximum pulse is approximately 6 x 1016 n/cm 2/sec with a pulse width of 15 msec at 1/2 maximum.

Support facilities include hot cells, a machine shop, electronic shop, darkroom, laboratory space, and fume hoods.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Tables 2 and 3 list Reactor Operation Data and Reactor Utilization Data-Shift Averages, l respectively, for the past three years. In Tabic 2, the Critical time is a summation of the hours the reactor was operating at some power level. The Subcritical time is the total hours that the reactor key and console instrumentation were on and under observation, less the Critical time. Suberitical time reflects experiment set-up time and time spent approaching reactor criticality.

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The Number of Pulses reflects demands of undergraduate labs, researchers and reactor operator training programs. Square waves are used primarily for demonstration purposes for public groups touring the facility, researchers and reactor operator training programs.

The number of Scrams Planned as Part of Experiments reflects experimenter needs. Four Unplanned Scrams Resulting from Personnel Action occurred when (1) a licensed reactor operator working with a student experimenter unintentionally unplugged a Fuel 2 thermocouple wire causing a fail-safe scram by the DCC-X control computer, (2) an operator trainee was balancing control rods at 750 kW when a momentary spike in power caused a scram at 800 kW, (3) a DCC-X power range scram occuned when gamma buildup caused the gamma detector to reach 800 kW where a reactor scram occurred (the scram setpoints had recently been lowered), and (4) a neutron beam lab scram button was accidentally bumped by a workman. Two Uuplanned Scrams Resulting from Abnormal System Operation occurred when the reactor operator scrammed the reactor when on two separate occasions a high radiation level alann was received for the pneumatic transfer system because of electronic spikes on the system radiation detector.

Table 3, Part A, Reactor Usage, describes total reactor utilization on a shift basis. The summation of Hours Critical and Hours Suberitical gives the total time the reactor console key is on. Hours Shutdown includes time for instruction at the reactor console, experimental setup, calibrations or very minor maintenance that occupies the reactor console but is done with the key off. Significant maintenance or repair time spent on any reactor component or system that prohibits reactor operation is included in Reactor Usage as Reactor Not Available. Much of the Reactor Not Available category this year is attributable to the biennial fuel inspection, relocation of core detectors to the rear of the core, and modification of control rod drive switches.

Part B gives a breakdown of the Type of Usage in Hours. The Nuclear Engineering Department and/or the Reactor Facility receives compensation for Industrial Research and Service.

University Research and Service includes both funded and non-funded research, for Penn State and other universities. The Instruction and Training category includes all formal university classes involving the reactor, experiments for other university and high school groups, demonstrations for tour groups and in-house reactor operator training.

Part C statistics, Users / Experimenters, reflect the number of users, samples and sample hours per shift. Part D shows the number of eight hour shifts for each year.

INSPECTIONS AND AUDITS During October and November of 1997, J. D. Jeffries, a private nuclear engineerin;;

, consultant, and G. E. Robinson, Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Penn State-retired, conducted l an audit of the PSBR. This fulfilled a requirement of the Penn State Reactor Safeguards Committee charter as described in the PSBR Technical Specifications. The reactor staffis implementing changes suggested by that report, all of which exceed NRC requirements.

During December of 1997, a NRC routine inspection by Eric Reber was conducted of activities authorized by the materials licenses for: 1) the Cobalt-60 self-shielded irradiators and the Health Physics Cesium-137 instmment calibrator (license 37-00185-06) and 2) the Cobalt-60 pencil sources in the Cobalt-60 pool (license 37-00185-05). No items of non-compliance were identified.

During April of 1998, a NRC routine inspection by Betsy Ulrich and Thomas J. O'Brien was conducted of Penn State's Broad Byproduct License (37-185-04). No items of non-compliance were identified.

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TABLE 2 Reactor Operation Data July 1,1995 - June 30,1998 95-96 96-97 22-28 A. Hours of Reactor Operation

l. Critical 591 440 755 ,

2. Suberitical 423 348 517 ')

3. FuelMovement 84 22 28 B. Number of Pulses 96 76 56 l

C. Number of Square Waves 93 35 40 D. Energy Releases (MWH) 245 182 326 I i

E. Grams U-235 Consumed 13 9 17  !

F. Scrams l

1. Planned as Pan of Experiments 36 15 5 j

2. Unplanned - Resulting From j a) Perv.onnel Action 3 1 4 )

b) Abnormal System Operation 1 3 2 j l

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TABLE 3 Reactor Utilization Data Shift Averages July 1,1995 - June 30,1998 95-96 26-22 97-98 A. Reactor Usage

1. Hours Critical 2.3 1.7 2.6

2. Hours Suberitical 1.6 1.3 1.8

3. Hours Shutdown 1.5 1.4 2.0

4. ReactorNot Available M L4 M TOTAL HOURS PER SHIFT 6.0 5.9 6.8 B. Type of Usage - Hours

1. Industrial Research and Service 0.6 1.4 2.6

2. University Research and Service 1.9 1.0 1.0

3. Instruction and Training 1.3 0.7 1.2

4. Calibration and Maintenance 1.9 2.7 1.9

5. Fuel Handling 0.3 0.1 0.1 C. Users / Experiments

1. Number of Users 2.3 2.0 2.4

2. PneumaticTransferSamples 0.7 1.2 0.3

3. Total Number of Samples 2.3 2.9 3.2

4. Sample Hours 2.2 1.3 2.6 D. Number of 8 Hour Shifts 262 265 287 i

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IV. GAMMA IRRADIATION FACILITY t

The Gamma Irradiation Facility includes in-pool irradiators and a dry shielded GammaCell 220 irradiator. The Gamma Irradiation Facility is designed with a large amount of working space around the irradiation pool. This is where the GammaCell 220 is located along with work benches and the usual utilities.

In-Pool Irradiators For the in-pool irradiators, the source rods are stored and used in a pool 16 feet by 10 feet, filled with 16 feet of demineralized water. The water provides a shield which is readily worked through and allows great flexibility in using the sources. Due to the number of sources and size of the pool, it is possible to set up several irradiators at a time to vary the size of the sample that can be irradiated, or vary the dose rate. Experiments in a dry environment are possible by use of either a vertical tube or by a diving bell type apparatus. Four different irradiation configurations have been used depending on the size of the sample and dose rate required. The advantage of the in-pool irradiators is that the dose rate can be varied which is optimal for agricultural and life science research.

The Univer- . in March of 1965, purchased 23,600 curies of Cobalt-60 in the form of stainless steel clad sc ce rods to provide a pure source of gamma rays. In November of 1971, the University obtained from the Natick Laboratories,63,537 curies of Cobalt-60 in the form of aluminum clad source rods. These source rods have decayed through several half-lives, leaving on July 1,1998, an approximate 2,203 curies total for all source rods. Maximum exposure rates of 82 kR/Hr in a 3" ID tube and 47 kR/Hr in a 6" ID tube are available as of July 1,1998.

Gammacell 220 Drv Irradiator The GammaCell 220 dry inadiator has a dose rate considerably higher than that currently available in the RSEC in-pool irradiators or with other dry irradiators on campus. Other advantages of the GammaCell 220 include a large irradiation chamber (approximately 6 inches diameter and 7.5 inches high), an automatic timer to move the sample chamber away from the source and the ability to conduct in-situ testing of components during irradiation.

The GammaCell 220 was donated to Penn State in July of 1995, by the David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, New Jersey. The maximum dose rate in the center of the GammaCell irradiation chamber is 0.31 MegaRad/Hr with a total source content of 3,928 curies as of July 1, 1998.

Table 4 compares the past three years' utilization of the Cobalt-60 Irradiation Facility in terms of time, numbers and daily averages.

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TABLE 4 Cobalt-60 Utilization Data July 1,1995 - June 30,1998 95-96 95-96 96-97 25-22 97-98 97-98 Pool Gammacell Pool GammaCell Pool GammaCell Irradiator Irradiator Irradiator A. Time Involved (Hours)

1. Set-Up Time 60 15 40 23 35 20

2. Total Sample Hours 2,042 605 721 752 1318 696 B. Numbers Involved

1. Samples Containers Runt 478 254 415 766 1919 243

2. Different Experimenters 25 20 16 20 24 28

3. Configurations Used 3 NA 3 NA 3 NA C. Per Day Averages 1

1. Experimenters 0.53 0.5 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.4 l

2. Samples 1.92 1.22 1.6 3.0 7.7 1 l

l The sample hours for the GammaCell for 1997-1998 would be equivalent to 4,600 sample hours in l the large pool irradiation tube. l Maximum Exposure Rate for the In-pool irradiation tubes as of July 1,1998:

6"In-pool tube 47 kR/Hr 3"In-pool tube 82 kR/Hr Maximum Dose rate at the center of the GammaCell 220 chamber as of July 1,1998:

0.31 MegaRad/Hr l

l l

1 Note that each sample container may contain multiple samples and that multiple samples may be run together in one batch.

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V. EDUCATION AND TRAINING l

1 During the past year, the Penn State RSEC was used for a variety of educational services; in-j house training, formal laboratory courses, and many continuing education programs and tours.

Operator Training:

The RSEC operating staff has maintained reactor operator competence and safe facility operation through training and requalification. During a two-year training cycle, theory, principles, regulations and actions needed for the safe operation of the reactor facility are covered.

Training sessions during the year include lectures, exercises and other activities. In-house reactor operator requalification during October and November of 1997, consisted of an oral examination on abnormal and emergency procedures given by K. E. Rudy and an operating test given by D. E.

Hughes.

Facility Director C. Frederick Sears and operator interns Alison Helton and Brenden Heidrich panicipated in the reactor operator training program in 1997, and 1998. Sears and Heidrich were granted senior reactor operator licenses, and Helton a reactor operator license by the NRC in June of 1998.

Governor's School:

The twelfth session of the Pennsylvania Govemor's School for Agricultural Sciences (PGSAS) was held at Penn State's University Park campus during the summer of 1997. Sixty-four high school scholars participated in the five week program at Penn State. The Governor's School for Agricultural Sciences includes introduction and experience in many different agricultural disciplines. There are several parts of the program including core courses, elective courses and Independent Study Projects (ISP's).

All participants of the Governor's School received a tour of the Reactor facility with some time for hands-on instruction. A fourteen hour elective course, " Nuclear Applications, Learning about the Past and Present", was conducted for 16 scholars. The course was conducted at Penn State's RSEC by Candace Davison along with Rebecca 12vack, a student in Nuclear Engineering; and Michael Zarger, a master's degree graduate of Nuclear Engineering. The students performed a series of experiments focusing on the fundamentals of radiation interaction and principles of radioisotope applications. These experiments included: a demonstration of a cloud chamber; penetrating ability of alpha, beta and gamma radiation; half-life simulation and calculation. The importance of statistics in taking data and applications of radioactive materials in research were discussed. The students also leamed about imaging using many types of radiation such as neutron radiography, x-ray, and gamma-ray imaging. Radiographs from the St. Mary's City Lead Coffin Project were examined, and a field trip to Radiology Associates was conducted.

Four students conducted independent study projects related to radiation and nuclear science. Two students focused on the disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste for their projects and examined the Pennsylvania process of public panicipation and disqualification ofland areas. Their projects were: "Public Perception of Nuclear Science and Radioactive Waste" and "Past and Present Methods of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal". An independent study project undertaken by two other students examined the effect of radiation on food. Their project was titled, " Detection of Listeria Monocytogenes on Chicken Skin by Gamma Irradiation and Comparison of mPSU Broth and mUVM Broths for Detection of Low Levels of Surviving Cells". This project was monitored by Dr. Stephen Knabel of the Food Science Department. Nuclear Engineering faculty and staff including the PELLRAD and ACURI program assisted with the different aspects of the projects by providing time, expertise and resource material. The Health Physics personnel were very helpful 13

1 in assisting with the projects by conducting a tour of the low-level radioactive waste storage and processing facility, as wcll as providing information to the PGS AS Scholars. i Reactor Sharing:  ;

The University Reactor Sharing Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The purpose of this program is to increase the availability of the university nuclear reactor facilities to non-reactor-owning colleges and universities. The main objectives of the University Reactor Sharing program are to strengthen nuclear science and engineering instruction, and to provide research opportunities for other educational institutions including universities, colleges, junior colleges, technical schools and high schools.

Eight-hundred forty-eight students and teachers from 31 different high schools and 5 colleges came to the RSEC for experiments and instruction,(see Table 5). This represents an increase of 44% in the number of students participating during the academic year. There was also a 29%

increase in the number of educational program visits by high school groups compared to the previous year. Candace Davison, Rebecca Levack, and Lois Lunetta were the main instructors for the program. Other instruction and technical assistance for experiments were provided by Thierry Daubenspeck, Megan Kovach, Jana Lebiedzik, and Jerrold McCormick.

1 The RSEC staff utilized the facilities and equipment to provide educational opportunities and tours for student and teacher workshops, many of which were conducted as part of other programs on campus. These programs are typically conducted through the Penn State College of Engineering, the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Institute, the Continuing and Distance Education Program, Campus Admissions and the University Relations Offices. The student programs included: the Kodak BEST (Business, Science, Engineering and Technology) program for minority students, the High School Summer Internship, the VEC-tour program, the VIEW program, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) week, Upward Bound, Talent Search, Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences and other programs associated with campus activities. Seventeen teachers from the Enter-2000 program received instruction on radiation and nuclear issues; and ten of those teachers elected to tour the facility to leam more about nuclear energy and related careers.

Electricity from th Atom: Exploring the Nuclear Option This Science 2ducation course is provided to science teachers located around the Three Mile Island Nuclear Fuility to provide understanding r f radiation and nuclear energy. The program has been conducted at least once every summer for te years. Twenty-one teachers participated in the program in July 1997. Twenty-four teachers p.uticipated in the 1998, program held in June. The science teachers received hands-on instruction and traveled to the Penn State Reactor where they conducted experiments and observed reactor response. Experiments included: approach to critical experiment, negative temperature coefficient and pulse demonstration. In addition, the teachers determined the half-life of radioactive silver and learned about neutron radiography and neutron activation analysis.

Nuclear Concents and Cyberscace:

The Nuclear Concepts and Cyberspace program was designed for students entering grades 10-

12. This program was in its second year and was conducted for 11 scholars from July 27-August 1,1997. Candace Davison, Rebecca Levack, and Michael Zarger were the main instructors for the program. Three students returned from the previous year and were given different learning experiences. Guest lectures and sessions were conducted by department students, staff and 14

_ . _ _ _ _ . _ ._._..____._._._______.___._________m__. _

additions into a model TRIGA core and then observed some of these reactivity insertions with the real TRIGA reactor. Students also designed their own web pages on nuclear topics.

Tours:

In addition to the full or half-day programs with experiments, educational tours were conducted for students, teachers, and the general public. All groups, including the groups detailed in the above sections, who toured the facility are listed in Appendix B. The RSEC operating staff and

Nuclear Engineering Department conducted 200 formal or group tours for 2839 persons. In l addition approximately 38 informal tours were provided to 85 people.

i 1 Academic Instruction:

The RSEC TRIGA reactor and Cobalt-60 irradiation facilities were used by several Nuclear i Engineering courses and courses in other departments of the university. '

Semester Course Instructor Students Hours

]

! Summer 1997 NucE 444-Nuclear Reactor Operations D. E. Hughes 3 13 l Summer 1997 SciEd 498-Exploring the Nuclear Option C. C. Davison 21 6

! Fall 1997 NucE 451-Reactor Physics R. M. Edwards 13 28 W. A. Jester Fall 1997 Food Science 413-Process Plant Production R. B. Beelman 23 2 Spring 1998 NucE 444-Nuclear Reactor Operations D. E. Hughes 4 14 l Spring 1998 NucE 450-Radiation Detection and W. A. Jester 9 18 l Measurement l Summer 1998 SciEd 498-Exploring the Nuclear Option C. C. Davison 24 6 i

Police Training:

In February and March of 1998, a total of 43 University Police Services personnel were l given training and retraining sessions by C. C. Davison at the RSEC to ensure familiarity with the facilities and to meet Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements.

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i TABLE 5 University Reactor Sharing Program .

College and High School Groups 1997-1998 Academic Year Those who came to the RSEC for experiments received instmetion on the basics of radiation and nuclear energy and received a tour of the facility. All groups either conducted the approach to critical experiment or saw a demonstration with the reactor (when available). Most groups also did one of the other experiments listed below.

Gamma Ray Spectroscopy Neutron Activation and Complex Decay of Silver Barium-137.m Decay or Silver Decay Neutron Activation Analysis Relative Stopping Powers for cx, and yin Air, Aluminum and Lead Number of Month School and Teacher Students & Teachers July 11 Shepherd College 14 Jack Schmidt 21 High School Engineering Intems 8 George Lusieutie September 26 Camp Hill High School 23 Philipp Schmelzle October 6 James Buchanan High School 10 Theodore Lucas 28 Port Allegheny High School 10 Wally Finn 30 State College High School 14 Marguerite Ciolkosz November 4 Union City High School 21 Mike Zarger 5 University of Pitt @ Greensburg 8 Dr. T.P. Zaleskiewicz 19 Glendale High School 32 Paul Conway 19 Glendale High School 28 Wilhelmina Cash December 3 Carlisle High School 26 Robert Barrick 3 Carlisle High School 26 Kenneth Egolf 5 Carlisle High School 27 Gorden Burgett 5 Carlisle High School 25 Robert Barrick 9 B. Reed Henderson High School 54 Susan O'Toole January 21 Centre County Tech School 11 Dr. Vahoviak 28 Berwick High School 20 Jeff Snyder 16

i' TABLE 5 University Reactor Sharing Program College and High School Groups 1997-1998 Academic Year (Continued)

- Number of Month School and Teacher Students & Teachen January 30 Altoona Area High School 51 Patty Sohmer March 2 Indian Valley High School 31 Maggie Seay 11- Red Land High School 13 Robert Lighty 12 Punxsutawney High School 12 Lori Barkett 23 Daniel Boone High School 13 Larry Tobias 24 State College Delta Program 8 Sara Bresler 25 Wyomissing High School 23 Joseph Kollar James Ceruelli 31 Grove City College 12 James Downey April 7 Bermudian Springs High School 12 Jeanne Suehr Harold Griffie 7 Cranberry High School 23 David Guth 9 DuBois Central High School 18 Patrick Finn 13 Juniata College 4 Norm Siems 14 Loyalsock High School 17 Joy Walls Kindra Braucht 16 Kennard-Dale High School 10 James Howell 17 Cedar Cliff High School 13 Dan Clark

! Mr. Weaver

20 State College Area High School 17 Phil Gipe 8

21 .Allegany College 26 Steven Heninger David Stickler 24 St Marys/Ridgway High School 41 Ernest Koos William Scilingo l 28 Cambria Heights High School 47 John Bem 4

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1 TABLE 5 l

! University Reactor Sharing Program  !

i College and High School Groups l l 1997-1998 Academic Year (Continued)

May 1 Muncy High School 15 i Mark Kramer l Harold Shrimp i 11 Bellefonte Middle School 3 l 15 Camp Hill High School 16 l Philipp Schmelzle William Kimmich

~

Alfred Jensen 19 Cumberland Valley High School 14 Rich Yeager Fred Girondi Karen Stauffer l 21 East Stroudsburg High School 19 Heather Skeldon 22 Danville High School 16 Deborah Slattery  ;

28 Warren High School 8 Dan Griffin June 18 High School Intems 9 Jeff Schiano TOTAL: 848 h

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l VI. NEUTRON BEAM LABORATORY l

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l The Neutron Beam Laboratory (NBL) is one of the experimental facilities that is a part of the i

RSEC. A well collimated beam of neutrons, thermalized by a D20 thermal column,is passed into the NBL for use in nondestructive testing and evaluation. Work now being done utilizes a Real Time Neutron Image Intensifier, by Precise Optics, Inc., for real time radiography. The beam is also being used for static neutron radiography and neutron attenuation studies, and flash l radiography utilizing pulsing. Equipment is available to digitize the real time radiography images for image processmg. A photographic laboratory facilitates the development and analysis of static neutron radiographs, i

. The NBL was established panially with funds from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) .

with matching funds from the University to:

1. Educate students and the public on an important use of neutrons from a research reactor,

2. Establish a demonstration center, " Neutrons in Action," to show that their use is beneficial to mankind, and

3. Expand the use of neutron radiography in research, both as a tool for improving the i development of U.S. industrial products and to develop new information in other fields of science and engineering.

I Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory purchased time to utilize the Neutron Beam Laboratory to evaluate two phase flow. An upgraded flow loop was built, and flow measurements at pressures

j. up to 2000 psi are ongoing. A second project began during the year to study reflood in a hot

channel at atmospheric pressure.

l A new D 20 thermal column to enhance the neutron beam in the NBL was installed in April of l 1997. This thermal column can take advantage of the extra degrees of freedom provided by the  :

l bridge upgrade completed in the Summer of 1994. The reactor core is coupled to the thermal  !

column in a position tangential to the beam line thereby improving the neutron to gamma ratio. A significant increase in the neutron beam intensity has r

sulted. Characterization of the neutron beam continues.

Dr. F. B. Cheung and graduate student Byungsoo Kim of the Penn State Mechanical Engineering Depanment used this facility to examine a gallium-indium alloy with static neutron radiographs.

L Northeast Technology Corporation has continued to use the NBL to determine the boron content of boraflex coupons from spent fuel storage facilities at nuclear power plants.

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VII. RADIONUCLEAR APPLICATIONS LABORATORY The Radionuclear Applications Laboratory (RAL) provides consulting and technical assistance to University research personnel who wish to use radionuclear techniques in their research. The majority of these research projects involves neutron activation, but the staff is also able to provide services in radioactive tracer techniques, radiation gauging, radiation processing, and isotope production for laboratory, radionuclear medicine and industrial use. Laboratory personnel continue to supply support for the operation of the RSEC doing analyses of water, air monitor filters, and other samples as deemed appropriate. Some of these services were provided in the past by the Low Level Radiation Monitoring Laboratory, LLRML, (see historical note on next page).

The RAL is currently in the process of upgrading its gamma spectroscopy capabilities by purchasing new hardware and software for the lab.

Services offered by the RAL include analyses of environmental samples for alpha / beta, and gamma activities. Other analyses available include radon in water for which no certification is required by the EPA, and radon in air for which we no longer maintain certification. The RAL also performs analyses in support of the Breazeale Reactor's operations. These analyses include gross alpha / beta activity for the reactor pool water, Cobalt-60 pool water, and the reactor's secondary heat exchanger water and tritium content analysis of reactor pool water. Gamma spectroscopy analysis is performed on these samples on a quarterly basis and when the gross alpha or gross beta action limit is exceeded. The RAL also measures the tritium concentration in the Deuterium Oxide (D 20) tank each month. The 6,000 gallon holding tank for the pool make-up water is analyzed once a year according to the Office of Radiation Protection requirements.

Last year,579 semiconductor irradiations were performed at the RSEC for various companies.

RAL personnel prepared each set of devices for irradiation, calculated the 1-MeV Silicon Equivalent fluence received, and determined the radioisotopes produced in the devices. These devices were then retumed to the company in accordance with NRC and DOT regulations.

The facility performed 16 isotope production runs of either Na-24, Br-82 or Ar-41 for industrial use during the past fiscal year. As needed, the RAL is able to analyze and test chemicals not currently on our approved list.

Penn State students and faculty members continue to use the services offered by the RAL.

Analytical work was performed for graduate and undergraduate students in the Nuclear Engineering, Anthropology, and Polymer Science departments.

Nuclear Engineering students use the RAL for various projects that are being performed at the RSEC. Materials used to produce sources for the pipe wall thinning project are being investigated to study the impurities in the aluminum being used. Previously irradiated samples are also being analyzed to quantify the impurities in those sources.

The RAL is assisting the Anthropology Department in characterizing various samples of obsidian and rhyolite using Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). This analysis involves determining the concentrations of specific elements in various obsidian and rhyolite samples to identify the source of the samples. The obsidian samples originate from Central America and the rhyolite samples are co!!ceted in the United States. This work is expected to continue for the next year.

Work was performed for a Pennsylvania College of Technology graduate student in Polymer Science. Samples of electrical cable coating were irradiated and analyzed to quantify the concentration and distribution of silicon atoms.

21 l

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Work continued for the gross alpha, gross beta and gamma spectroscopy analyses of zirconia ,

l materials used in producing femoral heads in hip-joint replacement pieces. This service work is mquired by Howmedica, Inc. of New Jersey with its zirconia supplier, Morgan Matroc Limited, Warwickshire, England and Norton Desmarquest, Fine Ceramics, Paris, France.

The Westinghouse Science & Technology Center is using our reactor to irradiate devices to study the effects ofirradiation on particular types of electronic devices. This is an ongoing study in which the devices are irradiated and analyzed a series of times to determine the effects of the various fluence levels received by the devices.

Historical Note: As mentioned in last year's report, after 18 years of operation, (1979 - 1997), the RSEC has closed down its Low Level Radiation Monitoring Laboratory (LLRML). This laboratory was initially established by Dr. William A. Jester at the request of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency to provide radiation monitoring services to public and private drinking water supply companies as required by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The laboratory expanded its capabilities to provide radiation monitoring services to nuclear utilities, especially PP&L's Susquehanna Steam Electric Plant at Berwick. In the latter 1980s, as the need for radon monitoring became important, laboratory personnel developed some unique techniques for both airborne and drinking water radon monitoring. These monitoring services were also made available to the public, primarily in Pennsylvania.

In June and July of 1980, laboratory personnel were actively involved in the environmental monitoring of radioactive Krypton-85 purged from the crippled Thme Mile Island Unit II using a noble gas monitor developed by Dr. Jester. The number of positive Krypton-85 measurements far exceeded those made by the various state, federal, and private organizations that were operating Krypton monitoring programs in the TMI area during the same time period.

Following the Chernobyl accident on April 26,1986, laboratory personnel set up an environmental monitoring program at University Park to monitor for fallout from this accident. On June 6,1986, they started detecting Chernobyl-related fission products and were among the very first groups that reported the arrival of this fallout in the continental United States.

Over the years, radiation monitoring services were provided to other organizations. Significant projects included a Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia program involving the monitoring of flora, fauna and vegetable samples collected near the PP&L Susquehanna nuclear l plant. Another significant program included the monitoring of the alpha and beta activity in zirconia oxide used by Howmedica to prepare femoral heads (artificial hip-joint balls). Based on this work, an acceptance criteria was established that is used to determine whether or not a batch of zirconia oxide is acceptable to be used for this purpose.

The LLRML was shut down because of its increasing operational cost and its decreasing revenue.

In recent years, nuclear utilities have desired to do more of their routine monitoring activities in-house and have little funds to suppon special projects. Since Penn State is a public university, we were not allowed to advertise our water or radon monitoring services in a manner that would put the lab in competition with private companies now offering the same services. Finally, the state l and federal licensing costs for laboratory certification continued to increase along with the quality l control requirements to maintain certificatim adding to the cost of operation.

The laboratory facilities are currently operational as part of the RAL and are used to support the monitoring activities of the reactor and Health Physics. Dr. Jester continues to use them for his own private research activities and has announced his interest in using them to support the research programs of other university researchers.

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l VIII. TIIE ANGULAR CORRELATIONS LAllORATORY l

The Angular Correlations Laboratory has been in operation for approximately 12 years. The laboratory, which is located in Room i16 and Room 4 of the RSEC is under the direction of Professor Gary L. Catchen. The laboratory contains three spectrometers for making Penurbed Angular Correlation (PAC) measurements. One apparatus, which has been in operation for ten years, measures four coincidences concurrently using cesium fluoride detectors. A second

, spectrometer was acq. tired seven years ago, and it measures four coincidences concurrently using l barium fluoride detectors. A third spectrometer was set up four years ago to accommodate the increased demand for measurement capability. The detectors and electronics provide a nominal

time resolution of I nsec FWHM, which places the measurements at the state-of-the-art in the field of Perturbed Angular Correlation Spectroscopy.

Currently, Penn State has a unique research program that uses PAC Spectroscopy to characterize technologically important electrical and optical materials. This program represents the synthesis of ideas from two traditionally very different branches of chemistry, materials chemistry and nuclear chemistry. Although the scientific questions are germane to the field of materials chemistry, the PAC technique and its associated theoretical basis have been part of the fields of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry for several decades. The National Science Foundation is sponsoring the program, and the Office of Naval Research sponsored this program in the past.

The PAC technique is based on substituting a radioactive probe atom such as either lilIn or 181Hfinto a specific site in a chemical system. Because these atoms have special nuclear properties. the nuclear (electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole) moments of these atoms can interact with the electric field gradients (efg's) and hyperfine magnetic fields produced by the extranuclear environment.

Static nuclear electric quadrupole interr.ctions can provide a measure of the strength and symmetry of the crystal field in the vicinity of the probe nucleus. In the case of static interactions, the vibrational motion of the atoms in the lattice is very rapid relative to the PAC timescale, i.e.,

0.1-500 nsec. As a result, the measured efg appears to arise from the time-averaged positions of j the atoms, and the sharpness of the spectral lines reflects this " motional narrowing" effect. In contrast to static interactions, time-varying interactions arise when the efg fluctuates during the intermediate-state lifetime. These interactions can provide information about defect and ionic 1 transport. The effect of the efg fluctuating in either strength or direction, which can be caused, for example, by ions " hopping" in and out of lattice sites, is to destroy the orientation of the intermediate state. Experimentally, this loss of orientation appears as the attenuation or " smearing-  ;

out" of the angular correlation. And, often a correspondence can be made between the rate of attenuation and frequency of the motion that prMuced the attenuation. I Magnetic hyperfine interactions, which can be measured in ferromagnetic and paramagnede I bulk and thin-film materials, are used to study the effects of defects and lattice distonions in metal l and semiconducting structures that have nominal cubic symmetry. The general approach is to l I

measure the magnetic hyperfine interaction in a material with few defects. The cubic symmetry requires that the electric quadrupole interaction vanishes. When either defects or distortions are produced, a quadrupole interaction arises that attenuates the usually-well-defined magnetic interactions. Thus, the analysis of this attenuation can provide information, for example, about the type of defect that produced the quadrupole interaction.

Current laboratory research is detailed in Section A of this report.

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IX. RADIATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER RESEARCH AND SERVICE UTILIZATION Research and service continues to be the major focus of the RSEC. A wide variety of research and service projects are currently in progress as indicated on the following pages. The University oriented projects are arranged alphabetically by department in Section A. Theses, publications, papers and technical presentations follow the research description to which they pertain. In addition, Section B lists users by industry and other universities.

The reporting of research and service information to the editor of this report is at the option of the user, and therefore the projects in Sections A and B are only representative of the activities at the facility. The projects described involved 5 technical reports, presentations, or papers,8 publications,2 master's theses, and 11 doctoral theses. The examples cited are not to be construed as publications or announcements of research. The publication of research utilizing the RSEC is the prerogative of the researcher.

Appendix A lists all university, industrial and other users of RSEC facilities, including those listed in Sections A and B. Names of personnel are arranged alphabetically under their department and college or under their company or other affiliation. During the past year,54 faculty and staff members,31 graduate students and 28 undergraduate students have used the facility for research.

This represents a usage by 16 departments or sections in 5 colleges of the University. In addition, 39 individuals from 20 industries, research organizations or other universities used the RSEC facilities.

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SECTION A. PENN STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND SERVICE UTILIZING THE FACILITIES OF THE RADIATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER Anthronology PREHISTORIC METARHYOLITE USE AND MIGRATION IN THE MID.

ATLANTIC

Participants:

K. Hirth G. Bondar Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation, Radiation Counters and Laboratory Space 4000 years ago, significant changes occurred in the Native American cultures of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of what is now the United States. These have been attributed to either a migration of southern people into the region or, alternatively, a transfer of traits from southern cultures. This study will attempt to clarify this issue.

One of the major cultural changes that occurred was the dramatically increased use of a lithic material called metarhyolite. Metarhyolite in the regions of study is limited to several widely-separated formations, one of which runs, roughly, along a north / south line through the Blue Ridge Mountains. I hypothesize that I should be able to differentiate between group migration and cultural diffusion in this setting.

Using the NAA capabilities of the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor facility, I intend to chemically I characterize artifacts and geologic sources to match archaeological artifacts from dated sites to their sources of raw material. I expect to see a progression of source exploitation from south to north  ;

through time if a migration bad occurred. I Currently, no quantitative examination of data has related to this issue. However, the significance of this research extends beyond the borders of this study area. One reason why this topic was selected was because it has the potential to discern an actual population migration based purely on the material culture of a prehistoric society. If successful, this method of analysis should prove useful to examine prehistoric migrations throughout the world.

At present, this research is at the stage of determining methodology and collecting data. Work on this project will continue throughout the next several years.

Doctoral Thesis:

Bondar, G.H., and K.G. Hirth, adviser. Prehistoric Metarhyolite Use and Migration in the Mid-Atlantic Region. In progress.

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I Apolied Research Laboratory HIOMONITORING OF GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON FROM AIR POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM AT MARINE CORPS MULTI-COMMODITY MAINTENANCE CENTER, BARSTOW, CA

Participants:

Janice Schneider William Burgos Harry Campbell Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Granulated activated carbon is used in an air pollution control system at the Marine Corps Multi-Commodity Maintenance Center in Barstow, CA. The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State is currently performing studies in order to determine if bioactivity is present and msponsible for the degradation of volatile organic compounds within the granulated activated carbon bed. Gamma radiation was used to sterilize some carbon samples to be used as controls for this experimentation.

Anticipated completion date of this project is February 1999.

Sponsor: Navy MANTECH REPTECH Program $225,000 Bisbemistry and Molecular Biology GENETIC AND MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF A DROSOPHILA HOMOLOG OF

! MYOD l

l

Participants:

S. M. Abmayr C. A. Keller Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Gamma irradiation is routinely used in Drosophila to generate deletions in regions ofinterest in the fly's genome. Our research involves the identification and examination of genes that are involved in muscle development of the fruitfly. One such gene, sns, was originally found on the basis ofits mutant phenotype, in genetic screens designed to identify new genes involved in myogenesis. This mutation has been genetically mapped on the chromosome and at present our focus is to clone the l gene responsible for the defect in muscle development in the sns mutants. Deletions that remove this gene as well as its flanking regions in the genome have been generated to provide us with DNA breakpoints that would refine the location of the gene. The progeny of the irradiated flies are examined for the loss of genetic markers in this region to identify the desired deletions. The frequency of these deletions is approximately 1 in 10,000 progeny.

Doctoral Thesis: .

i Keller, C.A.. and S.M. Abmayr, adviser. Genetic and Molecular Analysis of a Drosophila Homolog of Myod. In progress.

l Presentation:

l l Keller, C.A., M. Grill, D. Heyser, C. Atwell and S. Abmayr. The nautilus gene is essential for the l formation of a subset of muscles. 39th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Washington, DC. March 25-29,1998.

Sponsor: National Science Foundation 5330,000 /3 years i

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l Biochemistry and Molecular Biology IDENTIFICATION OF GENES ASSOCIATED WITII MYOBLAST FUSION

Participants:

S. M. Abmayr B. A. Bour M. Chakravarti l Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Gamma irradiation is routinely used in Drosophila to generate deletions in regions of interest in the fly's genome. Our research involves the identification and examination of genes that are involved in muscle development of the fruitfly. One such gene, sns, was originally found on the basis of its mutant phenotype, in genetic screens designed to identify new genes involved in myogenesis.

This mutation has been genetically mapped on the chromosome and at present our focus is to clone the gene responsible for the defect in muscle development in the sns mutants. Deletions that remove this gene as well as its flanking regions in the genome have been generated to provide us with DNA breakpoints that would refine the location of the gene. The progeny of the irradiated flies are examined for the loss of genetic markers in this region to identify the desired deletions.

The frequency of these deletions is approximately 1 in 10,000 progeny.

Doctoral Theses:

Bour, B.A., and S.M. Abmayr, adviser. Characterization of mef2 and Sticks and Stones, Two Genes Involved in Drosophila Muscle Development. August 1998.

Chakravarti, M., and S.M. Abmayr, adviser. Genetic and Molecular Characterization of Genes Associated with Myoblast Fusion in Drosophila. In progress.

Erickson, M.R.S., and S.M. Abmayr, adviser. The Identification and Characterization of the Drosophila Myoblast City Gene. August 1997.

Publication:

l Erickson, M.R.S., B.J. Galletta and S.M. Abmayr.1997. Drosophila mbc Encodes a Conserved '

Protein that is Essential for Myoblast Fusion, Dorsal Closure and Cytoskeletal Organization.

J. Cell Biol. in press.

Abstracts:

Bour, B.A., M. Chakravarti, J. West, and S.M. Abmayr. Characterization of Cytological Region 44E-F Which Contains a Mutation that Affects Muscle Development in Drosophila.

B.M.B/ Biology Joint Research Forum, The Pennsylvania State University. October 4,1997.

Bour, B. A., M. Chakravarti, M. Kulp, D. Heyser and S.M. Abmayr. Genetic Characterization of Sticks and Stones, a Gene Involved in Myoblast Fusion. 39th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Washington, D.C. March 25-29,1998. l i

Sponsor: NationalInstitutes for Health $963,687 (total costs /5 years) l i l

29

l Biology GENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE 1(3)100Ab GENE IN DROSOPIIILA Panicipants: Z. C. Lai S. Schonhoff Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Loss of the 1(3)l00Ab gene function causes a lethal effect at early stages during Drosophila development. Mutant animals die at the embryonic stage. To investigate if the gene is involved in determining development of tissues that are formed at later stages, we had the 1(3)100Ab heterozygotes irradiated so that homozygous mutant cells can be generated. Gamma irradiation was used to mediate mitotic recombination. We focused on the eye development and demonstrated that the 1(3)l00Ab gene is not required for the eye formation in Drosophila.

Chemistry Department BLOCK CO-POLYMER SYNTHESIS WITHIN THE ADDUCTS OF TRIS (OPH ENYLENE DIOXY)C YCLOTRIPHOS PH A ZENE

Participants:

H. R. Allcock A. Primrose Service Provided: GammaIrradiation The goal of this project is to synthesize block co-polymers which normally do not form using standard solution techniques. This may be achieved first by inclusion of an initial monomer within the adducts of tris (o-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene. Second, this solid is evacuated to remove excess monomer and then exposed to gamma irradiation for a specific period of time.

Once irradiated, this solid will be exposed to a second monomer and will be left to sit for approximately one week. Through this simple procedure,it is hoped that block co-polymer formation will be achieved.

Chemistrv Department SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYPHOSPHAZENES FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

Participants:

H. R. Allcock W. R. Laredo R. Draughn Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Polyphosphazenes are currently being investigated for their use as temporary scaffolds for fibroblast cell growth. The aim is to grow cells on a polymer matrix in vitro followed by implantation of the device into an area of the body that has undergone trauma or degenerative decay. The body can then use its own mechanisms to further the growth and proliferation of the cells to form the desired tissue (cartilage, endothelial cells, smooth muscle). The polymer is designed to eventually degrade, leaving the regenerated tissue intact and conforming to the dimensions of the matrix. The polyphosphazenes synthesized and tested have a wide variety of side groups from amino acid denved, which are biodegradable, to trifluoroethoxy derived, which 30

l l

l are bioinert. One of the key requirements of these polymers prior to testing is sterility. There are  ;

different ways this can be achieved including radiation. Polymers were gamma irradiated (Cobalt- l

60) at five different levels - 1.25,2,2.5,3.5, and 5 Mrads. Most of the polymers studied cross- l linked at levels greater than 2. Since cross-linking alters the degradation characteristics, w ork is being carried out to determine the minimum radiation required to sterilize without cross-linking.

DoctomiThesis:

Laredo, W.R. and H.R. Allcock, adviser. Polyphosphazenes for Biomedical Applications.

In progress.

Publication- I l

Allcock, H.R., W.R. Laredo, and R.L. Draughn. Fibroblast Cell Growth on 2-D and l 3-D Polyphosphazene Matrices. To be submitted 1998.

1 l

Chemistry Department SYNTHESIS OF POLYPHOSPHAZENES FOR USE AS GEL ELECTROLYTES

Participants:

H. R. Allcock E. C. Kellam, III T. J. Hartle l

Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation I i

Polyphosphazenes are being examined for use as gel electrolyte materials for potential battery applications. In order to form a gel, a small molecule additive must be incorporated into the 1 polymer matrix. The current polymer being examined, a methoxyethoxyethoxy polyphosphazene, lacks dimensional stability and the ability to swell and retain solvent until it is cross-linked.

Currently one of the best known methods of cross-linking these samples is via gamma irradiation.

After cross-linking, the sample is placed in a variety of high dielectric constant solvents and allowed to swell, then tested for conducting properties. The goalis to find a level of radiation that initiates a degree of cross-linking which will afford dimensional stability, allow absorption of a small molecule and subsequent gel formation, as well as allowing high levels ofionic conduction.

Currently 2 Mrads ofirradiation is being tested and there are plans for varying exposures in the future based on the results.

Doctoral Thesis:

Laredo, W.R. and H.R. Allcock, adviser. Polyphosphazenes for Biomedical Applications. 2000.

Publication:

Allcock, H.R., W.R. Laredo, and R.L. Draughn. Fibroblast Cell Growth on 2-D and 3-D Polyphosphazene Matrices. To be submitted 1998.

Dairy and Animal Sciencs i

THE ROLE OF PROLACTIN IN ANTIGEN-PRESENTING MATURATION AND FUNCTION

Participants:

T. D. Etherton L. A. Ellis 31 l

l

l Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation  !

Neonatal antigen presenting cells are irradiated to prevent mitotic division in order to assess the influence of these cells in stimulating the division of antigen-specific T cells.

Doctoral Thesis:

Ellis, L.A. and T.D. Etherton, adviser. The Importance of Prolactin to Immune System Maturation. Fall 1998.

Food Sciengs IRRADIATION OF MUSHROOMS - EFFECTS ON QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE Participant: R. Beelman Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Food Sciengs IRRADIATION OF CHICKEN SKINS AND BEEF TISSUES TO DESTROY BACKGROUND MICROFLORA PRIOR TO INOCULATION WITH FOODBORNE PATHOGENS Participant: S. Knabel Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Gamma irradiation was used to kill all background microflora on fresh chicken skins and beef tissue samples. The irradiated chicken skins were subsequently inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium and the irradiated beef tissues inoculated with E. coli 0157:H7 and then treated with various combinations of high pH/high temperature to determine the rate of destruction.

Sponsor: Department of Food Science Nuclear Engineering EVALUATING TWO PHASE FLOW USING NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY

Participants:

M. E. Bryan D. E. Hughes S. S. Glickstein J. H. Murphy Services Provided: Neutron Radiography, Machine Shop and Electronics Shop This project is using neutron radiog aphy to observe 2-phase fluid flow experiments. An upgraded flow loop was built, and flow measurements at pressures up to 2000 psi are ongoing. A second project began early in the 97/98 fiscal year to study reflood in a hot channel at atmospheric pressure using the techniques developed for this work.

Sponsor: Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory $40,654 32

l l

Nuclear Engineering STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IN NICKEL-BASED STAINLESS STEELS Panicipants: M. E. Bryan R. Daum F. J. Loss R. E. Taylor Service Provided: Hot Cell Laboratory This project is using Hot Cell #2 to house 3 autoclaves in which irradiated stainless steel fracture specimens are loaded to observe stress corrosion cracking in a PWR environment over a two year period. A Scanning Electron Microscope and a Fein-Focus X-ray inspection system have been installed and are being used to examine specimens.

Spon,sor: Materials Engineering Associates $80,243 Nuclear Engineering STRESS CORROSION CRACKING OF ALLOY 750

Participants:

M. E. Bryan R. Daum A. T. Motta Services Provided: Laboratory Space, Machine Shop, Hot Cell Lab, Neutron Radiography.

Stress corrosion cracking of reactor intemals is a major threat to the continued safe operation of nuclear power plants beyond their design lives. Stress corrosion cracking requires the combined effects of stress, corroding environment and susceptible microstructure. In collaboration with the Materials Science Department at Penn State, we are conducting an investigation of the stress corrosion mechanisms of Inconel X-750, under reactor conditions. Inconel X-750 is used in special reactor applications requiring great strength and hardness, such as springs andjet pump nozzles.

In this research, we will investigate the role of Hydrogen in the cracking process, by conducting both slow strain rate tests (SSRT) and compact tension type experiments. Other alloys to be investigated include alloys 718,625 and 690. The cracking process will be conducted in autoclaves where the electrochemical potential (ECP), temperature, and conductivity will be monitored on-line, and where the Hydrogen content of the water will be a parameter. Post corrosion examinations include an examination of fracture surface, hydrogen profiling with both Neutron Radiography and a LECO system.

Master's Thesis:

Daum, R., A.T. Motta, adviser. Effect of Hydrogen on Stress-Corrosion of Alloys X-750 and 625. In progress.

33

Nuclear Engineering TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF HYPERFINE FIELDS IN ZrFe3 MEASURED USING PERTURHED-ANGULAR-CORRELATION SPECTROSCOPY

Participants:

G. L. Catchen A. T. Motta S. J. Cumblidge R. L. Rasera Services Provided: Angular Correlations L.ab, Laboratory Space, Machine Shop We have measured the temperature dependences of the electric and magnetic hyperfine interactions at '8'Ta nuclei substituted into the Zr site in the Laves-phase compound Fe2Zr, using the perturbed angular correlation of prays emitted after the p decays of 81Hf probe nuclei. Although the overall crystal structure is cubic, a weak strongly-damped electric-quadrupole interaction is observed, which shows no significant temperature dependence over the investigated temperature range from 290 K to 1300 K. Thus, below the magnetic ordering tem cerature Tc of 631(2) K, we observe combined magnetic-dipole and electric-quadmpole hyperfine interactions. Two separate magnetic components characterize the magnetic-dipole interactions. For the interaction at the primary site, which is occupied by 70-80% of the probes, the Larmor frequency measured at laboratory temperature has a value of g = 407(1) Mrad sec~ . The secondary site is populated by the remaining 20-30% of the probes, for which the corresponding Larmor frequency has a 290-K value of g(0) = 579(3) Mrad sec~ . We attribute the primary interaction to the " perfect-crystal" probe environment at the Zr site, whereas we ascribe the secondary interaction to the enhancernent of the transfetTed hyperfine field by the presence of Fe anti-site defects near the Zr site. At temperatures below but very close to Tc, those frequencies cannot be determined for either interaction, because the magnetic-hyperfine and the electric-quadrupole frequencies converge to comparable values and electron-spin disordering produces increased line broadening.

Publication:

Motta, A.T., G.L. Catchen, S.E. Cumblidge, R.L. Rasera, A. Paesano, Jr., and L. Amaral.

Temperature Dependence of Hyperfine Fields in ZrFe2 Measured Using Perturbed-Angular-Correlation Spectroscopy, submitted to Physical Review B. August 1998.

Sponsor:

National Science Foundation Grant number INT-9503934 and support from the Brazilian National research Council (CNPq).

Nuclear Engineering VARIOUS ANALYES OF SAMPLES USING THE SERVICES OF THE RADIONUCLEAR APPLICATIONS LABORATORY Participant: T. H. Daubenspeck Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation, Neutron Activation Analyses, Radiation Counters, Flux Monitoring, Shielding Design 34

l Sixteen (16) isotope production runs were performed during the past year; 14 runs for Tru-Tec and 2 nms for Tracerco. These runs included 7 irradiations of Ar-40 gas to produce 4.875 Ci of l Argon-41,7 irradiations to produce 2.034 Ci of Sodium-24, and 2 irradiations to produce 0.9 Ci l of Bromine-82.

A total of 579 semiconductor irradiations were performed during the past year at the RSEC. Harris l

Semiconductor - 532, TRW Inc. - 23, Raytheon Company - 21, E-Systems - 2, and Hughes Aircraft - 1.

Irradiation and analyses of obsidian and rhyolite samples. (Greg Bondar - Anthropology) l Irradiation and analyses of various cable coatings to determine Si concentrations. (Kirk Cantor -

PA College of Technology) l NAA demos for high school / college / miscellaneous tours. (Davison - Nuclear Engineering)

Nuclear Engineering SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF NEUTRON AND GAMMA RADIATION LEVELS USING SILICON CARBIDE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS

Participants:

A. R. Dulloo F. H. Ruddy J. G. Seidel M. E. Bryan T. L. Flinchbaugh C. C. Davison T. H. Daubenspeck Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation, Gamma Irradiation, Laboratory Space, Flux Monitoring, Machine Shop A new type of radiation detector based on silicon carbide (sic)is being developed and tested at the Westinghouse Science & Technology Center (STC). The nuclear detection properties of these miniature semiconductor detectors have been demonstrated for charged particles, neutrons (through thejuxtaposition of a LiF layer), and gamma radiation. Simultaneous neutron and gamma-ray detection has been achieved with the detector operated in the pulse mode, and a highly linear response has been demonstrated in the range of 10' - 105n cm 2 ds for thermal neutrons, and 700 -

270,000 R/h for gamma rays.

The sensitivity of sic detectors to both neutrons and gamma rays points to their strong potential to i' monitor radiation levels for applications such as spent fuel monitoring where mixed neutron / gamma fields are encountered. As a first step towards the demonstration of this potential, a series of measurements was made at Penn State's TRIGA reactor facility with a sic detector package. In order to simulate a spent fuel assembly environment as closely as possible, the measurements of the neutron flux and gamma dose rate from the reactor core were made while the ,

reactor was either in shutdown mode or at low power. The main results are summarized here: 1

1. The ability to measure neutron and gamma radiation at levels comparable to those encountered from a spent fuel assembly was demonstrated.

l 2. The sensitivity of the sic detector was sufficient to provide a profile of the neutron / gamma l radiation levels along the axial length of the TRIGA reactor core.

2 i 3. A detector package with a sensitive area of only 1.5 mm was able to measure an epicadmium neutron flux of 600 n cm-2 4s with an uncertainty of 5% in a 30-minute count.

35

4. In addition, the sic dctector shows a high level of precision for both neutrons and gamma rays in high-intensity radiation environments (1.9% for neutrons and better than 0.6% for gamma rays). These results indicate that sic detectors are well suited for spent fuel monitoring applications. Further testing of the detectors at a commercial spent fuel pool facility is planned.

Publications:

Dulloo, A.R., F.H. Ruddy, J.G. Seidel, J.M. Adams, J.S. Nico, and D.M. Gilliam.

Development of a Silicon Carbide Radiation Detector,IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, V.45, No.3, p.536. June 1998.

Ruddy, F.H., A.R. Dulloo, J.G. Seidel, S. Seshadri, and L.B. Rowland. Development of a i Silicon Carbide Radiation Detector, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, V.45, No.3, p.536. June 1998.

Nuclear Engineering NE 451, UNDERGRADUATE LABORATORY OF REACTOR EXPERIMENTS l

Participants:

R. M. Edwards W. A. Jester Hans Gougar M. E. Bryan Services Provided: Laboratory Space, Machine Shop, Electronics Shop, SUN SPARC server computer system, Reactor Instrumentation and Support Staff.

The Nuclear Engineering 451 course is the second of two required 3 credit laboratory courses.

Each weekly laboratory exercise usually consists of 2 lectures and one laboratory session. The first course (NucE 450) covers radiation instrumentation and measurement and is conducted in the 2nd semester of the junior year. By the beginning of the senior year, the students have already covered the LaMarsh Introduction to Nuclear Engineering text including reactor point kinetics. The 451 course then emphasizes experiments using the instrumentation that was covered in the first course and is divided into two (more or less) equal " tracks". These tracks can be coarsely described as TRIGA and non-TRIGA experiments and each is the major responsibility of a different professor. The non-TRIGA track includes 3 graphite pile,2 analog simulation, and 1 power plant measurement experiment. In 1997, the TRIGA track included:

l

1. Digital Simulation of TRIGA Reactor Dynamics

2. Large Reactivity Insertion (Pulsing)

3. Control Rod Calibration

4. Reactor Frequency Response

5. Neutron Noise

6. ReactorControl This sequence was first introduced in 1991 when the reactor control experiment replaced a reactor gamma field measurement experiment and the digital sin.ulation exercise was modified to point I

kinetics from its previous focus on Xenon dynamics. The laboratory utilizes Macintosh computers I

with GW Electronics MacAdios Jr data acquisition hardware and Superscope II software. The Superscope II software was a major software upgrade for 1993, and with its new point-by-point ,

seamless mode enabled effective reactivity calculations and control experiments. The Mathworks l SIMULINK simulation software was used for the digital simulation exercise for the first time in  ;

1992. Reactor control is offered as a graduate course in our department but until 1991, our i undergraduates did not receive a complete introduction to feedback control. In the Fall of 1994, a 36

new UNIX network compatible control system was utilized for the reactor control experiment. The new system was also acquired to enhance the NSF/EPRI sponsored research and is described in more detail in subsequent sections. The UNIX Network compati'ole controller programming is performed using the Mathworks SIMULINK block programming language in a SUN SPARC workstation. An automatic C code generation process produces and downloads the necessary real-time program for execution in a microprocessor-based controller with an ETHERNET network interface to the host workstation.

The 1994, version of the control experiment, thus unified all of the MATLAB/SIMULINK I instmetion earlier in the course into a demonstration of state-of-the-art CASE-based control system 1 design and implementation.

i Nuclear Engineering l 1

THREE DIMENSIONAL COUPLED KINETICS / THERMAL-HYDRAULIC BENCHMARK EXPERIMENTS USING THE BREAZEALE TRIGA REACTOR

Participants:

M. A. Feltus W. Miller Services Provided: Reactor Time, Instrumentation and Suppor Staff 1

The major goal of this experimental rescruth project is to provide separate effects tests in order to i benchmark neutron kinetics models coupled with thermal-hydraulics models used in the NRC's I best-estimate codes, RELAP and TRAC; and with industrial codes, such as RETRAN and STAR.  !

Before this research project was initiated, no adequate experimental data existed for reactivity ,

initiated transients that may be used to assess the coupled three-dimensional (3D) kinetics and 3D l thermal-hydraulics codes which have been, or are being, developed around the world. Rather, what has been used for the assessment has been benchmarks that compare results between the various 3D kinetics computer codes rather than assessment with experimental data. While this inter-comparison of kinetics codes is necessary, it is inherently insufficient. The ultimate test of any computer code, like the ultimate test of any scientific theory, is comparisons with actual physical measurements not comparisons with other computer codes.

Using various TRIGA reactor core configurations, it is possible to determine the level of neutronics modeling required to describe kinetics and thermal-hydraulic feedback interactions.

With fuel element thermocouple and core-wide instrumentation data, it is possible to compare test results with the fuel temperature, flux distribution, and thermal-hydraulics results from the analysis tools. This research effort also shows that the small compact TRIGA core does not necessarily behave as a point kinetics reactor, but the PSU TRIGA can provide actual test results for the three-dimensional kinetics code benchmarks.

Selected steady state power levels are used to find static thermal-hydraulic, neutronic coupling in

'erms of flux and temperature distributions. Time-dependent tests using ramps, square waves, and neutron pulses are performed that simulate time-dependent transients with kinetic and thermal-hydraulic feedback. Symmetric and asymmetric core configurations were used to develop spatially dependent kinetics and thermal-hydraulic conditions for benchmarks. Static and time-dependent power levels, including pulses are used. Temperature and flux measurements are evaluated, for their dependence on position.

A series of pulses, square waves, and ramps were performed on the PSBR TRIGA reactor, for various core loading patterns. For the extensive data collection and benchmark effort, three pulses

($1.50, $1.75, and $2.00), three square waves (200 kW,300 kW, and 500 kW), three ramps to 500 kW (with 30 second,40 second, and 50 second periods), and a stepped ramp to 750 kW were performed with core loading pattem 48A. All transients were initiated from a power level of 50 37

- . - - . - ~ . - . . .- .- --. - - _- -

I Watts. The square waves and ramps were allowed to reach a steady-state power level and

equilibrium core conditions before being scrammed.

i The TRIGA pulses were used to evaluate the level of neutronics modeling needed for prompt temperature feedback in the f uel, Ramps and square waves were used to evaluate the detail of modeling needed for the delayed thermal-hydraulic feedback of the coolant in the core. A stepped ramp transient was performed to derive the thermal constants for the specific TRIGA core loading and relate the steady-state fuel temperature to the core power level. This allowed the calculation of the thermal constants (i.e., heat capacity, specific heat) of the PSBR TRIGA fuel elements as a function of temperature.

i l As part of the analytic benchmark effort, the STAR 3D kinetics code was used to model the ,

transient events. The STAR models were coupled with the one-dimensional (1D) WIGL and LRA  ;

and 3D COBRA thermal-hydraulics modes to determine the level of thermal-hydraulic modeling required to accurately describe the behavior the TRIGA core during these transient conditions. The ID thermal-hydraulic models (WIGL and LRA) were adequate for the rapid pulse events, when accurate temperature-dependent fuel thermal constants were used, and the coolant reactor feedback mechanism was slight. However, the longer transients (i.e., ramps, square waves) necessitated 1 3D Duid flow analysis (COBRA) coupled with the 3D STAR model.

This research effort has provided both experimental and analytical benchmark information for coupled thermal-hydraulic and 3D kinetics feedback for reactor safety analysis efforts. The results can be used to qualify the point, one- and three- dimensional kinetics models in the NRC's RELAP and TRAC series of codes, as well as industry thermal-hydraulic codes such as RETRAN.

Other investigators can easily demonstrate their 3D coqled neutronics, and thermal-hydraulics '

codes can represent the complex thermal-hydraulic and kinetics effects exhibited in the TRIGA l reactor for pulses, ramps, and square waves.

l l Master's Thesis:

Miller, W.S., and M.A. Feltus, adviser. Three Dimensional Coupled Kinetics /Ihermal-Hydraulic Benchmark Experiments Using the Breazeale TRIGA Reactor. August 1998.

i Sponsor: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Grant Number NRC-04-94-089 Nuclear Engineering THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY LOW PRESSURE INTEGRAL SYSTEMS TEST FACILITY Participants; L. E. Hochreiter V. J. Bilovsky Services Provided: Reactor Time, Instmmentation and Support Staff A low pressure integral systems effects test facility which models the Advanced Simplined Boiling Water Reactor is being designed, fabricated, constructed and operated by undergraduate students in the Nuclear Engineering Program at Penn State. The objectives of the test facility are to examine the single and two-phase natural circulation phenomena at low pressure and to provide test data to assess and validate reactor safety systems computer codes at lower pressures. The Simplined Boiling Water reactor is a passive design which uses gravity injection flow to maintain core cooling for a postulated accident. The experiment models the reactor core, (using electrical heater rods),

the vessel downcomer, chimney, separator, main condenser, feedwater tank, isolation condenser, and the gravity driven inject %n system. Both steady-state, small break Loss of Coolant Accidents, and operational transient tests can be performed such that a wide range of operating points and 38

conditions can be investigated. The tests will be used to assess the performance of the TRAC-BF1 reactor systems safety analysis computer code.

In addition to providing data for benchmarking thermal-hydraulic analysis computer codes, the test facility is also a unique opponunity for undergraduates and graduate students to gain experience in scaling, design, construction and operation of a test facility. The students formed teams and were responsible for portions of the design, scaling, purchasing, construction, data acquisition system, specifying the instrumentation, and developing the test procedures. In this fashion, the students receive a hands-on experience. The objective of the program was to integrate the classroom courses in thermal hydraulics, controls, and instrumentation with the practical experience of design and operation.

Nuclear Engineering l FUEL MANAGEMENT STUDY OF PSU TRIGA REACTOR CORE l

Participants:

D. E. Hughes ,

S. H. Levine l G. M. Morlang l W. F. Witzig l l

Services Provided: Reactor Operations, Access to PSU Main Frame Computer  !

l During the recent operating history of Penn State's TRIGA reactor, the fuel temperature, at full power of one Megawatt as indicated by the in-core thermocouple, had risen close to the scram I point of 600 C. Review of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) also revealed that the maximum i temperature analyzed for a source term release was 466 C. To reduce the indicated fuel element I temperature the maximum power was de-rated to 75% (750 kW).

A study of the core loading continues, utilizing standard fuel management t.ools (LEOPARD, EXTERMINATOR-2 and MCRAC), to determine the ratio of the maximum elemental power density as compared to the average core power density or normalized power (NP). Experiments were run to determine the ability to predict the NP, and consequently indicate fuel element temperature, of a specific core location (loading). A core is being designed to reduce the maximum fuel temperature to below 550 C (possibly even below 500 C) while operating at one Megawatt (full power).

To use a new core design, the Technical Specifications have been altered to allow placing the 12 wt% instrumented element in a core position other than the B-ring. Additionally, the SAR and technical specifications have been revised to increase the number of permitted operating hours in a week. The results of this study were published in a technicaljoumal and presented at the ANS conference in November 1997.

Publications:

Hughes, D.E., and W.F. Witzig. Safety Analysis Report, Chapter IX. License Number R-2, Docket Number 50-05. The Pennsylvania State University. April 24,1997.

[

i

!- Levine, S.H., and P.G. Boyle. Behavior of '2 wt% TRIGA Fuel After Many Yem of Operation.

Presented at the ANS 1997, Winter Meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico. November 16-20, 1997.

Levine, S.F and P.G. Boyle. Operational Characteristics of the New 12 wt% TRIGA Fuel.

Presented at the ANS 1997, Winter Meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico. November 16-20, 1997.

! 39

i Nuclear Engineering NUCE 450, RADIATION DETECTION AND MEASUREMENT l l

Participants:

W. A. Jester l U. Senaratne j Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation, Radiation Counters and Laboratory Space j i

NucE 450 introduces the student to many of the types of radiation measurement systems and )

associated electronics used in the nuclear industry as well as many of the mathematical techniques !

used to process and interpret the meaning of measured data. The radiation instruments studied in l this course include, GM detectors, gas flow proportional counters, NaI(TI) detectors, BF3 counters, ion chambers, wide range GM detectors, and surface barrier detectors. The data collection and analysis techniques studied include radiation counting statistics, gamma ray and charged panicle spectroscopy, and the interfacing of computers with nuclear instrumentation.

Nuclear Engineering RADIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE MATERIALS USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF FEMORAL HEADS l

Participants:

W. A. Jester R. W. Granlund J. Lebiedzik l

l Services Provided: Radiation Counters, Laboratory Space and Radionuclear Applications Laboratory (RAL) l A quality assurance procedure has been developed in conjunction with Howmedica to insure that the zirconia used to produce the femoral heads does not contain harmful amounts of alpha and beta emitters. Suppliers of this material send to RAL two thin disks produced from each of their batches for low level alpha and beta activity measurements. Only if the activity of these two samples pass the various quality assurance criteria can the raw materia' be sent to Howmedica for the production of femoral heads.

Sponsor: Howmedica, Inc. $1800 l

Nuclear Engineering COMPTON SCATTER GAUGE l

Participants:

E. H. Klevans E. S. Kenney B. Scheetz K. Burkert R. Baxter M. E. Bryan D. E. Hughes R. L. Eaken J. Armstrong M. P. Grieb 40

l l

Services Provided: Hot Cell Lab, Laboratory Space, Machine Shop and Electronics Shop Measurement of pipe walls for erosion is accomplished without removing insulation by use of a I gamma ray backscatter thickness gauge. The device can measure wall thickness in empty pipes or l in fluid-filled pipes. The isotope Hg-203 provides the source of gammas. A collimator is used to i allow the desired backscattered gammas to reach the detector while largely excluding those from undesired sources, e.g. multiple-scattered gammas and gammas scattered from water. During the past year a new design was implemented for producing these sources in the Missouri University Research Reactor. The new design keeps the temperature of the Hg low, thereby preventing 1 overheating and breaching of any of the barriers that contain the radioactive Hg. The sources have l been successfully transferred from the irradiation encapsulation to the compton scatter gauge in the i hot cells at Penn State. The device was greatly modified to allow easy handling in the field, and to add interlock safety features. A successful field test was conducted at the Dresden Nuclear Station in March,1998. Wall thickness measurements were performed on test sections of three feedwater heaters.

Doctoral Theses:

Burkert, K.A., E.H. Klevans and E.S. Kenney, co-advisers. Source Development and System Field Testing for the Compton Scatter Gauge. In progress.

Baxter, R.L., E.H. Klevans and E.S. Kenney, co-advisers. Design, Construction and Testing of Three Compton Scatter Gauge Units. In progress.

Sponsor: Commonwealth Edison Company Nuclear Engineering DISSOLUTION RATE OF THE NEUTRON ABSORBER MATERIAL BORAFLEX Panicipants: D. Kline ,

D. Vonada l K. Lindquist Services Provided: Laboratory Space and Technical Suppon This project's objective is to quantify the dissolution rate of Boraflex, a polymer-based neutron absorber material, in simulated spent fuel pool environments. The test conditions include different i temperature, irradiation exposure, and the presence of solubility inhibitors. The data is used as the basis for a computer model of Boraflex in the spent fuel pool environment. The data on solubility inhibitors serves as the basis for a demonstration program at a BWR spent fuel pool. Zinc acetate will be added to the spent fuel pool water at t lyster Creek to reduce the dissolution rates and extend the useful service life of Boraflex. A demonstration at a PWR spent fuel pool is scheduled for 1998.

Sponsor: Electric Power Research Institute Nuclear Engineering POST IRRADIATION INSPECTION AND TESTING OF NEUTRON ABSORBER MATERIALS

Participants:

D. Kline D. Vonada K. Lindquist 41

.a. * .A.. 2_., ,m.

Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation and Laboratory Space i The purpose of this work is to quantitatively characterize the in-service physical properties of neutron absorber materials used in spent fuel storage racks and shipping casks. Utilities use surveillance coupons of neutron absorber materials such as Boraflex, BORAL, borated graphite and NEUTRASORB borated stainless steel to track the performance of these materials in casks and racks. The coupons are tested with respect to dimensional changes, weight changes, hardness changes, density changes, changes in dynamic shear modulus and neutron attenuation characteristics. The latter measurements are performed in the Neutron Beam Laboratory.

Sponsor: Various Electric Utilities Nuclear Engineering INVESTIGATING CRYSTAL AND MAGNETIC-HYPERFINE FIELDS IN Zr3Fe AND ZrFe2 USING PAC SPECTROSCOPY

Participants:

A. T. Motta S. E. Cumblidge G. L. Catchen A. Paesano, Jr.

L. Amaral Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation and Angular Correlations Lab The intermetallic compounds Zr3Fe and ZrFe2 have technologically important properties, but the character and origins of these properties go beyond the current picture that solid-state and materials physics provides. Therefore we have initiated research using perturbed-angular-correlation (PAC) spectroscopy via the 181Hf probe to investigate crystal fields in the non-magnetic phases and magnetic hyperf~me fields (MHF's) in the magnetic phases. We use PAC spectroscopy to characterize the kinetics and thermodynamics of point defects by measuring the :w.perature dependence of the local electric-field gradients (EFGs) at the nuclear probe sites. To characterize the magnetic ordering, we measure the temperature dependence of the impurity-probe dte MHFs, which can, for example, provide idormation about the dimensionality and directionality of the magnetic ordering. This mformation may provide the basis for a model that relates the directionality of the exchange interactions to the corresponding bulk-crystal magnetic properties.

So far, we have investiged the compounds Zr3Fe and ZrFe2. Only one Zr site exists in the C15 Laves phase structure of 2rFex but we observe two distinct MHFs at the Zr sites, with slightly different temperature dependem:es. This result implies that two distinct hyperfine fields are transferred to two magnetically inequivalent Zr sites from the Fe sites, also known from MUssbauer measurements to be magnetically inequivalent. In the nonmagnetic Zr3Fe phase, we observe two Zr-site EFGs that correspond to the two crystallographically inequivalent Zr sites.

Sponsor: NSF $80,000/3 years Nuclear Engineering MEASURING PRESSURE VESSEL EMBRITTLEMENT USING POSITRON ANNIHILATION SPECTROSCOPY

Participants:

A. T. Motta l

G. L. Catchen S. E. Cumblidge l 42 1

Service Provided: Laboratory Space One of the leading mechanisms of reactor degradation is pressure vessel embrittlement that could cause vessel failure in the case of a pressurized thermal s aock during rewetting after a loss-of-coolant accident. The ductility of the pressure essel, as measured by the Charpy V-notch test, decreases with increasing neutron fluence. To avelcp a non-destructive means to detect submicroscopic defect structures that evolve in pressure vessels during irradiation is thus highly  ;

desirable. The goal of this project!s to evaluate positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) I as an independent means to characterize neutron radiation damage to pressure vessels. Neutron irradiated pressure vessel materials fumished by Westinghouse were irradiated at room temperature l to a neutron fluence of 1017 n/cm2. The positron lifetime distributions could be represented by a three lifetime constrained fit that correspond well to two different types of defects, one with a_

lifetime around 165 ps and one with a lifetime around 300 ps. The average positron lifetime (T) ,

increases with neutron fluence. By annealing at 450 C for different times, we determined that 30 minutes provides enough time to anneal all of the damage. At higher temperatures, we have examined end-of-life pressure vessel materials exposed to_ fast neutron fluences of 8 x 1018 n/cm2 and 1.5 x 1019 n/cm2. In these samples, T was much smaller than in samples irradiated at room temperature, indicating that the damage is dynamically annealed at 300 C.

Paper:

Cumblidge, S.E., A.T. Motta and G.L. Catchen, advisers. Examination of Irradiated Pressure Vessel Steel Using Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy. Fall meeting of the Materials Research Society, Boston, Massachusetts. November 1998.

Sponsor: FERMI $25,000 Nuclear Engineering POINT DEFECTS IN INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS OF THE Zr-M SYSTEM

Participants:

A. T. Motta G. L. Catchen l

A. Paesano, Jr.

Services Provided: Neutron Irradiation, Angular Correlations Lab, Laboratory Space and Machine Shop An international collaboration has been establirhed between The Pennsylvania State University, The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and Argonne National Laboratory, to study the defect energetics and configurations of point defects in the intermetallic compounds ZrFe2, Zr3Fe and other intermetallies of the Zr-Fe-M system (M = Cr, Ni, Al, Co).

l The nuclear probe techniques of Perturbed Angular Correlation, Mussbauer Spectroscopy, and l Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy will be used to study defects on neutron irradiated

! intermetallic samples. These studies will be complemented by the study of the amorphization l response of the compounds under charged particle irradiation. Computer simulations of these lattice stmetures will also be performed using the embedded atom method. The resuhs from both experiments and from the computations can then inform each other, confirming experiments, suggesting new ones and verifying theoretical models.

Currently, samples of ZrFe2 and Zr3 containing radioactive Hf produced in the reactor are being

examined by PAC. These samples were prepared by are melting and heat treating in reactor Room 6 and the hot cell laboratory area.

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Plant Pathology FUSARIUM RESEARCH

Participants:

J.Juba J. Skelley K. Kouterick S. Pennypacker Service Provided: Camma Irradiation Carnation leaves and birch leaves are irradiated in the Cobalt-60 facility in order to provide a sterile growing medium for Fusarium species at the Fusarium Research Center.

Polymer Science CROSSLINKING MECHANISM IN POLYETHYLENE USED FOR EXTRUSION COATED CABLE Panicipants: I. Harrison K. Cantor Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation Polyethylene (PE) used for extrusion coating of electrical cable is crosslinked to improve several performance properties, most notably to increase service temperature. To facilitate crosslinking, the PE is synthesized with a small concentration of silane comonomer. Silane is employed as a moisture-activated functional group, allowing a post-extrusion curing operation to be conducted.

Curing takes place by exposing the coated cable to high temperature moisture (bath or sauna).

During curing, silanes on adjacent molecules can react through water to form a crosslink. In an effort to characterize this mechanism, Neutron Activation Analysis was employed to quantify the concentration and distribution of silicon atoms, repn:senting silane species.

DoctoralThesis:

Cantor, K., and I. Harrison, adviser. An Investigation of Moisture-Crosslinkable Polyethylene for Cable Coating.1998.

Veterinary Science THE SERINE / THREONINE KINASE PIM1 INHIBITS PCD AS INDUCED BY GAMMA RADIATION

Participants:

B. Joneja D. Wojchowski Service Provided: Gamma Irradiation To the capacity of Pimi to inhibit PCD (and to provide initial insight into possible mechanisms) the ability of FDCW2ER372-pMKPimi cells to suppress death as induced by gamma irradiation was investigated. FDCW2ER372-pMKPim1, -pMK and -pMKBel-xL cells were exposed to Co60 (300 Rads). Cells then were cultured for 6 hours6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br /> in the presence of IL3, washed, and cultured in 1% FBS, OptiMEM medium in the absence of cytokines. At the indicated intervals, frequencies of non-viable cells were assayed by staining with propidium iodide. In FDCW2ER372-pMKPimi 44

l-cells, programmed death was inhibited by as much as 40% (12 hour1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> interval) as compared to control FlXNV2ER372pMK cells. Also,in FDCW2ER372-pMKBel-xL cells death was inhibited approximately 4-fold. Radiation-induced PCD has been shown to depend at least in part on p53 and effects of Co60 exposure on cell cycle arrest therefore also were examined in the above cell lines. Exponentially growing cells were exposed to Co60, cultured for 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> in the presence of IL3, and analyzed for cell cycle distributions. In each of these FDCW2ER372-derived cell lines, l arrest in G1 and G2/M phases was induced.

! Doctoral Thesis:

1 Joneja B., and D.M. Wojchowski, adviser. Pimi Broadly Inhibits PCD and Is Induced Coordinately with bel-x via an Epo Receptor Y343-dependent Pathway, MCB.1998.

Paper:

i

! Joneja B., C.P. Miller, and D.M. Wojchowski. Piml Broadly Inhibits PCD and Is Induced j_ Coordinately with bel-x via an Epo Receptor Y343-dependent Pathway, MCB. Submitted.

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I SECTION B. OTHER UNIVERSITIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES UTILIZING THE FACILITIES OF THE PENN STATE RADIATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER l

Ilpiversity or Industry Tvoe of Use Analytical Lab Services Environmental Analyses Bettis Labs, Westinghouse Neutron Radiography l Centre Analytical Environmental Analyses CMS Gilbreth Gamma Irradiation D*nel University Gamma Irradiation E-Systems Semiconductor Irradiation l Gannett Flemming Environmental Analyses Harris Semiconductor SemiconductorIrradiation Howmedica Radiological Analyses llughes Aircraft SemiconductorIrradiation ICI Tracerco Isotopes for Tracer Studies Materials Engineering Associates Hot Cells Morgan Matroc Limited Radiological Analyses Northeast Technology Corporation Neutron Radiography Oglevee Ltd. Gamma Irradiation Rayleon SemiconductorIrradiation Tru-Tec Isotopes for Tracer Studies TRW Semiconductor Irradiation University of Maryland Perturbed Angular Correlation Westinghouse Neutron Irradiation I

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l APPENDIX A Personnel Utilizing the Facilities of the Penn State RSEC.

Faculty (F) Post-Doctoral (PD), Staff (S), Graduate Student (G), Undergraduate (U),

Visiting Faculty (VF), Visiting Staff (VS), IAEA Fellow (IAEA) l

~ COLLEGE OF. AGRICULTURE ' COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING l

Agronomy Mechanical Encineerine Bollag, Jean-Marc (F) Cheung, Fan-Bill ~ (F) 1 Majchner, Emily (G) Kim, Byungsoo (G)

Prescott, Patrick (F)

Dairy and Animal Science Ellis, Lorie (G) Nuclear Engineering Etherton, Terry (F) Amaral, Livio (U)

Apple, James (U) ,

Entomology Armstrong, Jeff (S) '

Hower, An (F) Bates, Douglas (G)

Baxter, Robert (G)

Food Science Bilovsky, Vincent (G)

Beelman, Robert (F) Bodenschatz, Aaron (U)

Knabel, Stephen (F) Brown, Jason (U)

Woody, John (G) Bryan, Mac (S)

Burkert, Kevin (G)

Plant Pathology Catchen, Gary (F)

Juba, Jean (S) Chesleigh, Marcia (U)

Kouterick, Kyle (G) Cogan, Mike (U)

Pennypacker, Stanley (F) Cumblidge, Stephen (G)

Skelley, John (F) Daubenspeck, Thierry (S)

Daum, Roben (G)

Veterinary Science Davis, Christopher (G) 4 Bergstein, Jessica (S) Davison, Candace (S)

Joneja, Bhavana (G) Dixon, Mike (U)

Sordillo-Gandy, L.M. (F) Eaken, Ronald (S)

Wojchowski, Don (F) Edwards, Robert (F)

Feltus, Madeline (F)

Flinchbaugh, Terry (S)

- OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL Gougar, Hans (G)

HEALTH AND SAFETY Grieb, Mark (S)

- Hall, Jeff (U)  !

. Heidrich, Brenden (U)

Office of Radiation Protection Helton, Alison (S)

Augustine, Edward (S) Hooper, Matt (U)

, Boeldt, Eric (S) Hughes, Dan (F)

Bonner, Joe (S) Jester, William (F)

Dunkelberger, Russ (S) Kenney, Edward (F)

Granlund, Rodger (S) Klevans, Edward (F)

Hollenbach, Donald (S) Kwon, Junhyun (G)

Linsley, Mark (S) Lebeidzik, Jana (S) i Rankin, Paul (S) Levack, Rebecca (U)

Wiggins, Jim Levine, Samuel )

(S) (F) l Lunetta, Lois (S)

Mangold, Matt (U) 49

l APPENDIX A ,

(Continued)  !

l Personnel Utilizing the Facilities of the Penn State RSEC.

Faculty (F) Post-Doctoral (PD), Staff (S), Graduate Student (G), Undergraduate (U),

Visiting Faculty (VF), Visiting Staff (VS)

' COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING- COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

, Nuclear Engineerine Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

! Miller, Bill (G) Abmayr, Susan (F) l Mirilovich, Justin (U) Bour, Barbara (G) l Morii, Ai (U) Chakravarti, Malabika (G) l Morlang, Mike (G) Keller, Cheryl A. (G)

Motta, Arthur (F)

Nicholson, Dwight (U) Biology Paesano Jr., Andre (VF) Lai, Zhi-Chun (F) l Plum, Ryan (U) Schonhoff, Susan (U)

Rudy, Kenneth (S)

Scheetz, Barry (F) Chemistry Sea s, C. Frederick (F) Allcock, Harry (F)

Senaratne, Uditha (G) Draeghn, Robin (G)

Simpson, Keith (U) Hartle, Thomas (G)

Sullivan, Joe (U) Kellam III, Edwin Clay (G)

Talbot, Dan (U) Laredo, Walter (G)

Todd, Donald (G) Olmeijer, Dave (G)

Turek, Ben (U) Primrose, Aaron (G)

Tyler, Mark (U)

Vanore, David (U) Manufacturine Science l

Walters, William (U) Burgos, William (S) l Wang, Guogang (G) Campbell, Harry (G)

Watson, Justin (U) Schneider, Janice (F)

Wright, Robert (U)

Zediak, Clint (U) i l . COLLEGE OF EARTH AND COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS l MINERAL SCIENCES l

Energy Institute Anthrooology Hatcher, Pat (F) Bondar, Gregory (G)

Pan, Vicki (PD) Hirth, Kenneth (F)

Polymer Science Cantor, Kirk (G)

Harrison Ian (F) 50

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APPENDIX A (Continued) 1 1

INDUSTRIES, ETC.

Analytical Lab Services ....................... Reider, Jessie

......... ............ Robb, Shawn Bettis Labs, Westinghouse ....................... Glickstein, Stan

....................... Murphy, Jack Centre Analytical ................. ..... Lloyd, Kevin CMS Gilbreth ................. ..... Matlack, Bill Drexel University ....................... Gealt, Michael A.

.. .................... Saboo, Vandana E-Systems ....................... Uber, Craig

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Gannett Flemming ........ .............. Abbe, Dough

....................... Gaito, Jill

....................... Lane, David Harris Semiconductor ....................... Borza, Peter

................ ...... Kalkbrenner, F.

...................... Zarosky, Elaine Howmedica .. .................... Cales, Bernard

....................... Wang, Kathy Hughes Ain raft ............. ......... Craig, Ed ICITracerco ............... ....... Bucior, Dave Material Engineering Associates .............. ........ Loss, Frank J.

...................... Taylor, Robert E.

Morgan Matroc Limited ....................... Murray, Michael Northeast Technology Corporation ....................... Harris, Matt

........... ........... Kline, Don l ....................... Lindquist, Kenneth O.

............ .......... Vonada, Doug l Oglevee Ltd. ................... ... Grossi, Vincent Raytheon ....................... Mulford, L.

....................... Mikulski, C. V.

, ....................... Stransky, D. F.

, Tru-Tec ....................... Kolek, Jerome l ....................... Flenniken, Mike TRW ....................... Graham, Russ L Lunn, Terry l

....................... Randall, Don University of Maryland ....................... Rasera, Robert L.

Westinghouse ....................... Dulloo, Abds!

....................... Ruddy, Frank

....................... Seidel, John i

MISCELLANEOUS ' .

Various Cobalt - 60 irradiations for high school classes' research projects.

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APPENDIX B 1 FORMAL TOUR GROUPS '

(Continued)

JULY 1996 NUMBER OF JUNE 1997 IlAY NAME OF TOUR GROUP PARTICIPANTS 7 VIEW Group Tour 17 26 Freshmen Engineering Students Tour 8 26 Nuc E Grad Students Tour 3 28 Nuc E 451 4 September 11 Food Science Tour 23  !

17 PSU Student Tour 2  !

23 Engineering 100 Tour 8 25 PSU Student Tour 1 1 25 ANS Boy Scout Training 2 l 26 Camp Hill High School 23 27 Parents' Weekend Tour 233 October 2 COE Power School 18 I 3 Physics Tour 7 4 ANS Boy Scouts Tour 41  !

4 Spend A Fall Day Tour 16 6 James Buchanan High School Tour 10 9

l RISK Class INS-405 28 9 STS 420 Class 22 l 10 EH&S Tour 2 1 13 STS 420 Student Tour 1 I 14 STS Interest House 10 15 Health Physics Assoc. Interview 1 18 Spend A Fall Day Tour 2 27 Fairmount Ave.SchoolTour 33 28 Port Allegheny High School Tour 10 28 Fuel Science Tour 30 28 Fuel Science Tour 6 28 Fuel Science Tour 12 30 Boalsburg Elementary School Tour 20 30 State College High School Tour 14 30 Mechanical Engineering IPAC Tour 8 November 2 Prospective NucE Student Tour 3 4 Union City High School Tour 21 5 University of Pittsburgh @ Greensburg Tour 8 6 Boalsburg Elementary School Tour 21 6 Dairy & Animal Science Tour 3 7 Boalsburg Elementary School Tour 24 11 Prospective NucE Student Tour 1 54

I APPENDIX B FORMAL TOUR GROUPS JULY 1997 NUMBER OF JUNE 1998 IIA 1 NAME OF TOUR GROUP PARTICIPANTS July 2 Westinghouse-Bettis Tour 4 3 PA Governor's School 17 3 PA Govemor's School 18 3 PA Governor's School 21 3 PA Governor's School 17 10 GPU NC1II Tour 21 11 Vectour Group Tour 9 11 Food Science Tour 2 11 Shepherd College Tour 14 14 Potential Graduate Student Tour 1 15 Electrical Engineering Students Tour 3 16 Summer Enrichment Study Tour 10 17 VIEW Tour 18 17 Architectural Engineering Group Tour 21 18 Vectour Group Tour 7 18 Westinghouse-Bettis Tour 3 18 Materials Science 101 Tour 15 21 High School Engineering Interns Tour 8 21 PA Governor's School Tour 17 22 PREF Tour 18 22 BEST Tour 27 24 VIEW Tour 16 24 PA Governor's School Tour 16 25 kan's Office Tour (Engineering) 2 25 Energy Penn Meet 10 25 PA Governor's School Tour 17 28 Nuclear Concepts & Cyberspace Workshop 9 28 PA Governor's School Tour 17 29 Nuclear Concepts & Cyberspace Workshop 11 29 PA Governor's School Tour 14 30 Nuclear Concepts & Cyberspace Workshop 11 30 PA Governor's School Tour 14 31 Nuclear Concepts & Cyberspace Workshop 12 31 OPP HVAC Tour 18 August 1 Nuclear Concepts & Cyberspace Workshop 11 1 Families of Nuclear Concepts & Cyberspace 11 Students 2 Families of PA Governor's School Students 11 53

APPENDIX B FORMAL TOUR GROUPS (Continued)

JULY 1996 NUMBER OF

. LUNE 1997 DAY NAME OF TOUR GROUP PARTICIPANTS

! 15 SWE Tour 25 18 IU #9 5th & 6th graders 10 18 Fnends School 23 19 Glendale High School 32 19 Glendale High School 28 26 Telecommunications 22 December 3 Carlisle High School 26 3 Carlisle High School 26 5 Carlisle High School 27 5 Carlisle High School 26 9 B Reed Henderson High School 25 9 B Reed Henderson High School 29 11 MHI Tour-Japan 5 11 EPRI 2 18 Wiser Tour 1 18 Scott Thompson-Student 1 January 13 Nuc E 450 5 1998 15 Nuc E 450 5 21 Centre County Tech School 11 20 Nuc E 450 5 22 Nuc E 450 2 23 Potential Graduate Tour 2 28 Berwick High School 20 30 Altoona Area High School 25 30 Altoona Area High School 26 February 8 Mutual Understanding & Support Team 10 11 Centre County Solid Waste Authority 9 12 Centre County Solid Waste Authority 8 12 ANS Students - Company Representatives 13 l 17 BM Kramer 2 17 Police Services Training 16 24 Police Services Training 13 28 Open House 28 March 2 Indian Valley High School 31 l Police Services Training 14 3

l 5 Alumni Staff Meeting & Tour 59 i 5 PA Jr Science Symposium 14 11 Red Land High School 13 i

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APPENDIX B i

FORMAL TOUR GROUPS (Continued)

JULY 1996 NUMBER OF JUNE 1997 IIAY NAME OF TOUR GROUP PA RTICIPA NTS 12 Punxsutawney High School 25 13 NFS, Inc 1 21 Girl Scouts 11 23 Daniel Boone High School 13 24 State College Delta Program 8 24 Am. Soc. of Military Eng. (NROTC) 4

, 25 Occupational Health Class 6

! 25 Wyomissing High School 23 27 Occupational Health Class 6 30 Science Education 17 l 31 Grove City College 12 i April 2 Prospective Faculty 1 4 Engineering Open House 25 4 Engineering Open House 24

, 4 Engineering Open House 9 4 Engineering Open House 5 7 Bermudian Springs High School 12 7 Cranberry High School 23 9 DuBois Central High School 18 13 Juniata College 4 9 Park Forest Middle School 31 10 Physics I 17 10 Physics I 32 10 Physics I 28 10 Physics I 14 14 Seminar Speaker Tour 1 l' 14 Loyalsock High School 17 14 Pipewall Group (Exxon) 5 16 Kennard-Dale High School 10 17 Cedar Cliff High School 13 20 State College High School 25 21 Allegany College 26 l 21 STS 150 Class 17

! 22 Talent Search 23 l 23 Take Our Daughters To Work Tour 4 23 Take Our Daughters To Work Tour 6 23 Talent Search 20 23 Naval ROTC Eng Class 19 56

APPENDIX B FORMAL TOUR GROUPS (Continued)

JULY 1996 NUMBER OF

.IUNE 1997 DAX NAME OF TOUR GROUP PARTICIPANTS 24 St Marys/Ridgway High Schools 41 24 PSU Talent Search 23 25 Mifflin Co. EMS 14 27 STS 24 27 MRL Tour 2 28 Cambria Heights High School 47 28 STS 150 22 May 1 Muncy High School 15 5 Dr. Michael Baker-candidate 1 8 Dr. David Freeman-candidate 1 11 Bellefonte Middle School 3 12 Mountain View School 51 13 Dr. Edwards-Group 3 15 Camp Hill High School 16 16 Graduation 25 18 Michael Roebuck-Interview 1 19 Cumberland Valley High School 14 19 Wayne Nixon-PSU Student 1 19 Wendy Donley-Interview 1 19 Larry Burke-Interview 1 19 Lisa Skripek-Interview 1 20 Diani Catherman-Interview 1 20 Debra Ellenberger-Interview 1 20 Darlene Ripka-Interview 1 20 Michael Long-Interview 1 21 Kristina Cowan-Interview 1 21 East Stroudsburg High School 19 22 Danville High School 16 26 Research Park Personnel 2 26 Faith Norris-Interview 1 26 Dale McElheny 1 27 Joseph Ulsamer-Forklift 1 28 Jessica Bergstein 1 29 Warren High School 8 June 1 Dr. Luckie 1 1 Jim Fail, Michael Lee, David Dodson/PSU-OPP 3 4 Dennis Gates-PSU-OPP 1 4 Dinna Bmnizer 1

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APPENDIX B FORMAL TOUR GROUPS (Continued)

JULY 1996 NUM'3ER OF 3 JUNE 1997 DAX NAME OF TOUR GROUP PARTICIPANTS '

5 Phil Coolick-Telecom. I 16 VEC 15  ;

17 NSF Students 12 l 18 High School Interns 9 18 Human Resources 3 23 VEC Tour 16 23 OPP 2 23 SOARS 25 25 GPU 25 26 EMS 2 26 State College AV 1 TOTAL: 2839 4

An additional thirty eight informational tours were conducted for eighty five people.

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