ML20206Q568

Reactor Operator Requalification (Ror) Program for Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst Reactor Critical Facility (Rcf)

ML20206Q568
Person / Time
Site:	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Issue date:	04/30/1987
From:	RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, TROY, NY
To:
Shared Package
ML20206Q534	List: ML20206Q529 ML20206Q568
References
NUDOCS 8704210423
Download: ML20206Q568 (9)

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r REACTOR OPERATOR REQUALIFICATION (ROR) PROGRAM -

for RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE REACTOR CRITICAL FACILITY (RCF)-

License No. CX-22 Docket No. 50225 April 1987 I

l f[R4210423 870415 V ADOCK-05000225 PDR

4 - qwu-e Table of Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1. Schedule and Basis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2. -Examinations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4'

3. Reactor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 i 4. Evaluation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

5. Administration. . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

6. Exemptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

7. Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,

8. Section 55.31e of 10CFR . . . . . . . . . . . . -. . . . . . . . . . . . 6

9. Requalification Program During HEU to LEU Conversion. . . . . . . . . . 5 J

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2 Introduction The' operation (s) of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Reactor

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Critical Facility-(RCF) is substantially different from that of most other reactors in that it is extensively used for the instruction of students of the .

Rensselaer Nuclear Engineering Department and other personnel interested in reactor operations. The Rensselaer reactor is. of simple ' design and operating mode; therefore, complete review of the entire system (s) can be accomplished in a short duration. The schedule of the Institute occasionally dictates that the reactor be shut down for extended periods with only demonstrations, system checkouts, and maintenance operations conducted.

The role of the licensed personnel at the RCF'is essentially to instruct students in reactor engineering by performing basic reactor experiments. This requires the licensed operators to continuously review all operation, experiments, and procedures and to convey the appropriate information to the students.

1. Schedule and Basis The schedule of the RPI Reactor Operator Requalification (ROR) Program

, shall be flexible but will accomodate all licensed personnel. . This schedule will assure that individuals will complete the requalification during the i

period of their license.

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The RPI ROR Program will be based on the study and review of material included in the "RPI Critical Facility Reference Data Handbook." Also referred to as "RCF HANDBOOK," this comprehensive collection of' documents includes three ~ kinds of documentation:

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._(1) NRC! approved or fissued documents pertaining to ' the' RPI:

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Critical Facility, forl example ~ Technical' Specifications, Emergency

_ Plan,-Safety Evaluation Report (SER), etc.

. (2) EPI Nuclear Safety Review Board (NSRB) approved procedures, such as

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Startup' Procedures, Operations Procedures, etc.

.(3) Reactor. Critical Facility '(RCF) documents, which provide information for _ the: safe operation ~ of the Facility, such as the Manual for Experiments,' Technical-Plant Data, Piping, Etc.~ These documents are periodically reviewed and updated by the Supervisor or 'the Director f of the RCF in order to assure compliance with the ' Technical

Specifications and other conditions of the Facility License.

.The "RCF HANDBOOK MAY 1985" was.the first handbook completed about the-RCF_ under request of' the NRC staff; it. served as the -basis for the SRO Exams .

given ~ by the NRC Region I examiner on July 1985' at the RCF. Furthermore, the

} "RCF HANDBOOK MAY 1985" is a comprehensive description of the Critical

,_ Facility using Highly Enriched Uranium (FEU) fuel plates reactor core, with an l

, NRC operating license valid until December 2, 2003. Content of the i

i "RCF HANDBOOK MAY.1985" is shown in Table 1.1.

'An updated version of the RCF HANDBOOK will be completed f on a biennial I.

basis.. It will include, all changes and/or -additions made during the ' previous two years, since the date of last RCF HANDBOOK issued. A copy of each RCF .l 1

l I HANDBOOK, starting with the MAY 1985 : version should _ be kept at the RCF l 1

} permanent records for the life of the Facility. Three -identical copies of ' the - h i

r current version of the RCF HANDBOOK will be' distributed as follows: first copy to the Reactor Operations Desk at the'RCF,'second copy for.the. Supervisor of the RCF, and third copy to the director of : the Critical Facility. The original of _the RCF HANDBOOK ' current version will be ' kept at the- File' Cabinet; e

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Safe of th$ Critical Facility. Revised versions and/or additions to

. individual sections of the RCF HANDBOOK can be included at any time deemed 4

= pertinent. Those changes should be inserted in the three copies of the RCF HANDBOOK (but not in the origi,nal) showing the date when they become ef fective, as well as the signed approval of the Supervisor or the Director of i the RCF, along with pertinent approvals in the case of NRC and NSRB approved documents.

! 2. Examinations Each licensee requalifying for license renewal will be given a written exam biennially. The scope of this exam will include categories which appear t

on the NRC operator and senior operator written exam, or those categories

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which appear in Appendix A of 10CFR Part 55, as well as questions included in i

i the section: " Applicable Questions Pertinent to the RPI Critical Facilty" of the most recent version of the RCF RANDB00K. Each of the individuals in the i

program will also be given an operations and oral examination to ensure that the licensee has the knowledge, proficiency and dexterity to safely operate the reactor and to take proper action in response to abnormal and emergency situations that' may arise. This exam will be on a biennial basis. The review of the above examinations will be the basis for determination of areas of weakness and need for further training.

! 3. Reactor Operation Over the two year period of an individual's license, he will be required to perform, direct, or participate in at least ten reactivity manipulations in any combination of reactor startup, shutdown, or other significant reactivity

. changes. In at least five instances, the licensee must have primary responsibility for the reactivity manipulation. Direct supervision of these

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operations shall be considered equivalent to primary responsibility. The licensee's on-the-job training will insure that he demonstrates understanding

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of all mechanisms and equipment and knows the associatedioperating' procedures.

Furthermore, this on-the-job training will insure that the licensee 'is cognizent of all changes in facility design, procedure changes, and facility license changes, and that he reviews the contents of all emergency procedures on a regular basis. Changes will be reviewed by all personnel, the method of review will be by meeting or memo and .be documented. All licensed personnel will review contents of emergency procedures on a annual basis.

4. -Evaluation An evaluation will be made of the licensees upon completion of requirements for requalification. A summary of the criteria for evaluation and the appropriate action to be taken are as follows:

1. Minimum of 80% in all categories - requalification is complete. Less than 80% in a given category - retraining for that specific subject matter.

2. Less than 70% overall for the written exam - remove f rom duty and initiate an accelerated retraining program.

3. Unsatisf actory in oral or operations testing - remove from duty and initiate accelerated retraining program.

Where additional training is given there will be a follow-up exam covering j this training. This training will be considered complete with the achievement of 80% on the follow-up exam.

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. 6 5.- Administration-Responsibility for the administration of the RPI Reactor Requalification-Program will be ' controlled by; the ' Superv'isor of the Critical Facility, or in i

his ' absence, he may. delegate this responsibility to his assistant.?

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, 6. Exemptions 4

The. Supervisor of the Critical Facility will be exempt from all portions i .

j of the program. ~ In addition any individual who prepares and-grades certain portions of the annual exam may be exempt from that portion of the exam.

} 7. Records i

Records of the participant's written examination and additional exams, if i needed, will. be kept on file along with the current operator license. Written 1

comments and evaluation of operating and oral exams will also be recorded- if it involves reclassification of an ~ individual's status. Documentation of all reactivity manipulations will be maintained in the operations log book.

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8. Section 55.31 F i

Licensed persons removed from duty due to extended absence, upon successful completion of the above and notification- to . the NRC shall meet the i

requirements for reinstatement.

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9. Requalification Program During the RPI REU to LEU Core Conversion l

During the interim in reactor operation of the RCF caused by the change i of fuel from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU), the 1

' currently licensed SRO's shall be engaged in on-the-job training as described l in Appendix A of 10CFR55, with exception of the reactivity control  ;

j manipulations (3a) which will be completed during the startup and loading of l

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the LEU fuel. .

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7 Compliance with 3b of Appendix A shall' be demonstrated by written

' examinations. Compliance with part 3c of Appendix A can be proved by active participation in the preparation of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) for the LEU core, and subsequent involvement with answering NRC questions relative to the SAR. Since the RCF HANDBOOK includes all documents involved in reactor operation,- currently licensed SRO's shall review and modify each section of the RCF HANDBOOK to reflect changes caused by the HEU/ LEU core conversion. An interim version of the han'dbook called RCF RANDBOOK MAY 1987 will be the result of the SRO's efforts. This interim version will contain all information about the LEU core before actual fuel loading (calculated parameters, proposed Technical Specifications, etc.).

, After the LEU core initial loding and criticality, and with previous NRC approval for normal LEU core operation, the SRO's shall review the Handbook again, and complete a new RCF HANDBOOK, which will then contain measured parameters, and final approved Technical Specifications for the routine operation of the LEU core.

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. Table l.1. .

Table of Content of.theI RCF.ENNDB00K MAY'1985 IT 4

1.- Administration.

[' 2.- Startup Procedures. ,

_3. Operating Procedures.-

4.- SAR. S_afety _ Analysis R_eport. -

- 5.- SER. Safety Evaluation-Report.NUREG-1023.-

6.- Emergency Plan.

~i 7.- Emergency Procedures.  !

8.- Personal Safety and Radiation Monitoring.

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9.- Technical Specifications.

d l 10.- A Manual of Experiments for- the RPI Critical Facility. .

4 11.- Instrumentation and Interlock Diagrams.

12.- Piping Flow Diagrams.

. 13.- Technical Plant Data. '

1 i e In-hour curves F

e Differential & Integral rod bank worth

{ e ' Differential rod worth for rod #6 o Temperature coefficient. of reactivity  !

j e Boron coefficient of reactivity J

- e Void' coef ficient of reactivity 1

h' e Gamma, & neutron dosimetry -

e--Published papers about-RPI_ Critical: Facility

[ 14.- ' Applicable Questions Pertinent to . the. RPI Critical Faciltiy.

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