ML20210K025
| ML20210K025 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000837 |
| Issue date: | 07/17/1986 |
| From: | Mutch G ANDREWS UNIV., BERRIEN SPRINGS, MI |
| To: | Whiston P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20210K002 | List: |
| References | |
| 80148, NUDOCS 8610010295 | |
| Download: ML20210K025 (2) | |
Text
_ _.
- = *
- p us,
[
+ V)
( m'dPh N
ANDREWS UNIVERSI'lY July 17, 1986 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN:
Ms. Patricia J. Whiston Materials Licensing Section Region III 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 RE:
Response to letter dated March 25, 1986 License No. SNM-768 Control No. 80148 Ms.sWhiston:
I will respond to your March 25, 1986 letter in the order requested in the letter.
- 1.. Rather than referring to parts of previously submitted documents, we are submitting a corrected renewal application. The information requested in the March 25, 1986 letter has not been incorporated into that document but will be dealt with in this letter which will then become an addendum to the application.
2.
The neutron source is not being used for and has not been used for fast neutron experiments for at least 10 ' years. The only time the source is removed from the howitzer is during leak testing. When the leak test is performed, the neutron source is held with spiral tongs 66 centimeters long held at arms length while it is threaded on to a 105 centimeters long rod which is also held at arms length to conduct the wipe test. The person conducting the test is never closer to the source than one meter and most of the time the distance is about 1.5 meters.
Also the test only requires about 5 minutes of exposure. Personnel monitoring equipment is not deemed necessary for this short time, low exposure.
3.
The science complex in which the neutron howitzer is housed, is a thirteen year old fire resistant structure. The vault, which was built specifically for the neutron howitzer and radioactive material storage, has heavier containment walls so is even more fire resistant than the rest of the building.
In addition, the source is always in the water-filled howitzer which would greatly extend the time a fire could persist before jeopardizing the source.
l In case of a science complex fire which did not restrict access to the vault, the source could be transferred to the shielded shipping container and moved to a safe place.
In the event that a catastrophic fire prevented access to the vault, it would be necessary to restrict access to that area until it could be checked for radioactive contamination. If the source were destroyed, the NRC would be l
expertise obtained notified and personnel with appropriate equipment angddg C E I V E C to assist in the clean up before the area would be us 8610010295 860813' M't 2 i ]9% JtJL 2 41986 l
REG 3 LIC70 SNM-1965 PDR Springs Michigan 49104 /pl6) 471-7771 IiEGIOU III
Ms. Whiston July 17, 1986 Page 2 One or more of the following persons would be notified in case of such an emergency:
Office Home Responsibility Dale Howell 471-3380 471-3293 Plant Service Bruce Lee 471-3703 471-7666 Physics, Radiation Safety Officer William Mutch 471-3248 471-1554 Chemistry, Chrmn. Radiation Safety Committee Robert Kingman 471-3431 471-1712 Physics, Chairman I
Clark Rowland 471-3502 471-1530 Physics Robert Wilkins 471-9888 471-5231 Chemistry, Chairman Peter Wong 471-3259 471-1428 Chemistry Ed Wines 471-1391 471-3484 Financial Admimn., Vice President (Temporary until a plant service supt. is selected.)
Dale Tyrell 473-2647 471-3321 Campus Safety These individuals have been contacted, shown the vault area, and their names and i
phone numbers are posted at the entry to the vault area. As personnel change, the chairman of the Radiation Safety Committee will convene a meeting to review procedures for handling emergencies involving the neutron howitzer.
4.
Targets activated by the howitzer are usually silver foils with very short lives or iridium foils with a half life of 54 min. These sources produce about a microcurie or less of activity. They are always handled with forceps and stored in the locked vault after use.
Cordially, J
G. William Mutch Chairman, Radiation Safety Committee i
Associate Professor of Chemistry i
i
_ _ _ _,. _.. _ _ _ _.. _,, _ _