ML20217Q348

Submits Formal Comments on Written Exam Conducted at Facility on 980303 for G Wachs & N Carstens

ML20217Q348
Person / Time
Site:	Oregon State University
Issue date:	03/06/1998
From:	Dodd B Oregon State University, CORVALLIS, OR
To:	Doyle P NRC
References
NUDOCS 9803120219
Download: ML20217Q348 (4)

Text

• RADIATION CENTER

. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY 100 Radiation Center, Cervalla, oregan 97331 5903 Telephone 541737-2341 rex $417374480 March 6,1998 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Paul Doyle, PDND Mail Stop 0-11 B-20 Washington D.C. 20555

Reference:

Oregon State University TRIGA Reactor (OSTR)

Docket No. 50-243, License No. R-106

Subject:

Licensing Examination for Mr. Gary Wachs and Mr. Nathan Carstens Gentlemen:

In accordance with the procedures specified in your letter of December 24,1997, we would like to submit the following formal comments on the written examination conducted at our facility on March 3,1998.

QUESTION (A.2)

I

a. Listing ofNRC auestion. answer and reference l l QUESTION (A.2): [1.0) ggJg The reactor is at 9.5 Megawatts, when an experimenter inserts an experiment causing a 10 second positive period. If the scram delay time is I second and the lowest scram setpoint is 1.05 megawatts, which ONE of the following is the MAXIMUM power the reactor will reach prior to scramming?

A. 1.05 Megawatts l B. 1.10 Megawatts  ;

C. 1.16 Megawatts D. 125 Megawatts

~

g342R MTg3 IllE!Elllll!IE,H!Illl!!Il!Il  ;

V -

• U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ,

Page 2 March 6,1998

.- ANSWER (A.2): c  ;

REFERENCE:

OSU Training Manual Vol. 3, p. 35 P = P,e" = 1.05 x e* = 1.05 x 1.1052 ,

= 1.16046

b. Facility Comment / Recommendation The phrase "The reactor is at 9.5 Megawatts..." is clearly incorrect, since the maximum -

licensed steady state power is 1100 kW. -It should be changed to "The reactor is at 0.95 Megawatts...". No grading change is needed since the candidates were instructed to make the change tr ' examiner during the exam,

c. Reference OSTR License 2.c.(1).

QUESTION (A.15)

a. Listina of NRC auestion. answer and reference QUESTION (A.15):

The reactor has been shutdown for 2 weeks. You startup the reactor and raise power to 1 Megawatt. Which ONE of the following correctly describes the movement of the regulating rod for the next three hours? i i

a. Rods will drivein.

1

b. Rods will drive out.

c. Rods will initially drive out then start driving back in.

1

d. Rods will initially drive in then start driving back out.  !

ANSWER (A.15): b

REFERENCE:

OSU Training Manual Vol. 3, pp. 22 - 23.

b. Facility Comment /Recen-iicadation As a result of a question from one of the examinees during the examination, the phrase "...

for the next three hours?" was changed to "... for the first one hour?" This does not alter the answer, so no grading change is needed.

I' _.- I I

y ..

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission l l Page 3 )

l March 6,' 1998 l l

c. -Reference I

OSU Training Manual Vol. 3, pp. 22 - 23.

l QUESTION B.12

a. Listina ofNRC auestion. answer and reference QUESTION (B.12): [2.0,0.5 each]

Identify each of the following as either a Safety Limit (SL), Limiting Safety System Setting (LSSS) or a Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO).

a. Temperature in a TRIGA-FLIP fuel element exceeds 2100*F (1150*C).

b. Scram time not too exceed 2 seconds.

c. Scram due to temperature increasing to 510*C (950*F).

d. Reactor power not too exceed 1.1 Mw except for pulsing oper-lions.

ANSWER (B.12): a, SL; b, LCO; c, LSSS; d, LSSS

REFERENCE:

OSU Technical Specifications (( 2.1,2.2, & 3.1 - 3.8

b. Facility Comment / Recommendation The answer given for part B.12.d is incorrect. The correct answer is LCO, Limiting Condition for Operation. The grading should be changed accordingly.

c. Reference OSU Technical Specifications (( 3.1. Section 3 of the Technical Specifications is a listing of the Limiting Conditions of Operations and the statement in question B.12.d matches Technical Specification il 3.1.

We would like to take this opportunity to say that we felt that this was a very fair examination, including the walk-around and operational components. We were very pleased with the professional manner in which the examiner conducted himself during his time here. He was sympathetic to the examinees' nervousness and made efforts to put them at their case.

(

1 w

4 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Page 4 March 6,1998 Finallt, thank you for considering these comments on the written exam. We look fonvard to hearing the results in due course.

Yours sin rely, F(

rian Dodd, PhD Director c: / U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washingto:1, D.C. 20555 Al Adams, Senior Project Manager, Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Projects Directorate, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, M.S. 0-11 B-20, Washington, D.C. 20555 Oregon Office of Energy, ATTN: Mary Lou Blazek,625 Marion St., NE, Salem, OR 97310 S. E. Binney, Chairman, Reactor Operations Committee J. F. Higginbotham, Reactor Administrator A. D. Hall, Reactor Supervisor