ML24262A173
| ML24262A173 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of New Mexico |
| Issue date: | 09/10/2024 |
| From: | Robert Davis, Willis C Univ of New Mexico, Nuclear Engineering Department |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Document Control Desk |
| References | |
| Download: ML24262A173 (1) | |
Text
The University of New Mexico l MSC01 1120 l 1 University of New Mexico l Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 Phone 505.277.5431 l Fax 505.277.5433 l Farris Engineering Center, Room 1200 ne.unm.edu Document Control Desk September 10, 2024 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Enclosed is the 2024 Annual Report for the AGN-201M reactor located at The University of New Mexico, Docket 50-252.
Sincerely, Rowdy Davis Carl A. Willis Reactor Administrator Chief Reactor Supervisor ec:
Ed Helvenston: Edward.Helvenston@nrc.gov
2 REPORT ON FACILITY LICENSE NO. R-102 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO JULY 1, 2023 - JUNE 30, 2024 The University of New Mexicos AGN-201M reactor was used for teaching, training, research, and demonstration during 2023 - 2024. There were no changes in facility design or performance characteristics related to reactor safety during the reporting period.
Over the reporting period, one major unplanned maintenance activity occurred to replace cables with damaged and degrading electrical insulation on the CCR drive mechanism. This maintenance was elected in response to an observation that CCR rod insertion was stopping and de-actuation was occurring near the midpoint of the rod's inward travel. Inspection suggested the possibility of transient shorting of the rod magnet through cracked insulation. A 5-conductor coiled jacketed cable and Amphenol connector, and a 2-conductor straight jacketed cable, were replaced with modern (but not "like-for-like") equivalents. This activity occasioned a 10 CFR 50.59 screening and approval from the Reactor Safety Advisory Committee for the materials and procedures used and was immediately followed by elements of the Annual Maintenance Procedures testing control rod performance. Work was carried out on 8/8 and 8/9 2023. The subsequent Annual Maintenance was completed satisfactorily. Sufficient parts were ordered to repeat these cable replacements on the two Safety Rod drive mechanisms whenever that may be deemed necessary, as the SRs and CCR share common hardware in the relevant systems. Four additional minor unplanned maintenance activities entailing simple maintenance were documented. No extended shutdowns occurred during the reporting period.
The AGN-201M Reactor Facility is an essential part of our educational program, including public education, and continues to serve us well. One graduate dissertation was completed this past year that centered on the AGN-201M.
Type of Use July 1 - June 30 Hours July 1 - June 30 Watt-Hours Class Demonstrations 1.17 2.33 Faculty Research 0
0 Student Research 0
0 Maintenance and Equipment Check(a) 0 0
Operator Training and Requalification 19.82 41.52 Teaching 99.12 218.46 Totals for the Year 120.11 262.31 (a) Maintenance procedures were done as a part of Operator Training this year as a means to increase operator understanding of maintenance procedures, required documentation, and operator awareness of the overall system.
During the reporting period, there was no liquid radioactive waste released from the facility nor was there any solid waste released. All personnel exposure during the reporting period were below 50 mrem per person with the majority of personnel receiving below 5 mrem. No facility visitors received measurable exposures.
An environmental radiation survey (see attached) was performed on February 29th, 2024.
At 3 Watts, or 60% of our licensed operating power, the highest reading outside the facility was 0.220 mR/hr gamma, with a 0.5 mR/hr neutron dose rate.
3 During the reporting period, there was one reportable event - EN56927. On January 17th, EN56927 was created due to a violation of the minimum staffing requirement. The supervisor left the console with a trainee and an NRC examiner present to respond to a doorbell. There was no longer a licensed operator at the panel, and the supervisor did not remove the key or shut down the panel. The supervisor reviewed minimum staffing requirements with the Chief reactor supervisor following the event, and facility procedures were refreshed for operating staff to prevent this from occurring again.
As a result of examination held in January of 2024, two new reactor operators were licensed (William Brown and Lauren Bailey). Lauren Bailey soon after relinquished her license in May of 2024, followed by William Todd in June, and Antonio Connelly in August.
The current personnel assignments are (as of June 30, 2024):
UNM President Garnett S. Stokes Chair, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering Hyoung Koo Hank Lee Reactor Administrator Rowdy Davis Chief Reactor Supervisor Carl A. Willis USNRC-Licensed Senior Reactor Operators Robert D. Busch Carl A. Willis Rowdy Davis USNRC-Licensed Reactor Operators Xavier Angus Antonio Connelly William Brown The makeup of the Reactor Safety Advisory Committee as of June 30, 2024 is:
Ron Knief (Chair)
Charles Harmon II Matthew Denman David Hindera David Hayes Thomas J. Quirk The University of New Mexicos AGN-201M reactor continues to be used extensively for teaching experiments as a part of our undergraduate and graduate programs. These experiments include approach-to-critical, reactor period and reactivity measurements, importance functions measurements, sample activation, control rod calibrations, and reactor power and neutron fluence measurements. The reactor is also used throughout the Fall, Spring and Summer sessions of the University. All experiments have received prior approval from our Reactor Safety Advisory Committee.
Attachments: Environmental Survey
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