ML25247A222

Ohio State University Research Reactor Annual Report for Fy 2024/2025

ML25247A222
Person / Time
Site:	Ohio State University
Issue date:	09/04/2025
From:	Cao L Ohio State University
To:	Lovett J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Document Control Desk
References
Download: ML25247A222 (1)

Text

September 4, 2025 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Attn: Jessica Lovett One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738

Subject:

Annual Report for The Ohio State University Research Reactor, License R-75, Docket 50-150 Please find enclosed the annual report for The Ohio State University Research Reactor, Docket No. 50-150. This report is being submitted as required by our Technical Specifications, Section 6.6.1. If you have questions on the content of this report, please contact Mr. Andrew Kauffman, Senior Associate Director of the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, at 614-688-8220 or kauffman.9@osu.edu.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on 04-Sep-2025.

Sincerely, Lei Raymond Cao, Director OSU Nuclear Reactor Lab The Ohio State University (License R-75, Docket 50-150)

College of Engineering Nuclear Reactor Laboratory 1298 Kinnear Road Columbus, OH 43212 reactor@osu.edu reactor.osu.edu Docusign Envelope ID: 6DC97887-085C-4F69-A84A-0ABBAD56EA01

OSURR Annual Report Page 1 of 10 Sep 2025 THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT FOR FY 2024/2025 SEPTEMBER 2025

OSURR Annual Report Page 2 of 10 Sep 2025 Introduction As stated in The Ohio State University Research Reactor (OSURR) Technical Specifications Section 6.6.1, Operating Reports, an annual report shall be made to the NRC by September 30 of each year.

This report is to include the following seven information items:

1. A narrative summary of operating experience (including experiments performed) and of changes in facility design, performance characteristics, and operating procedures related to reactor safety occurring during the reporting period

2. A tabulation showing the energy generated by the reactor (in kilowatt hours) and the number of hours the reactor was in use

3. The results of safety related maintenance and inspections and the reasons for corrective maintenance of safety-related items

4. A table of unscheduled shutdowns and inadvertent scrams, including their reasons and the corrective actions taken

5. A summary of the safety analyses performed in connection with changes to the facility or procedures, which affect reactor safety, and performance of tests or experiments carried out under the conditions of 10 CFR 50.59

6. A summary of the nature and amount of radioactive gaseous, liquids, and solid effluents released or discharged to the environs beyond the effective control of the licensee as measured or calculated at or prior to the point of such release or discharge

7. A summary of radiation exposures received by facility personnel and visitors, including the dates and times of significant exposures These seven information items are discussed below for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, except as noted for exposure records.

1. Summary of Operating Experience and Changes 1.A. Experiments Performed The OSURR engages in a wide range of research, service, and education activities. Examples of recent types of research and industry service include: evaluation of material properties using neutron depth profiling and neutron transmission testing; evaluation of radiation response and damage for electronic components and other materials, such as optical fibers and optical fiber-based sensors; evaluation of neutron and gamma-ray radiation sensitive detector performance, including at high temperatures; and isotope production. The OSURR has been involved in the evaluation of multiple potential types of neutron and radiation detectors, including fiber-optic, solid-state, and scintillator-based, and it is utilized regularly to test fission chambers for use in commercial power reactors by characterizing their response to known neutron flux. Neutron transmission testing has been used to verify boron loading in borated aluminum, and neutron depth profiling has been used for battery-technology studies. Isotope production has typically been performed for medical research, but sources have been created for other uses, including testing of radiation-sensitive detectors.

OSURR Annual Report Page 3 of 10 Sep 2025 In addition, educational student laboratories and demonstrations are performed at the OSURR, including reactivity worth measurements, spectrum and profile characterizations using flux-wire activation and analysis, radiation measurements using neutron and gamma-sensitive detectors, and reactor dynamics measurements. The OSURR provides these via educational tours and student laboratory sessions. The OSURR also supports faculty-led student research, which provides invaluable experience for the next generation of researchers.

The following are typical laboratory topics taught at the OSURR:

a. laboratory introduction, radiation safety training, radiological survey

b. approach to critical (using banked control rods rather than fuel loading)

c. control rod calibration by rod drop, positive period, and subcritical multiplication

d. temperature coefficient measurement

e. delayed neutron groups measurement

f. core axial profile

g. neutron spectrum measurement For tour groups, neutron activation and measurement of small samples with a short half-life is typically performed.

The reactor utilization for July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, is summarized in the following reports.

Please note that the utilization hours listed below only reflect actual reactor operating time. The list does not include hours spent on tasks supporting this reactor utilization.

OSURR Annual Report Page 4 of 10 Sep 2025 OSURR Utilization Summary July 1 - December 31, 2024 Institution (PI)

Description Hours 1 OSU NE (Cao)

Ar-41 production for detector calibration 0.7 OSU NE (Kandlakunta)

Radiation effects on FPGAs 3.6 OSU NE (Oksuz)

Fast neutron imaging 0.0 2 OSU Physics (Hammel)

Irradiation of hBN crystals 0.0 2 OSU CDME Gamma transmission testing 2.1 Air Force Inst. of Tech. (McClory / Ferguson)

Radiation effects on electronic devices 9.3 2 Georgia Inst. of Tech. (Zhou)

Irradiation of hBN crystals 2.2 Kansas State University (Edgar)

Irradiation of hBN crystals 10.9 U. of Alabama at Birmingham (Zvanut)

Irradiation of aluminum nitride 3.4 Idaho National Lab (C. Tsai)

Neutron-induced PAS 74.6 Idaho National Lab (Khanolkar)

Radiation effects on strain gauges 26.5 NASA (Okojie)

Radiation effects on SiC sensors 78.0 Oak Ridge National Lab (Ezell)

Gamma dose rate measurements 4.4 Oak Ridge National Lab (Mulligan)

Radiation effects on electronic devices 7.0 Nusenics (Sheng)

Radiation effects on fiber-based sensors 37.0 Orrvilon Neutron Transmission Testing 25.7 Reuter-Stokes Fission chamber testing 66.8 OSU NE 4506 & 6726 Lab classes 9.0 Various3 Tours 10.9 NRL staff Facility characterization & operator requalification 20.9 2 Total:

393.0 Notes:

1. Reactor utilization reflects actual operating time. These values do not include time spent performing tasks to support utilization (pre-start and post-shutdown checkout, experiment planning and setup, etc.).

2. The value listed does not include utilization when run as a secondary user concurrent with a primary user.

3.

Tours were performed in support of the OSU NE program (NE 4505) and JobsOhio.

OSURR Annual Report Page 5 of 10 Sep 2025 OSURR Utilization Summary January 1 - June 30, 2025 Institution (PI)

Description Hours 1 OSU Nuclear Engineering (Cao / Co)

Neutron Depth Profiling (NDP) 2.3 OSU Wexner Medical Center (Meng)

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) 7.8 Kansas State University (Edgar)

Irradiation of hBN crystals 13.2 University of Michigan (Jovanovic)

Reactor Sharing Program 2 lab classes 8.2 Virginia Commonwealth U. (Phongikaroon)

Reactor Sharing Program 1 lab class 3.9 NASA (Steiner)

Radiation effects on working fluids & organics 12.8 Oak Ridge National Lab (Wilson)

High-temp irradiation of surrogate NTP fuel 15.0 Orrvilon, Inc.

Neutron Transmission Testing 21.7 Reuter-Stokes, LLC Neutron Sensitivity Testing 43.1 Various3 Tours 14.3 2 NRL staff Facility calibrations & maintenance 5.0 2 Total:

147.3 Notes:

1. Reactor utilization reflects actual operating time. Time spent performing tasks to support utilization (pre-start and post-shutdown checkout, experiment planning and setup, etc.) is not included.

2. The value listed does not include utilization when run as a secondary user concurrent with a primary user.

3. Tours were performed in support of OSU classes (Nuclear Engineering 4505 & Environmental Science 2155), the OSU Board of Trustees, the Ohio Nuclear Development Authority, Congressman Bob Latta, and American Electric Power (AEP).

OSURR Annual Report Page 6 of 10 Sep 2025 1.B. Changes in Facility Design There were no facility design changes that required a change to the Technical Specifications. 10 CFR 50.59 changes are described in Section 5.A of this report.

1.C. Changes in Performance Characteristics There have been no changes in performance characteristics related to reactor safety in the last year.

1.D. Changes in Operating Procedures There were no changes in operating procedures related to reactor safety in the last year. 10 CFR 50.59 changes are described in Section 5.B of this report.

2. Energy Generated and Hours of Use Kilowatt-Hours of Operation: 84,429.3 kW-hr Hours of Utilization:

540.3 hr

3. Safety Related Maintenance and Inspections All TS-required maintenance and surveillance activities were completed within the required time frames, and other system maintenance activities were performed as needed. No effects on the safe operation of the reactor were observed. The safety-related maintenance activities from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, are summarized below.

1) 2024-09-20: Issue with the Effluent Monitor System Off scram not clearing during the pre-start checkout. The issue was resolved by moving the input cable to an identical circuit to compensate for a bad relay. The bad relay was marked to ensure it will no longer be used.

2) 2024-09-30: Replacement of all the dual in-line miniature reed relays in the slow scram system B module (SSSB) with new relays. Post-installation testing of the scram circuits indicated that the relays that had been marked as bad are now OK for use. In addition, the BNC cables that run from the back of the effluent monitoring NIM to SSSB for the associated scram and warning were replaced with new BNC cables.

3) 2025-01-24: Issue with the startup source drive not functioning following a brief facility power loss. The issue was resolved by cycling power.

4) 2025-03-24: Issue with the Effluent Monitor System Off scram not clearing during the pre-start checkout. The issue was resolved by replacing the Compressor switch on the effluent monitor module.

5) 2025-05-26: Planned replacement of the variable speed motor drive for the primary pump.

OSURR Annual Report Page 7 of 10 Sep 2025

4. Unscheduled Shutdowns From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, there were three unplanned shutdowns as summarized below.

Reason Corrective Action Linear level scram due to operator error; improper indexing of the linear electrometer (1)

None required Effluent Monitor System Off scram due to faulty relay (1)

None required Linear channel recorder scram due to noise on the linear channel (1)

None required

5. Changes in Facility and Procedures in Accordance with 10 CFR 50.59 5.A. Facility Modifications During the period July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, three OSURR Modification Requests were completed:

1) Bay roof replacement and tarp over reactor pool

2) Effluent monitor check source replacement actuator

3) Primary pump motor drive replacement All the modifications screened out of 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation per Procedure AP-16, 50.59 Screening and Evaluation.

5.B. Procedure changes There were no procedure changes between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

6. Radioactive Effluents 6.A. Gaseous Effluent The only gaseous effluent releases made from operation of the OSURR are Ar-41 releases from activation of the naturally occurring noble gas Ar-40. For the period July 1 - December 31, 2024, Ar-41 releases measured 3.2% of the annual average concentration limit. From January 1 - June 30, 2025, releases measured 1.6% of the annual average concentration limit. In accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1101(d), the COMPLY code was run using the total Ar-41 release of 277 mCi for the period July 1, 2024, - June 30, 2025. Using level 2 in the code, the effective dose equivalent rate at the facility fence was computed to be 0.2 mrem/yr. This is well below the 10 mrem/yr constraint specified in the regulation.

Any other releases were reported under the universitys license with the state of Ohio.

6.B. Liquid Releases Hot sink releases are recorded and reported through the OSU Office of Radiation Safety. No releases were made from operation of the OSURR, and other releases were reported under the university's license with the state of Ohio.

OSURR Annual Report Page 8 of 10 Sep 2025 6.C. Solid Releases No releases of solid radioactive material were made to the uncontrolled environment.

7. Radiation Exposures Since the firm that maintains records for The Ohio State University keeps a year-to-date record, it is simpler to report radiation exposure records by the nearest completed calendar year. Therefore, dosimetry badge exposures in this report are for the period January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.

Sixteen individuals were monitored as radiation workers during this period, and the measured dose equivalent values are tabulated below in mrem.

Individual Dose Equivalent (mrem)

DDE LDE SDE, WB SDE, ME Visitors 0

0 0

n/a Staff member #1 2606 2608 2677 3117 Staff member #2 2164 2174 2177 2448 Staff member #3 2240 2240 2302 2549 Staff member #4 2035 2084 2167 2982 Staff member #5 2083 2083 2083 3406 Staff member #6 9

9 9

23 Staff member #7 40 42 45 n/a Staff member #8 25 27 28 34 Faculty member #1 5

5 8

295 Student #1 79 81 84 75 Student #2 0

0 0

0 Student #3 19 18 18 31 Student #4 2

2 3

0 Student #5 39 39 39 124 Student #6 5

5 5

0 Visiting Scientist #1 0

0 0

0

OSURR Annual Report Page 9 of 10 Sep 2025 COMPLY: V1.7. 7/ 8/2025 12:32 40 CFR Part 61 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT LIMITS FOR RADIONUCLIDE EMISSIONS FROM THE COMPLY CODE - V1.7.

Prepared by:

Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab Columbus, OH Andrew Kauffman 614-688-8220 Prepared for:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Washington, DC 20460 COMPLY: V1.7. 7/ 8/2025 12:32

OSURR Annual Report Page 10 of 10 Sep 2025 OSU NRL FY2025 SCREENING LEVEL 2 DATA ENTERED:

Release Rate Nuclide (curies/YEAR)

AR-41 2.774E-01 Release height 10 meters.

Building height 11 meters.

The source and receptor are not on the same building.

Distance from the source to the receptor is 15 meters.

Building width 25 meters.

Default mean wind speed used (2.0 m/sec).

NOTES:

Input parameters outside the "normal" range:

None.

RESULTS:

Effective dose equivalent: 0.2 mrem/yr.

• • • Comply at level 2.

This facility is in COMPLIANCE.

It may or may not be EXEMPT from reporting to the EPA.

You may contact your regional EPA office for more information.

• • • • • • • • • • END OF COMPLIANCE REPORT **********