ML20153E096

Oh State Univ Research Reactor Annual Rept for Fy 97/98. with

ML20153E096
Person / Time
Site:	Ohio State University
Issue date:	09/30/1998
From:	Ashley D OHIO STATE UNIV., COLUMBUS, OH
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9809250329
Download: ML20153E096 (7)

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T- H *E Office of the Dean 142A Hitchcock Hall College of Engineerp00LIC DOCUMENT hffshh 3 $f43210 Phone 614-292-2836

'98 OCT 13 Altay 614-292 3244 UNIVERSITY q39/9V 3D - 150 Sgplamber 22, im b

Docurnent Control Desk Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington DC 20555

Dear Sir:

l 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. Richard Myser, Associate Director of the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory.

Sincerely, David B. Ashley Dean, College of Engineering and The John C. Geupel Chair in Civil Engineering j DBA:nik Il Enclosures  !

C: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region Ill(w/ enc.)

l- Theodore S. Michaels (w/ enc.)

i Don W. Miller (w/ enc.)

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l THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT FOR FY 97/98 SEPTEMBER 17,1998

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e Introduction As stated in The Ohio State University Research Reactor 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 sections.

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 inspection. The reasons for corrective maintenance of safety-related items shall be included.

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

5. A summary of changes to the facility or procedures, which affect reactor safety, and performance of tests or experiments carried out under the conditions of sections 50.59 of 10CRF50.

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 sections are discussed below. These are all for the period July 1,1996 through June 30,1997, except as noted for exposure records.

1.A. Experissents Performed The staff of The OSU Research Reactor are generally involved in four types of expenments at the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. Included are introductions to nuclear research, neutron activation analysis, material irradiations, and classes that measure various reactor parameters. Typically when we introduce students, faculty or other experunenters to nuclear research, e do the following:

a. Discuss nuclear reactions and radiological safety,

b. Operate the reactor at 10kW 100kW

c. llave the individuals observe control room operations.

j d. Complete a tour and demonstrate irradiation techniques.

Neutron activation analysis experiments are routinely completed for students ranging from high school to graduate school. The facilities normally t2tilized are the " rabbit" (pneumatic tube) and the "CIF" (Central Irradiation Facility). Much of the NAA work is geological samples.

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Material irradiations, other than for NAA, are in four basic areas: isotope production; detector, electronic l component and fiber optic testing; boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT); and irradiation of biological samples. Isotope production is done often for medical research. Detector and electronic component testing is done routinely. This testing is usually completed in the thermal column, or one of the beam ports, while fission chamber testing is in the Central Irradiation Facility. The reactor thermal column is also utilized for other BNCY studies. Typically it is the location for cell samples to determine their boron content.

Various nuclear engincering or physics classes throughout Ohio utilize the reactor for the following basic experiments:

a. Approach to critical (using banked control rods rather than fuel loading). I

b. Control rod calibration by rod drop, positive period, and suberitical multiplication. ,

c. Measurement of the Reactor Transfer function. l l d. Voi,i coefficient measurements.

c. Radiological surveys.

l l The reactor utilization for July 1,1997 through June 30,1998 is summarized in the following reports.

1 Funding for colleges and univ:rsities (other than OSU) that utilize the OSU Research Reactor is provided in part by the DOE f.tnded Reactor Sharing Program.

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Utilization Report for the l Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab July 1 December 31,1997

!. Reactor Utilization User Activity Hours Miami University Na and Hf production University of Cincinnati Labs 21 )

5 i OSU NE 744,505,606 Labs 28 Lakeshore Cryotronics Temperature Sensor Studies 2 Wittenberg University NAA 2 OSU Pathology / NE BNCT 2 StyroChem NAA of Brin styrofoam 4 ,

Cleveland Clinic Re production 21 1 OSU WE / NE / ME . Neutron Radiography Evaluation 12 Reuter-Stokes fission chamber testing 85 Misc. Tours and demonstrations 24 OSU Natural Resources Soil NAA 3 EPRI/ OSU NE Core Change 8 Total 217 January 1 - June 30,1998 User Activity Hours Reuter-Stokes Fission chamber testing . 41 Boeing C1 content in w3ter 3 StyroChem NAA of plastic for Br 3 OSU NE Power monitor evaluation 38 Cleveland Clinic Re production 32 OSU Pathology / NE BNCT 6 OSU NE 744 and 505 Labs 4 Nucen Co-58 Feasibility Study 2 Wittenburg University Radiation Damage Study 5 Air Force Institute NAA Lab 4 U. of Cincinnati Approach to Critical Lab 5 lams Determination ofIlevelin dog food 3 Federal Defender Services NAA of string 4 University of Memphis NAA of rock 9 Miami University Hfproduction' 4 Misc. Tours 25 Total 188 1.B. Changes in Facility Design There were no facility design changes that required a change to the Technical Specifications. 10CFR50.59 changes are described in section 5. A, j

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

1.D. Changes in Operating Procedures OSURR Annual Repon Page 3 of 5 9/98

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There were no changes in operating procedures related to reactor safety in the last year ( 10 CFR50.59 changes are described in section 5 B.).

2.A. Kilowsit-Hours of Operation - 39,370 l 2.B. Hours of Utilization - 405

3. Safety Related Maintenance None.

4. Unscheduled Shutdowns From July 1,1997 to June 30,1998 there were four unplanned shutdowns. These are summarized below.

Reason Corrective Action

Loss of building power (1) None Loss ofmagnet current (1) Replaced magnet Magnet current amplifier (1) Magnet current amp module Adjusted Manual scram (1), rabbit partially returned Adjusted rabbit wind flow S. Changes in Facility Procedures and Performance of Tests or Experiments in Accordance with 10CFR50.59 A. During the period July 1,1997 to June 30,1998, one OSURR Modification Request was completed by the reactor staff and reviewed by the Reactor Operations Committee. It is listed below.

1. Modification of a spare high voltage supply (Mech-Tronics # 257) l B. The following is a list of procedure changes made under 10CFR50.59 from July 1,1997 to June 30, 1998 in accordance with Administrative Procedure AP-05, entitled Fonnat for Writing, Revising, and Approving Procedures.

1 Procedure Procedure Revision l Number Title Date

, RS-04 Particulate Air Sampling 12/23/97 RS-05 Pool Water Radioactivity 12/23/97 RS-06 Annual Radiation Monitor Calibrations 12/23/97 RS-09 Area Radiation Surveys 12/23/97 RS 13 Sealed Source Wipes 12/23/97 IM 01 Scram Checks 8/29/97 IM-02 Adjusting Meter Zeros 8/27/97 iM-07 Rod Parameter Testing i2/16/97

_ IM-12 Reactor Instrumentation Calibration / Checks 8/28/98 EP-04 Emergency Equipment Inventory 12/12/97

6. Radioactive Effluents A. Gaseous EfIluent - The only effluent we measure is the release of Ar-41. For the period July 1 - Dec.

31,1997, Ar-41 releases measured 1.04% of the Annual Average Concentration Limit. From Jan.1 -

June 30,1998, releases measured 1.10% of the annual average concentration limit.

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cy in accordance with the requirements of 10CFR20.1101(d), the COMPLY code was run using the total Ar-41 release for the period Julyl,1997 - June 30,1998 of 159 mci. Using level 2 in the code, the effective dose equivalent rate at the faciliy fence was computed to be 0.1 mrem /yr. This is well below the 10 mrem /yr constraint specified in the regulation.

B. Liquid Releases - Hot sink releases are recorded and reported thro' ugh the OSU Office of Radiation Safety. Releases from the reactor pool to the sanitary sewer wre not made.

C. 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 easier to report this by the nearest completed calendar year. Therefore film badge exposures in this report are for  !

the period January 1,1997 to December 31,1997. Four individuals were monitored as radiation workers for the entire year or a major part ofit. These are tabulated below. They are consistent with the ALARA policy for The Ohio State University and represent a fraction of allowed limits. All doses are in rem.

Individual DDE LDE SDE, WB SDE. ME TEDE 1 0.410 0.410 0.770 1.450 0.410 2 0.270 0.270 0.540 2.130 0.270 3 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.690 0.200 4 0.210 0.210 0.430 0.780 0.210 OSURR Annual Report Page 5 of 5 9/98

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