ML19266A028

Annual Report for the Ohio State University Research Reactor

ML19266A028
Person / Time
Site:	Ohio State University
Issue date:	09/16/2019
From:	Cao L Ohio State University
To:	Xiaosong Yin Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML19266A028 (11)

Text

0 THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY College of Engineering Nuclear Reactor Laboratory 1298 Kinnear Rd Columbus, OH 43212 reactor@osu.edu reactor.osu.edu September 16, 2019 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Attn: Xiaosong Yin 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 16-Sep-2019.

Sincerely,

~~.~

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

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT FOR FY 2018/2019 SEPTEMBER 2019

• OSURR Annual Report Page 1 of 10 Sep 2019

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 urider 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, 2018 through June 30, 2019, 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 endeavors, including neutron activation analysis (NM), radiation-damage studies, neutron and radiation sensitive detector evaluation, isotope production, neutron transmission testing, neutron depth profiling, and neutron imaging.

Much of the NM work performed at the OSURR is for geological and material science samples, but NM is used for other purposes, such as industrial and biological. Most radiation-damage studies performed at the OSURR are for electronic and fiber-optic components, but studies have been performed for other materials. The OSURR has been involved in the development of a number of potential types of neutron and radiation detectors, including fiber-optic based systems, and it regularly tests fission chambers for use in commercial power reactors by characterizing their response to known neutron flux. Isotope production has typically been performed for medical research, but sources have been created for other uses, including testing of radiation-sensitive detectors. Neutron transmission testing has been used to verify boron loading in borated aluminum, and neutron depth profiling has been used for battery-technology studies. In addition, other experiments are performed at the OSURR, such as reactivity worth measurements, spectrum characterizations using flux-wire activation and analysis, and physics experiments such as neutron irradiation of fullerenes.

OSURR Annual Report Page 2 of 10 Sep 2019

• The OSURR also provides a variety of instructional services ranging from general tours to individual and group laboratory sessions and research projects structured to student and faculty interests. Nuclear engineering and physics classes throughout Ohio have utilized the OSURR for the following basic experiments:

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

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

c. temperature coefficient measurements

d. radiological surveys When the OSURR is used to introduce students, faculty or other experimenters to nuclear research, the following are typically done:

a. discuss nuclear reactions and radiological safety

b. operate the reactor at 10kW-100kW

c. have the individuals observe control room operations

d. complete a tour and demonstrate irradiation techniques Neutron activation experiments are performed for students ranging from high school to graduate school.

The reactor utilization for July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 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 3 of 10 Sep 2019

The Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab Reactor Utilization Report:

User (Name)

AFIT (Johnston)

• July 1 - December 31, 2018 Description Radiation effects on a CCD camera Hours 0.4 1

AwareAbility (Tan) Radiation effects on SiC detectors 1.8 2

Boise St. U. (Kandadai) Cladding sapphire fibers 8.5 2

Cabot Corp. (Whynot) NAA of cesium in ore 1.4 Kansas St. U. (Edgar) Doping of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) 25.6 Luna Innovations Cladding sapphire fibers 14.8 (Ohanian)

NASA (Chaiken) Radiation hardness testing of electronic 11.5 components NDSU (Lepper) NAA of geology samples 4.0 2

NRL staff NAA of antimony in plastic for ASTM ILC 9.7 2

NRL staff Operator requalification 0.6 NRL staff Characterization of rabbit facility for OSU WMC 1.3 ORNL (Ezell) Irradiation of molten salt 23.0 ORNL (Petrie)

Orrvilon, Inc.

Reuter-Stokes, Inc.

OSU ECE (Brillson)

Radiation effects on clad sapphire fibers Neutron transmission testing Fission chamber testing Radiation effects on gallium oxide 42.0 39.9 55.3 4.2 OSU NE (Cao/ Detector testing and evaluation 5.4 Kandlakunta)

OSU NE4505 Lab class support 5.3 OSU NE4506 Lab class support 1.8 2

Various3 Tours 7.5 Total: 264.0 Notes:

1. Utilization hours reflect actual reactor operating time. This list does not include time spent on tasks supporting this reactor utilization (pre-start and post-shutdown checkout, experiment planning and setup, etc.).

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

3. Tours were provided to support OSU academic programs (glassblowing, International Studies 4701),

a physics class from Kenyon College, and a group from the OSU Wexner Medical Center.

OSURR Annual Report Page 4 of 10 Sep 2019

• The Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab Reactor Utilization Report:

User (Name)

Arizona State Univ.

January 1 - June 30, 2019 Description Rad effects on diamond sensors, PCB boards Hours 19.6 1

(Alarcon)

Luna Innovations Radiation effects on fiber-based sensors 32.0 (Rountree)

NASA (Chaiken) Radiation hardness testing of electronic 14.3 components NDSU (Lepper) NAA of geology samples 1.4 NRL staff Facility maintenance, characterization, etc. 20.8 Orrvilon, Inc. Neutron transmission testing 28.1 Reuter-Stokes, Inc. Fission chamber testing 44.2 OSU EGE (Brillson) Radiation effects on gallium oxide 9.4 2

OSU EGE (Ringel) Radiation effects on gallium oxide 0.0 OSU NE (Blue) Cladding sapphire fibers 25.2 OSU NE (Cao) Detector testing and evaluation 13.7

• OSU NE (Cao)

OSU NE (Khafizov)

OSU NE 4505 OSU NE 5742 Neutron imaging Radiation effects on SAW filters Lab class support Lab class support 9.4 12.8 3.8 3.0 OSU NE 67266 Lab class support 12.6 3

Various Tours 14.5 Total: 264.8 Notes:

1. Utilization hours reflect actual reactor operating time. This list does not include time spent on tasks supporting this reactor utilization (pre-start and post-shutdown checkout, experiment planning and setup, etc.).

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

3. Tours were provided to support OSU academic programs (ANS student chapter, Environmental Science), the Ohio Energy Project (Ohio STEM teachers), Bluffton High School, the Global Impact STEM Academy, and State Representative Vitale .

• OSURR Annual Report Page 5 of 10 Sep 2019

1.8. 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: 90044.4 kW-hr Hours of Utilization: 528.8 hr

3. Safety Related Maintenance None.

4. Unscheduled Shutdowns From July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, there was one unplanned shutdown which is summarized below.

Reason Corrective Action Period Safet scram from noise on log 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, 2018 to June 30, 2019, four OSURR Modification Requests were completed:

1) Current Source Swap

2) Effluent Monitor Detector and Pre-amp Replacements

3) Partial Fuel Element Swap

4) Magnet Current Supplies Swap All of the modifications screened out of 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation per Procedure AP-16, 50.59 Screening and Evaluation.

OSURR Annual Report Page 6 of 10 Sep 2019

• 5.8. Procedure changes The following is a list of procedure changes made under 10 CFR 50.59 from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, in accordance with Administrative Procedure AP-06, Format for Writing, Revising, and Approving Procedures.

Procedure Procedure Revision Number Title Date OM-01 Reactor Operations 06/17/19 OM-17 Beam Port 2 Beam Facility Use 04/24/19 IM-03 OSURR Pre-Start Checkout 06/17/19 IM-04 Post-Shutdown Checkout 06/17/19 IM-12 Reactor Instrumentation Calibration/ Checks 04/25/19 All of the procedure changes screened out of 10 CFR 50.59 evaluation per Procedure AP-16, 50.59 Screening and Evaluation.

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, 2018, Ar-41 releases measured 2.48% of the annual average concentration limit. From January 1 -

June 30, 2019, releases measured 2.03% 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 for the period July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019 of 236.3 mCi. 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 university's license with the state of Ohio.

6.8. 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.

6.C. Solid Releases No releases of solid radioactive material were made to the uncontrolled environment.

• OSURR Annual Report Page 7 of 10 Sep 2019

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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, 2018 to December 31, 2018. Eighteen 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 38 52 109 98 Staff member #2 65 79 121 248 Staff member #3 49 49 49 88 Staff member #4 56 56 90 138 Staff member #5 59 59 59 56 Staff member #6 0 0 0 N/A Staff member #7 0 0 0 N/A Staff member #8 6 6 6 46 Student #1 5 5 5 0 Student #2 3 3 3 0 Student #3 6 6 6 36 Student #4 39 40 40 63 Student #5 4 4 4 35 Student #6 48 48 48 112 Student #7 8 8 8 36 Student #8 10 10 10 27 Student #9 0 0 0 0 Visiting Scientist #1 5 5 5 0 OSURR Annual Report Page 8 of 10 Sep 2019

• COMPLY: Vl. 7.

40 CFR Part 61 National Emission Standards 9/4/2019 1:28 for Hazardous Air Pollutants REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT LIMITS FOR RADIONUCLIDE EMISSIONS FROM THE COMPLY CODE - Vl.7 .

• Prepared by:

Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab Columbus, OH 43212 Andrew Kauffman 614-688-8220 Prepared for:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Washington, DC 20460

• COMPLY: Vl. 7.

OSURR Annual Report Page 9 of 10 9/4/2019 1:28 Sep 2019

OSURR FY2019 SCREENING LEVEL 2 DATA ENTERED:

Release Rate Nuclide (curies/YEAR)

AR-41 2.363E-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**********

OSURR Annual Report Page 10 of 10 Sep 2019