ML13269A076

Ohio State University Research Reactor, Annual Report

ML13269A076
Person / Time
Site:	Ohio State University
Issue date:	09/23/2013
From:	Blue T E Ohio State University
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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Download: ML13269A076 (10)

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T H -E The Ohio State University 1298 Kinnear RoadOHIO Nuclear Reactor Laboratory

Columbus, OH 43212SPhone 614-688-8220 UNIVERSITY Fax 614-292-2209 23-Sep-2013 Document Control DeskU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North11555 Rockville PikeRockville, MD 20852-2738

SUBJECT:

Annual Report for The Ohio State University Research Reactor,License R-75, Docket 50-150Please 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, pleasecontact Mr. Andrew Kauffman, Associate Director of the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, at614-688-8220.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.Executed on 23-Sep-2013.

Sincerely, Thomas E. Blue, DirectorOSU Nuclear Reactor LabThe Ohio State University (License R-75, Docket 50-150)c: David B. Williams, Dean, OSU College of Engineering Randolph L. Moses, Associate Dean for Research, OSU College of Engineering A. C. Kauffman, OSU Nuclear Reactor Lab THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH REACTORANNUAL REPORT FOR FY 2012/2013 SEPTEMBER 2013OSURR Annual ReportPage 1 of 9Sep 2013 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 ofeach year. This report is to include the following seven information items:1. A narrative summary of operating experience (including experiments performed) and ofchanges in facility design, performance characteristics, and operating procedures related toreactor safety occurring during the reporting period2. A tabulation showing the energy generated by the reactor (in kilowatt hours) and thenumber of hours the reactor was in use3. The results of safety related maintenance and inspections and the reasons for corrective maintenance of safety-related items4. A table of unscheduled shutdowns and inadvertent scrams, including their reasons and thecorrective actions taken5. A summary of the safety analyses performed in connection with changes to the facility orprocedures, which affect reactor safety, and performance of tests or experiments carriedout under the conditions of 10 CFR 50.596. 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 asmeasured 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 thedates and times of significant exposures These seven information items are discussed below for the period July 1, 2012 through June 30,2013, except as noted for exposure records.1. Summary of Operating Experience and Changes1.A. Experiments Performed The OSURR engages in a wide range of research endeavors, including neutron activation analysis(NAA), radiation-damage

studies, neutron and radiation sensitive detector development, isotopeproduction, and biomedical experiments.

Much of the NAA work performed at the OSURR is forgeological and material science samples, but NAA is used for other purposes, such as industrial and biological.

Most radiation-damage studies performed at the OSURR are for electronic andfiber-optic components, but studies have been performed for other materials.

The OSURR hasbeen 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 incommercial power reactors by characterizing their response to known neutron flux. Isotopeproduction has typically been performed for medical research, but sources have been created forother uses, including testing of radiation-sensitive detectors.

Biological sample irradiations performed at the OSURR have been for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) studies.

Inaddition, other experiments are performed at the OSURR, such as reactivity worth measurements, spectrum characterizations using flux-wire activation and analysis, and physics experiments suchas neutron irradiation of fullerenes.

The OSURR also provides a variety of instructional services ranging from general tours toindividual and group laboratory sessions and research projects structured to student and facultyOSURR Annual ReportPage 2 of 9Sep 2013 interests.

Nuclear engineering and physics classes throughout Ohio have utilized the OSURR forthe 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. measurement of the reactor transfer function by noise analysisd. temperature coefficient measurements

e. radiological surveysWhen the OSURR is used to introduce

students, faculty or other experimenters to nuclearresearch, the following are typically done:a. discuss nuclear reactions and radiological safetyb. operate the reactor at 10kW-100kW

c. have the individuals observe control room operations

d. complete a tour and demonstrate irradiation techniques Neutron activation analysis experiments are performed for students ranging from high school tograduate school.The reactor utilization for July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013 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 ReportPage 3 of 9Sep 2013 The Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab Reactor Utilization Report:July 1 -December 31, 2012User (Affiliation)

Description Hours'A. Marchand (AFIT) Shielding properties of composite materials 3.4E. Scherrer (AFIT) Radiation effects on electronic devices 11.4J. Shinn (AFIT) Radiation effects on materials 1.8 2GE Reuter-Stokes Testing fission chambers 67.5Lambda Instruments Radiation effects on fiber-based sensors 49.6 2Luna Innovations Evaluation of a fiber-based neutron sensor 8.0L. Cao (OSU NE) Radiation effects on GaN 3.4L. Cao (OSU NE) Neutron depth profiling (NDP) 26.3L. Cao (OSU NE) Prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) 2.0L. Cao (OSU NE) Neutron imaging 2.6OSU NE program Laboratory classes and tours 12.9S. Glover (UC) Irradiation of silica disks 0.0 2H. Spitz (UC) NAA of filter papers 4.7 2NRL staff Annual maintenance, operator requalification, etc. 24.7Various Tours: OSU WiE RISE, Ohio Energy Project, OSU 13.6IS 4771, Kenyon CollegeTotal: 231.9Notes:1. The utilization hours listed above reflect actual reactor operating time. The list does not include hoursspent on tasks supporting this reactor utilization (pre-start and post-shutdown

checkout, experiment setup, etc.).2. Does not include reactor utilization time when run as a secondary user concurrent with a primary userOSURR Annual ReportPage 4 of 9Sep 2013 The Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab Reactor Utilization Report:January 1 -June 30, 2013User (Affiliation)

Description Hours1 -Gollub (Vanderbilt)

Radiation effects on photoluminescence 1.0Collar (U. of Chicago)

Calibration of detector system 25.6Schaefer (Air Force) Carbon fullerites 2.0GE Reuter-Stokes Fission chamber testing 36.3Jones (OSU NE) ITC measurement 7.4Petrie (OSU NE) NAA of experiment materials 0.3 2Qiu (OSU NE) Radiation effects on magnets 2.0Wood (OSU NE) NAA of experiment materials 0.7 2L. Cao (OSU NE) Neutron depth profiling, GaN 23.3 2OSU NE program Laboratory classes and tours 27.8S. Glover (UC) Silica disks, NAA of fly ash 7.0K. Lepper (NDSU) NAA of geological samples 1.4NRL staff Annual mantenance, facility characterization 14.2Various Tours: Ohio Energy Project, OSU IS 4771, Bluffton 13.7H.S., OSU PhysicsTotal: 162.7Notes:1. The utilization hours listed above reflect actual reactor operating time. The list does not include hoursspent on tasks supporting this reactor utilization (pre-start and post-shutdown

checkout, experiment setup, etc.).2. Does not include reactor utilization time when run as a secondary user concurrent with a primary userOSURR Annual ReportPage 5 of 9Sep 2013 1.B. Changes in Facility DesignThere were no facility design changes that required a change to the Technical Specifications.

10CFR50.59 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 lastyear.I.D. Changes in Operating Procedures There were no changes in operating procedures related to reactor safety in the last year.10CFR50.59 changes are described in Section 5.B of this report.2. Energy Generated and Hours of UseKilowatt-Hours of Operation:

50280.8 kW-hrHours of Utilization:

394.6 hr3. Safety Related Maintenance None.4. Unscheduled Shutdowns From July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 there were 3 unplanned shutdowns.

These are summarized below.Reason Corrective ActionPeriod Safety scram from noise on log (3) None requiredchannel5. Changes in Facility and Procedures in Accordance with 10CFR50.59 5.A. Facility Modifications During the period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, three OSURR Modification Requests werecompleted:

1) Linear channel recorder replacement

2) Period recorder replacement

3) Cooling system pump-sensing module replacement 5.B. Procedure changesThe following is a list of procedure changes made under 10-CFR-50.59 from July 1, 2012 to June30, 2013 in accordance with Administrative Procedure AP-05, Format for Writing,

Revising, andApproving Procedures.

Procedure Procedure RevisionNumber Title DateEP-01 Emergency Procedures 10/01/12OSURR Annual ReportPage 6 of 9Sep 2013 EP-03 Response to Scrams and Alarms 09/12/12EP-04 Emergency Equipment Inventory 08/31/12IM-03 OSURR Pre-Start Checkout 08/07/12OM-17 Beam Port 2 Beam Facility Use 08/09/126. Radioactive Effluents 6.A. Gaseous EffluentThe only gaseous effluent measured is the release of Ar-41. For the period July 1 -Dec. 31, 2012,Ar-41 releases measured 1.82% of the annual average concentration limit. From Jan. 1 -June 30,2013, releases measured 0.92% of the annual average concentration limit. In accordance with therequirements of 1OCFR20.1101 (d), the COMPLY code was run using the total Ar-41 release forthe period July 1, 2012 -June 30, 2013 of 221.5 mCi. Using level 2 in the code, the effective doseequivalent rate at the facility fence was computed to be 0.2 mrem/yr.

This is well below the 10mrem/yr constraint specified in the regulation.

6.B. Liquid ReleasesHot sink releases are recorded and reported through the OSU Office of Radiation Safety. Onerelease was made to the sanitary sewer system during the period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013,and it contained:

93.75 pCi Co-60, 27.62 pCi Ba-133, and 49.17 pCi Cs-137.6.C. Solid ReleasesNo 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, itis 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, 2012 to December 31,2012. Thirteen individuals were monitored as radiation workers during this period, and themeasured dose equivalent values are tabulated below in mrem.Individual Dose Equivalent (mrem)DDE LDE SDE, WB SDE, MEVisitors 0 0 0 N/AStaff member #1 32 35 35 289Staff member #2 9 9 9 177Staff member #3 225 228 228 751Staff member #4 132 136 145 457Staff member #5 202 206 206 806Staff member #6 45 45 45 370Staff member #7 11 11 11Student #1 19 19 19 214Student #2 7 7 7 36Student #3 3 3 3 21Student #4 49 49 52 -Student #5 8 9 11 130Student #6 7 7 7 26OSURR Annual ReportPage 7 of 9Sep 2013 COMPLY: V1.6.7/ 2/2013 12:5240 CFR Part 61National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITHTHE CLEAN AIR ACT LIMITS FOR RADIONUCLIDE EMISSIONS FROM THE COMPLY CODE -Vl.6.Prepared by:Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Lab1298 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OHAndrew Kauffman614-688-8220 Prepared for:U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Radiation and Indoor AirWashington, DC 20460OSURR Annual ReportPage 8 of 9Sep 2013 COMPLY: V1.6.7/ 2/2013 12:52NRL_2013SCREENING LEVEL 2DATA ENTERED:Release RateNuclide (curies/YEAR)

AR-41 2.215E-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 ReportPage 9 of 9Sep 2013