The first Practical Training for Research Reactor Operators organized at the LENA Laboratory (University of Pavia) and in the framework of ENEEP training activities has concluded. Under the supervision of the Reactor Staff, three operator candidates from the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency - TENMAK, have completed an intense 20 hour practical training course at the TRIGA Mark II reactor operation console and successfully passed the final practical examination, which involved starting and operating the reactor and implementing the normal operating procedures. Members of the Turkish Nuclear Regulatory Authority – NDK – were present as observers during the practical training and final exam.
The training program covered several practical topics and aspects of Research Reactor operation such as reactor console instrumentation, control rods command, safety scram circuits, interlocks, check-list for reactor startup, reactor criticality at different power levels, temperature and poisoning effects during operation at different power levels, reactor auxiliary systems (e.g. cooling and ventilation system), control rod calibration procedure and reactor core excess & shut-down margin procedure and calculation. Practical aspects of radiation protection related to reactor operation in normal and emergency conditions were also addressed during the training.
