SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- REVERSE ENGINEER AND FABRICATE BETA DETECTOR
- Notice Date
- 8/16/2010
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, Idaho National Laboratory (DOE Contractor), Idaho National Laboratory, 2525 Fremont, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83415-3920
- ZIP Code
- 83415-3920
- Solicitation Number
- 10-56
- Archive Date
- 10/1/2010
- Point of Contact
- Dan Stout, Phone: (208) 533-7374
- E-Mail Address
-
daniel.stout@inl.gov
(daniel.stout@inl.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- August 12, 2010 REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - REVERSE ENGINEER AND FABRICATE BETA DETECTOR FOR USE AT THE ADVANCED TEST REACTOR LOCATED AT THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY •I. INTRODUCTION Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), Management and Operating Contractor of the Idaho National Laboratory, seeks an expression of interest from qualified subcontractors to reverse engineer and manufacture a unique beta ion chamber used at the Idaho National Laboratory. The detectors are constructed with a center water flow tube along the axis and an ion chamber volume concentric with the center flow tube. The detector senses beta decay of N-16 as the activated water flows through the detectors. Signals from the beta detector are proportional to the beta emissions in the activated water and thus to the fast flux neutron levels. The signals from these detectors are used to monitor the power distribution with the reactor. This expression of interest will serve as a method of identifying interested candidates that possess the qualifications to reverse engineer and fabricate the detector. The qualified responders will receive a formal request for proposal for the work. •II. BACKGROUND The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a pressurized water reactor whose principal function is to provide a high neutron flux for experiments involving reactor fuels and materials. The reactor, owned by the U.S. Department of Energy, has a design thermal power of 250 MW. Its nominal inlet pressure and temperature are 360 psig and 125 ° F. The nominal core outlet temperature is 170 ° F at the design thermal power level. The ATR and its support facilities are located at the ATR Complex at the Idaho National Laboratory. The ATR supports many different experiment programs. Irradiation experiments in ATR fill a vital role in the development of naval reactors and are expected to play an important role in the development of new reactors. To support safe and reliable operation of the ATR, the Idaho National Laboratory initiated the ATR Life Extension Project in 2006. Early project activities included a comprehensive material condition assessment of selected ATR components. The assessment identified the items requiring maintenance, monitoring, or other actions to mitigate various aging effects. Left uncorrected, the aging could negatively impact the ATR's long term availability and its ability to fulfill current requirements. The assessment identified the N-16 system as one requiring improvement. The N-16 System The N-16 system monitors fast neutron flux at 10 locations within the reactor from startup through full power operation. The system is one method to determine reactor power distribution. The N-16 monitoring system measures the beta activity of the water in 10 flow channels. The N-16 isotope, with a nominal 7.1 second half-life for beta decay, is generated in the core region through the O-16 (n,p) N-16 fast neutron reaction. The activated water travels from the core to the detectors in approximately 15 seconds, or approximately two half-lives. Each detector provides a signal to an amplifier, which supplies a 0-10 mV signal to the N-16 recorder and a 0-50 mV signal to the Reactor Data Acquisition System (RDAS) computer. All ten N-16 signals are displayed on the N-16 recorders and are used by the RDAS to determine the lobe and quadrant power distributions. The N-16 Detector The RSB-1 ion chamber used in the N-16 system is designed to measure beta emissions in the activated water which passes through the detector. Operating with a nominal supply voltage of 1000V, the chamber converts beta activity to an electrical current. The beta sensitivity is approximately 4x10 -15 amps/Dist/sec, with a beta/gamma output current ratio of at least 100:1. Each beta detection chamber resides in a shielded cubicle in the warm-waste tank motor area. The following tables provide additional details of the existing detector. Table 1. Mechanical Properties. Outside Diameter 4+1/32 inches Length 22+3/8 inches Approximate Sensitive Length 18 inches Inner Electrode Spacing 0.50 inches Sensitive Volume 1750 cc Fill Gas Pressure 10 atm. Weight 4 lbs. Flow Tube Volume 40 cc Pipe Connection ¼ NPT Flow Tube Design Pressure 470 psig Flow Tube Design Temperature 150°F Table 2. Materials. Body Shell 3003-H Aluminum Inner Electrode 1100 Aluminum Internal Insulation Rexolite Connector Insulation Rexolite Fill Gas Nitrogen Flow Tube 304 Stainless Steel Figure 1 shows a drawing of the existing N-16 detector. Figure 1. N-16 Detector Drawing The current N-16 system has been operating for over 30 years. Logistics and technical support are diminishing or no longer exist. BEA requests an expression of interest from qualified potential subcontractors to reverse engineer the existing N-16 detector and manufacture 10 replacements. BEA will provide access to one failed detector and copies of existing documentation for the N-16 detectors and other N-16 components, as needed. •III. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS Prospective subcontractors shall provide brief statements of qualifications in the following areas: •1) Overview of the candidate company, perhaps in the form of an annual report or web page link, •2) Quality control and quality assurance capability (including ASME NQA-1-2000, Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications) and your program for assessment/surveillance, •3) A description of knowledge and capabilities related to nuclear instrumentation including capabilities related specifically to beta detectors, and •4) Name, telephone number, and e-mail address of a representative of your firm who can answer questions regarding this request for expression of interest. BEA plans to issue a request for proposal that will allow award of a subcontract to reverse engineer and fabricate the detectors. In order to help us develop the request for proposal, please provide any or all of the following optional information: Rough order-of-magnitude budget estimate to engineer, fabricate, and deliver the detectors Preferred contract type; for example, unit price or cost reimbursable, and reason for the preference Impact of a variation in quantity of modules actually ordered of as much as 50%; that is, in general terms, how your operation would be impacted if we changed the number of detectors ordered to either 5 or 20 detectors. Lack of response to the last 3 items will not affect the evaluation of the candidate's expression of interest. Please provide your expression of interest to the undersigned by September 6, 2010. Questions or requests for more information should also be directed to Dan Stout at (208) 526-7374 or by email at Daniel.Stout@inl.gov. Technical questions must be submitted in writing (U.S. mail or e-mail). Dan Stout Subcontract Administrator Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) 2525 N. Fremont Avenue P.O. Box 1625, Mailstop 3675 Idaho Falls, ID 83415 Telephone: (208) 526-7374
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