ML020440496
| ML020440496 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Issue date: | 01/15/2002 |
| From: | Debay T US Dept of Interior, Geological Survey (USGS) |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML020440496 (6) | |
Text
United States Department of the Interior U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Box 25046 M.S. 9 7+/-
Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225 REFER TO:
January 15, 2002 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington DC 20555
Dear NRC staff:
The attached annual report of the U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA non-power reactor facility is submitted in accordance with license conditions.
The facility docket number is 50-274.
Sincerely, Timothy M. DeBey Reactor Supervisor Enclosure Copy to:
Al Adams, MS O-11-D-19 IN REPLY g
4/
C)
L)1 3jr
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TRIGA REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT JANUARY 1, 2001 - DECEMBER 31, 2001 NRC LICENSE NO. R-1 13-DOCKET NO. 50-274 I.
Personnel Changes: One full-time employee (Senior Reactor Operator) retired in August and was rehired as a part-time contractor in October.
11.
Operating Experience The Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor (GSTR) was in normal operation for the year 2001. No major facility changes were made during the year.
A synopsis of irradiations performed during the year is given below, listed by the organization submitting the samples to the reactor staff:
Organization Geologic Division - INAA Geologic Division - Geochronology Non-USGS affiliated Total Number of Samples 1304 958 842 3,104 A. Thermal power calibrations were performed in February, and August and minor adjustments were made.
B. One new Class II experiment (foil irradiation) was approved during this period.-
C. During the report period, 173 daily checklists and 12 monthly checklists were completed in compliance with technical specifications requirements for surveillance of the reactor facility.
D. Tours were provided to individuals and groups during the year for a total visitor count of approximately 270.
E. One fuel movement was performed during the year for the purpose of performing the biennial control rod inspection.
I
III.
Tabulation of Energy Generated MWH operated Jan 41.611 Feb Mar A_.r May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Totals 55.707 94.442 56.684 142.921 60.218 26.937 92.868 39.901 43.163 39.167 26.323 719.942 Critical hours 45.583 57.083 96.733 57.983 148.067 64.917 36.717 95.150 40.733 45.450 40.133 27.200 755.750 IV.
Unscheduled Shutdowns Number Date Cause 971 1/18 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
972 2/14 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
973 2/21 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
974 3/7 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
975 4/4 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
976 4/11 NPP1000 high power scram due to AC power transient.
977 4/11 NPP1000 high power scram due to AC power transient.
978 4/11 NPP1000 high power scram due to AC power transient.
979 5/4 CSC watchdog scram due to computer lockup.
980 5/24 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
981 5/29 NPP1 000 high power scram due to AC power transient.
982--6/8 NP1 000 high power scram due to square wave operation with too short of a period.
983 8/2 CSC watchdog scram due to computer lockup.
984 9/27 NPP1 000 high power scram - cause not determined.
985 11/8 NPP1000 high power scram - cause not determined.
986 12/7 DIS064 scanner timeout scram.
987 12/7 NPP1000 high power scram due to AC power transient.
V.
Major Maintenance Operations The primary coolant ion exchange resin was replaced in January. The transient rod air solenoid valve was replaced in January. The control console high-resolution 2
Pulses 0
0 4
0 0
4 3
0 0
0 0
1 12
monitor was replaced in June, and the console acknowledge (push-button) switch was replaced in December.
VI.
Summary of 10 CFR 50.59 chan-qes The chart recorder on the control console was changed from a pen and paper recorder to a paperless recorder. This change was performed on 12/18/01. The new recorder provides more information to the operator and reduced maintenance.
The change was evaluated by the Reactor Operations Committee and determined to be authorized under 10 CFR 50.59 without prior NRC review and approval.
VII.
Radioactivity Releases A. Listed below are the total amounts of radioactive gaseous effluent released to the environment beyond the effective control of the reactor facility.
Table 1. Gaseous Effluents Released to the Environment Month Argon-41 License Tritium (HTO)
IOCFR20 Allowable Allowable (curies)
(Ci)
(R-1 13)
(mCi) *
(mCi)
January 0.334 5.833 0.068 124 February 0.379 5.833 0.144 124 March 0.464 5.833 0.068 124 April 0.342 5.833 0.142 124 May 0.596 5.833 0.142 124 June 1.723 5.833 0.148 124 July 0.165 5.833 0.067 124 August 0.282 5.833 0.125 124 September 0.343 5.833 0.072 124 October 0.102 5.833 0.119 124 November 0.078 5.833 0.068 124 December 0.060 5.833 0.102 124 Total 4.868 70.00 1.266 1488
% of Allowable 6.95%
0.09%
- Note:
The tritium concentrations are estimates based on the amount of water lost by evaporation from the reactor multiplied by the concentration of tritium as HTO. Tritium sample analyses are being performed by AccuLabs Inc.
B. One 55-gallon drum of low-level radioactive solid waste was shipped for burial in Washington state during the year.
Note: The principal radioactive waste generated at the reactor facility is the demineralizer resin. Used resin with small quantities of rinse water was de-watered by evaporation and placed in a 55-gallon drum.
3
VIII. Radiation Monitoring Our program to monitor and control radiation exposures included the four major elements below during the operating year.
- 1. Fifteen gamma-sensitive area monitors are located throughout the Nuclear Science Building. A remote readout panel is located in the reactor health physics office. High alarm set points range from 2 mR/hr to 50 mR/hr. High level alarms are very infrequent and due to sample movements.
- 2. One Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) samples the air in the reactor bay. An equilibrium concentration of about 1 x 10-8I OCi/ml present for two minutes will result in an increase of 400 cpm above background. There are two alarm setpoints. A low-level alarm is set at 3000 cpm and the high level alarm is set at 10000 cpm.
Reactor bay air is sampled during all reactor operations. The fixed particulate air filter is changed each week and counted on a HPGE gamma spectrometer counting system. The charcoal filter, fitted behind the air filter, is also changed and counted weekly. In all instances, sample data were less than airborne concentration value (10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B, Table 2) for all particulate radioisotopes produced by the reactor.
- 3. Contamination wipe surveys and radiation surveys with portable survey instruments are performed at least once a month. All portable instruments are calibrated with a 3-Curie (initial activity) Cs-137 source traceable to NBS, and wipes are counted on a Gamma Products G5000 low level counting system.
Six contaminated areas were noted during routine wipe surveys. The highest had a beta activity of 80 pCi/100 cm2. Soap and water were used to remove the contamination. All other areas were less than 30 pCi/1 00 cm2 beta and 15 pCi/100 cm2 alpha. The roof area over the reactor tank is roped off and posted as a radiation area (averaging 2.5 mR/hr) during 1 MW operations.
- 4. Personnel, X and gamma, beta and neutron film badges are assigned to all permanent occupants of the Nuclear Science Building. LiF TLD dosimeters were used at four outdoor environmental stations. Reactor facility visitors are issued self reading dosimeters. Reactor staff personnel are issued albedo neutron badges.
Table 2. Personnel Monitoring Results (12/1100- 11130101)
Deep Dose Shallow Dose Equivalent Equivalent Name Whole Body (Rem)
Whole Body (Rem)
Extremity (Rem)
Aakhus-Witt A.
0.025 0.025 0.068 DeBey, T 0.017 0.017 0.082 Heifer, P 0.035 0.035 0.240 Liles, D 0.047 0.047 0.109 Perryman, R 0.030 0.020 0.266 4
Note: December's personnel dosimetry results are not available at this time.
Reactor visitors and occasional experimenters wore pocket dosimeters that resulted in no individual reading that was greater than one (1) mrem.
Table 3. Environmental Dose Results Location Dose Dose Dose Dose Total Jan-Mar Apr-June July-Sept.
Oct.- Dec.
(RAD)
(RAD)
(RAD) p)
(RAD)
Exhaust 0.0074 0.0108 0.0018 0.0192 0.0392 Stack Cooling 0.000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0 Tower Fence West Vehicle 0.0122 0.0076 0.0045 0.0184 0.0427 Gate West Room 0.0066 0.0059 0.0036 0.0121 0.0282 151 Gate Southwest 0.0033 0.0027 0.0008 0.0042 0.011 Light Pole Control 0.0237 0.0197 0.0143 0.0227 0.0804 (background)
Southeast 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0 Light Pole I
I I
I Note: Above totals have the background subtracted (see control).
X. Environmental Monitoring There have been no uncontrolled radioactivity releases from the reactor to the present date. Thus, the data on file from past years to the present are considered to be background information.
5