ML030920211

Transmittal of Operations Report No. 55 for the Nesr

ML030920211
Person / Time
Site:	National Bureau of Standards Reactor
Issue date:	03/24/2003
From:	Rowe J US Dept of Commerce, National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML030920211 (6)

Text

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE rB F

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0 National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-N I ST CE NT EN N IA L VOICE (301) 975-6210 FAX (301) 975-9427 March 24, 2003 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

Subject:

Docket #50-184 Gentlemen:

Transmitted herewith is Operations Report No. 55 for the NBSR. The report covers the period January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002.

Si, Ucrely,:

ichael Rowe Director, NIST Center for Neutron Research Enclosure cc: C. Bassett, Non-Power Reactor Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 61 Forsyth St. S.W.

23T85 Atlanta, GA 30303 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Marvin Mendonca, 012-G13 Washington, DC 20555-0001 N Lsr

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY REACTOR (NBSR)

Docket #50-184 Facility License No. TR-5 Operations Report

-#55-January 1, 2002 - December 31, 2002 This report contains a summary of activities connected with the operations of the NBSR. It is submitted in fulfillment of section 7.8(3) of the NBSR Technical Specifica-tions and covers the period from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002.

Section numbers in the report (such as 7.8(3)(a)) correspond to those used in the Technical Specifications.

o n f Michar NRowe Director $1~tr for Neutron Research

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 7.8(3)(a) Summary of Plant Operations 7.8(3)(b) Unscheduled Shutdowns 7.8(3)(c) Tabulation of Major Items of Plant Maintenance 7.8(3)(d) Tabulation of Major Changes in the Facility and Procedures, and the Test and Experiments, Carried Out Without Prior Approval by the NRC Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 7.8(3)(e) Summary of Radioactive Material Released and Results of Environmental Surveys Performed 7.8(3)(f) Summary of Significant Exposures Received by Facility Personnel and Visitors 2002 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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7.8(3)(a) Summary of Plant Operations During the period January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 the reactor was critical for 5102 hours0.0591 days <br />1.417 hours <br />0.00844 weeks <br />0.00194 months <br /> with an energy output of 101,591 MWH. Major activities during this period included testing of and placing into service an advanced cold neutron source; testing of and placing into service a plume-abatement cooling tower; installing pumps and filters for the Thermal Column Tank Cooling System; modifying the Thermal Column cavity and the Thermal Column Tank Cooling System to improve management of the heavy water in the cooling system; replacing the shim arm shaft seal assemblies; completing a remote visual inspection of reactor vessel internals; and maintaining the Thermal Shield Cooling System. While moving a fuel element from the pool to the vessel a during core reload, the element pickup head shaft broke when the head struck the top of the pool canal. The element was located in the refueling cylinder in the pool. The element was undamaged and returned to a storage rack. Following an investigation and implementation of corrective actions, the reload of the core was completed without further incident. During a maintenance procedure, an operator inadvertently caused a scram of the reactor. The cause of the scram was corrected and the reactor returned to full power.

7.8(3)(b) Unscheduled Shutdowns

1. There were 8 scrams due to commercial power interruptions. After 6 of those scrams, a return to 20 MW occurred within an hour. After 2 of those scrams, a restart to 20 MW occurred within 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br />.

2. There were 2 scrams due to malfunctioning instrument channels. After each scram, confirmation of the operability of the required number of channels was made and a return to 20 MW occurred within an hour.

3. There was 1 scram during performance of a maintenance procedure.

Corrective action was taken and a return to 20 MW occurred within an hour.

7.8(3)(c) Tabulation of Major Items of Plant Maintenance Note: Several of these items are covered by an Engineering Change Notice (ECN).

1. Replaced #4 Main D2 0 pump mechanical seal.

2. Replaced #4 Main D20 pump pedestal bearings and seals.

3. Replaced valve diaphragm for #4 Main D2 0 pump valve DWV-6.

4. Installed sample chamber in parallel with the heavy water purification system after-filter.

5. Added camera and monitor to refueling system.

6. Replaced vessel helium valve HEV-41.

2002 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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7. Replaced resin in Thermal Shield Cooling System #1 ion exchanger column.

8. Performed regularly scheduled Technical Specification Surveillance tests and plant preventative maintenance.

9. Installed tritium recorder and control system.

10. Replaced NC-3 and NC-4.

11. Installed cooling tower instrumentation.

12. Instrument calibration surveillance tests were performed for the following:

Two Intermediate and Two Power Range Channels Reactor Vessel Flow and Level Recorders and Indicators Reactor Differential Temperature Channel Confinement Building Area Radiation Monitors Fission Product and Secondary Cooling N16 Monitors Three Confinement Building Effluent Monitors Emergency Ventilation System Controllers

13. Sixty instrument service requests (ISR) were completed, including:

ISR # ACTION 1572 Repaired area monitor local alarm.

1573 Repaired erratic power supply card in area radiation monitor system.

1577 Verified operation of NC-4.

1581 Increased input range to tritium recorder to prevent over-ranging recorder.

1606 Corrected flow indication for EF-5 and EF-6.

1620 Restored RM3-4 by replacing high voltage supply.

1623 Calibrated NC-7 to correct spiking on console indication.

1625 Restored RM3-4 by replacing low voltage supply.

1627 Drained water from RM3-2 to correct erratic indication.

1629 Identified and repaired loose connection in rundown circuit during testing.

7.8(3)(d) Tabulation of Major Changes in the Facility and Procedures, and the Test and Experiments, Carried Out Without Prior Approval by the NRC pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59.

The following facility changes were completed this year. None required a license amendment or a change to the technical specifications, and there were no unreviewed 2002 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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safety questions.

ECN 459 Plume abatement cooling tower. This change replaces the existing cooling tower with a nearly plume-free and greater capacity cooling tower for the secondary system.

ECN 460 Shim arm shaft seals. This change replaces material in the seal assemblies with material of superior characteristics.

ECN 461 Thermal Column Tank Cooling and Cavity Modification. This change provides for an independent tank cooling system and improvements to the Thermal Column cavity.

ECN 463 Intermediate range channels. This change replaces the old NC-3 and 4 instrument drawers with more robust and newer drawers.

ECN 464 Reactor delta T, primary flow, and thermal power recorders. This change replaces three paper recorders with a single paperless recorder.

7.8(3)(e) Summary of Radioactive Material Released and Results of Environmental Surveys Performed.

Gaseous releases consisted of 747 curies of tritium, 1171 curies of Argon-41, 0.07 curies of Br-82, and 0.17 curies of other beta-gamma emitters. There were 4.79 curies of tritium and 100 microcuries of other beta-gamma emitters released into the sanitary sewer. Environmental samples of the streams, vegetation, and/or soil, and air showed no significant changes.

7.8(3)(f) Summary of Significant Exposures Received by Facility Personnel and Visitors.

1. None to visitors.

2. Dosimetry results for this reporting period indicated that no facility personnel received significant exposures.

2002 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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