ML052290270
| ML052290270 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Washington State University |
| Issue date: | 08/05/2005 |
| From: | Tripard G Washington State Univ |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML052290270 (10) | |
Text
WASHINGTON STATE v UNIVERSITY Nuclear Radiation C enter August 5, 2005 Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76
Dear Sir:
In accordance with the Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 and the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59, paragraph (6), the attached Annual Report prepared by Eric Corwin, Reactor Supervisor of the WSU facility, is hereby submitted. The report covers the period July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005.
Sincerely, Gerald E. Tripard Director GET/pw Enclosure cc: E. Corwin American Nuclear Insurers U.S. NRC, Document Control Desk 4\oo PO Box 641300, Pullman, WA 99164-1300 509-335-8641
- Fax: 509-3354433
- www.wsu.edu/-nrc
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE OPERATION OF THE WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY TRIGA REACTOR Facility License R-76 for the Reporting Period of July 1,2004 to June 30, 2005 A. Narrative Summary of the Year's Operation I. Operating Experience The Washington State University Reactor has accumulated 1266 Megawatt hours on
-core 34-A during the reporting period. A total of 1189 samples were irradiated, for a total of 9449.08 user-hours. In addition, 8 pulses greater than $1.00 of reactivity addition were performed during this reporting period. The quarterly operations summaries are shown in Table I Section B.
II. Changes In Facility Design, Performance Characteristics, and Operating Procedures Related to Reactor Safety.
The reactor facility has made several upgrades during the reporting period including a Log-N Wide range channel upgrade and a seismic switch replacement. Both upgrades were a 50.59 change, with the notification of the Log-N channel sent to the NRC dated 5/2/2005. All changes were performed according to appropriate procedures.
III. All surveillance tests and requirements were performed and completed within the prescribed time period.
B. Energy and Cumulative Output The quarterly operations summaries are given in Table I.
TABLE I Fiscal Year Summary of Reactor Operations l J-A-S O-N-D J-F-M A-M-J TOTALS Hours of Operation 420.50 308.48 340.60 328.78 1398.36 Megawatt Hours 381.44 278.40 307.00 299.99 1266.83 No of Sample Irradiations 27 19 17 10 73 No. of Samples 267 239 528 155 1189 No. of Iridium Cans Irradiated 24 18 21 21 84 No. of Silicon Disks Irradiated 9 12 11 11 43 User Hours 3055.43 2931.42 3177.82 2984.41 9449.08 No. Pulses > $1.00 0 3 1 4 8 This table has been modified for clarity. Numbers of Samples and Sample Irradiations do not include Iridium. and Silicon data. Those data are listed in individual formnat. User hours denotes the total user hours, including Iridium and Silicon.
2 The cumulative energy output since criticality of the TRIGA core since 1967 is 1069 Megawatt Days, The mixed core of FLIP and Standard fuels installed in 1976 has accumulated 803 Megawatt Days.
C. Emergency Shutdowns and Inadvertent Scrams There were no emergency shutdowns that occurred during the reporting period. The dates and causes of the 14 inadvertent SCRAMS are listed in Table II. No SCRAMS were due to a violation of the Limiting Safety Systems Setpoints.
TABLE II Inadvertent SCRAMS 7/13/04 High Power, Operator accidentally bumped trip-test switch on Safety Channel #1.
7/22/04 Air Scram and Rundown due to low Pulse Rod air pressure.
9/27/04 Building Power Failure 10/25/04 Short period. Log-N channel pegged high.
11/22/04 Short period. Log-N channel pegged high.
12/16/04 Reactor Console Power Loss 1/5/05 Safety Channel #1 High Power while adjusting detector for Power Calibration.
2/19/05 Short period. Log-N channel pegged high.
3/23/05 Short period. Log-N channel pegged high.
5111/05 High Voltage trip on NLW-1 000 channel during pulse.
5111105 High Voltage trip on NLW-1 000 channel during pulse.
6/3/05 High Voltage trip on NLW-1 000 during pulse.
6/3/05 High Voltage trip on NLW-1000 during pulse.
6/21/05 High power scram from insertion of Iridium sample into core.
D. Major Maintenance All routine planned maintenance items were completed within the reporting period. Three major modifications occurred during this reporting period. These changes included an upgraded seismic switch in the reactor protection system, and a replacement/upgrade of the NLW-2 Log-N wide range channel. In its place a General Atomics NLW-1 000 was installed, and the associated fission chamber was replaced. All upgrades were made in accordance with applicable procedures and no major complications resulted.
3 E. Changes, Tests and Experiments performed Under 10 CFR 50.59 Criteria Three major modifications occurred during this reporting period, both under a 10 CFR 50.59 change. These changes included an upgraded seismic switch in the reactor protection system, and a replacement/upgrade of the NLW-2 Log-N wide range channel. In its place a General Atomics NLW-1000 was installed, and the associated fission chamber was replaced. All upgrades were made in accordance with applicable procedures and no major complications resulted.
F. Radioactive Effluent Discharges I. Radioactive Liquid Releases A total of 115.3 microcuries was released in 15,147 gallons of liquid during the reporting period. The releases are listed in Table III.
TABLE m Radioactive Liquid Releases Date Nuclide Activity (pCi/ml) Release Limit Percent of Release Limit 7/21/04 46 sc 2.87E-8 1.OOE4 0.03 51Cr 9.79E-8 5.OOE-3 0.00
_54Mn 3.45E-8 3.OOE-4 0.01 5 7co 3.98E-8 6.OOE-4 0.01
'_Co 1.44E-7 3.00E-5 0.48
_ _ _Rh l.05E-6 5.OOE-4 0.21 124_Sb 4.84E-7 7.OOE-5 0.69
______4.41E-7 L.OOE-4 0.44 Activity Released in 1347 ater: 40.1 IiCi 6/10/05 sC 3_.85E-8 1.OOE-4 0_.04 "Cr 1.41E-7 5.00E-3 0.00 58 Co 8.81E-7 3.OOE-4 0.44 0 Co 3.67E-8 3.OOE-5 0.12
°'Zn .1.63E-7 5.OOE-5 0.33 24 1.08E-7 5.OOE4 0.02 142 Sb 3.91 E-6 7.00E-5 5.59 I92r 1.66E-6 l.OOE-4 1.66 Activity Relcased in 678 ft' water: 75.2 VCi Total Activity Released in 2025 fl3 water: 115.3 gCi
4
- 2. Radioactive Gaseous Release During the reporting period, no significant quantity of any gaseous or particulate material with a half-life greater that eight days was released.
During the reporting period, at no time did the Argon-41 release exceed 20% of the Effluent Release Limit.
A total of 10.59 Curies of Argon-41 was released, with an average concentration of Argon-41 of 1.605 x 1007 uCi/cc. The monthly releases are summarized in Table IV on Page 4.
TABLE IV Monthly Argon-41 Releases Conc. Before % Release Limit % DAC Limit Quantity mCi Month Dilution, uCi/mI Before Dilution X Before Dilution 2 Jul. 04 1.246 x 107 4.79 0.0166 685 Aug. 04 1.636xIO- 6.55 0.0218 900 Sep. 04 1.488 x 10- 7 5.95 0.0198 818 Oct. 04 1.098 x 10-' 4.37 0.0146 604 Nov. 04 1.292x 10- 5.17 0.0172 713 Dec. 04 1.047x 10-7 4.19 0.0139 576 Jan. 05 1.084 x 10-7 4.37 0.0144 596 Feb. 05 2.833 x 10-7 11.33 0.0378 1558 Mar. 05 1.905 x IO ' 7.62 0.0254 1048 Apr. 05 2.369x 10- 9.48 0.0316 1303 May. 05 7.392 x l0- 2.96 0.00985 407 Jun. 05 2.520 x 10' 10.08 0.0336 1386 Based on 10 CFR 20 effluent release limit of I.Ox10-8 uCi/ml for 41Ar (Table 2, Col.1), and a dilution factor of 4.Ox1O-3 (S.A.R. 6.4.2) for a before dilution limit of 2.5x10-6 uCi/cc. (20% of limit is 5.Ox10-7 uCi/ml).
2 Based on 10 CFR 20 DAC limit of 3.Ox10-6 uCi/ml for 41Ar (Table 1, Col. 3) and a dilution factor of 4.Oxl 0-3 for a before dilution DAC limit of 7.5x10-4 uCi/ml.
- 3. Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal During the reporting period, the following solid waste was transferred to the Campus Radiation Safety Office for packaging and disposal.
0.098 millicuries in 22 cubic feet of non-compacted solid waste.
27.55 millicuries in 15 cubic feet, (2 - 7.5 ft3 barrels), of non-compacted solid waste.
5 G. Personnel and Visitor Radiation Exposures The quarterly exposures of selected Nuclear Radiation Center reactor staff and experimenters who routinely utilize the W.S.U. reactor are given in Table V on Page 5. The maximum quarterly exposure* of a reactor staff member was 67 millirem, whole body.
A total of 2851 individual persons visited the Nuclear Radiation Center during the reporting period, of which 1150 entered a Restricted Area. All exposures as determined by digital pocket dosimeter were less than 1 millirem.
A total of 31 group tours, consisting of 549 individuals, visited the Center during the reporting period. As determined by digital pocket dosimeter, all exposures were less than 1 millirem.
TABLE V Quarterly Reactor and Experimenter Staff Exposure (in millirem)
Badge No. Jul-Aug-Sep 04 Oct-Nov-Dec 04 Jan-Feb-Mar 05 Apr-May 05' 6296 27 15 28 7 4045 8 _ _ _18 _
3504 6 _ _16 5855 14 N/A N/A N/A 6834 51 51 67 51 5723 9 3 20 N/A 7224 N/A 9 26 The "-" denotes a dosimeter reading that is less than or equal to the background radiation level for that quarter.
2Data for the Month of June and the 2nd Quarter 2005 totals was not received at the time of submittal.
H. Reactor Facility Radiation and Contamination Levels The routine area radiation surveys of the building in non-reactor vital areas' had an average dose level of 0.123 mR/Hr., while routinely accessible reactor vital areas had an average dose level of 0.452 mR/Hr. The highest average dose level in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 2.508 mR/Hr., which occurred in Room 201, Reactor Pool Room, on the reactor bridge.
The lowest average dose in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 0.020 mR/Hr., which occurred in Room 2 South, the Beam Room area. The average dose in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 0.215 mR/Hr. The highest average on site dose level was 9.794 mR/Hr.
which occurred in Room 2 East, the Beam Room storage area. This area is accessible only through a locked room, and is not accessible to the public.
6 Routine building surveys for removable contamination in non-reactor vital areas' had an average level of 1.40 x 1006pCi/100 cm2, while the average level in the reactor vital areas was
'1.76 x 1006 jiCi/100 cm 2. The highest average value in the reactor vital areas was 3.10 x IO06 gCi/l00 cm2 which was found on the south side of the reactor bridge. The lowest average value in the reactor vital areas was 1.33 x 100p6 1Ci/l00 cm 2 which was in Room 201 C, the floor of the heat exchanger room. The average level of removable contamination in the radiochemistry hoods was 2.90 x106 pCi/I 00 cm2.
s A non-reactor vital area is an area in the building where radioactive materials are used or stored but which is not a part of the Licensed reactor facility.
I. Environmental Monitoring Program The environmental monitoring program uses thermoluminecent dosimeters (TLD's) at locations both near and at distances around the reactor facility building. The quarterly exposures in the vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center are listed in Table VI. The average ambient gamma radiation levels for this area (80 mile radius) is 243 pRem/day as reported in the 30th Annual Report of the Environmental Radiation Program, Washington State Department of Health, Environmental Health Program, Table A-12, Page 131.
The values observed indicate there is no significant effect on the environmental radiation levels due to reactor operation.
TABLE VI Environmental Radiation Levels in the Vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center' (Exposure in gRem/day)
Jul-Aug-Sep 04 Oct-Nov-Dec 04 Jan-Feb-Mar 05 Apr-May-Jun 05 Avcragc 169.35 110.92 11.693 310.75 150.67 164.382 132.072 N/A 329.9V 156.83y I For sampling stations located 25 meters or greater from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
2 TLD attached to "decorative" granite display on Compton Union Building Mall approximately 1300 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
3 A significant number of dosimeters were read below the minimal reportable dose. A dose of 1 mRem is assigned.
7 Quarterly exposures at locations adjacent to the reactor facility are listed in Table VII on Page 7. No significant effect on the environmental radiation levels by reactor operation was noted.
TABLE VII Environmental Radiation Levels Adjacent to the Nuclear Radiation Center I (Exposure in pRem/day)
Location Jul-Aug-Sep Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb-Mar Apr-May-Jun Average 04 04 05' 05 E. Loading Dock 13.70 103.77 13.70 268.04 99.81 Rad. Storage Shed 534.25 415.09 315.07 659.79 483.30 Rx Rm E. Secr. Gate 136.99 113.21 150.68 329.90 182.70 Cooling Tower Fence 410.96 226.42 164.38 484.54 321.58 Liquid Waste Tank 205.48 160.38 13.70 350.52 182.52 Building Roof West 136.99 452.83 13.70 804.12 351.91 Building W. Side 219.18 216.98 13.70 360.82 202.67 Rx. Room Exh. Vent 219.18 113.21 150.68 329.90 203.24 Rx. Room W. Vent 2 520.55 169.81 13.70 391.75 273.95 Pool Room E. Vent 219.18 103.77 178.08 319.59 205.16 Building Roof East 753.42 9.43 506.85 309.28 394.75 S. Bldg. Entrance 134.38 122.64 13.70 340.21 152.73 XFor sampling stations located less than 25 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
2 Pool Room West Vent. TLD on roof, directly above reactor core.
3 A significant number of dosimeters were read below the minimal reportable dose. A dose of I mRem is assigned.
BOLD print locations indicate areas that are readily accessible by the public.
Technical Specifications ALARA effluent releases in 3.12(2) specify annual radiation exposures at the closest off-site extended occupancy shall not, on an annual basis, exceed the average local off-site background radiation level by more than 20%. For the reporting period, the average total background radiation level for sampling points 25 meters or greater from the facility was 150 pR/day, while the average total radiation level at the closest extended occupied area 930 meters away was 164.34 pR/day, indicating no significant exposure level above natural background.
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY Nuclear Radiation C,enter August 5, 2005 American Nuclear Insurers Town Center, Suite 300S 29 South Main Street West Hartford, CT 06107-2445 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76
Dear Sir:
In accordance with the Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 and the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59, paragraph (6), the attached Annual Report prepared by Eric Corwin, Reactor Supervisor of the WSU facility, is hereby submitted. The report covers the period July 1, 2004 to June 30,2005.
Sincerely, Gerald E. Tripard Director GET/pw Enclosure cc: E. Corwin Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation PO Box 641300, Pullman, WA 99164-1300 509-335-8641
- Fax: 509-3354433
- www.wsu.edu/-nrc
WASHINGTON STATE g~UNIVERSITY Nuclear Radiation Center August 5,2005 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76
Dear Sir:
In accordance with the Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 and the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59, paragraph (6), the attached Annual Report prepared by Eric Corwin, Reactor Supervisor of the WSU facility, is hereby submitted. The report covers the period July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005.
Sincerely, Gerald E. Tripard Director GET/pw Enclosure cc: E. Corwin Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation American Nuclear Insurers PO Box 641300, Pullman, WA 99164-1300 509-335-8641
- Fax: 509-335-4433
- www.wsu.edu/-nrc