ML070370353

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
2006 Annual Operating Report from Worcester Polytechnic Institute
ML070370353
Person / Time
Site: 05000134
Issue date: 01/30/2007
From: Laflamme S
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
To:
Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML070370353 (3)


Text

7100 Institute Worcester, MARoad 01609-2280, USA 508-831-5276, 508-831-5688, Fax 508-831-6062 www.wpi.edu Leslie C. Wilbur Nuclear Reactor Facility January 30, 2007 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Mail Stop 0-5 C12 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Re: Docket No. 50-134 License R-61 Annual Report for 2006 In accordance with the Technical Specifications for the WPI Leslie C. Wilbur Nuclear Reactor Facility (License R-61), I am submitting the Annual Operating Report for 2006.

The WPI reactor is a non-power, university-based, teaching reactor. It continues to be used primarily in the academic mission of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, for the instruction of students, and in occasional scholarly research.

Please contact me if further information is required.

Sincerely, tep amime, Director, Nuclear Reactor Facility Cc: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Mr. Patrick Isaac Mail Stop 012-G13 One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 American Nuclear Insurers 95 Glastonbury Boulevard Glastonbury, CT 06033

/i 0-10

2006 Annual Operating Report Worcester Polytechnic Institute Leslie C. Wilbur Nuclear Reactor Facility License R-61 Docket No. 50-134 Operations Summary (a) changes in facility design There were no significant changes in facility design during 2006.

(b) performance characteristics The operation of all reactor safety system components was normal during 2006, except that in December, while performing a pre-critical checklist, the startup channel digital display was found to be displaying incorrectly, preventing a timed comparison to the previous startup as required by the startup procedure. The cause was determined to be the degradation of one component within the timer-counter module.

Performance of the fuel was normal.

(c) changes in operatingprocedures There were no changes made to operating procedures during 2006.

(d) abnormal results of surveillance tests and inspections There were no unusual findings from the performance of surveillance tests and inspections, other than the erratic digital display of startup channel counts discussed in Sections I(b) and IV.

(e) personnel changes in Reactor FacilityDirector,Health Physicist, or Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee members One Faculty member of the Radiation, Health, and Safeguards Committee resigned effective June 1, 2006, and a new Faculty member was appointed effective July 6, 2006.

WPI 2006 Annual Report Page 2 of 2 II. Power Generation (kilowatt-hours) 2006 Output: 195.8 Total LEU-Fuel: 3194.0 Total Reactor: 10608.0 III. Unscheduled Shutdowns There was one unscheduled shutdown during 2006. While the first control blade was being withdrawn during a startup, the licensed operator accidentally pressed one of the test buttons on the Gamma-metrics Log and Linear Power Monitor when pointing out controls to operator trainees that could cause a reactor trip. One control blade was scrammed from about 24 inches withdrawn.

IV. Maintenance In December 2006, while performing a pre-critical checklist, the startup channel digital display was found to be displaying incorrectly. The cause was determined to be due to one resistor degrading to about half the initial resistance, which prevented the display circuit from correctly multiplexing the startup counts. The other indications on the startup channel were unaffected, as were the required interlocks. The degraded resistor, as well as two other borderline resistors within the timer-counter module, was replaced.

V. Changes, Tests, and Experiments Pursuant to 10CFR 50.59 There have been no new tests or experiments requiring an evaluation pursuant to 10CFR50.59.

VI. Radioactive Effluents Release Liquid effluent releases have been near background and well within 10CFR20 release limits. Gaseous Ar-41 has been released in trace amounts that are conservatively calculated to be well within 10CFR20 release limits, and we have verified level 1 compliance using the EPA COMPLY Code.

End