ML092520353
| ML092520353 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Washington State University |
| Issue date: | 08/28/2009 |
| From: | Wall D Washington State Univ |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML092520353 (11) | |
Text
WASHINGTON STATE O UNIVERSITY Nuclear Radiation Center August 28, 2009 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington DC, 20555 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76 In accordance with Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 the attached Annual Report prepared by C. Corey Hines, Reactor Supervisor of the WSU Facility, is hereby submitted. The report covers the operating period July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
Respectfully Submitted
%D1d Donald Wall, Ph.D.
Director Enclosure Cc: C.C. Hines P.O. Box641 300, Pullman, WA 99164"- 3 ",, ._. . "
509-335-8641
- Fax: 509-335-4433 - www.wsu.edu/nrc
"* .4 ANNUAL REPORT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR RADIATION CENTER TRIGA REACTOR Facility License R-76 for the Reporting Period of July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 Nuclear Radiation Center Washington State University Pullman, WA 99163-1300
Annual Report 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS
- 1. Narrative Summary of the Year's Operation .......................................................... 1
- 2. Energy and Cumulative Output ............................................................................ 1
- 3. Emergency Shutdowns and Inadvertent Scrams ......................... 2
- 4. Major Maintenance ................................................................................................ 2
- 5. Changes, Tests, and Experiments Performed Under 10 CFR 50.59 Criteria ...... 3
- 6. Radioactive Effluent Discharges .................................... *....................................... 3
- 7. Personnel and Visitor Radiation Exposures ............................ 4
- 8. Reactor Facility Radiation and Contamination Levels .......................................... 5
- 9. Environmental Monitoring Program ...................................................................... 6 Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center.
Annual Report 2009 ANNUAL REPORT ON THE OPERATION OF THE WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR RADIATION CENTER TRIGA REACTOR Facility License R-76 for the Reporting Period of July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009
- 1. Narrative Summary of the Year's Operation A. Operating Experience The Washington State University Reactor (WSUR) was converted from a mixed LEU/HEU (8.5/20, standard/FLIP) Core 34A to a LEU (8.5/20, 30/20)
Core 35A on September 29, 2008. Core 34A had accumulated 345.0 Megawatt Hours (MWH) during the reporting period, while Core 35A has accumulated 614.6 MWH from beginning of life (BOL) through June 30, 2009. A cumulative total of 211 samples were irradiated, for a total of 8587 user-hours. In addition, 28 pulses greater than $1.00 of reactivity addition were performed during this reporting period. The quarterly operations summaries are shown in Table I located in Section 2.
B. Changes In Facility Design, Performance Characteristics, and Operating Procedures Related to Reactor Safety.
Three major upgrades to the facility were performed during the reporting period. The HEU mixed core was replaced with an LEU core, the pulse rod was replaced under a 10 CFR 50.59 change as a part of the conversion, and the fission chamber was replaced under a 10 CFR 50.59 change. Both of these CFR changes were approved by the WSU Reactor Safeguards Committee. All changes were performed according to appropriate procedures.
C. Results of Surveillance Tests and Requirements All surveillance tests and requirements were performed and completed within the prescribed time period.
- 2. Energy and Cumulative Output The quarterly operations summaries are given in Table I. The cumulative energy output since criticality of the TRIGA core (1967) is 1255.5 Megawatt Days (MWD).
The mixed standard/FLIP core installed in 1976 has accumulated 963.9 MWD. The LEU core installed in 2008 has accumulated 25.6 MWD.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center I
Annual Report 2009 Table I Fiscal Year 2009 Summary of Reactor Operations' Flours of Operation 375.35 364.77 175.42 183.70 1099.24 Megawatt Hours 345.04 280.89 158.75 174.95 959.63 No of Sample Irradiations2 26 5 24 0 55 No. of Samples 32 13 53 0 98 No. of Iridium Cans Irradiated 40 37 25 11 113 No. of Silicon Containers Irradiated 4 0 0 0 4 User Hours 4051 2859 1669 8.58 8587 No. of Pulses > $1.00 14 0 12 2 28 1 Core 34A data is located in the first column only, due to shutdown and restart of Core 35A.
2 Number of samples and sample irradiations do not include iridium and silicon data. User hours denotes the total user hours, including iridium and silicon.
- 3. Emergency Shutdowns and Inadvertent Scrams There were no emergency shutdowns that occurred during the reporting period. The dates and causes of the 5 inadvertent SCRAMS are listed in Table II. No SCRAMs were due to a violation of the Limiting Safety Systems Setting set point.
Table II Inadvertent SCRAMS 8/13/08 Operator placed mode switch into "pulse" at 1MW, pulse interlock initiated air scram of pulse rod. Restart ok.
10/15/08 Linear high power SCRAM for testing purposes. Conversion SOP 5: 125% high power SCRAM. No safety limits were exceeded. Restart ok.
10/30/08 Bridge monitor high radiation SCRAM during operations, due to calibration checks with sealed source on the bridge ARM. Sample monitor was working during operation. Restart ok.
3/6/09 Operator placed linear channel from "autorange" to "100 W" range at 80 W power, forcing a high linear channel power SCRAM.
Restart ok.
6/22/09 CIC linear high voltage scram due to power fluctuations from windy weather. Restart ok.
- 4. Major Maintenance All routine planned maintenance items were completed within the reporting period.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center 2
Annual Report 2009
- 5. Changes, Tests, and Experiments Performed Under 10 CFR 50.59 Criteria Two major upgrades were completed during this reporting period; the replacement of the pulse rod and connecting rod hardware, and the replacement of a fission chamber.
The pulse rod replacement was approved by the Reactor Safeguards Committee on December 3, 2008, while the fission chamber is still pending approval. All upgrades were made in accordance with applicable procedures.
- 6. Radioactive Effluent Discharges A. Radioactive Liquid Releases No liquid waste was released during the reporting period.
B. Radioactive Gaseous Release During the reporting period, no significant quantity of gaseous or particulate material with a half-life greater that eight days was released. At no time did the argon-41 release exceed 20% of the effluent release limit. A total of 5.47 curies of argon-41 was released, with an average concentration of argon-41 of 8.10 x 10-8 itCi/mL of air, before dilution. The monthly releases are summarized in Table III.
Table III Monthly Argon-41 Releases August 8.97E-08 3.59 0.0120 510 September 7.50E-08 3.00 0.0100 413 October 8.96E-08 3.58 0.0119 510 November 8.20E-08 3.28 0.0109 452 I December L.OOE-07 4.01 0.0134 570 January 2008 8.82E-08 3.53 0.0118 502 February 7.90E-08 3.16 0.0105 449 March 5.30E-08 2.12 0.0071 301 April 5.70E-08 2.28 0.0076 314 May 5.13E-08 2.05 0.0068 292 June 1.19E-07 .4.74 0.0158 653 Based on 10 CFR 20 effluent release limit of 1.0xl0- uCi/mL for Ar-41 6 (Table 2, Col.1), and a dilution 7
factor of 4.0xl0-3 (S.A.R. 6.4.2) for a before dilution limit of 2.5x10 uCi/cc. (20% of limit is 5.0x10o uCi/mL).
2 Based on 10 CFR 20 DAC limit of 3.0x10"6 uCi/mL for Ar-41 (Table 1, Col. 3) and a dilution factor of 4.0xl 0, 3 for a before dilution DAC limit of 7.5x1 0 4 uCi!mL.
3 Based on 4500 CFM effluent of ventilation system in AUTO mode of operation.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center 3
Annual Report 2009 C. Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal During the reporting period, 0.05 millicuries in 15.0 cubic feet of non-compacted solid waste was transferred to the WSU Radiation Safety Office for packaging and disposal.
- 7. 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 IV. The maximum quarterly exposure of a reactor staff member was 63 millirem (mrem),
whole body.
A total of 1963 individual persons visited the Nuclear Radiation Center during the reporting period, of which 632 entered a Restricted Area. All exposures as determined by digital pocket dosimeter were less than or equal to 1 mrem. A total of 19 group tours, consisting of 182 individuals, visited the Center during the reporting period. As determined by digital pocket dosimeter, all exposures were less than 1 mrem.
Table IV Quarterly Reactor and Experimenter Staff Exposure (in mrem)
Oc-Nov-De 'l-Fb-Mar .
- AprAMa,9un
________ 2008___ +20$8 -2009 ~ 20 07221 2 -- -- -
07600 M M ....
06296 -- -- --
08158 4 8 10 9 07528 -- -- 11 10 08141 17 15 17 13 07588 18 11 14 17 07643 2 3 10 9 08535 M M 11 9 07854 M ...--.
03504 M M 7 7 07805 25 10 22 15 08152 11 1 11 11 07748 M 1 7 6 08532 4 3 12 10 hle "--' denotes data not available due to end ot employment (badges 06296, 07854, 07221, and 07600). An 'M' denotes that the dosimeter reading that is less than or equal to the background radiation level for that quarter.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center . 4
Annual Report 2009
- 8. Reactor Facility Radiation and Contamination Levels The method detection limit (MDL) for building survey samples collected for removable contamination determination by liquid scintillation assay is 6 x 10-8 LCi/cm2. Routine building surveys showed average removable contamination levels less than the MDL for both CAA and non-CAA. Likewise, surveys showed removable contamination levels less than 6 x 10-8 ItCi/cm 2 in locations that might be suspected to have a higher probability for contamination, including the sample drop tube in Room 201, Laboratory 120 (a gamma-spectroscopy laboratory) and the radiochemistry hoods.
The routine area radiation surveys of the building in controlled (CAAs) and non-controlled access areas 1(non-CAAs) are given in Table V. The highest average dose rate level in a CAA was 10.20 mrem/hr, which occurred in Room 2 East, behind a shielded storage area. The lowest average dose rate in a CAA was 0.04 mrem/hr, which occurred in Room 201B, the Reactor Shop area. The average dose rate in the radiochemistry sample hoods (a non-CAA) was 1.52 mrem/hr. The highest on site dose rate was 70 mrem/hr, which occurred in Room 2 East. This area is accessible only through a locked room, and is not accessible to the public.
A non-controlled access area is an area in the building where radioactive materials are used or stored but which isnot a part of the licensed reactor facility.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center 5
Annual Report 2009 Table V Average Radiation Dose Rates (in mrem/hr) for Weekly Monitoring in CAAs and Non-CAAs (bold) 201 B (0.04 201A 0.04 201 Bridge 0.26 201 Benches 0.05 201 South 0.18 201 East 1.37 201C Heat Exchanger 0.05 201 Floor North 0.75 106 Ion Exchanger Pit 0.52 101A Purification Pit 1.54 Sample Storage 0.19 101 Door.Way 0.04 101 Shipment Bench 0.04 101 Sample Drop Hood 0.43 Hood 1 2.62 116 0.04 120 0.04 B21 Panoramic Irradiatior 0.04 Rm 2 South 0.04 Rm 2 Thermal Column 1.78 Rm 2 North 0.38 Rm 2 West Cave 9.26 Rm 2 East Cave 10.20
- 9. Environmental Monitoring Program The environmental monitoring program uses thermo-luminescent 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) are 0.243 mrem/day as reported in the 3 0 th Annual Report of the Environmental Radiation Program, Washington State Department of Health, Environmental Health Program, Table A- 12, page 131.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center 6
Annual Report 2009 A large decorative granite structure, located in the center of the WSU campus, has been monitored for comparison to the dose rate values obtained in the environmental surveys for the areas that are in the vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center. The dose rate level values for the areas located greater than 25 meters of the WSUNRC, when compared to the central campus dose rate values, show no detectable increase in ambient dose rate levels due to reactor operation.
Table VI Environmental Radiation Levels in the Vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center (Exposure in mrem/day)
IJu1-AM-1-SCep )C~t-NOV-DeC JnFbMr ArMy n J~9atom,~ 008Ký008~. ---209C 00 ~.' 009 ~ Ae
> 25 meters' 0.401 0.32 1 0.417 0.340 0.370 GraniteRock 0.883 0.816 1.048 -- 3 0.916
'For sampling stations located 25 meters or greater from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
2TLD attached to decorative granite display on Compton Union Building Mall approximately 1300 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
3 "--" denotes data not available due to missing TLD.
B. Locations Adjacent to Reactor Facility Quarterly measured dose rates at locations adjacent to the reactor facility are listed in Table VII. No significant effect on the environmental radiation levels by reactor operation was noted.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center 7
Annual Report 2009 Table VII Environmental Radiation Levels Adjacent to the Nuclear Radiation Center' (Exposure in mrem/day) 0.369 0.322 0.393 0.300 0.346 0.728 0.747 0.631 0.500 0.651 0.388 0.345 0.417 0.322 0.368 0.408 0.402 0.452 0.433 0.424 0.408 0.391 0.464 0.344 0.402 0.408 0.356 0.452 0.344 0.390 0.427 0.368 0.500 0.389 0.421 0.408 0.356 0.440 0.344 0.387 0.456 0.414 0.512 0.422 0.451
-- 0.333 0.405 0.322 0.353 0.379 0.322 0.393 0.311 0.351 0.408 0.345 0.440 0.344 0.384
' For sampling stations located less than 25 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
2 Bold print locations indicate areas that are readily accessible by the public.
3 Pool Room West Vent. TLD on roof, directly above the reactor core.
4 The "--" denotes data not available due to missing TLD.
C. ALARA Release Limits Technical Specifications describing ALARA effluent releases in 3.12(2) specify annual radiation exposure due to reactor operation, at the closest off-site extended occupancy, shall not, on an annual basis, exceed the average local off-site background radiation by more than 20%. For the reporting period, the average total background radiation dose rate level for sampling points 25 meters or greater from the facility was 0.370 mrem/day, while the average total radiation dose rate level at the closest extended occupied area 930 meters away was 0.390 mrem/day, indicating an exposure level due to natural background radiation, with no detectable exposure arising from reactor operations.
Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center 8