ML11216A303
| ML11216A303 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Wisconsin |
| Issue date: | 08/01/2011 |
| From: | Agasie R Univ of Wisconsin - Madison |
| To: | Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML11216A303 (19) | |
Text
Nuclear Reactor Laboratory UWNR University of Wisconsin-Madison 1513 University Avenue, Room 1215 ME, Madison, WI 53706-1687, Tel: (608) 262-3392, FAX: (608) 262-8590 email: reactor@engr.wisc.edu, hftp://reactor.engr.wisc.edu License R-74 Docket 50-156 August 1, 2011 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555
Dear Sir:
Enclosed is a copy of the 2010-2011 Annual Report for the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor Laboratory as required by Technical Specification 6.7.1(1).
Sincerely, Robert sie Reactor Director Enc. (Annual Report) cc: Compliance Inspector, Mike Morlang Facility Project Manager, Geoffrey A. Wertz Reactor Safety Committee, RSC 1098
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 1 of 17 EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
OF REACTOR UTILIZATION Instruction: Teaching usage of the reactor during the year included:
101 Nuclear Engineering students in laboratory and lecture courses.
29 students and staff from other UW-Madison departments and programs.
665 individuals from 20 organizations as part of the UW Nuclear Reactor Outreach Program.
Research: Neutron irradiations during the year included:
204 samples irradiated for departments at UW-Madison.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 2 of 17 TABLE OF CONTENTS A.
SUMMARY
OF OPERATIONS ..................................... 3
- 1. INSTRUCTIONAL USE .................................... 3
- 2. OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ....................... 4
- 3. SAMPLE IRRADIATIONS AND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS SERV ICES ............................................. 6
- 4. OTHER MAJOR EDUCATIONAL, RESEARCH, & OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES ........................................... 7
- 5. CHANGES IN PERSONNEL, FACILITY AND PROCEDURES ......... 8
- 6. RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS AND INSPECTIONS ......... 9 B. OPERATING STATISTICS AND FUEL EXPOSURE .................... 9 C. EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS ............... 10 D. MAINTENANCE .............................................. 11 E. CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES REPORTABLE UNDER 10 CFR 50 .59 ............................................. 12 F.
SUMMARY
OF RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL ............... 12 G. RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS ......................... 13 H. RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS .................................... 13 TABLE 1 ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DOSE DATA ............ 14 TABLE 2 LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISCHARGED TO SEWER ......... 15 TABLE 3 EFFLUENT FROM STACK ................................. 16 TABLE 4 SOLID WASTE ......................................... 17
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 3 of 17 A.
SUMMARY
OF OPERATIONS
- 1. INSTRUCTIONAL USE Nuclear Engineering (NE) 231, "Survey of Nuclear Engineering" was offered in the spring semester with an enrollment of 34 students. The course is designed for freshmen students interested in nuclear engineering and consists of three lecture modules surveying fission, fusion and radiation science technologies. The fission module concludes with a reactor tour.
NE 427 was offered in the fall and spring semesters with a total enrollment of 30 students. Several NE 427 experiments use materials that are activated in the reactor. One experiment entitled "Radiation Survey" requires that students make measurements of radiation levels in and around the reactor laboratory.
NE 428 was offered in the fall and spring semester with a total enrollment of 37 students. Three experiments in NE 428 require exclusive use of the reactor. These experiments ("Critical Experiment", "Control Element Calibration", and "Pulsing") required a total of 18 hours2.083333e-4 days <br />0.005 hours <br />2.97619e-5 weeks <br />6.849e-6 months <br /> of exclusive reactor use. Other NE 428 laboratory sessions use material that has been irradiated in the reactor ("Fast Neutron Flux Measurements by Threshold Foil Techniques" and "Resonance Absorption").
Individual class sections for Mechanical Engineering 349, "Engineering Design Projects", Medical Physics 5.69, "Health Physics", and Anthropology 311, "Archaeological Chemistry",
where held at the Reactor Laboratory, with 29 students participating.
The Reactor Laboratory's continued commitment to its educational outreach program and community service attracts large numbers of community organizations who visit the reactor. A listing of individual schools and educational programs that have visited or received services is provided below in section A.2 of this report.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 4 of 17
- 2. OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE Participating Institution Number of Participants Abundant Life Christian High School 14 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.
Academic and Medical Radiation Safety Officer Group (AMRSO)
Medical College of Wisconsin 12 Reactor tour with a discussion of radiation safety principles and practices at the UW nuclear reactor.
Beloit College 0 Analyzed swipe tests to leak check radioactive sources and performed detector calibrations.
Boy Scouts of America 237 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor. Program included hands on demonstrations of radiation detection and shielding. Program co-sponsored by the UW student branch of the American Nuclear Society in support of the Scouts Atomic Energy Merit Badge program.
Capital Science & Engineering Fair 20 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor. Part of the Capital Science & Engineering Fair which was established to provide high school students from South Central Wisconsin a unique opportunity to perform science and engineering and learn from University faculty and staff.
Cornell University 1 Provided health physics support for the conduct of a MEMS battery experiment using a Ni-63 source.
Exelon Nuclear Quad Cities Nuclear Generating Station 16 Week long reactor physics seminar provided to initial license trainees. Details of the training program can be found in section A.4 of this report.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 5 of 17 Participating Institution Number of Participants Girl Scouts of the USA 115 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor. Program included hands on demonstrations of radiation detection and shielding. Program co-sponsored by the UW student branch of the American Nuclear Society in support of the Girl Scouts Atomic Merit Badge.
Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory 2 Reactor tour with a discussion on. the capabilities of the UW nuclear reactor and future collaborations.
Marshall High School 10 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.
Mount Horeb High School 39 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.
Spring Harbor Middle School 96 Provided lecture to students on nuclear energy and a reactor demonstration using remote distance education technology as described in section A.4 of this report.
UW Engineering Physics Department Graduate Student Recruitment Program 24 Reactor tour with a discussion on the capabilities and uses of the UW nuclear reactor in support of graduate research recruitment program.
UW Foundation World President's Organization 35 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.
UW Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps 18 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.
UW Police Department 0 Provided calibration services for radiation detection equipment.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 6 of 17 Participating Institution Number of Participants UW Radiation Safety Department 5 Introduction of the UW nuclear reactor for new hires.
Reactor tour with a discussion of radiation safety principles and practices at the UW nuclear reactor.
UW-Stevens Point Department of Physics 6 Reactor tour with a discussion of reactor physics and neutron activation analysis (NAA) for the Physics 470, "Experimental Physics" course.
Wisconsin Home School Cooperative 15 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE USER
SUMMARY
Organizations: 20
Participants:
665
- 3. SAMPLE IRRADIATIONS AND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS SERVICES There were 204 individual samples irradiated during the year. Of these samples, 101 were irradiated for 15 minutes or less. Samples accumulated 57.3 irradiation space hours and 206.1 sample hours. Many samples were irradiated and then counted at the Reactor Laboratory as part of our neutron activation analysis program. In the listing below the notation (NAA) indicates that the samples were processed by our neutron activation analysis program.
Engineering Physics Department, UW-Madison UW Nuclear Reactor Laboratory 8 samples, 10.8 sample hours Physics testing in support of the reactor LEU conversion restart program, production of calibration sources for required reactor measurements and development of methods for instrumental neutron activation analysis.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 7 of 17 Engineering Physics Department, UW-Madison Instrumentation Laboratory 134 samples, 121.3 sample hours Irradiation of foil sources for radiation detector experiments, including absolute counting for neutron flux measurements and activation of samples for neutron activation analysis experiment.
Engineering Physics Department, UW-Madison NE 428 26 samples, 38.0 sample hours Irradiation of foils for resonance absorption measurements and fast neutron flux measurements.
Department of Dairy Science, UW-Madison (NAA) 36 samples, 36.0 sample hours NAA to analyze cobalt in bovine milk, blood plasma, and liver samples.
- 4. OTHER MAJOR EDUCATIONAL, RESEARCH, & OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES Reactor Laboratory staff successfully disassembled 25 irradiated TRIGA FLIP 8.5 w/o, 70% enriched HEU fuel clusters in preparation for conducting a spent nuclear fuel shipment on July 21, 2010. All remaining HEU fuel was removed from the facility on September 21, 2010.
In November 2010 the Reactor Laboratory partnered with Exelon Nuclear's Quad Cities Nuclear Generating Station to provide a week long seminar investigating reactor behavior for the station's Initial Licensed Training (ILT) class.
Sixteen professionals who aspire to become nuclear reactor operators participated. The program was a hands-on, laboratory based seminar where the participants investigated sub critical, super critical and prompt critical reactor behavior. Participants measured rod worth using the rod bump rising period method and the rod drop method. They then applied this measurement to power versus temperature data to derive the prompt negative fuel temperature coefficient of reactivity and finally witnessed the effects of the prompt negative fuel temperature coefficient of reactivity during reactor pulse operations.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 8 of 17 In December 2010 the facility conducted four reactor demonstrations "offered at a distance" with Spring Harbor Middle School. Ninety six children participated in a lecture and demonstration that was broadcast over the internet. Adobe Connect Pro software was utilized to provide the connectivity between the Spring Harbor Middle School and the UW Nuclear Reactor Lab. The reactor demonstration included a supercritical power excursion and demonstration of the prompt negative fuel temperature coefficient of reactivity that ended with a reactor scram to show the shutdown characteristics of a nuclear reactor.
This capability was funded through a NRC Educational Curriculum Development Grant, entitled "Remote Nuclear Reactor Measurements Laboratory: Development of innovative web-based nuclear engineering measurement modules to be offered at a distance".
On March 25, 2011 the facility was notified by the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that facility license R-74 was renewed for 20 years and will expire at midnight on March 25, 2031.
- 5. CHANGES IN PERSONNEL, FACILITY AND PROCEDURES Any changes reportable under 10 CFR 50.59 are indicated in section E of this report. No other changes to the facility were completed during the year.
Personnel changes during the year were as follows:
The following Reactor Operator Licenses were terminated effective August 30, 2010:
Scott J. Grutzik OP-70599 Erik T. Nygaard OP-70600 Matthew V. Pagel OP-70601 The following Senior Reactor Operator license was terminated effective March 22, 2011:
Kevin T. Austin SOP-70483
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 9 of 17 The following individuals were appointed as Reactor Operators effective August 30, 2010:
Zachary R. Bundies OP-71022 Matthew J. DeHart OP-71026 Samuel R. Maslonkowski OP-71024 David J. Ozburn OP-71025 Angela M. Weier OP-71027
- 6. RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS AND INSPECTIONS The program of inspection and testing of reactor components continues, satisfactorily meeting procedural acceptance criteria. Inspection of underwater components during the annual maintenance showed no deterioration or wear.
The pool leak surveillance program continues to monitor the pool evaporation rate, the pool make-up volume, and pool water radioactivity. The pool leak surveillance program indicates there has been no water effluent released to the environment.
B. OPERATING STATISTICS AND FUEL EXPOSURE Operating Period Critical MW-Hrs Runs Pulses Hours II Fiscal Year 545.30 434.31 119 21 2010-2011 Cumulative 949.99 605.00 345 77 TRIGA 30/20 LEU Core J21-R14 was operated throughout the year. The excess reactivity of this core was determined to be 3.402%p.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 10 of 17 C. EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS There were seven automatic SCRAMS or manual emergency shutdowns during the year. Each is described below in chronological sequence.
July 9, 2010; SCRAM from picoammeter number 1. While performing a routine reduction in power maneuver, a reactor operator was down ranging the picoammeters in order to monitor the decrease in reactor power. The operator inadvertently down ranged the picoammeter range switch too soon. As a result, a reactor SCRAM from a neutron high flux trip at 125% occurred.
August 24, 2010; SCRAM from Pool Level Monitor. While performing the annual calorimetric heat balance power calibration procedure the increase in pool water temperature led to a volumetric expansion of the pool water. As a result, a reactor SCRAM from a pool level high trip occurred.
November 11, 2010; SCRAM from picoammeter number 1 and number 2. While setting up to conduct a routine NE 428 Critical Experiment, the auxiliary log count rate start up channel was connected to the main control console high voltage distribution box, while the range switches for picoammeter number 1 and 2 were set to the 100mW range.
The resulting perturbation in the high voltage distribution box was sufficient to cause a neutron high flux trip at 125% to occur and the resulting SCRAM.
November 12, 2010; SCRAM from picoammeter number 1. While performing a normal reactor startup, a reactor operator failed to uprange the picoammeter to the next higher range.
As a result, a reactor SCRAM from a neutron high flux trip at 125% occurred.
December 2, 2010; SCRAM from picoammeter number 2. While performing a routine reduction in power maneuver, a reactor operator trainee was down ranging the picoammeters in order to monitor the decrease in reactor power. The trainee inadvertently down ranged the picoammeter range switch two ranges. As a result, a reactor SCRAM from a neutron high flux trip at 125% occurred.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 11 of 17 April 8, 2011; SCRAM from picoammeter number 2. While performing a normal reactor startup, electronic switch noise on the picoammeter range switch led to a neutron high flux trip at 125% and the resulting SCRAM.
April 21, 2011; SCRAM from picoammeter number 2. While performing a normal reactor startup, a reactor operator inadvertently down ranged the picoammeter range switch instead of up range. As a result, a reactor SCRAM from a neutron high flux trip at 125% occurred.
D. MAINTENANCE The Preventive Maintenance Program continues to maintain equipment and systems in good condition. Routine regeneration of the demineralizer occurred on September 8, 2010, November 11, 2010, February 28, 2011 and May 3, 2011.
Exhausted demineralizer resins were replaced on June 16, 2011.
Corrective maintenance performed as a follow up action necessary for reactor restart following an automatic SCRAM is covered in section C of this report. Additional corrective maintenance was performed on the following reactor systems:
On August 24, 2010 excessive noise was observed from the gamma chamber input to the Pulse Channel. The gamma chamber was removed from the dry tube and observed to have corrosion arQund the high voltage and signal lead connectors as a result of water incursion to the dry tube.
The dry tube O-rings were replaced and the spare gamma chamber was placed in service.
On December 24, 2010 the Radiation Building Evacuation Alarm system reported a battery fault trouble condition.
The system backup batteries had been in continuous service since 2006 and were subsequently replaced.
On February 9, 2011, the Stack Air Monitor (SAM) had gone into trouble. An investigation revealed the SAM trouble alarm to be as a result of a low flow condition. The rotary vane vacuum pump had failed. The graphite vanes were replaced and the pump was placed back into service.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 12 of 17 In March 2011 the Reactor Cooling System's intermediate loop pump differential pressure instrumentation piping was founding to be leaking. A 0.25 inch stainless steel nipple had sheared as a result of vibration. The nipple was replaced and all joints on the instrumentation piping were sealed with a flexible pipe sealant.
During the NE 428 Critical Experiment on April 8, 2011, the auxiliary Log Count Rate Start-Up Channel preamplifier stopped working. An investigation revealed the input diode had failed short. The diode was replaced and the gain and discriminator were checked. The unit was reinstalled as an installed spare.
E. CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES REPORTABLE UNDER 10 CFR 50.59 There was one change to the facility reportable pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 completed during the year. The change is summarized below.
The Radiation Building Evacuation Alarm system was modified to incorporate a variable time delay timer. The system originally incorporated a fixed time delay. The new timer also integrates a signal from the Pool Level Monitor as an input to the delay time logic.
F.
SUMMARY
OF RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL (01/01/10 - 12/31/10)
The personnel radiation monitoring program at the University of Wisconsin for the past calendar year used Landauer Luxel brand monitors for whole body and extremity exposure. No personnel received any significant radiation exposure for the above period. The highest annual doses recorded were 71 mrem to the whole body and 110 mrem to the extremities.
The highest dose received by a member of the public visiting the reactor lab was 0.76 mrem, as measured by Siemens brand Electronic Personal Dosimeters.
Monthly radiation surveys continue to demonstrate acceptable radiation dose rates within the reactor laboratory and no contamination.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 13 of 17 G. RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS (01/15/10 - 01/14/11)
The environmental monitoring program at the University uses Landauer Luxel brand area monitors located in areas surrounding the reactor laboratory. Table 1 indicates the dose a person would have received if continuously present in the indicated area for the entire 2010 calendar year.
H. RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
- 1. LIQUID EFFLUENTS Liquid waste discharges to the sanitary sewer from the facility during the year are detailed in Table 2.
There was no liquid activity released to the environment during the year.
- 2. EXHAUST EFFLUENTS Table 3 presents information on stack discharges during the year.
- 3. SOLID WASTE All solid waste was transferred to the UW Broad Scope license for ultimate disposal in accordance with radioactive materials license number WI 25-1323-01.
The amount and activity are detailed in Table 4.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 14 of 17 TABLE 1 ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DOSE DATA (01/15/10 - 01/14/11)
Annual Dose Location (mrem)
Dose Inside Reactor Laboratory Stack 15 Highest Dose in Non-restricted Area 31 Highest Dose in Occupied* Non-restricted Area 22 Average Dose in all Non-restricted Areas 14 (26 Monitor Points)
- Occupied areas include classrooms, offices, and lobbies/meeting areas where an individual might reasonably spend in excess of 2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> per day.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 15 of 17 TABLE 2 LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISCHARGED TO SEWER Release Date: 11/12/2010 03/15/2011 05/12/2011 Gallons Released: 900 1450 700 Total pCi: 2.007 151.2 47.27 Sum of Fraction of MPC w/o dilution: 0.020 0.119 0.052 Sum of Fraction of MPC w/ daily dilution: 0.001 0.007 0.002 MPC Isotope (pCi/ml) Released Released Released Co-58 2.OOE-4 71.21 14.32 pCi
- 1.30E-05 5.40E-06 pCi/ml
- 0.065 0.027 Fraction of MPC Co-60 3.OOE-05 2.007. 5.786 1.336 pCi 5.89E-07 1.05E-06 5.04E-07 pCi/ml 0.020 0.035 0.017 Fraction of MPC Cr-51 5.OOE-03 - 46.14 26.78 pCi
- 8.41E-06 1.01E-05 pCi/ml
- 0.002 0.002 Fraction of MPC Mn-54 3.OOE-04 - 28.04 4.837 pCi
- 5.11E-06 1.83E-06 pCi/ml
- 0.017 0.006 Fraction of MPC Total volume of water released to the sanitary sewer (gallons) = 3050 Total activity released to the sanitary sewer (pCi) = 200.4 Average daily sewage flow for dilution (gallons) = 2.37E+4 Maximum fraction of MONTHLY release limit with DAILY dilution = 0.007 Maximum fraction of MONTHLY release limit with MONTHLY dilution - 0.0004
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 16 of 17 TABLE 3 EFFLUENT FROM STACK
- 1. Particulate Activity There was no discharge of particulate activity above background levels.
- 2. Gaseous Activity - All Argon-41 Activity Maximum Average Month Discharged Concentration Concentration (Curies) (pCi/ml x 1E-6) (pCi/ml x 1E-6)
July 2010 0.000 0.000 0.000 August 0.105 0.935 0.007 September 0.428 1.600 0.029 October 0.422 0.683 0.027 November 0.190 1.340 0.012 December 0.127 0 .522 0.008 January 2011 0 .173 1.280 0.011 February 0.365 1.280 0. 024 March 0.468 0.777 0.028 April 0.267 .0.974 0.017 May 0.511 0.544 0.033 June 0.000 0.000 0.000 Total Maximum Average 3.056 1.600 0.016 Using the Gaussian Plume model, as described in section 13.1.7.2 to the "LEU Conversion Safety Analysis Report for the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor", a concentration of 6E-5 pCi/ml at the stack discharge would result in a maximum air concentration of 1E-8 pCi/ml at any point downwind.
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT- Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Page 17 of 17 TABLE 4 SOLID WASTE Date: 08/09/10 11/23/10 02/07/11 05/03/11 TOTAL VOLUME 3 3 3 3 3 Volume: 8.7 ft 15.6 ft 16. Oft 96.0 ft 136.3 ft Constituents: Routine Routine Activated Activated Consumables Consumables Reactor Reactor Components Components Activity Activity Activity Activity Total Activity by Isotope Isotope (mCi) (mCi) (mCi) (mCi) (mCi)
Co-58 0.014 0.040 0.054 Co-60 0.116 0.091 0.498 20.30 21.01 Cs-134 0.030 0.030 Cs-137 14.00 14.00 Eu-152 0.061 26.01 26.07 Mn-54 0.021 0.003 0.030 0. 054 Zn-65 -_-_-_0.030 0.030 Total Activity TOTAL ACTIVITY per Transfer (mCi) : 14.15 0.094 0.559 46.44 61.24 mCi