ML17123A366

NIST - Annual Operations Report No. 68 for the Period January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016

ML17123A366
Person / Time
Site:	National Bureau of Standards Reactor
Issue date:	04/25/2017
From:	Dimeo R US Dept of Commerce, National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML17123A366 (11)

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, Maryland 20888-VOICE (301) 975-6210 FAX (301) 975-9427 April 25, 2017 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

Subject:

Docket #50-184 Gentlemen:

Transmitted herewith is Operations Report No. 68 for the NBSR. The report covers the period January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

Sincerely, Qu~

Robert Dimeo Director, NIST Center for Neutron Research Enclosure cc: Craig Bassett U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5523 Preserve Point Flowery Branch, GA 30542 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Xiaosong Yin One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike, M/S 0-12-D20 Rockville, MD 20852-2738 NISI

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY REACTOR (NBSR)

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

-- #68--

January 1, 2016- December 31, 2016 This report contains a summary of activities connected with the operations of the NBSR. This report fulfills the requirements of section 6.7.1 of the NBSR Technical Specifications for the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

The section numbers in the report (such as 6.7.1(1)) correspond to the sections in the Technical Specifications.

April 25, 2017 Robert Dimeo Director, NIST Center for Neutron Research

TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.7.1(1) Summary of plant operations including the energy produced by the reactor and the hours the reactor was critical 6.7.1(2) Unscheduled shutdowns, including reasons therefore 6.7.1(3) Tabulation of major preventative and corrective maintenance operations having safety significance 6.7.1 (4) A brief description, including a summary of the safety evaluations, of changes in the facility or in procedures and of test and experiments carried out pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 6.7.1(5) Summary of the nature and amount of radioactive effluents released or discharged to the environs and the sewer beyond the effective control of the licensee as measured at or prior to the point of such release or discharge 6.7.1 (6) Summary of environmental surveys performed outside the facility 6.7.1(7) Summary of significant exposures received by facility personnel and visitors 2016 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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6.7.1(1) Summary of plant operations including the energy produced by the reactor and the hours the reactor was critical During the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016 the reactor was critical for 5989. 7 hours8.101852e-5 days <br />0.00194 hours <br />1.157407e-5 weeks <br />2.6635e-6 months <br /> with a thermal energy output of 119,210.8 MWH (248.4 equivalent full power megawatt days). Major activities during this period included:

1. Page phone system replacement completed.;

2. Installed Thermal Shield 3rd Ring Header (C100)

3. Replaced thermo-wells and RTD's for TRCA-3, TIA-40A&B, TRA-2 Reactor Outlet and BTUR inlet.

4. Installed surge protector modules for the 24V power supply to the cooling tower level and cooling tower temperature instruments;

5. Replaced Thermal Shield eductor pumps 'A' and 'B' mechanical seals;

6. Replaced suction side gasket on #2 D20 pump

7. Replaced operator for SCV-7, Tower Basin Bypass Valve; and

8. Replaced Three Fuel Element Pickup Tools (E6, A4 and L3).

In addition, 1 operator trainee received a senior reactor operator license.

6.7.1(2) Unscheduled shutdowns, including reasons therefore There were nine unplanned shutdowns as of September 27, 2016:

1. On January 12 at 0726 there was a reactor SCRAM, TIAAOA, Reactor Differential Temperature, failed high. After an inspection of the channel in the conductivity rack the instrument began to indicate normally (See February 3 SCRAM). The reactor was returned to 20 MW in about 61 minutes.

2. On January 25 at 2200 there was a reactor low flow SCRAM caused by a PEPCO commercial power dip. The reactor was returned to 20 MW in about 26 minutes.

3. On February 3, at 1555 a reactor SCRAM occurred when TIA-40A Reactor Differential Temperature failed high, which was determined to be a loose wire.

The wire was tightened and the reactor was returned to 20 MW at 1615 (20 minutes). It was realized that the cause of the January 12 SCRAM (above) was also caused by this loose wire.

4. On March 30, at 1133 and 1438 there were two rundowns associated with the Thermal Column when power was lost to MCCs A5 and B6. At 1135 the reactor operator manually scrammed the reactor in response to the loss of power to MCC A5 and B6 without a known cause. Power was restored to MCCs A5 and 2016 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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86 by closing the #1 feeder breaker on MCC AS. The reactor was restored to 20 MW as soon as power was restored to the MCCs AS and 86. However, after the 1438 rundown, it was determined that the C-100 elevator was causing an over current condition and tripping the #1 breaker on MCC AS. The elevator was taken out of service until the cause of the failure could be determined and corrected.

S. On April 3 at 0148 there was commercial power dip that caused the SCRAM of the reactor from loss of Primary flow. The reactor was returned to 20 MW at 0208 (20 minutes).

6. On July 28 at 1604 a 28-volt power supply failed causing reactor level and flow to fail low. This caused a SCRAM. The 28-volt power supply was replaced but operation was precluded due to Xenon and the reactor was shut down until decay of Xenon allowed restart. The reactor was started and power was raised to 20 MW at 1010 on July 30 (42 hours4.861111e-4 days <br />0.0117 hours <br />6.944444e-5 weeks <br />1.5981e-5 months <br />).

7. On September 7 at 1814 there was a reactor SCRAM due to loss of commercial power. During the recovery, there was a Thermal shield 8-in-a-row rundown.

After adjusting flow on 4 lines the thermal shield system was operable and power was restored to 20 MW at 18S6 (42 minutes).

8. On September 13 at 12SO a loss commercial power from a blown PEPCO transformer caused a reactor low flow SCRAM. Reactor power was returned to 20 MW at 1308 (18 minutes).

9. On September 14 at 2300 power was reduced to 200 kW to reprogram a cold source PLC that caused a loss of the cold source instrumentation display. It was thought by the engineers that its functionality could be restored in time to allow restart and continue operation at 20 MW. It was discovered that the PLC failed and its replacement took longer than the 36 minutes available before Xenon preclusion. An attempted was made to return to power but the shims and the regulating rod were full out without reaching critical. The reactor was shut down until decay of Xenon allowed restart. The reactor was started and power was raised to 20 MW at 1119 on September 1S (36.3 hours3.472222e-5 days <br />8.333333e-4 hours <br />4.960317e-6 weeks <br />1.1415e-6 months <br />). The cycle schedule was extended 1.3 days to make up some of the loss in time.

6. 7 .1 (3) Tabulation of major preventative and corrective maintenance operations having safety significance Note: Some of these items may be also listed as Engineering Change Notices (ECN) in section 6.7.1 (4).

The following list is significant I &C maintenance and repair tasks:

Jan 9 Replaced 8TUR inlet RTD.

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Feb 18 Replaced contactor for air dryer on 82.

Feb 19 Replaced open/supply solenoid valve for BT-2.

Feb 20 Repaired fuse holder/wiring for BT-2 control panel.

Feb 21 Replaced ACV-4 air hoses.

Feb 23 Replaced HEV-41 operator.

Feb 26 Replaced TRCA-3.

Mar2 Replaced NC-3 HV disconnect NI relay.

Apr13 Replaced elevator breaker on MCC AS.

Apr1S Replaced elevator breaker on MCC AS with 1OOA breaker.

Apr22 Installed thermal well for TRC-3.

Apr2S Replaced contactor for EF-4.

Mays C100 and C200 02 deficiency alarms placed in service.

May 17 Page phone system replacement completed.

Jun 9 Replaced starting batteries for both diesels.

Jul28 Replaced 28V power supply.

Replaced TIA-8 action pack.

Aug 3 Replaced FIA-9 helium flow transmitter.

Replaced coil on RWV-13.

Aug 6 Replaced SCV-722 and SCV-724.

Aug 8 Replaced thermal wells and RTD's for TRCA-3 and BTUR inlet.

Aug 10 Installed surge protector modules for the 24V power supply, cooling tower level,and cooling tower temperature instruments.

Aug 11 Installed drain trap on 'A' diesel intercooler.

Aug 1S Installed secondary bag filter d/p switch and inline snubbers.

Replaced motor operator on breaker A-1.

Oct 2 Replaced repaired operator for SCV-7.

Oct 17 Repaired reactor console annunciator test switch.

The follow may contain duplications in other sections of this report but this listing is work during the designated scheduled reactor maintenance shutdown.

February-March:

Changed 0-Ring on M-4 refueling pickup tool Replaced TRCA-3 and TIA-40A&B Repaired DWV-6S (Leak Detector Alarming)

Repaired Unit 2 Vacuum Pump Installed 6K Nitrogen Tank in South Yard Replaced Air Operator on HEV-41 Installed Thermal Couples for SEC DAG System (CT, SCPB & D-Wing)

Replaced Camera Monitors in Control Room Console Replaced Six Thermal Shield Flow Meters 2016 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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Installed Thermal Shield 3rd Ring Header (C100)

Repaired BT-2 Shutter Control Box Removed resin from old water machine Removed PVC Holding Tank and PVC piping from old water machine Completed Tag Out Audit of Danger/Caution Tags Cleaned VFD Filters for Main Secondary Pumps Replaced E6 Refueling Plug Pickup Tool Replaced Startup Control Relay April:

Fixed Main Heat Exchanger Primary and Secondary Flow Meters (FR-20 and FR-21)

Fixed Purification Heat Exchanger Flow Meter (FIA-5)

Secondary DAQ Testing (Acceptance Testing with Contractor)

Replaced BTUR Inlet and Outlet Temperature Sensors Tightened PV-1004 packing Replaced TIA-40A&B Installed LN2 Relief Valve Header (above C200 refrigerator)

Replaced Thermal Shield Ring Header Flow Meter (#1324)

Raised Helium Discharge Pressure on Helium Bulk Tanks to 150psi (Clear tag and open HEV-49)

Replaced BT-9 Vacuum Roughing Pump Modified N16 Monitor RM3-1 Shielding Rack Page Phone Installation Finished Thermal Shield 3rd Ring Header Installation Temporarily repaired leaking storage pool IX booster pump casing drain valve (SPV-19)

Repaired ACV-5 Replaced EF-4 contactor Adjusted DWV-3 closed position indicator June:

Replaced leaking storage pool IX booster pump casing drain valve (SPV-19)

Repaired SCPB Fire Main Valve Replaced suction side gasket on #2 D20 pump Repaired leak detector points 28 and 67 Performed radiation measurements on spent fuel elements Updated TRCA-3 Reactor Inlet Temperature Configuration Settings Updated BTUR Digital Transmitter Configuration Settings Replaced TRA-2 Reactor Outlet Temperature Sensor (Process Room) includes thermal bath test Autotuned SCV-20 PIO During Startup Replaced Refrigerator Load Line to BT-9 (North Side of Reactor, C 100) 2016 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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Repair Cooling Tower #2 Dry West Door Changed Exhaust Fan T-Stat in North Compressor Bldg.

August:

Diagnosis and Repair NC-4 Repair Helium Flow Meter FIA-9 Diagnosed and Repaired Discharge Valve RWV-13 at Process Room Sump Diagnosed and Repaired Cooling Tower Bypass Valve SCV-7 Replaced TRCA-3 Reactor Inlet Thermo-well and TRA-2 Reactor Outlet Thermo-well (Process Room)

Replaced Bushing Seal on Thermal Shield Eductor Pump "A" Replaced Slowdown Valves SCV-722 and SCV-724 Replaced 3 thermal shield flow meters Replaced secondary bag filter D/P switch and added pressure snubbers September-October:

Repaired Thermal Column Surge Tank Level Indication Changed Storage Pool Conductivity Meter Range Diagnosed Helium Blow off Alarm Failure Adjusted Secondary Strainer System Pump Ramp and Coast down Timing Painted D-Wing Stairwell Ceiling and Room D01 Replaced Vacuum Pump on Unit 2 Calibrated Oxygen Sensors on C 100 and C200 Re-installed Cooling Tower Bypass Valve (SCV-7) Operator Cleaned Deicing Nozzles on Cooling Tower Rolling Doors Installed New Float on Sump #1 in Process Room Replaced Console Counter Top Remounted Control Room Console Door Switches Resolved trouble ticket #7693 for leak detector panel point 29 Tightened diaphragms on valves DWV-3, 4, 5 & 6 Replaced #3 secondary strainer drain valve, SCV-698 Worked on thermal shield cooling lines 1323 and 1326 November-December:

Diagnosed and Repaired BT-5 Shutter Replaced Two Fuel Element Pickup Tools (A4 and L3)

Changed Thermal Shield Flowmeter (#1326)

Painted D-Wing Room D001 Replaced Bushing Seal on Thermal Shield Eductor Pump "B" Worked on C-Wing Elevator (Adjust Trip Settings and Install New Breaker)

Installed permanent corner bracket for console counter top 2016 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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Installed Modified Bracket for Control Room Console Door Switches Autotuned SCV-20 while reactor was at 15 MW Building 235 Ventilation Control Study Re-installed refueling PA microphone in Control Room Repaired FRC-4 Alarm Replaced FTV-3 push button.

FIA-12 Loop Modification In addition to the mechanical and electrical The Reactor Instrumentation Group performed 63 instrument calibrations and 35 corrective maintenance operations during 2015. The calibrations were done using procedures that ensure that the sensors, indication, and controls of the NBSR safety systems are accurate and fully operational.

In addition, the Reactor Instrument Group with the support of the reactor operations and

• engineering personnel have made corrective actions to some of the instrumentation and control systems at NBSR during 2016. One such project was upgrading the thermal power instrumentation and associated temperature channels.

6. 7 .1 (4) A brief description, including a summary of the safety evaluations, of changes in the facility or in procedures and of test and experiments carried out pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 There were two Level 11 ECNs for which further evaluation was performed using 10 CFR 50.59. None of these required a license amendment.

Level II ECN# TITLE 944 020 Primary Cooling Replacement of the Reactor Inlet (TRCA-3) RTD and Transmitter The reactor inlet temperature sensor and its transmitter were replaced.

The uncertainty of the RTD (1826795) is specified as 0.1 °C from 0 °C to 100 °C. The new transmitter is set to fail high, ensuring that the failure of the transmitter will bring the reactor to a safe state.

A 10 CFR 50.59 Evaluation was performed. It was found that a Technical Specification was not changed nor an amendment required for this ECN.

963 Replacement of the Reactor Inlet (TRCA-3) Thermo-well 2016 Operations Report for NBSR (TR-5)

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The reactor inlet temperature sensor (TRCA-3) thermo-well was replaced with an original sized spare until a thermo-well was purchased. The new thermp-well was installed in August 2016 A 10 CFR 50.59 Evaluation was performed. It was found that a Technical Specification was not changed nor an amendment required for this ECN.

946 Replace TIA-40A and TIA 408 Thermocouples and Transmitters New dual-junction thermocouples were installed in the two existing thermo-wells for TIA-40A and TIA-408. In addition, A new HART enabled transmitter was installed to replace the TIA-40A transmitter. The transmitter for TIA-408 will be replaced later.

A 10 CFR 50.59 Evaluation was performed. It was found that a Technical Specification was not changed nor an amendment required for this ECN.

6.7.1(5) Summary of the nature and amount of radioactive effluents released or discharged to the environs and the sewer beyond the effective control of the licensee as measured at or prior to the point of such release or discharge During 2016 the gaseous releases to the environs consisted of 1823 Curies of Argon-41, 1991 Curies of Tritium, and 0.053 Curies of other beta-gamma emitters. All NCNR gaseous radioactive effluent releases complied with 10 CFR 20.1101 (d).

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The table below summarizes the liquid radioactive effluent releases to the sanitary sewer from Building 235 for calendar year 2016.

(1) Via Liquid Scintillation Spectroscopy (TRl-CARB).

(2) Via Tennelec instrument (Series 5); includes contributions from gamma radionuclides.

(3) Gamma isotopes were identified using -750 ml samples in Marinelli beakers. The following isotopes were identified, in approximate decreasing order of importance: Zn- 65, Co-60, Sb-125, Ag-108m, and Cs-137.

(4) STDEV refers the average propagated standard deviation of the instrument concentrations using an Excel ©function. For Alpha and Beta activity, 2o is the standard sigma function. For H-3 and C-14, 2s% refers to an industry standard function defined by Packard/Perkin Elmer. 2s% is the percent uncertainty in a gross count value (with 95% confidence limits), or 2s%=(100x2x o)/(Total Counts)

(5) For 2016 the alpha activity detected via Tennelec was 7 µCi (with STDEV[2cr]=2 µCi, and is historically attributed to natural background.

All NCNR liquid radioactive effluent releases complied with 1O-CFR-20.2003 6.7.1(6) Summaries of environmental surveys performed outside the facility Environmental samples of the water, grass, and/or soil showed no licensed radioactive material. Results from thermo-luminescent dosimeters located at the NIST fence line showed no statistically significant dose above background levels.

6.7.1(7) Summaries of significant exposures received by facility personnel and visitors Dosimetry results:

1. There were no significant exposures (exceeding regulatory limits) to visitors for this reporting period.

2. There were no significant exposures (exceeding regulatory limits) to facility personnel for this reporting period.

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