ML19341B165

Submits Annual Operating Rept for 1980,per Section 6.7.e of Tech Specs

ML19341B165
Person / Time
Site:	University of Virginia
Issue date:	01/09/1981
From:	Farrar J VIRGINIA, UNIV. OF, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8101300382
Download: ML19341B165 (14)

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~7 UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE 6 ~~- CM ARLOTT ESWILLE. 28901 CCPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING PHYSICS TELEPHONE: 304.g34 733e KEACTOR P ACILITY January 9, 1981 Division of Reactor Licensing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Office of Regulation Washington, D.C. 20545 Re: Docket No. 5-62, License No. R-66 ,

j Docket No. 50-396, License No. R-123 _4 Gentlemen:

We hereby submit, as required by Section 6.7.e of the Technical Specifications, our annual report of the operations of the University of Virginia Research Reactor (UVAR), License No. R-66, Docket No. 50-62 and the CAVALIER Reactor, License No.123, Docket No. 50-396 during the period January 1, 1980 through December 31, 1980.

A. UVAR Reactor The UVAR reactor was operated during the year as follows:

Hours Operated MW Hours First Quarter 836.25 1348.117 Second Quarter 779.0 1202.36 Third Quarter 524.5 595.282 Fourth Quarter 923.0 1465.12 TOTAL 3062.75 4610.879 1.0 Rod Drop Tests and Visual Inspection Rod Drop tests were made on the UVAR reactor during the year and the results are as follows:

Magnet Rod Positinn Magnet Free Total

-Rod Current (ma) (Inches) release (msec) Drop (msec) (msec) 3 T0'-80 1 160 26 '

-17.5 484.5 .502 2 160 26 37.7 498 535.7 3 160 26 17 492 509 ho*>o s

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Division of Reactor Licensing Page 2 January 9,1981 Magnet Rod Position Magnet Free Total Rod Current (ma) (Inches) release (msec) Drop (msec) (msec) 7-7-80 1 153 26 33 475 508 2 155 26 34 498 532 3 160 26 34 507 541 8-18-80 1 148 26 21 459 480 2 160 26 49 500 549 3 160 26 23 498 521 8-25-80 1 160 26 19 461 480 2 160 26 47 484 531 3 '. 60 26 31 466 497 11-3-80 1 155 26 9 454 463 2 155 26 40 491 531 3 155 26 8 498 506 The rod drop times continue to be well within the limits required by the Technical Specification.

The UVAR control rods were visually inspected three times during the year when the core configuration was changed. The following is abstracted from the the reactor log book.

3-7-80 Safety Rod #1 - Inspected Safety rod #1 under ~3 feet of water Reading - 250 mr/hr at surface of water. A few rub marks alon side of rod. No evidence of cracking. Passes 0.950" gage eas ly.

Safety Rod #2 - Inspected Safety Rod #2 under ~3 feet of water.

Reading -200 sw/hr at surface of water. No evidence of cracking.

A few rub marks noted. 0.950" gage passes easily.

Safety Rod #3 - Inspected Safety Rod #3 under ~3 feet of water.

Reading ~200 mr/hr at surface of water. A few rub marks noted.

No signs of cracking. Passes 0.950" gage easily.

Regulating' Rod - Inspected regulating rod under ~3 feet of water.

200 mr/hr at surface of water. No evidence.of cracking. 0.950" gage' tight at top of rod. -1.00" gage passes easily.

Division of Reactor Licensing Page 3 January 9, 1981 8-25-80 Safety Rod #1 - Inspected rod under ~2 feet of water. A few rub marks noted. No evidence of cracking. Passes 0.950" gage easily.

Safety Rod #2 - Inspected Safety Rod #2. No evidence of cracking.

0.950" gage passes easily.

Safety Rod #3 - Inspected Safety Rod #3. A few rub marks were noted. No evidence of cracking. 0.950" gage passes easily.

Regulating Rod - Inspected Regulating Rod. A few rub marks on side.

No evidence of cracking. Passes 1.0" gage easily. 0.950" gage tight at top of rod.

11-3-80 Safety Rod #1 - Inspected Safety Rod #1 - Rub marks on side of rod.

No evidence of cracking. 0.95" gage passes easily.

Safety Rod #2 - Inspected Safety Rod #2 - No evidence of cracking 0.95" gage passes easily.

Safety Rod #3 - Inspected Safety Rod #3 - Rub marks at top of rod.

No evidence of cracking. 0.95" gage passes easily.

Regulatory Rod - Inspected Regulating Rod - No evidence of cracking 0.95" gage snug at top. 1.0" gage passes easily.

2.0 Maintenance Operations The following maintenance was performed on UVAR system during the calendar year 1980.

1-2-80 Problem: Unable to properly compensate linear power due to range -

of power supply being limited. Could not adjust less than -10 VDC.

Action: Installed 0-60 VDC power supply. Check out ok.

1-7-80 Problem: Primary flow indication would not zero due to bad tube (12 AU7)

Action: Replaced 12 AU7 Tube. Checked out ok.

1-18-80 Problem: Core gamma monitor readout (electrometer) old and worn out.

Action: Replaced readout with new electrometer for more reliable and accurate indication. Checked out ok.

1-24-80 Problem: Constant air monitor meter indication did not respond when in the X10 position due to bad card.

Action: Replaced card. Checked out ok.

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3-28-80 Installed new transmitter and readout for primary flow-calibrated-checked ok.

4-3-80 Drained and cleaned cooling tower in Secondary system.

6-30-80 Problem: Intermediate range channel irratic and noisy.

Action: Replaced detector, connectors and cables from detector to top of pool. Checked ok.

6-30-80 Problem: Power Range #2 oscillating between 80-120%.

Action: Replaced detector, connectors and cables from detector to top of pool . Checked ok.

7-1-80 Problem: Safety Rod #3 was operating rough at 10" and seating light was not working.

Action: Lubricated lead screw and adjusted micro-switch for seating light. Checked out ok.

7-7-80 Problem: Safety Rod #3 electromagnet would not pick up rod.

Action: Re-wired magnet circuit with new heli-coil arid rewired seating switch. Checked out ok.

7-25-80 Problem: Bridge area monitor would not respond to check source or test source due to bad detector.

Action: Replaced detector with one from Hot Cell area monitor and returned bad detector to factory for repair.

Checked out ok.

8-1-80 Problem: Erratic readings on rod magnet current meter due to noisy selector switch.

Action: Replaced switch. Checked out ok. -

9-30-80 Problem: Erratic readings on AT system due to bad connectors on inlet RTD.

Action: Replaced RTD. Checked out ok.

10-13-80 Problem: Variation of counts on Source Range instrument due to erratic pre-amp.

Action: Replaced pre-amp. Checked out ok.

10-13-80 Problem: Room argon monitor saturates below alarm set-point due to a bad detector.

Action: Replaced detector.

Problem: Alam set-point for room argon monitor (linear scale) is too close to the actual background and frequently alams.

Action: Switched room argon readout (linear scale) with duct argon readout (log scale) and calibrated both systems.

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January 9, 1981 N

10-23-80 Received repaired area monitor from factory (see 7-25-80).

Put detector in service at Hot Cell and calibrated.

10-24-80 Installed calibrated air flow meter in constant air monitor system.

11-14-80 Problem: Truck door scram switch fails to open reliably due to corroded linkage.

Action: Replaced with magnetic proximity switch.

11-20-80 Installed remote meters for the power range channels for better visability by the reactor operator.

11-20-80 Installed new 410A Keithley for the linear power system.

11-21-80 Problem: The " Header down, pump on alarm" did not ccme on when the header fell. The relay contacts were corroded and relay spring was weak.

Action: Replaced open frame relay with 4-pole sealed type.

12-15-80 Problem: Duct argon monitor reading -6000 CPM due to detector tube cascading and pre-amp was delivering a train of positive pulses to the discrininator which is designed for. negative pulses.

Action: Replaced tube and installed inverting amplifier between pre-amp and input. Calibrated.

12-18-80 Problem: Regulating rod drives in at full speed with zero -

deviation on servo system.

Action: Replaced two bad tubes in servo system. Checked ok.

3.0 Operating Procedures .

The standard operating procedures for the UVAR reactor were uograded during the months of May, June, and July,1980.

These changes involved modifying and upgrading the sections on the daily checklist, start-up procedures, control rod calibration, surveillance testing, abnonnal-conditions, and emergency procedures.

The changes were reviewed and approved by the Reactor Safety Coninittee.

4.0 Dperiments a) A broad program of activation analysis work was carried out during the year. Activations were done for the Departments of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, Chemistry, Radiology and the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory.

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A continuing program of activation analysis was perfomed for the Philip Morris Company.

The following Academic Institutions utilized the facility for activation analysis experiments.

1) James Madison University 5) Sweet Briar College

2) Virginia Military Institute 6) Mary Washington College

3) Longwood College 7) Mary Baldwin College

4) Lynchburg College 8) Piedmont Community College b) A series of experiments were performed during the year for the Electric Power Research Institute.

Purpose:

The purpose of the experiment is to perfom studies on radiation damage in pressure vessel samples. Westinghouse Corp.

will design and fabricate the samples and U.Va. will supply the reactor space.

Experiment: A set of four capsules was run in the front row of the grid plate adjacent to the reactor core during the period 1-14 2-29-80 for an integrated power of 1293 MW hrs. These capsules were shipped to Westinghouse for analysis during the month o f May.

A second set of four capsules were run in the front row of the grid plate adjacent to the reactor core during the period 4-2-80 5-7-80 for an integrated power of 795 MW hrs.

These capsules were annealed in the reactor pool during the period 9-8-80 9-19-80. The capsules are stored in the North end of the pool awaiting further irradiation at a future date.

A single capsule, known as the Crack Arrest experiment, was run in the east side of the grid plate adjacent to the reactor during the period 3-26-80 5-21-80 for an integrated power of 1127.5 MW hrs. The capsule was run on the west side of the grid plate during the period 9-2-80 10-31-80 for an integrated power of 1276 MW hrs. This capsule was shipped to Battelle Memorial Institute for analysis on 12-17-80.

Two crack arrest capsules were loaded in the reactor, one in the front row of the grid plate and one on the east side of the grid plate on 11-20-80. The capsules were run until 12-19-80 for an integrated power of 354.01 MW hr. These capsule activations will continue into 1981.

A smaller capsule of steel samples fabricated at UVA was ' run in the reactor between 6-16-80 8-20-80 for an integrated power of 235 MW hrs.

These samples will be analyzed at U.Va.

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Division of Reactor Licensing Page 7 ss January 9, 1981 Another smaller capsule was run in the reactor between 9-29-80 11-14-80 for an integrated power of 1113 MW hrs. These samples will be analyzed at U.Va.

5.0 Surveillance Requirements a) The following tests were conducted on a monthly basis as required by the Technical Specifications.

1) Operational checks of the ventilation duct, personnel door, truck door and ememncy exit cover.

b) The following tests were performed at intervals not exceeding 6 months.

1) Visual inspection of gaskets on personnel door, ventilation duct, and truck door.

2) Calibration of Source Range, Intermediate Range, Power Range, Linear Power, core gamma monitor, bridge monitor, reactor face monitor, argon monitor, air monitor, pool level monitors, pool temperature monitor, core differential pool temperature, and primary flow.

c) The daily check list, which is completed when the reactor is to be operated, provides for checks on all of the required scram systems associated with the reactor.

d) The emergency spray system was tested during the month of March,1980 and the results are as follows:

Date S.E. Tank S.W. Tank-March 13, 1980 required flow gal / min  :- 11.0 11.5 actual flow gal / min  ; 12.0 -12.6 The flow continues to be above that required.

All of these tests and calibrations were well within limits set forth in the Technical Specifications. Data on all of these tests and calibrations is on file at the facility, e) pool Make-up During the calendar year 1980 make-up water to the pool averaged 57.8 gal / day.

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\ January 9,1981 6.0 Unplanned Shutdowns Following is a list of unplanned shutdowns on the UVAR reactor during the calendar year 1980.

1-4-80 Low flow scram - short transient in flow meter.

1-7-80 Loss of building power.

1-8-80 Log N period scram while adjusting compensating voltage. Rods were at 10 inches.

1-9-80 Low flow scram - short transient.

1-22-80 Low pool level - pool was @ 19'5" - probably caused by air bubble trapped under probe.

1-23-80 Scramed twice due to loss of building power.

2-5-80 Low flow-short transient.

2-6-80 Low flow-short transient.

2-12-80 Bridge monitor scram due to noise in test circuit.

2-18-80 Low flow-short transient.

2-18-80 Shim rod dropped while balancing other rods.

2-18-80 Operator forgot to throw desensitize switch when passing through natural convection mode.

2-26-80 Shutdown 3 times because of building power failure.

3-11-80 Header dropped twice.

3-14-80 Log N period trip due to noise in instrument.

3-24-80 Header dropped.

3-24-80 Low pool level trip.

3-26-80 Header dropped 3-27-80 Log N period. trip during in-core manipulations - reactor was sub-critical .

3-27-80 Low flow scram-short transient.

4-3-80 Header dropped.

4-8-80 Loss of building power.

4-29-80 Header dropped.

5-5-80 Header dropped.

5-6-80 Loss of building power.

6-3-80 Header dropped.

6-5-80 Header dropped 3 times.

6-6-80 Header dropped.

6-10-80 Header dropped 3 times.

6-10-80 Log N period trip while recompensating chamber - reactor was sub-critical.

6-19-80 Head dropped.

6-19-80 Accidently turned key siwtch.

6-19-80: Log N period while adjusting compensating voltage.

6-20-80 High power trip while repositioning rods.

6-23-80 Scram when desensitize' switch moved - noise in circuit.

6-23-80 Log N period - due to noise in ' circuit.

6-25-80 Header dropped.

7-1-80 Header dropped.

7-2-80 Scram when switching desensitize switch.

7-8-80 High power trip on chamber #2 in natural convection mode. Chamber #1 was reading 35% power.

Division of Reactor Licensing Page 9 January 9,1981 7-8-80 Bridge monitor scram. Electrical noise at bridge when unplugging a soldering iron.

7-8-80 Scram-loss of building power.

7-8-80 Header dropped twice.

7-9-80 Bridge monitor scram due to introduction of test signal.

7-9-80 Scram when escape hatch was y % s 7-10-80 Scram-Log N period while adfun4) commating . voltage.

7-14-80 Low flow scram-short transinct, 7-17-80 Loss of building power-twice.

7-21 -80 Low flow scram-short transient, twice.

7-23-80 Loss of building power.

7-25-80 Low flow-short transient.

7-28-80 Loss of building power.

7-30-80 Scram-desensitize switch placed in 2MW position with header down.

8-4-80 Scram when movina vasens' tize switch.

8-4-80 Low flow scram-short transient.

8-6-80 Scram when moving desensitize switch.

8-6-80 Header dropped.

8-7-80 Low flow scram-short transient, twice.

8-7-80 Desensitize switch placed in 200 kw position too soon while reducing power.

8-13-80 Scram when moving desensitize switch.

8-14-80 Log N period trip while adjusting compensating voltage.

8-15-80 Scram when moving desensitize switch.

9-8-80 Bridge monitor trip-personnel accidently bumped chamber.

9-17-80 Loss of building power.

9-24-80 Bridge monitor tripped when bumped.

10-13-80 High power trip-noise in circuit.

10-25-80 Loss of building power.

10-27-80 High power trip-noise in circuit.

10-27-80 Log N period trip while adjusting compensating voltage.

11-10-80 Scram when moving desensitize switch.

11-12-80 Bridge monitor scram when removing sample from rabbit.

11-12-80 Header dropped.

11-18-80 Header dropped.

11-25-80 Header dropped 12-9-80 Scram-operator forgot to change power range switch.

12-9-80. Header dropped.

12-18-80 Header dropped three times.

B. CAVALIER Reactor During the calendar year 1980 the CAVALIER Reactor was operated as follows:

Hours Operated . Watt-hours ,_

First Quarter 16.5 34.84 Second Quarter 2.5 12.0 Third Quarter 15.5 94.17 Fourth Quarter- 12.5' 37.07 TOTAL 47.0 178.08

Division of Reactor Licensing Page 10 January 9,1981 1.0 Rod Drop Tests Rod drop tests performed on the CAVALIER during the year are listed below: ,

Position Magnet Magnet Free Total Date Rod (Inches) Vol ts Release (msec) Drop (msec) Drop (msec) 2-22-80 1 26 36 84.5 470 554.5 2 26 52 67.0 443 510 3 26 35 83.0 527 610 4 26 30 42.0 670 712 6-12-80 1 26 36 77 452 529 2 26 52 78 442 520 3 26 30 89 483 577 4 26 30- 84 472 556

' 16-80 1 26 36 76 464 540 2 26 52 79~ 433 512 3 26 28 91 444 535 4 26 30 77 483 560 The rod drop times continue to be within the limits set' by the Technical Specifications . -

2.0. Operating Procedures The operating procedures for the CAVALIER reactor were upgraded in April 1980. Changes were made to Section 4 (daily check-list section), section 5.2 (start-up procedure), section 5.3 (shutdown procedure) and section 7.4 (control rod calibration).

These changes were reviewed and approved by the Reactor Safety Commi ttee.

3.0 Maintenance The following maintenance was performed on-the CAVALIER Reactor System during the calendar year 1980.

5-29-80 Installed new Keithley millivoltmeter on-linear power system to replace old tube type unit.

10-1-80 Problem: Log N recorder reading 2 to'3 decades high due to-a floating. ground on signal coming from Log N channel.

Action: Cleaned connectors.on Log N modulator unit, changed-resistor and installed a.200 OHM shunt variable resistor

- to input of recorder. '

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4.0 Unplanned Shutdowns The following unplanned shutdowns occured in the CAVALIER reactor during the calendar year 1980.

4-25-80 Lo'w tank level scram-filling tank at time it happened.

Turbulence caused scram.

4-25-80 Source Range Period Scram - Both BF 3 detectors were energized simultaneously.

7-17-80 Loss of building power.

9-30-80 Source Range Period Scram - Both BF 3 detectors were energized simul taneously.

10-7-80 Log N High Power Trip - Power was 57 watts.

10-16-80 Source Range Period Trip - spurious electric noise.

5.0 Surveillance Requirements The following tests and calibrations were performed on the CAVALIER system during the calendar year 1980 as required by the Technical Specifications.

a) Rod drop measurements were made at intervals not exceeding four months.

b) The following tests were conducted at intervals not exceeding six months.

1) Calibration of source range channels, Log N channel, Log G channel, Linear power channel, pool level monitor, radiation monitoring system, and boron concentration in ARIS system. ~

c) The following tests were conducted at intervals not exceeding twelve months.

1) Measurement of control rod worth. .

2) Flow test of ARIS system.

d) The daily check list, which is canpleted when the reactor is to be operated, provides for checks on all of the required scram systems associated with the reactor.

Data on all of these tests and calibrations is on file at the facility.

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C. Health Physics 1.0 Effluent Release a) Atmospheric Release The following effluent was released to the atmosphere during the calendar year 1980.

4I AR 6.64 curies from operation of the UVAR reactor, b) Solid Waste During the caldendar year 1980 approximately 14.23 cubic feet of solid waste was shipped from the reactor facility by Teledyne Inc.

The activity in the waste was as follows:

Isotope Activity (millicuries)

Tc-99 65.412 Co-60 0.10 Cs-137 0.10 TOTAL 65.612 c) Liquid Waste Liquid waste from regeneration of the denineralizer system was released during the year and diluted with water from the hold-up pond.

Activity (microcuries) Volume (gallons)

First Quarter 188.5 4,189,065 Second Quarter 190.6 3,670,090 Third Quarter 88.9 856,571 Fourth Quarter 130.0 412,600 TOTAL 598.0 9,128,326 The average specific activity released was 1.73 x 10 -8 uci/ml.

2.0 Environmental Monitoring During the year the Health Physicist took air and water samples both at the facility and outside the site boundary. The following Table lists these locations and the specific activities obtained from these samples.

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Location Sample Specific Activity (averaae of all samples)

Reactor Facility Water 8.61 x 10 -9 uci/ml Air 3.30 x 10 uci/cc Filter Plant Water 1.93 x 10-8 uci/ml Air 5.43 x 10 -12 uci/cc Barracks Road Water 1.13 x 10-8 uci/ml Air 2.91 x 10 -12 uc:/cc 3.0 Personnel Monitoring During the calendar year 1980 approximately 125 personnel, including faculty, staff, and students were monitored by film badges supplied by the R.S. Landauer Co. The highest exposures were by three staff menbers directly involved with the operation of the facility and the handling of samples used in activation analysis.

Whole Body Exposure Skin Exposure Individual A 580 millirem minimal Individual B 450 millirem minimal Individual C 340 millirem minimal During the year the facility had 2451 visitors. These visitors were monitored with direct reading dosimeters ar.d received no significant exposure.

D. Miscellaneous

1) Formal meetings of the Reactor Safety Comittee were held on the following dates:

February 26, 1980 December 15, 1980 May 8, 1980 December 17, 1980 June 25, 1980 A sub-committee of the Reactor Safety Comittee performed an audit of the facility operations during January, June, and December,1980.

2) An emergency drill was held at the facility on April 24, 1980. A radiation accident was postulated that involved two injured, contaminated victims.

The drill involved the staff, University Police, the local Rescue Squad, and the emergency room at the U.Va. Hospital . The " injured" personnel were treated and partially decontaminated at.the facility and sent to the hospital by the Rescue Squad for further treatment and decontamination. The drill lasted approximately 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />.

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A practice evacuation of the facility was held on April 25, 1980 and again on September 22, 1980.

3) A revised and upgraded security plan was submitted to the NRC during the month of July 1980. This plan was approved by the Reactor Safety Committee.

E. Personnel

1) In order to upgrade the Health Physics program a new Health Physicist joined the staff in October,1980.

2) During the months of August and September,1980 six members of the Reactor Staff and three members of the Radiation Safety Office successfully passed courses in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and First Aid administered by the Red Cross.

3) Reactor Operator examinations were given by the NRC during the months of January and August 1980 and resulted in the licensing of two Senior Operators and twenty operators.

This report has been reviewed and approved by the Reactor Safety Committee.

Sincerely, q S. W w J.P. Farrar, Reactor Supervisor U.Va. Reactor Facility JPF:vs cc: Office of Inspection & Enforcement Atlanta, Georgia y -

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