ML19345F326
| ML19345F326 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000433 |
| Issue date: | 02/09/1981 |
| From: | Profio A CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, SANTA BARBARA, CA |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19345F323 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8102170206 | |
| Download: ML19345F326 (4) | |
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UNIVERSITY OF C ALI FO R!!! A , S A!;T A BARBARA L-77 REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT OF OPERATIONS January 1, 1980 through December 31, 1980 License R-124 Docket No. 50-433 A.E. Profio Roactor Director gioar7 ox o G
Operating Experience, Chsnges and Tests This is the sixth annual report for the 10 watt, L-77 training reactor at the U11versity of California, Santa Barbara. The reactor is operated mainly for instruction in nuclear engineering and for occasional neutron activation irradiations.
The reactor is the principal facility for the NE125 Neutronics Laboratory course, required for all B.S. degree majors in nuclear engineering. Experiments include power calibra-tion and flux plotting, control rod reactivity calibrations by suberitical multiplication and supercritical period measurements, reactivity-worth (importance) of absorbing and scattering samples as a function of position in the core, and neutron activation analysis. Students operate the reactor under the supervision of a licensed operator. The laboratory course is offered two afternoons a week (two sections) in the spring quarter.
Gad Shani, licensed in 1979, has returned to Israel and i
renewal of his operator license is not contemplated. The only-l other licensee i s Senior Operator A.E. Profio. Ilowever, one l
staff ecployee and one student are currently studying and will be trained as reactor operators.
l Two microwave motion detectors were'added to the reactor fa:ility on 9-19-80.
The annual power calibration was performed on 7-21-80.
The annual control rod worth and speed tests were performed,and written up on 7-21-80. The annual control rod mechanism inspection and servi cing was performed on 10-1-80. The_ annual radiatio.,
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o monitor and continuous air monitor calibrations and servicing were performed on 10-7-80. The annual scismic trip calibration was done 9-12-80, and the annual tank and console maintenance on 9-26-80.
Semiannual rod drop time measurements were carried out 2-7-80 and 10-6-80. Core-recombiner pressure scram and calibration was done on 3-13-80 and 11-11-80. Shield water level scram was tested 3-13-80 and 11-11-80. The flux instruments were calibrated and serviced on 2-20-80 and 10-16-80. The semiannual radiation level and contamination surveys were d o r. e by the Radiation Protection Officer on 5-9-80 and 12-17-80. Alarms were checked weekly.
Unscheduled Shutdowns and Scrams 5-19-80: Scram on incorrect range switching of linear fluxamplifier.
Preventive and Corrective Maintenance Operations Routine preventive and corrective maintenance operations were performed according to the Operations Manual. Notable events:
2-1-80: The stainless steel tape suspending the safety rod was i
l found to be broken hence the safety rod could not be withdrawn i
from the core. The rod was retrieved and the break at the fitting re, eared by installing a longer fitting such that the rod (absorber) remained at the same height. The new fitting should also make the l i:..: l t h o od of another breakGless probable because of improved l
stress relief design. Rod. drop time was remeasured and found to be within specifications, after installation of the repaired _ rod, and a new hydraulic snubber. designed to lessen impact when the absorber section bottoms (rod down on scram). The new snubber also avoids the bouncing sometimes experienced with the old f hydraulic snubber on the safety rod.
A number of _ false radiation alarms were experienced:
2-5-80: Area monitor 41. Surge after power failure.
2-6-80: Area monitor #2: Instrument component failure.
2-8-80: Area monitor 42: Instrument component failure.
12-11-80: CAM: Instrument component failure.
12-28-80: CAM: Apparent drift of alarm point, recalibrated.
In addition, there has been a drift problem with the Technical Associates radiation monitor (Area Monitor #3). GM tube was replaced and the device recalibrated.
Changes Under 10 CFR 50.59 None.
Radioactive Effluents Discharged t
Liquid wastes: None from reactor.
Solid wastes: Very low level contaminated gloves and i similar items, disposed off-site by Environmental Health and Safety.
Gaseous wastes: Not discharged during operation as the core-recombiner vessel is scaled. However, the core-recombiner vacuum gage and loss-of-vacuum alarm are tested semiannually by admitting air, then reevacuating into a tank for holdup and decay for six i months. Short-lived activities decay between tests, but come 10.4v year Kr is discharged to atmosphere, mixed with room exhaust, [
i when holdup cank is evacuated. C alculations based on watt-hours of ,
cperation, yield of Kr, and conservatively neglecting decay give:
0.45 microcuries discharged in 1980.
Environmental Surveys Done Outside Facility: none sienificant Radiation Exposures: none Enerav Output in 1980: 9.7 watt-hours Hours Critical in 1980: 8.5 Energy Output _ Since Initial Criticalit_ ,2 292.3 W-h or 12.2 W-d.
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