ML20056E136

Annual Rept on Operation of Washington State Univ Triga Reactor for Jul 1992 - Jun 1993

ML20056E136
Person / Time
Site:	Washington State University
Issue date:	06/30/1993
From:	Tripard G WASHINGTON STATE UNIV., PULLMAN, WA
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9308200093
Download: ML20056E136 (8)

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] Washington StateUniversity M nu::iear Rataton Center Puttman, WA 99164{300 509-335 8641 FAX $09 335-4433 August 12,1993 Document Control Desk

. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 1 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76  !

DearSir:

In acconiance with the Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 and the provisions of . .i 10 CFR 50.59, paragraph (6), the attached Annual Report prepared by Jeny A. Neidiger, Reactor ~~ i Supervisor of the WSU facility,is hereby submitted.- The report covers the period July 1,1992 to - i' June 30,1993.

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Gerald E.Tripard j Director i GET/pw l L

Enclosure cc: J.A. Neidiger NRC, Region V, Office of Regional Administrator American NuclearInsurers l l

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i ANNUAL REPORT ON THE OPERATION OF TIIE  ;

WASillNGTON STATE UNIVERSITY TRIGA REACTOR f

Facility License R-76 for the Reponing Period of ,

5 July 1,1992 to June 30,1993 j

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A. Narrative Summary of the Year's Operation

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1. Operating Experience .

The Washington State University Reactor has accumulated 267 Megawatt hours on j Core 32-B and 290 Megawatt hours on core 33-X for a total of 557 Megawatt hours during the reponing period. A total of 367 irradiations for a total of 5720 ' i samples were performed. In addition,22 pulses greater than $1.00 of reactivity '

addition were performed during this reponing period. The quarterly operations '

summaries are shown in Table I, Section B.

h A core change was performed 01/13/93 from Core 32-B to Core 33-X. The core change consisted of a core marrangement, the addition of four (4) Standard 4-Rod l

Clusters, and mmoval of all but one (1) reflector el: ment from the south side ("G"  ;

row) of the reactor com. This com configuration was chosen to increase the epithennal neutron flux for experiments utilizing the H-1 beam port tube, i i

2. There were no changes in design, performance characteristics, or procedums that mlated to reactor safety during the repomng period.

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3. All surveillance tests and requirements were performed and completed within the i

prescribed time period. The results of all inspections revealed no abnormalities. '

B. Enerev and Cumulative Outout i I

The quarterly operations summaries are given in Table I below. '

l TABLEI '

Fiscal Year Summary of Reactor Operations t

J-A-S 0-N-D J-F-M A-M-J TOTALS.

Hours of Operation 140 156 202 160 658  ;

~ Megawatt Hours 121 139 169 128 556  !

No. ofIrradiations 73 97 110 87 367 No. of Samples Irradiated 1392 1304 1556. 1468 5720 No. Pulses > $1.00 5 5 3 9 22 The cumulative energy output since criticality of the TRIGA core since 1967 is 710 Megawatt Days. The mixed core of FLIP and Standard fuels installed in 1976 has accumulated 440 Megawatt Days.

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. C.' Emergency Shutdowns and Inadvertent Scrams 4

There were no emergency shutdowns that occurred during the reporting period. "he dates and causes of the 3 inadvertent SCRAMS are listed in Table 11 below.

TABLE II

Inadvertent SCRAMS

DA*IE CAUSE i 4

07/20B2 Complete loss of building power.  ;

10/14B2 Operator error. Placed MODE switch in " TEST" at time of reactor shutdown.

01/06B3 Period SCRAM. Excessive SUR during control element calibration mamtenance.

D. Maior Maintenance All major maintenance performed was routine planned maintenance items.

E. Chances. Tests and Exoeriments Performed Under 10 CFR 50.59 Criteria There was only one item performed and documented under 10 CFR 50.59 criteria during the reporting period and was documented as such to ensure the Reactor Safeguards Committee approval of the repair to satisfy Technical Specification requirement 6.5 and 6.6 ,

for Quality Assurance criteria. The maintenance performed was the 10/28S3 replacemer.t  ;

of the 15vde regulated power supply in the leg-N Wide Range Power Channel. The power supply was 20+ years old and was becoming very " noisy".

F. Radioactive Effluent Discharges

1. Radioactive Liquid Releases A total of 48.80 microcuries was released in 1,713,802 liters ofliquid during the reporting priod. This yields an average release concentration ofliquid waste of 2.85 x 10~ microcuries per milliliter. The monthly releases are listed in Table III below.

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l TABLE 111 Radioactive Liquid Releases Quantity, Concentration, Volume, h1onth uCi uCi/ml Percent MPC" Liters i Jul. (1992) 0.71 1.56x10* 3.9 45,663 Aug. NO RELEASE Sep. 0.42 9.76x 10* 2.4 43,253 Oct. 0.59 1.31x10* 3.3 45,318 '

Nov. 2.76 2.07x10' 5.2 133,563 Dec. 14.22 3.33x10* 8.3 427,037 Jan.(1993) 7.21 1.98x10' 5.0 363,702 Feb. NO RELEASE Mar. 10.37 3.68x10' 9.2 282,033 Apr. 2.04 1.10x10" 27.5 18,579 May 10.48 2.95x10* 7.4 354,654 Jun. NO RELEASE

(" Based on a release limit of 4 0x 10' uCi/ml for unknown mixture found in 10 CFR 20 Table I, Col. 2.

2. Radioactive Gaseous Release During the reporting period, no significant quantity of any gaseous or particulate material with a half-life greater than eight days was released.

During the reporting period, at no time did the Argon-41 release exceed 20% of l MPC.

A total of 4.15 Curies of Argon-41 was released in 5.86x10" cc of air which yields an average monthly concentration of Argon-41 of 7.089x10' uCi/cc. The monthly releases are summarized in Table IV below.

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TABLEIV Monthly Argon-41 Releases Concentration Before Percent MPC'" Quantity Month Dilution, uCi/cc Before Dilution mci Jul. (1992) 8.70x10' 3.48 433 Aug. 8.01 x 10' 3.20 399 ,

Sep. 6.30x10* 2.52 303 Oct. 5.38x10* 2.15 268 Nov. 8.97x10* 3.59 432 Dec. 5.06x10* 2.02 252 Jan.(1993) 4.86x10* 1.94 242 Feb. 5.74x10* 2.30 258 Mar. 1.36x104 5.44 677 Apr. 5.90x10* 2.36 284 ,

May 5.97x10* 2.39 297 Jun. 6.27x10' 2.51 302 "Tased on 10 CFR 20 limit of 1.0x10' uCi/cc for Ar (Table 2, Col.1),. and a dilution factor of 4.0x104 (S.A.R. 6.4.2) for a before dilution limit of 2.5x10* uCi/cc. (20% of limit of 5.0x104 uCi/cc.)

3. Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal The three (3) solid waste shipments to U.S. Ecology Company in Richland, Washington, are listed in Table V below.

TABLE V Monthly Argon-41 Releases DA'IE ACTIVITYin Millicuries VOLUMEin Cubic Feet 08/25 S 2 13.15 103.5"'

03/31/93 0.01 52.0 05/06/93 1.08 7.5

'" Abnormal Volume due to disposal of 10 years worth of Reactor Pool Ion Exchanger spent resin contained in nine 7.5 cu ft. barrels.

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l G.' Personnel and Visitor Radiation Exoosures The average quarterly exposures of Nuclear Radiation Center reactor staff and experimenters who routinely utilize the WSU reactor are given in Table VI. The maximum quanerly exposure of one individual, who is a reactor staff member who routinely prepares  !

irradiated samples for shipment and calibrates radiation survey meters, was 30 millimm, whole body.

A total of 2264 non-Nuclear Radiation Center staff or routine facility user individuals visited the Center during the reponing period, out of which 1267 enter posted Radiation Areas. As detemlined by digital pocket dosimeter and an exposure mcorded, the average mdividual exposure was <l.0 millirem with a maximum exposum of 1 millirem.

A total of 24 group tours, consisting of 345 individuals, visited the Center during the 1 reporting period. As determined by digital pocket dosimeter and an exposure mconfed, the l average group <1.0 millirem with a maximum of <l.0 millirem.

! TABLE VI Average Quanerly Reactor and Experimenter Staff Exposum (in millimms)

Jul-Aug-Sep Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb-Mar Apr-May-Jun"'

14 10 10 10

• June's film badge results not available from the vendor at the time this mport was prepared.

Note: 10 millirem minimum exposure reponed by vendor.

H. Reactor Facility Radiation and Contamination Levels The routine area radiation surveys of the building in non-reactor vital areas

• had an avenge dose level of 0.03 mR/Hr., while routinely accessible reactor vital areas had an average dose level of 0.08 mR/Hr. The highest average dose level in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 0.17 mR/Hr., which occurred in Room 201, Reactor Pool Room, Southside.

The lowest average dose in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 0.02 mR/Hr.,

which occurred in Room 201 A, the Reactor Shop area. The average dose in the Reactor Control Room was 0.03 mR/Hr. The average dose in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 0.09 mR/Hr. The highest average on site dose level was 10 mR/Hr. which occurred in Room 2A, Cave Room, which is a locked storage area where radioactive material and radio?ctive sources am stored.

Routine building surveys for removable contamination in non-reactor vital areas"' had an 2

average level of 0.57x10' 2

uCi/cm , while the average level in the reactor vital areas was 1.44x10' 2 uCi/cm . The highest avemge value in the reactor vital areas was 7.23x10' uCi/cm which was found on the platform where experimenters stand to insert and 5

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withdraw their samples from the reactor. The lowest average value in the reactor vital areas l was 0.48x10' uCi/cm2 which was in Room 201 A, the Reactor Shop area. He average  :

level of removable contamination in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 0.97x 10" l uCi/cm2.

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"'A non-reactor vital area in the building where radioactive materials are used or stored but '

which is not a pan of the Licensed reactor facility.

I. Environmental Monitorine Program The environmental monitoring program uses thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD's) at locations both near and at distances around the reactor building facility. The quanerly  ;

exposures in the vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center are listed in Table VII below. The '

average ambient gamma radiation levels for this area (809 mile mdius) is 230 uRenVday as reponed in the 29th Annual Repon of the Environmental Radiation Program, Washington  ;

State Depanment of Social and Health Services.

The values observed indicate there is no significant effect on the environment radiation levels due to reactor operation.

TABLE VII Environmental Radiation Levels in the Vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center'"

(Exposure in uR/ day)

Jul-Aug-Sep Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb-Mar Apr-May-Jun'" Median 184 202 209 208 201  ;

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"'For sampling stations located 25 meters or greater from the Nuclear Radiation Center.

Quanerly exposures at locations at the reactor facility are listed in Table VIII. No significant effect on the environmental radiation levels by reactor operation was noted.

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4 TABLE VIII l Envimnmental Radiation Levels Adjacent to the Nuclear Radiation Center'"

(Exposure in uR/ day)

Location J-A-S O-N-D J-F-M A-MJ" Median E. Loadinc Dock 229 264 202 185 220 Rad. Storage Shed 260 290 216 315 270 Cooling Tower Fence 208 250 220 204 224 Liould Weste Tank 198 277 216 296 247 Building Roof West 188 230 202 204 206 Building V1. Side 260 284 270 278 273 Pool Room Exh. Vent 156 169 188 204 179 Pool Room W. Vent 448 405 390 333 394 Pool Room E. Vent 260 595 290 315 365 Building Roof East 188 209 216 204 204 S. Bldc. Entmnce 240 236 220 241 234

'"For sampling stations located less than 25 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.

Underlined locations indicate areas that are readily accessible.

Technical Specifications ALARA effluent releases in 3.12(2) specify annual radiation exposures at the closest off-site extended occupancy shall not, on an annual basis, exceed the average local off-site background radiation level by more than 20%. For the reporting period, the average total background radiation level for sampling points 400 meters or greater from the facility was 191 uR/ day, while the average total radiation level at the closest extended occupied area 380 meters away was 209 uR/ day. This yields a ratio of 9.4%, indicating no significant exposure level above natural background.

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