ML20063H876
| ML20063H876 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Texas A&M University |
| Issue date: | 08/24/1982 |
| From: | Erdman C, Schlapper G TEXAS A&M UNIV., COLLEGE STATION, TX |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20063H869 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8209020179 | |
| Download: ML20063H876 (12) | |
Text
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-1 4, '
l ANNUAL OPERATIONS REPORT of the TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AGN-201M TRAINING REACTOR .
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NRC LICENSE R-23 June 1, 1981 - May 31, 1982 4
Prepared by:
/ /
/de/aldA.Schlapper' Acting Reactor Superviso [
Carl A. Erdman, Head Nuclear Engineering Department
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- 1.
SUMMARY
, This report details the pertinent activities related to the Texas A&M University AGN-201M training reactor facility operated by the Department of Nuclear Enginering during the period June 1, 1981 to May 31, 1982.
Furthermore, it is intended that the contents of this report comply with
- the requirements of 10 CFR 50, Section 50.59 (b) and Appendix A, Technical
! Specifications, of license R-23.
The utilization of this facility continues to be similar to that of J
previous years. The general categories of utilization for this past year were support of Nuclear Engineering courses, operator training, RSO radia-1
- tion safety course, and preventive maintenance. Nuclear Engineering t courses supported during the past year were
ENGR 101G Engineering Analysis i NE 402 Nuclear Detection and Isotope Technology f Laboratory NE 405 Nuclear Engineering Experiments During normal preventive maintenance, malfunctioning components were replaced as detailed in Section 4. Facility modifications and component
. replacement performed during this reporting period do not involve unre-viewed safety questions and are not expected to adversely affect the safe operation of this facility.
The results of all major parameter surveillance tests are shown in Table I.
2 TABLE I. REACTOR PARAMETER SURVEILLANCE MEASUREMENTS Date Value 30 January 1982 Safety Rod #1 - Reactivity Worth 1.163% 6 k/k 30 January 1982 Safety Rod #2 - Reactivity Worth 1.163%6 k/k 30 January 1982 Coarse Control Rod-Reactivity Worth 1.200%6 k/k 30 January 1982 Fine Control Rod-Reactivity Worth 0.347%6 k/k 22 March 1982 Safety Rod #1 - Drop Time 140 msec 22 March 1982 Safety Rod #2 - Drop Time 180 msec 25 January 1982 Coarse Control Rod - Drop Time 130 msec 30 January 1982 Total Excess Reactivity at 20 C with Glory Hole Empty 0.312% 6 k/k 6
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- 2. .0PERATIONAL
SUMMARY
4 Utilization by Category:
(a) Support of Nuclear Lab Engineering Courses 67.09 hour1.041667e-4 days <br />0.0025 hours <br />1.488095e-5 weeks <br />3.4245e-6 months <br /> (b) Reactor Operator / Senior Reactor Operating Training 12.16 hour1.851852e-4 days <br />0.00444 hours <br />2.645503e-5 weeks <br />6.088e-6 months <br /> (c) Radiation Safety Office Short Course 1.47 hour5.439815e-4 days <br />0.0131 hours <br />7.771164e-5 weeks <br />1.78835e-5 months <br /> (d) Preventive / Corrective Maintenance 11.32 hour3.703704e-4 days <br />0.00889 hours <br />5.291005e-5 weeks <br />1.2176e-5 months <br /> Total Operating Hours 92.04 hour4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />
~
Total Watt-hours of Operation 82.36 watt hrs.
Average Power Level of Operation 0.89 watts Number of Reactor Startups 105
- 3. UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS DATE TYPE CAUSE CORRECTIVE ACTION 9/14/81 Chan. 2 High Level High Level Trip Re-Calibrated High Trip Out of Cali- Level Trip Set bration Point 9/14/81 Chan. 3 High Level Operator Error Trip in Switching Re-instruct Student Range Switch Operator 2/12/82 Chan. 3 Low Level Operator Error Re-instruct Student Interlock in Switching Operator Range Switch 4
2/25/82 Chan. 2 Short Reactivity Addition Caution Laboratory Period Trip By Experiment Students and Manipulation Teaching Assistant
4 2/25/82 Chan. 3 High Reactivity Addition Caution Laboratory Level Trip By Experiment Students and Manipulation Assign Additional Staff Personnel 3/4/82 Chan 3. digh Operator Error in Re-instruct Level Trip Switching Range Student Operator Switch 3/9/82 Chan. 3 High Operator Error in Re-instruct Level Trip Switching Range Student Operator Switch 3/24/82 Manual Scram Operator Noted Troubleshoot and Channel 1 Indication Reset Channel 1 Failing Low During Discriminator Startup Checks 3/25/82 Chan. 3 High Operator Error in Re-instruct Level Switching Range Student Operator Switch 3/25/82 Chan. 3 High Operator Error in Counsel Operator Switching Range Switch 3/25/82 Loss of Console Console Inadvert- Re-Energized Power antly De-energized Console and Insured by Technician Twist Lock Connector was locked 4/12/82 Chan. 3 Lcw Level Range Switch Cycled switch to Interlock Contacts Dirty, clean contacts Indication Low During Switching 4/22/82 Manual Scram Operator Noted Fine Control Rod
. Loss of Control Drive Motor of Fine Control Shorted, replaced Rod with Identical
5 Summary (a) Scrams due to Instrument Failure or Malfunction 4 (b) Scrams due to Operator Error 7 (c) Scrams due to Experiment Manipulation 2 TOTAL UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS 13
- 4. CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND COMP 0NENT REPLACEMENT Corrective maintenance and component replacement performed as normal maintenance of the Texas A&M University AGN-201M reactor during this re-porting period are summarized as follows.
l (a) 20 July 1981 - Re-energized Nuclear Instrumentation Channel 2. The 1
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instrument was de-energized S/7/81 due to spurious trips, and repair not completed until this time due to absence of SRO. Replaced V15 and per-formed maintenance procedure C2TC-6, after which channel 2 operation was determined satisfactory.
(b) 11 September 1981 - During the performance of the start-up check-off procedure, the skirt monitor instrument was noted to have blown fuse. The skirt monitor fuse was replaced and the instrument was determined to be operational.
(c) 14 September 1981 - Due to Channel 2 High Level scram, performed cal-ibration check of the Channel 2 instrument, using data from the most re-cent power calibration. The hign level scram setpoint had drifted low,
6 out of calibration. Checked channel 2 vacuum tubes, readjusted the high level trip setpoint to specification, and returned channel 2 to operation.
(d) 18 December 1981 - Noted nuclear instrumentation Channel 2, period meter appeared to stick at a reading of approximately 3.3 sec, during the performance of preventive maintenance procedure PD2M-3. Cycled the meter pointer in an attempt to clear any dust or debris from the meter move-ment. Any further repair was delayed until additional technical assis-tance was available during future PMS scheduling. The AGN reactor was not operated until such time as repair was completed.
(e) 26 January 1982 - continued trouble shooting and repa r of the Channel 2 period meter. Period meter appeared to operate sluggirhly and stick. The meter was replaced with an identical meter from the Channel 2 shop spare drawer. The period meter continued to operate improperly.
performed PM procedure C2TC-6 and replaced vacuum tubes V-7, V-10, V-11, V-14, and V-17, and obtained satisfactory operation of the meter. The original period meter was reinstalled and the subsequent response check was satisfactory.
(f) 26 January 1982 - Noted nuclear instrument Channel I reading abnor-mally high, at approximately 104 cps, with the reactor secured. The channel 1 Amplifier was extremely noisy, and the gain controls were cycled to clean the contacts. The noise problem was corrected and the instrument check was satisfactory.
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7 (g) 11 March 1982 - Noted " carriage engaged" indication for SR2 operating intermittently, yet " carriage up" light indicated normal operation of SR2. SR2 was removed for inspection and the cause of the failure deter-mined to be a loose microswitch on the SR2 chassis. The micro switch, which operates to give " carriage engaged" indication on the reactor con-sole was adjusted. Subsequent tests showed proper operation of all SR2 indicator lights.
(h) 24 March 1982 - Following the manual reactor scram due to Channel I count rate indication low, the Channel 1 instrumentation was checked. The discriminator was adjusted and after further checks the channel was deter-i mined to be operating satisfactorily.
.(1) 25 March 1982 - During normal reactor operation, the readings on Channel 2 appeared to be consistently higher than normal, at various power levels. The reactor was shutdown and troublesnooting revealed a bad cal-ibration battery. The battery was replaced and instrument calibration checks were performed satisfactorily.
(j ) 8 april 1982 - Commenced troubleshooting of nuclear instrumentation Channel 1. A 400 V increase in the detector plateau, compared to the pre-
. vious PMS data, was noted during the performance of maintenance CHIP-3, 6 April 1982. The Channel 1 detector was replaced with an identical model from the AGN spare parts inventory. The replacement detector plateau check was performed using a portable counting system setup.
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(k) 9 April 1982 - Upon placing the new Channel 1 detector into service, using the existing reactor Channel 1 instrumentation, proper count rate response could not be obtained as per preventive maintenance procedure CHIP-3.
(1) 12 April 1982 - Continued troubleshooting of Channel 1 instrumenta-tion showed no output from the preamplifier. The preamp was replaced with identical model and type, from the electronic shop spares. A satisfatory operational check was performed and a high voltage plateau was recorded according to maintenance procedure CHIP-3.
(m) 16 April 1982 - Noted an abnormally high count rate reading on nu-clear instrument channel 1. Trouble shooting revealed slightly distorted signal pulses from the preamplifier.
(n) 19 April 1982 - Continued troubleshooting of Channel 1 revealed a DC level offset, with the neutron pulses at a level 0.8 VDC above zero. The amplifier DC level was adjusted to less than a 10 mV offset, and the channel 1 discriminator level was reset.
(o) 20 April 1982 - Performed maintenance procedure CHIP-3 and set the Channel I high voltage accordingly.
. (p) 22 April 1982 - Investigation following the loss of control of the Fine Control Rod, and subsequent manual reactor scram, revealed a blown fuse in the Fine Control Rod DC power circuit. Further checks revealed the FCR control switch contacts had arced and melted slightly. The fine control rod switch was rewired using the switch's adjacent spare contacts, and the power supply fuse was replaced. The FCR was removed for inspec-
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tion and it was noted- that the motor armatere was shorted. An exact-replacement drive motor was installed and operated satisfactory. Applic-able preventive maintenance checks were performed prior to reactor start-up.
(q) 29 April 1982 - Noted calibration problem in Channel 1 during the performance of maintenance procedure CHILT. The log count rate meter could not be calibrated using a precision pulse generator. The AGN reac-tor was secured until full repairs could be completed.
(r) 19 May 1982 - Replaced the nuclear instrument Channel 1 preamplifier and amplifier with functionally and electronically comparable instru-ments. The replacement instruments were determined to be of considerably better quality and more state-of-the-art than the existing instruments.
The replacement model numbers were Tennelec TC 133 preamp and Tennelec TC 202BLR amplifier. Subsequent testing showed marked improvement in the quality of the Channel 1 nuclear pulse signals at all available test i
points up to the Channel I count rate circuitry. The signal to noise ratio was improved significantly over the previously installed preampli-l l
fier and amplifier. Channel 1 was still out of service due to calibration problems in the count rate circuitry.
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- . The corrective maintenance and component replacement performed during I
this reporting period have no impact on the safe operation of the reactor facility and do not change the description of the facility as submitted in the license application and amendments thereto.
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- 5. (a) REACTOR MODIFICATIONS
- No modification were made to the Texas A&M University AGN-201M reac-tor during this reporting period.
(b) CHANGES TO PROCEDURES The AGN-201M Emergency Procedures and Security Procedures were revis-ed to include changes in phone numbers and personnel responsibilities.
The procedures were reviewed by the Reactor Safety Board.
(c) NEW EXPERIMENTS OR TESTS No new experience or tests were performed during this reporting per-iod.
- 6.
SUMMARY
OF SAFETY EVALUATIONS No changes, tests, or experiments were performed subsequent to 10 CFR 50 paragraph 50.59 during this reporting period; therefore, no safety evaluations were required.
- 7.
SUMMARY
OF RADI0 ACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASES No liquid or solid radioactive waste was released during this report-ing period.
- 8. ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOLOGICAL SURVEYS
, No environmental radiological surveys were performed outside the fac-ility during this reporting period.
- 9. RADIATION EXPOSURE No reactor facility personnel or visitors received radiation expo-sures greater than 100 mrem (50 mrem for persons under 18 years of age) during this reporting period.
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- 10. REACTOR SAFETY BOARD ACTIONS (a) 28 January 82 The Reactor Safety Board performed the yearly review of the AGN-201M Security Plan. The Board also conducted the biennial review of the Emer-gency Plan. The board agree.. that the plans were still satisfactory for their intended purposes.
(b) 28 January 82 The Reactor Safety Board reviewed audits previously performed.
(c) 5 March 82 The Reactor Safety Board reviewed and approved changes to the AGN-201M Security Procedures and Emergency Procedures. The revisions consist-ed of changes in phone numbers and responsibilities of personnel.
(d) 5 March 82 The Reactor Safety Board reviewed audits previously performed.
- 11. MISCELLANEOUS The following personnel participated in the AGN Reactor Operator /
Senior Reactor Operator qualification program. After passing the NRC ad- l ministered exams the personnel were issued the following licenses:
Carl Erdman 50P-4136 effective 13 January 1982 Gerald Schlapper SOP-4210 effective 16 January 1982 David Carpenter OP-5850 ef fective 24 February 1982 Barry Willits OP-5849 effective 24 February 1982 The Reactor Supervisor position is currently being filled on a temporary basis by Dr. Gerald Schlapper while a permanent replacement is being trained.