ML20066H888

Annual Rept of USGS Triga Reactor Facility 1990

ML20066H888
Person / Time
Site:	U.S. Geological Survey
Issue date:	12/31/1990
From:	Timothy Debey INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
To:	Beach A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
References
NUDOCS 9101290312
Download: ML20066H888 (6)

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! C-Yi \ 5 United States Department of the Interior '

G EOLOGICA1. St'RVEY

" -e -- > BOX 25016 hl.S 424 DENVER FEDERAL CENTER DENVER. COI.ORADO 80225 n um s um a n, 1

January 12,199

!!r. A. Bill Beach Director, DRSS, Region IV U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 1000 Arlington, TX 76011 Dear !-Ir. Beacht The attached annual report of the U.S. Geological Survey TRICA reactor f acihty is sur.:aitted in accordance with license conditions. The f acility docket number ic 50-214.

Cincerely, A '

Timotny !!. DeBey Reactor Supervicor i

Enclosure Copy to:

Document Contr:L Desk (2) i l

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-U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TRIGA REACTOR j;

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' ANNUAL REPORT i 1

JANUARY 1, 1990 - DECEHBER 31, 1990-NRC LICENSE NO. R-113 - DOCKET NO.- S0-274 i

I. Administrative Chances.

Lorraine Filipek assumed the position of Reactor Administrator _oni 2/1/90, replacing-Hugh Hillard. David Smith assumed the position of Reactor Administrator on 7/7/90, replacing Lorraine Filipek.

II. Operatina Experience The Geological Survey-TRIGA Reactor'(GSTR) was in normal operations-for the year 1990, pulsing operations were performed for_the first. time.in-many years and preinstallation checks continued on the new control console.

A total of 262 1rradiation requests were processed during the year, with the average request representing 49 samples and 8.0 full-power _hoursJof, reactor operation. A synopsis of irradiations performed during the-1990 year is given below, : listed by the organization submitting the samples: to -the reactor staffi Oreanization . Number of Samples Geologic Division - BGC 10,919 Geologic Division - BIG 991 Geologic Division - CHR 646 Geologic Division - WHR 0-Geologic Division - BSp 9 Non-USGS users 213 -

Total 12,778 A. Thermal power calibrations at about 800 kW were performed in February and August, with only very minor adjustments required.

B. Four new Class I experiments and' one new Class II experiment were approved during this period. The Class II experiment involved the installation of a vertical" beam tube in the reactor tank to allow.the irradiation of electronic' components.

C. During the report period,193 daily checklists and 12 monthly checklists were completed in compliance with technical specifications requirements for surveillance of the reactor facility.

-D. Tours were provided to individuals and groups in 1990 for a total visitor count cf approximately 200, a

S. Nine standard fuel elements from the Michigan State reactor were

, installed in the core. One of the elements was pl ced in a void pocition in the G ring while the other eight were installed in place of original elements with high burnup. A total reactivity gain of about S.85 was achieved.

III. Tabulation of Enerev Generated Megawatt Time Reactor Number of Month Hours Was Critical pulses January 1989 132.632 135 hours0.00156 days <br />0.0375 hours <br />2.232143e-4 weeks <br />5.13675e-5 months <br /> 10 minute 0 February 1989 99.223 103 hours0.00119 days <br />0.0286 hours <br />1.703042e-4 weeks <br />3.91915e-5 months <br /> 56 minutes O March 1989 75.568 79 hours9.143519e-4 days <br />0.0219 hours <br />1.306217e-4 weeks <br />3.00595e-5 months <br /> 31 minutes O April 1989 97.655 104 hours0.0012 days <br />0.0289 hours <br />1.719577e-4 weeks <br />3.9572e-5 months <br /> 29 minutes 0 May 1989 120.269 121 hours0.0014 days <br />0.0336 hours <br />2.000661e-4 weeks <br />4.60405e-5 months <br /> 5 minutes 0 June 1989 105.080 107 hours0.00124 days <br />0.0297 hours <br />1.76918e-4 weeks <br />4.07135e-5 months <br /> 23 minutes 0 July 1989 108.020 110 hours0.00127 days <br />0.0306 hours <br />1.818783e-4 weeks <br />4.1855e-5 months <br /> 29 minutes 6 August 1989 122.043 126 hours0.00146 days <br />0.035 hours <br />2.083333e-4 weeks <br />4.7943e-5 months <br /> 1 minutes 12 September 1989 87.369 92 hours0.00106 days <br />0.0256 hours <br />1.521164e-4 weeks <br />3.5006e-5 months <br /> 37 minutes 0 October 1989 76.917 79 hours9.143519e-4 days <br />0.0219 hours <br />1.306217e-4 weeks <br />3.00595e-5 months <br /> 23 minute O November 1989 85.157 87 hours0.00101 days <br />0.0242 hours <br />1.438492e-4 weeks <br />3.31035e-5 months <br /> 31 minutos 0 December 1989 118.000 119 hours0.00138 days <br />0.0331 hours <br />1.967593e-4 weeks <br />4.52795e-5 months <br /> 15 minutes 0 Totals 1227.933 1265 hours0.0146 days <br />0.351 hours <br />0.00209 weeks <br />4.813325e-4 months <br /> 40 minutes 18 IV. Unscheduled Shutdowns l

Serial No. Date Cause 438 2/20/90 Linear scram due to AC transient when moving T.R.

439 4/26/90 Linear scram due to AC transient from pool temp alarm 440 5/16/90 Linear scram due to AC transient when moving T.R.

441 7/3/90 Linear scram due to AC transient when moving T.R.

442 8/1/90 Linear scram due to physical shock to console 443 8/16/90 Linear scram due to physical shock to console 444 10/23/90 Linear scram due to physical shock to console V. Maior Maintenance Operations Maintenance items in CY'90 were relatively minor. A new watc; conductivity

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system was installed as part of the new digital console. This conductivity system has a readout at the instrument in room 149 and on-the new console status screen. In May, the cooling tower no :les were once again removed, inspected, cleaned, and reinstalled. Rust particles were found to be clogging a number of the no :les. After the maintenance, a hole was cut in the end of the cooling tower header pipe to allow flushing of the accumulated rust. A stub tube was attached to allow future flushing of the header pipe. Tnis cleaning resulted in a significant decrease in cooling tower header pressure was noted. Overall performance of the cooling tower continues to be satisfactory. Ion exchange resin was replaced once during the year, in June.

VI. Summary of 10 CFR 50.59 chances There were no 50.59 changes at the f acility during this report period. The i pending installation of a new control console will not be performed as a 50.59 l

change, bit will be installed after receiving the appropriate approval and i technical specifications changes from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The current schedule calls for the console to be installed in the spring of 1991.

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I-I a VII. Radioactivity Releases A. Listed below are the total amounts of radioactive gaseous effluents released to the environs beyond the effective control of the reactor i facility.

License (R-113) 10 CFR-20 Argon-41 Allowable Tritium (HTO) Allowable Month (Curies) (Curies) (ucuries) (Curies)

January 1989 1.12 5.8 126.3 0.25 February 1989 0.72 5.8 187.0 0.25 March 1989 0.80 5.8 205.9 0.25 ,

April 1989 0.99 5.8 140.0 0.25 May 1989 1.18 5.8 193.0 0.25 June 1989 1.02 5.8 238.0 0.25 July 1989 1.14 5.8 174.0 0.25 August 1989 1.02 5.8 151.0 0.25 September 1989 0.64 5.8 132.0 0.25 October 1989 0.69 5.8 181,0 0.25 November 1989 0.92 5.8 144.0 0.25 December 1989 1.18 5.8 233.0 0.25 Total 11.42 70.0 2105.2 uCi 3.00

% of allowable 16.3% 0.1%

Note #1: The argon activities reported are integrated values obtained from the facility's gaseous stack monitor. Calculated values have been substituted for measured values in the few instances when the monitoring system was down for maintenance or repair.

Note #2: The tritium concentrations are estimates based on the amount of watt.r lost by evaporation from the reactor multiplied by the concentration of tritium as HTO. Tritium sample analyses are being performed by Colorado State University.

B. About 132 liters of contaminated reactor water containing a total of 0.325 uC1 of 60Co were released into the Federal Center sewage system over a twelve month time period. This water was diluted by 3.4 x 106 gallons of sewage water.

C. Four 55-gal drums of low level solid waste and solidified' resin were shipped for burial in Nevada in 1990.

The total amount of radioactive waste released from the reactor facility during 1990 is estimated to be approximately 9.0 mC1.

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Note: The principal radioactive waste generated at the reactor f acility is the demineralizer resin - used resin with small quantities of rinse water is solidified with portland cement prior to release in 55-gallon drums.

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j VIII. Radiation'Honitorina  !

A. Our program to monitor and control radiation exposurescincluded.

the EfourLmajor elements below during the operating -year 1990.

.i E 1. Eighteen area monitors (17 gammas, 1 neutron) located throughout-the Nuclear Science Building.- To_ provide a-background signal,-a small checkL .

. source is attached to the scintillation detector. _High alarm _ set points' range;  !

from 2 mR/hr to 50 mR/hr. 'High level. alarms-have been infrequent) and are documented in appropriate Log Books.

2. One Continuous Air Monitor'(CAH), sampling the-air in the? reactor' 4 bay. An equilibrium concentration of 3.0 x-10-o_ uCi/ml present for two minutes will, result in an increase of 400 cpm above background. ;There:are two alarm set points. LA low-level' alarm is' set at 3,000. cpm,_and the high levelL alarm is set at 10,000' cpm'. -i Reactor bay air is sampled during all reactor. operations. The fixedi

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particulate. air filter is changed and counted daily on a Gamma products G4020 Low Level counting system. .The. charcoal filter,, fitted behincithe air filter, is changed and. counted weekly. 'In'all~' instances, final; sample calculations"' i show less than HPC- (10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B,. Table 11)~ concentrations for '

all isotopes in question in the reactor bay..

3. Contamination wipe . surveys _ and radiation surveys 1with portable :

survey instruments are performed 'at least 'once .a month. 'All portable n instruments are calibrated with a certified 3-Curie :Cs-137 : source and -wipes q are counted -on a Gamma Products G4020 Low Level counting system._

Monthly wipe tests in the Reactor Bay tindicated 1tc) areas aof :  ;

contamination in 1990. The first was located on alwork table top;and the .

second on the tool box table. The recorded. activities were 191and-~24'pC1/100 cm2 beta, respectively. Neither area'was greater than two' square feet ( The J roof hatch over the reactor bay,continuessto be roped'off and posted as,a radiation area (averaging 2.5.mR/h'r) during routine.1LHWr operations.-

l 4.-Personnel, X and gamma, beta:and?neutronJfilm badges.are assigned-l to all permanent occupants of the Nuclear-Science Building. CaSO4:Dy dosimeters have been used,at four outdoor environmental ~ stations. =--Reactor o facility visitors are issued L-49 self-reading _ dosimeters.

l personnel monitoring results are categorized below:

Rem-1990-Gamma Beta Neutron Reactor Staff Whole Body Cumulative Dose for Calendar Year (thru' 10-19-90)

. Highest 0.190 0.190 0.000

' Hands Cumulative Shallow Dose for Calendar Year Highest 0.000 0.000 0.000 4

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, Reactor Experimenters Whole Body Cumulative Dose for Celendar Year Highest 0.000 0.000 0.000 Hands Cumulative Dose for Calendar Year >

Highest 0.000 0.150 0.000 Reactor Visitors and Occasional Experimenters No individual reading was greater than 6 mrem.

Environmental Stations Rem 1990 Exhaust Stack O.1520 West 0.0048 Southwest 0.0000 Southeast 0.0000 IX. Environmental Monitorino Pursuant to reactor procedures, soil and water samples are collected every second year. Environmental soil and water samples were collected in 1990.

Thirteen (13) off-site soil samples encompassing a 4 mile radius of the Denver Federal Center and thirteen (13) on site samples from a grid layout of the Federal Center grounds were taken. All soil samples were analyzed by Colorado State University (CSU) using the gamma spectroscopy method.

Six (6) water samples were collected from lakes, ponds and streams surrounding and within the Federal Center. These samples were analyzed by Barringer Labs for gross alpha and beta activity.

There have been no uncontrolled radioactivity releases from the reactor to the present date. Thus, the data on file from past years to the present are considered to be background information.

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