ML20071E846

Berkeley Research Reactor Annual Rept of Operations for 1982

ML20071E846
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Site:	Berkeley Research Reactor
Issue date:	03/08/1983
From:	Lim T CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, BERKELEY, CA
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ML20071E838	List: ML20071E835 ML20071E846
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NUDOCS 8303140339
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NUCLEAR EZINEERING RFACTOR IABORA1 DRY TRIGA MARK 111 FACILITY llNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, Calli:0RNIA BERKELEY RESFARCII RFACTOR ANNtJAL REPORT OF 0FERATIONS January 1,1982 through Ilecember 31, 1982 (BRR Technical Specifications 6.7.2) lir. Tek II. Lim Reactor Supervisor 8303140339 830308 PDR ADOCK 05000224 R PDR

-1 BERKELEY RESEARCil REACTOR OPERATIONS,1982 Reactor Use The Berkeley Research Reactor (BRR) is a TRIGA h! ark III facility capable of producing 1 AM steady state and of pulsing to 1300 BM peak power. The Berkeley Research Reactor is a research and educa-tional tool af the University of California, is located on the Berkeley Campus and is operated by the Department of Nuclear lingineering.

Besides being used by the Department of Nuclear Engineering it is used by other departments and campuses of the University, by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and is available to Universities and Colleges in the area. The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is operated by the University of California under contract from the Department of Energy.

In addition the Berkeley Research Reactor is used as an irradiation source for service to industry contracts and provides a stimulant to touring and interested high school and college students.

Experiments Performed Table I lists the experiments which were performed in the Berkeley Research Reactor during the year 1982. A total of 27 different experiments were perfonned. Six new experiments were approved be-tween January 1 and December 31, 1982. The last eclumn in Table I illustrates the number of times each experiment was performed.

Table I. Experiments Performed at the Berkeley Research Reactor in 1982 .

Experiment Title Principal Investi- Dept. or No. of

1. Class Obj ective Facility gator, Experimenter Companyl ) Runs 13 A Staff operation of reactor, cali- any, all Lim NE 12 brations, demonstations, etc.

188 B Determination of fission yield Lazy Susan Prussin NT 1 196 A A short term activation analysis Central Thimble Asaro, Michel DOE 122 study on archaeological artifacts 199 A Study of the Characteristics of Pool Lim NE 2 Compensated Ion-Chamber 221 A Determination of nickel impurity Central 'Ihimble Prussin, Cann NE 1 in F 0 by activation analysis 23 273 A Origin of pottery Central Thimble Asaro, Michel DOE 9 274 A Irradiation of Ethylene Dibromide Lazy Susan Sonorjai, Angeles Chemistry 2 275 B Electronic components test Exposure Room Young, et al IMSC 94 280 A Production of Co-60m Lazy Susan Prussin, Markeint: NE 1 281 A Production of Au-198 Lazy Susan Prussin, Markowit: NE 1 282 A Production of P-32 Lazy Susan Prussin, Markowit: NE 1 283 A Irradiation of household Lazy Susan Prussin, Cann NE 5 Aluminum foil

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Experiments Performed at the Berkeley Research Reactor in 1982 Table I.

Experiment Title Principal Investi- Dept. or No. of

1. Class Objective Facility gator, Experimenter Companyl ) Runs 284 A Reactor power calibration and Pool Lim NE 4 Xenon buildup 303 A Sfagnitude and Shape of Central Central Thimble Lim NE 2 Thimble Flux 305 A Reactivity North of Control Rods all Lim NE 2 306 B Graphite Prism and Thermal Column Thermal Column Ruby, Lim NE 2 Experiment 313 A Activation Analysis of Biological Central Thimble Lim, Cann NE 1 31aterials in the Central Thimble 315 A Activation Analysis of Biological Lazy Susan Lim, Cann NE 1 31aterials in the La y Susan 349 A Trace Soditmi Identification Lazy Susan Ruby NE/ DOE 2 351 B Neutron Tracks Studies in Lexan Ilohlratn No11enberg, Lim DOE 1 1

354 A Irradiation of Environmental Samples Central Thimble lieft, Lim DOE 11 356 A Detemination of Uranita in hiineral Lazy Susan Price, Lim Physics 3 Samples 358 B Calibration of neutron detectors Themal Colten Lim,Sforgan DOE 4 in the flohlraum 4

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Experiments Performed at the Berkeley Research Reactor in 1982 Table I.

Experiment Titic Principal Investi- Dept. o No. of

1. Class Obj ective Facility gator, Experimenter Company {) Runs 359 A Activation of Ho-165 Lazy Susan Prussin, Gregorich NE/ DOE 1 360 A Irradiation of Evaporated Gold Lazy Susan Lim, Storita NE/ DOE 1 361 B Irradiation of Natural or Depleted Lazy Susan Prussin, Bayen NE 11 Uranium in Ceramic Form 362 A Production of Lutecium-177g Lazy Susan Seaborg, Gregorich NE/ DOE 1

1) Chem: Department of Chemistry, University of California Berkeley DOE: Department of Energy, U.S.A.

131SC: Lockheed blissiles 4 Space Co.

NE: Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California Berkeley Physics: Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley 5

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l Reactor Alaintenance A new replacement of the count rate electronic unit of the Berkeley Research Reactor air particulate monitor was installed. Also routine maintenance, minor repair and modification, testing and inspection as required by the Tech Specs were performed during 1982.

10 CFR 50.59 Changes There were no changes in 1982 that required review under 10 CFR 50.59.

Routine Tests and Calibrations Thermal power calibrations were performed in May and December 1982.

The constant Air Monitor was calibrated during the month of January and October 1982.

The Reactor Pool h'ater Radiation Monitor was calibrated in June 1982 and the Area Radiation Monitors were calibrated in July 1982 while the Stack Gas Argon-41 Monitor was calibrated in September 1982.

Operating Schedule The Berkeley Research Reactor normally operates on a single 8 hour9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> shift between 8 Ni and 5 IM, Monday through Friday. One day every two weeks is set aside for routine monthly checks and maintenance. Extended reactor runs and overtime operation are allowed if required by the experi-mental program.

Fuel Addition and Fuel Inventory There were no fuel additions in 1982. The annual fuel element inventory was performed in June 1982.

Energ Production and Fuel 11orn-up The Berkeley Research Reactor produced 118,673 kW-hours or 4.94 MW-days of energy during 1982. As there were 173 operating days in 1982 this corresponds to an average daily energy production of 686 kW-hours per operating day. In 1982 the Berkeley Research Reactor was critical approximately 205 hours0.00237 days <br />0.0569 hours <br />3.38955e-4 weeks <br />7.80025e-5 months <br /> and was operated at full power (1 SM) for approximately 103 hours0.00119 days <br />0.0286 hours <br />1.703042e-4 weeks <br />3.91915e-5 months <br />. The total burn-up in 1982 was 5.3 grams elemental and 6.2 grams of isotope 11-235.

The total ctriulative energy production since initial criticality was approximately 263 MW-days.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection Respectively in January and May of 1982 inspections of the l'erkeley Research Reactor operations and safety were performed by the Nuclear Regulatory Coninission Region V office. No items of noncompliance to the Technical Specifications and Nuclear Regulatory Commission regu-lations were found during both inspections.

(Jpgraded F2nergency Response Plan On October 26, 1982, the Berkeley Research Reactor's upgraded Bnergency Response plan was sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for approval.

Operating Procedures The following new and revised operating and safety procedures were introduced in 1982:

Appendix #7 Jan., 1982 Stackgas Monitor Source Test to NERL 27 Appendix #8 Feb., 1982 Low Pool Water Level to NERL 27 Alarm Testing Procedure Appendix #9 Feb., 1982 Bulk Water Temperature to NERL 27 Alana Testing Procedure NERL 16 Feb., 1982 Procedure for Fuel Loading, linloading, Measurement and Control Rod Remova1 and Replacement (Revised)

In addition NERL-7, 8, 9,15,16, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33 and the llerkeley Research Reactor Security Plan were reviewed by the reactor staff in August of 1982.

I Fmergency Shutdowns and Inadvertent Scrams Date Scram Circuit Reason ' ,

7-13-82 Period Scram Operator Error (Operator training) 8-4-82 Period Scram Operator lirror (Operator training) ..

8-31-82 Linear Power Operator Error (Operator training)

Scram 8-31-82 Linear Power Operator Error (Operator training)

Scram Operators Training In October 1982 two reactor operators passed the Nuclear Regulatory ,

Commission Reactor Operators examination.

Requali fication Training Program In accordance with regulations a successful requalification written examination was given to licensed operators and senior operators in November 1982.

ILxercise Routine security and emergency evacuation exercises were perfonned during the months of June and December 1982. Iloth the reactor staff and campus police participated in the drills, In addition a special training tour for the llerkeley Fire Department and the Campus Fire Marshal, including his staff, was given in July of 1982.

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Radioactive liffluent Released or Shipped Liquid h'aste All liquid waste from the facility was picked up by Campus Environmental llealth f i Safety personnel for disposal in accordance with their regula-tions. All waste was in one gallon glass jugs.

31aterial shipped included:

6-9-82 1 gal. 1.0 gram Il-nat No liquid waste was discharged to the sewer, stom drain or other location in the envi ronment from this facility in 1982.

Gaseous Waste All scous wai.te discharged was calculated as Ar-41, since studies in

,the hast have sl:ot8no other significant radionuclides.

Total curies released was 2.98 Ci as Ar-41.

~9 Average concentration at stack mouth was 3.3 x10 pCi/ml.

This concentration is 0.0011 of allowahle maximum concentration for this

-6 facility of 3.12 x 10 Ci/ml or maximtun permitted release of 2,785 Ci.

31aximten concentration noted was 3.6 x 10~ pCi/ml which is 0.12 of the permitted average concentration at the release point.

Filter paper air sampics showed no particulate radioactivity was released via exhaust stream.

No part iculate radicactivity concent rations above natural 1y occurring, values were' detected.

7 Salid (Dry) Waste All solid (dry) waste was picked up by Campus Environmental llcalth and Sa fet personnel for disposal i accordance with their regulations.

Stater.ial .ahipped included:

6d-82 10 f t' 14.2kg il-nat + 0.2 mci miscellaneous activation products No salid-waste was released to the environment.

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Personnel Radiation Exposures Recorded radiation exposures to personnel included:

a. Facility personnel (routine users of dosimeters)

Slaximum total exposure to an individual - 255 mrem Slinimum total exposure to an individual - O mrem Note: Forty individuals were assigned dosimeters; only one individual incurred any recorded exposure,

b. Visitors (non-routine dosimeter users)

Staximum total exposure to any individual - 45 mrem (90 entries)

Blinimtun total exposure to any individual - O mrem Average total exposure to any individual - 0.12 mrem Note: Approximately 885 entrees were made by 640 individuals.

74 positive results were recorded for 14 individuals.

Two individuals incurred total recorded exposures exceeding 25 nrem/ year each; no other exceeded 10 mrem / year.

Staximum exposure for any entry was 4 mrem.

c. There were no exposures in excess of 10 CFR 201imiis.

There were three persons for whom dosimeters were required by provisions of 10 CFR 20 (entry into high radiation area).

Radiation and Contamination Levels

a. Routine monthly meter surveys generated 384 individual radiation readings.

Slaximtun reading observed was 120 mrem /hr.

51inimum reading observed was O mrem /hr.

Average of readings is meaningless due to abnonnal influence of one high doserate area out of 26 locations routinely surveyed.

b. Routine area quarterly film dosimeters at 27 locations generated 108 readings, routine area monthly dosimeters at 3 locations generated 36 readings.

Staximtun readings observed - 960 mrem (monthly location) 700 mrem (quarterly " )

Slinimica readings observed - O mrem (monthly location)

O mrem (quarterly )

e blaximtun annual acetunulated - 4950 mrem (monthly location) 2180 mrem (quarterly )

Average dose is meaningless due to excessive influence of a few positions.

c. Routine quarterly area TLD dosimeter readings totalled 16.

blaximtun total dose at any location for the period was 7 mrem.

blinimtun total dose at any location for the period was O mrem.

Average total dose at any location for the period was 1.8 mrem.

Period reported for film and TI.D is 2-1-82 through 1-31-83.

d. Routine weekly swipe program generated 2040 swipes, of which 14 showed contamination above normally expected level.

blaximtun swipe activities recorded was 1500 cts / min from normally contaminated surfaces, 316 cts / min from not-nonnally-contaminated sur faces .

hiinimtun activities for both categories was zero.

Averages were not determined.

Environmental Surveys Environmental TLD measurements at eleven locations outside the facility generated 44 radiation readings.

31aximimi total recorded exposure at any location for the period was 311 mrem.

311nimum total recorded exposure at any location was O mrem.

Average recorded exposure for the eleven locations was 57 mrem.

Note that the period reported was 2-1-82 through 1-31-83.

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