ML20072D195
| ML20072D195 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Washington State University |
| Issue date: | 06/30/1994 |
| From: | Tripard G WASHINGTON STATE UNIV., PULLMAN, WA |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9408180248 | |
| Download: ML20072D195 (9) | |
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] WashingtonStateUniversity ENTI Nxwe nd um Center PU mn.WA 93164-1300 5094M-8641 F AX S09-~135-4433 August 8,1994 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76
Dear Sir:
In accordance with the Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 and the provisions of 10 i
CFR 50.59, paragraph (6), the attached Annual Report prepared by Jerry A. Neidiger, Reactor Supervisor of the WSU facility,is hereby submitted. The report covers the period July 1,1993 to June 30,1994.
Sincerely,
/nft Gerald E. Tripard Director GPT/pw i
Enclosure cc:
J. A. Neidiger NRC, Region IV, Office of Regional Adminstrator American Nuclear Insurers
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PDR ADOCK 05000027 ili n
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ANNUAL, REPORT ON TIIE OPERATION OF TIIE WASIIINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY TRIGA REACTOR Facility License R 76 for the Reporting Period of July 1,1993 to June 30,1994 1
A.
Narrative Summary of the Year's Oneration 1.
Operating Experience The Washington State University Reactor has accumulated 413 Megawatt hours on Core 33-X hours during the reporting period. A total of 264 irradiations for a total of 5902 samples were performed. In addition,23 pulses greater than $1.00 of reactivity addition were perfonned during this reporting period. The quarterly operations summaries are shown in Table I, section B., below.
2.
There were no changes in design, performance characteristics, or procedures that related to reactor safety during the reporting period.
3.
All surveillance tests and requirements were performed and completed within the prescribed time period. The results of all inspections revealed no abnonnalities.
11.
Enernv and Cumulative Outout i
The quarterly operations summaries are given in Table I below.
TABLEI Fiscal Year Summary of Reactor Operations J-A-S O-N-D J-F-M A M-J TOTALS Ilours of Operation 140 148 92 107 478 Megawatt flours 123 126 76 88 413 No. of Irradiations 68 61 55 80 264 No. of Samples Irradiated 1770 900 1426 1806 5902 No. Pulses > $1.00 5
7 2
9 23 I
The cumulative energy output since criticality of the TRIGA core since 1967 is 727 Megawatt Days, The mixed core of FLIP and Standard fuels installed in 1976 has accumulated 461 Megawatt Days.
C.
Emergency Shutdowns and Inadvertent Scrams There were no emergency shutdowns that occurred during the reporting period. The dates and causes of the 4 inadvertent SCRAMS are listed in Table 11 on page 2.
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TABLE II Inadvertent SCRAMS j
i DA1E CAUSE 12/07 S 3 Operator error while up-scaling Safety Channel #1.
02/24 S 4 Operator trainee error. Exceeded Safety Channel #2 set-point (118%) during i
startup.
04/25 S 4 No Indication. Building power fluctuations due to high winds.
05/26S 4 Power spike on Safety Channel #1 during pulsing operations.
D.
Maior Maintenance 09/30 S 3 Replacement of Liquid Waste Tank discharge pump.
All other major maintenance performed was routine planned maintenance items.
E.
Changes. Tests and Exneriments 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 modification to satisfy Technical Specification requirement 6.5 and 6.6 for Quality
- Assurance criteria. On 03/14/94, the Reactor Pool Room ventilation system indication was relocated to the reactor console auxiliary equipment rack and the ventilation system control panel was removed from the reactor control room and relocated in the reactor pool room.
F.
Radioactive Effluent ' Discharges 1.
Radioactive Liquid Releases A total of 49.67 microcuries was released in 1,474,874 liters of lic uid during the reporting period. This yields an average release concentration of liquid waste of 3.37x10'8 microcuries per milliliter. The monthly releases are listed in Table til on page 3.
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TABLE III Radioactive Liquid Releases
- Quantity, Concentration, Percent
- Volume, Month uCi uCi/ml Release LimitW Liters 1
l Jul.(1992) 29.19 3.08x 10'8 7.7 958,324 Aug.
14.25 1.97x10'8 49.3 72,403 Sep.
No Release Oct.
2.94 3.54x10 8 8.9 82,927 4
Nov.
0.21 4.15x10 1.0 51,537 Dec.
No Release Jan.(1993)
No Release 4
Feb.
0.98 8.34x10 41.7 116,933 Mar.
0.68 1.74x10~8 87.0 39,348 Apr.
0.96 1.15x 10~8 57.5 83,436 May.
No Release Jun.
0.46 5.70x 10*
28.5 9,967 i
4 (1) Based on a release limit of 4.0x10 uCi/ml for unknown mixture 10 CFR 20, Table 1, Column 2 for July through December,1993.
Release limit of 2.0x10'8 uCi/ml for unknown mixture,10 CFR 20 Table 3 used effective January 1,1994.
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2.
Radioactive Gaseous Release During the reporting period, no significant quantity of any gaseous or particulate material with a half-life greater that eight days was released.
During the reporting period, at no time did the Argon-41 release exceed 20% of the Effluent Release Limit.
A total of 3.64 Curies of Argon-41 was released in 5.86x10" cc of air, which yields an average monthly concentration of Argon-41 of 6.20x10'8 uCi/cc. The monthly releases are summarized in Table IV on page 4.
t 3
TABLE IV Monthly Argon-41 Releases Conc. Before
% Release Limit ("
Quantity Month Dilution, uCi/mi Before Dilution mci Jul.(l992) 7.70x 10'8 3.1 385 Aug.
6.51x 10'8 2.6 325 Sep.
5.58x 10-8 2.2 270 Oct.
7.30x 10'8 2.9 365 Nov.
8.20x 10'8 3.3 397 Dec.
4.83x 10'8 19 241 Jan.(l993) 4.09x 10'8 1.6 204 Feb.
6.30x 10'8 2.5 285 Mar.
6.85x 10'8 2.7 342 Apr.
4.95x 10'8 2.0 2 10 May 5.01 x 10~8 2.0 250 Jun.
6.86x 10*
2.7 332
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Based on 10 CFR 20 air reference level release concentration limit of 1.0x10'8 uCi/ml for " Ar (Table 2, Col.1), and a dilution factor of 4.0x 10(S. A.R. 6.4.2) for a before dilution limit of 2.5 x 10 uCi/cc. (20% of limit is 5.0x10 uCi/ml).
3.
Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal The four (4) solid waste shipments transferred to Thomas Gray & Associates for disposal during the reporting period, are listed in Table V below.
TABLE V Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal Shipments DNm ACTIVITY in millicuries VOLUME in Cubic Feet 12/01/93 1.136 7.5 compacted 12/01/93 0.006 10.0 non-compacted 02/10/94 0.001 12.0 non-compacted 04/21/94 0.001 22.0 non-compacted G.
Personnel and Visitor Radiation Exo'.sures The average quarterly exposures of Nuclear Radiation Center reactor staff and experimenters who routinely utilize the W.S.U. reactor are given in Table VI on page 5. The maximum quarterly exposure of one individual, who is a reactor staff member and who routinely prepares irradiated samples for shipment and calibrates radiation survey meters, was 40 millirem, whole body.
A total of 2339 non-Nuclear Radiation Center staff or routine facility user individuals visited the Center during the reporting period, out of which 1026 enter Restricted Areas. As 4
d determined by digital pocket dosimeter and an exposure recorded, the average individual exposure was <l.0 millirem.
A total of 32 group tours. consisting of 417 individuals, visited the Center during the reporting period. As determined by digital pocket dosimeter and an exposure recorded, the average group exposure was <l.0 millirem.
TAllLE VI Average Quarterly Reactor and Experimenter Staff Exposure (in millirem)
Jul Aug-Sep Oet-Nov-Dec Jan.Feb-Mar Apr4 fay-Jun")
7.1 5.7 2.5 8.6
- 0) June's film badge results not available from the vendor at the time this report was prepared.
. Note: 10 mR minimum exposure reported by vendor, 11,
Enctor Facility Radiation and Contamination Levels The routine area radiation surveys of the building in non-reactor vital areasW had an average dose level of 0.025 mRAir., while routinely accessible reactor vital areas had an average
- dose level of 0.048 mRAlr. The highest average dose level in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 0.090 mRAir., which occurred in Room 201, Reactor Pool Room, South side. The lowest average dose in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 0.020 mRA-fr., which occurred in Room 201 A, the Reactor Shop area. The average dose in the Reactor Control Room was 0.030 t
mRhir. The average dose in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 0.080 mRAlt. The highest average on site dose level was 8.06 mRAir. which occurred in Room 2A, Cave Room, which is a locked storage area where radioactive material and radioactive sources are stored.
Routine building surveys for removable contamination in non-reactor vital areasm had an average level of 1.55x10'8 uCi/cm, while the average level in the reactor vital areas was 1.46x10 a 2
2 2
uCi/cm. The highest average value in the reactor vital areas was 14.00x10-8 uCi/cm which was found on the platform where experimenters stand to insert and withdraw their samples from the reactor The lowest average value in the reactor vital areas was 0.73x10'8 uCi/cm' which was in Room 201, the Reactor Room Floor. The average lev I of removable contamination in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 12.66x10'8 uCi/cm i
W A non reactor vital area is an area in the building where radioactive materials are used or stored but which is not a part of the License reactor facility.
i 1.
Environmental Monitoring Program The environmental monitoring program uses thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD's) at locations both near and at distances around the reactor building facility. The quarterly exposures in j
the vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center are listed in Table VII on page 6. The average ambient gamma radiation levels for this area (80 mile radius) is 243 uRem/ day as reported in the 30th Annual Repoit of the Environmental Radiation Program, Washington State Department of Health, Environmentalllcalth Program, Table A-12, page 131.
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s The values observed indicate there is no significant effect on the environment radiation levels due to reactor operation.
TAllLE VII Environmental Radiation Levels in the Vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center")
(Exposure in uR/ day)
Jul-Aug-Sep Oet-Nov-Dec Jan Feb-Mar Apr May-Jun Median 165 177 138
- * *<2 3 160 U) For sampling stations located 25 meters or greater from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
'2' Apr-May-Jun TLD results not available from vendor at the time this report was prepared.
Quarterly exposures at locations at the reactor facility are listed in Table VIII below. No significant effect on the environmental radiation levels by reactor operation was noted.
TAllLE Vill 0
Environmental Radiation Levels Adjacent to the Nuclear Radiation Center )
(Exposure in uR/ day)
Location Jul-Aug Sep Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb Mar Apr-May-Jun Median E. Loading Dock 203 203 188
- <2>
198 Rad. Storage Shed 246 203 306 252 Pool Rm Truck Door 261 215 271 249 Cooling Tower Fence 159 177 165 167 Liquid Waste Tank 159 190 165 171 Building Roof West 101 165 no reading 133 Buildine W. Side 174 215 188 192 Pool Room Exh. Vent 101 152 106 120 Pool Room W. Vent (3) 348 316 259 108 Pool Room E. Vent 203 215 176 198 Building Roof East 101 165 129 132 S. Bldg. Entrance 174 177 176 176 1
(" For sampling stations located less that 25 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.
(2) Apr May Jun TLD results not available from vendor at the time this report was prepared.
(3) Pool Room West Vent. TLD on roof, directly above reactor core.
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 6
g b
s 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 98 uR/ day, while the average total radiation level at the closest extended occupied area 930 meters away was 102 uR/ day. This yields a ratio of -4.8%, indicating no exposure level above natural background.
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J.
ALARA Program As part of the new 10 CFR 20 regulations we have implemented a new Radiation Protection Program. In this program we have a section entitled ALARA program. The purpose of this program is to reduce radiation exposure to as low a level that is socially, technically,and economically practical. There have been a number of activities implemented over the last year that are related to our commitment to ALARA.
1.
We have redesigned the sign-in sheet for people entering the facility in order to monitor where they are going and what they are df ig more carefully.
2.
We have added 5 more TLDs to our environmental monitoring program to make sure there are no unexpected or unintended radiation levels around the facility.
3.
We are in the process of adding two new security fences excluding the public from access to locations near the building where the radiation levels are slightly above backpound. One has been completed and the other is under construction.
4.
We have made and are continuing to make training videos for facility personnel covering routine and emergency procedures involving radioactive materials.
5.
We are making a special effort to optimize the shielding design for a new BNCT treatment facility that may be added to he reactor fulfilling our program step 3.f.
heading," Radiological design as an integral aspect of facility and experiment 4
Jesign."
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] Washington State University E Nuckser lhut.ibon Cen!ei l'ulknan, WA 99 f 61-1300 509 335 864I f AX S09 335 4433 August 8,1994 Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-8064 Re: Docket No. 50-27; Facility License R-76
Dear Sir:
In accordance with the Technical Specifications for Facility License R-76 and the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59, paragraph (6), the attached Annual Report prepared by Jerry A. Neidiger, Reactor Supervisor of the WSU facility, is hereby submitted. The report covers the period July 1,1993 to June 30,1994.
Sincerp.
ey" Gerald E. Tripard Diirctor j
GET/pw Enclosure cc:
J.A. Neidiger American Nuclear Insurers
/U.S. NRC, Document Control Desk l