ML20077L204

Annual Operations Rept for Iowa State Univ Research Reactor for Jul 1990 to June 1991

ML20077L204
Person / Time
Site:	University of Iowa
Issue date:	06/30/1991
From:	Hendrickson R IOWA STATE UNIV., AMES, IA
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9108120127
Download: ML20077L204 (5)

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IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY """""*""',""

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\ t. It si l t ' g l1 H t' f t h (, j '! . *f i l f fi l' y _% in \' e'  ! I' Li t t Ii(I s! ed' ws i mo - .n u e m .w ,v Docket No. 50-115 Ref: 10 CFR 50.7)(a)

August 5, 1991 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTH: Document Contiol Desk Washir.gton, DC 205SS Dear Stre Enclosed with this letter is the Annual Operations Report for the Iowa State l'niversity research reactor. The period covered by this report is from July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1991.

Eincerely, f 8 3rtebu b %

Richard A. llendrickson Reactor Manager EncIosure C: Arrarican Nuclear lasurers R. A. Danofsky, Facility Dir6ctor R. A. Jacobson, Chm. , Rhdlation Saf ety Cam.

T. H. Okilshi, Chm., Mechanical Engineerleg Dept.

E. E. Jobottka, Dir., Envirerenental liealth & Saf ety Dept.

's. I., Z ininerman, Chm. , Reactor Use Comm.

US NRC, Region 111.

0109t20127 otose;n

{DR ADOCK O'J.iocoi 16 PDR

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ANNUAL OPERATIONS REPORT for the Iowa State University Research Reactor Docket No. 50-116 July 1, 1900 -- June 30, 1991 This is a routine operations report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.6 of the Technical Specifications, Appendix A to Operating License R-59,

1. SMUEtary of reactor operatingjyattjence includino the entrov oroducfd DY_.lh2_I1Ag19L1, The reactor is operated in support of undtegraduate and graduate tes:hing laboratories and graduate student research in the nuclear engineering program.

Three dif ferent coursen, required for all sophomores and Juniors in the nuclear engineering curriculum, provided hands-on laboratory experience and sample Irradiation services during during fall and spring semesters. A graduate-level course that ured the reactor extensively at low power levels was of fered in the f all, and during spring semester a group of seniors vorked with scientists from the ISU Center for Hondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) at the thermal column facility.

The senior group used the thermal column f acility to design, erect. (qd evaluate shielding for a thermal neutron beam al.d gamma ray detector usert to examine prompt gamma emission frc'a materials of interest at CNDE. The '

operating data for thic project were categor.lzed as undergraduate teaching or research, as appropriate. This project was responsible for the large increase i in the 1990-91 energy production canpared with recent expertence.

During the period Jul 1,1990 - Jun 30,1991, a total of 227 kilowatt-hours of energy production and 222 hours0.00257 days <br />0.0617 hours <br />3.670635e-4 weeks <br />8.4471e-5 months <br /> of operation were recorded. Last year's numbers were 85 kWh and 198 hours0.00229 days <br />0.055 hours <br />3.27381e-4 weeks <br />7.5339e-5 months <br />. Since initial criticality in 1959, the cumulative kilowatt-hours are 7324 and the cumulative operations hours are 8674. A percentage breakdown by operations categories '1

- shown below. (Minor errors were found in the categccles of research and operator training in the 1989-91 report. Reported and corrected entiles for 89-90 are shown. )

Annua! Operations Report for R-59 ... Page i nf 4

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" Table 1. Allocation of energy production and operations time, in percent.

Eesearch Teaching Maintenance Operator Service Grad U-grad Training Energy (%)

89-90 report 27.1 1.5 2fi. 5 26.5 16.3 0.0 89-90 correct 32.6 1.5 26.6 28.5 10,0 0.0 90-91 47.0 0.1 44.5 8.3 0.1 0.0 1

Time (%)

89-90 report 19.4 13.1 33.6 9.9 24.0 0.0 89-90 correct 20.7 13.2 33.6 9.9 22.6 0.0 t 90-91 17.7 10.0 29.1 29.3 13.1 0.0 The-large share of time allocated to maintenance this past year is due to SRO supervision of de-fueling the reactor and disassembly of all the high-enrichmeet uranium (HEU)-fuel elements in May 1991. All HEU wse stored in bundles of plates in the fuel storage pite. The laot day of opt ration ,

using hEU fuel was on May 2, 1991,

2. lLnseh edu 1 e d shu t downa i n e 1 u d inga.JettcrA_.ap.nlig.gl11AE.ee t 1 y e... fig 11gn 1.gjgta._to ereclude_ recutfracti There uta one unscheduled shutdown during the reporting parlod. ,

o One aatontatic shutdown occurred (Oct 25, 1990) when t.he high-level moderator channel sensed a brief differentla( pressure increase because the renctor technician was attempting to draw a sample of primary coolant 'for monthly analysis. Although the level-reasuring ,

channel will trip when a pressure increase equivalent to 5' of water, or more, occurs wht!e the coolant is at the operating level, an experienced technician can operate the sample valve without ca'; sing a scram. The reactor facility was secured and later rentarted without incident.

3. MaJoe orf,YC.Dt ive and g.grf,gslive maintfJ10AC.t DRfrations havino safety ,

slanificancti After the fuel was removed from the reactor corn in early May, a m4)or effort was started to inspect, clean, replace, and repaint 6e needed,_

l L components and experlmant facilities. These projects were revleved 3nd i

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' Annual Operations Report for P 59 ... Page 2 of 4

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spproved by the React (x Usi Cortnittee, In all cases, baalth phyales personnel performed rediation surveys, monitored areas and personnel, and cave approval for working in all radiation environmentt*.

r' The ahleid tank facility, an all-conctete tank S' x 6' x R 5', was '

r drained, cleaned, and repainted with two coats of an epoxy the tank was refilled with a fresh batch of demineralized water after the epoxy ,

cure-time had expired. After mora than thirty years of servicr, the old paint was beginning to shw signs or f 6!!ure, eepecially on the aluminum  :

plate that is the interf ace t)etween the tank and the graphite duct from the core region.

o All of the steel surfaces of the operating and shutdown shield closures and plugs, and the Interior of the cavity above the core region wue cleaned, orepared, and painted with an epoxy. The old rust-Inhibilar paint was ,

ilaking leaving truait areas bare, mostly due to wear and tear durIng movements' of shcici parts. Residue f run wet-sanding these surf aces was #

ac31tered for radioactivity by health physics personnel.

o All in-core components of the control rods systems -- drive shafts, '

bearingt.. couplings, Boral plates and sheaths, und reel subassemblies --

were inspected, photographed, and f ound to be in excellent condition.

o The steam flow controller for the dump tank heater uas replaced with a new unit that should provide better tempriature selection and control of (be dump tank ttwperature. Thle new syW,tm should improve the etability af the heat source so that measurements of moderator teciperature coef ficient and thermal power output will be letra influenced by systematic errers. .

Operatannal testing had not begun oefore the end of th!e report!ny rirled.

4. hlff chanocq in the reactor lacilIty and_ oroceMurP.2uand new,,tignot ,

noeriments. or both. that are s12ft.lficantiv dif ferent from these pittormd.,previousiv and are not dogeribed in the Sdety AnalyALt Fagprt . _includino conclusione that no imttylggg_,at,dtty_c';gitigELutra involved: -

There was one major change to the f acility unen all Hell fuel elements were removed from the-core, disassembled, and stored. The reactor van last operated with HEU fuel on May 2,19Yl. Proceduren for the transfer and l -disassembly were reviewed and approved by the Reactor Use Committee. The L ComnMtee concluded that no unterleved safety questions were involved.

Low-enrichment uranium fust will be loaded for the initial startup program after July 1, 1991.

t-S. f.Vm0LY RLLba.Adure and amcunt eLrm11oAguys.,ef fluents reieasAd_nn ILIEGt1ALGtILtA.,Qr environs beyon4.1ht Af feet 1ye G9ALIQ1.DL.lht M31MftEl.LLALdderttilned at et,,,bef ore the _ colnt of _tratti rglease..qt

'disebergy. (Indiggd. to the exynt oractlea1 _are.patJmfAa.,91

• ll)dividgal- rad!pracildte present.,,Ja,.thc_,gif luent. If the estJmdasi ,

AY.tCA E Jeleast Alter dilu(Lon..or.d1L(usion is less than 25 oercent,p,[

.ht.ngagggtdiqpy allowed pt I1qpamended. a stAlgmgAt 1Lttds ef f ect ILync1!.

1 Annual Operatints Report f or R-59 ... Page 3 of 4 l

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4 Argon-41: The technical specification llinits on release of this '

radionuclide to the environs are based on weekly (up to 100 kVh) and annual (up to 4760 kWh) energy production of the reactor. The opereting recccce show that less than 25% of the cencentration alicued wrs releaced to t% environs. $

s Otherst No (neasurable amounts of other radicactive af fluents were released to the environs.

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L SWWJJ.Ltd It.1nfi ts of.tD.y 1Dvironmed.a.Laurveys perf orrand..w.t;Lbn_ tat facilitn i

No environtoental surveys outside the f acility were required to be performed since the trip;er level, based on surveys inside the f acility, was 1 not exceeded.

[ 7. sum 1/1tY 2f excomares receivid hv f aclllttpetappnel and vb.h.or?&r.,t gtich gyansures are oreatee than 25 otr.Cfpt of that alLQVid_QL ttrdMttAdtd1 f6 facility personnel or visitore had exposures greater than 25 percent of snat allowed or recommended.

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