ML20085H058

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Monthly Operating Rept for Oct 1967 for Saxton Nuclear Experimental Corp
ML20085H058
Person / Time
Site: Saxton File:GPU Nuclear icon.png
Issue date: 10/31/1967
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SAXTON NUCLEAR EXPERIMENTAL CORP.
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FOIA-91-17 NUDOCS 9110280120
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. SAXTJ! UUC%H *,;12 tit""M

  • CT.PENI,0Tj, Oncrations Her,ert for October 1967 O 1. C'2M RA L At the beginning of this report period the reactor was in a cold shutdown condition in continuation of the pinnt oatage begun on September 15, 1967.

The period October 2nd through October 5th was devoted primarily to the handling of core subasocablies. Fuel subassembly #503-4-27, fi.cl subaosambly #503-4-2, the nine thimble assmbly containing flux oscillator rod #2, and the STP test loop unfueled pressure tube, were removed from reactor core positions N-5, N-3, N-2 and N- rccpoetively and placed in otorage. Tuel rods #783 and #784 were rmoved from fuel subanaembly J503-4-27 and wers inserted in the burnable poison test oubasocmbly 1003-4-29. Tne pH test oubassembly #503 4-28 (Change No. 27), the burnable poison tent suoassenbly #503-4-29 (Change No. 28), flux oscillator rod at sembly #3 (Change Report No 23), and a fueled pressure tube for the STP test loop were installed in core pot.itions N-3, N-5, N.2 and N-4 respectively.

On Octoner 10th maintenana.e woak was pet fomed on the pressurizer relief valves, V-372 ar.J V-373 New springs were installid, the stems were checked for straightness, and the seat ari disc in each valve wsre lapped. A servico engineer for the manufacturer of the valves wan pre =cnt for De work.

Fil]ing and venting of the main coolant systm and precsure testing it to 500 psi was completed on October 13th. Heat-up to 500 F usirg the main coolant pump and the pressurizer heaters as heat sources was coupleted on October 15th. On October 16th, while the pressure on the main coolant system was being raised to set O- the popping pressure of the pressurizer relief vtaves, a leak developed at an inntnnent fitting on the pH test subassembly. A oystem cooldown wss required to gain access to and repair the leaking fitting. Reheat of the main coolant system to 5000F using the pump and preocurizer heaters was empleted on October 18th.

Pressurizor relief valves V-372 and V-373 were set and eatisfactorily tested on October 18th and 19th.

2. REACTOR OPERATIO*IS The reactor was mainttined in a not shutdown condition while the STP test loop was operated for 35 consecuoive hours at oupercritical conditions for base 31ne data on October 20th, 21st and 22nd.

On October 23rd the reactor was made critical and was operated 'at a power level lose than 1 Wt for a test on the STP test loop emergency condenser and for a '

test to determine tb effect on core reactivity of heating the STP loop from 2500F to 950 F. The' secondary systen was started up and the reactor was loaded to 11.3 Wt

  • on October 24th. After a flux map was made and analyred, the reactor power level was increased to 17 MWt. Power operation at 17 Et continued until 3137 AM on October 25th when the reactor was manually shut down due to high hydrogen concentration in the STP test loop off-gas system and the inability to maintain vacuum in the STP loop deacrator.

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S!1N Operations Report for October 1967 . . . ., . j!??

O Tile reactor renained in a hot shutdown condition until October 27th when it was nade critical and loaded to 21 Dit to continue the Supercritical Technology Progrm. Reactor opert. tion at 21 init continued until 3:35 A!! on October 29th at which tine the reactor wan manually shutdown and the STP test loop was cooled down to investigate the cause for an excessively high emmonia concentration in the test loop.

Reactor ope.*ation at a power level of 17 Mit was resumod at 2:30 PM on October 31st. Supercritical conditions were established in the STP test loop. At 5 45 FM the reactor power level was raised to 21 Elt. Approximately one hour later the radiation nonitor on the STP test loop alamed. The reactor power level was reduced to 17 $!t. A sample of the test loop coolant was counted and the gross beta-cama activity was detemined to be 0.6 ue/ce. Reactor operation at a power level of 17 mit and STP tent loop operation at supercritical conditions were continued during the remainder of the month.

3 EPRRIIGITAL PamRAli -

The following test units were removed I m the core

[ Subassembly #503-4 containing removable rods #711, #712, #783 & #784 Subassembly #503-4 eight fixed rods Nins Thimble Subassembly - containing flux oscillator rod #2 STP Test loop Pressure Tube - containing a dummy assembly i Creep tast fuel rods #711 and #712 were removed from subassembly #503-4-27 .

and were inspected with the underwater periscope. Swelling of tne 23 5 mil '41rcaloy-4 '

cladding wss evider.1 on both rods. Tnese rods originally ecntained U02 pellets enriched to 17.4% U-235 and were internally pressurized to produce maximum operating str.ases of approximately 22,000 poi in the clad. Both rods wiu be shipped to the Messinguouse Post Irradiation Facility for further exanination.

Fuel rods #783 and #784 were removed from subassembly #503-4-27. inspected with the underwater periscope, and then inserted in subassembly #503-4-29. No defects were seen on the 15 mil 304 stainless steel cladding of these mds. Tne rods originally contained UO2 pellets unifomall; enriched to 5 7% U-235 and were pressurized to produce maximum operating stresses of 36,000 psi in the clad.

The t' allowing test units were inserted in the core:

Suoassembly #503-4-28 was inserted in core position N-3 The ,

purpose for the addition of this subassembly in to provide instrument- ,

ation for observing the effect of pH changes on fuel center temperature and on neat transfer between instrumented fuel rods and coolant. <

The subassembly contains six stainless steel c1r.d fuel rods containing 4 002 Pellets and two stainless steel clad fuel rods containing 002 stainless steel cemet fuel. A flux thimble occupies the center position in the subassembly. Two of the rods containing pellets and the two containing cemet fuel are instrumented with themocouples located O in the fuel.

m._.__m__._____.___m___ _ _ _ ---

Sh% Operations !!cport for October 1967 . . . . . #3 O Subassembly J503-4-29 was inserted in core position !?-5. Two of the nine rods in this subassembly contain burnable poison in the fom of borosilicate (Pyrex) glass tubing scaled in type 304 stainless steel clad. The four corner positions and the center position of the subassembly contain dumray fuel rods that are orificed at the top and bottom end plugs. Previously irradiated fuel rode #783 and #784 occupy the r eaining two positions. The purpose of this experiment

, is to verify the mechanical performance of a burnable poison material and rod configuration in a power reactor envirorynent.

Flux oscillator rod subassembly #3 was inserted in core position H-2. This subassembly consists of one pressure housing thinble containing a flux or reactivity oscillator rod. The oscillator rod is larger but quite similar in design to the one previously used.

Reactivity change is caused by hafniurn sleeves in a movable tube moving in and out of hafnium oleeves in a etationary tube. The larger oscillator w'11 facilitate the acquisition of data during the pH tests.

A fueles pressure tube for the STP test loop was -inserted -in core i>ocition H-4. The fuel assen.biy in the pressure tube consists of seven rods containing 002 U-235 The fuel is clad w[ellets unifomally th seamless enriched and coli drawn to 21 + 1%

incoloy-800 with a wall thickness of 10.9 mils. The outer six rods are spiral wrapped with wire 0.05 inch 0.D. at a 10 inch pitch; the center rod is not wrapped. The seven rod cluster is supported in the presoure O tube by cylindrical baffles which also direct the coolant flow through the prvat.ure tube and minimize regenerative heating between outlet and inlet coolant. The objectives of the supercritical technology program j are to provide a perfomance demonstration of collapsed clad fuel and pressure tube design; to provide inforration not available from an4ytical method or out-of-pile experiments. and to provido a correlation between analysis of out-of-pila wporiments and in-pile behavior.

During the period October 20th through October 31st the STP test loop yas operated at supercritical conditions for approximately 120 hours0.00139 days <br />0.0333 hours <br />1.984127e-4 weeks <br />4.566e-5 months <br />. Over 75 hours8.680556e-4 days <br />0.0208 hours <br />1.240079e-4 weeks <br />2.85375e-5 months <br /> of loop operation were with the reactor operating at power. At a reactor power level of 21 MJt the power generation in the STP loop fuel assembly was detemined to bo 85 kut. Forced shutdowns of the loop were made necessary to correct a high pressure condition in the deaerator caused by a defective vacuum pump and to correct an excessively high amonia concentration in the coolant caused by malfunctio7 of the ammonia injcetien systen. On October 31st approximately 3 hours3.472222e-5 days <br />8.333333e-4 hours <br />4.960317e-6 weeks <br />1.1415e-6 months <br /> after supercritical conditions were established in the test loop and with the reactor operating at 21 KWt,

  • a higher than nomal count rate was indicated on the loop radiation monitor. Coolant ,

samples were analyzed and found to contain a n.aximum gross beta gama activity of 0.6 ue/cc. Icop operation was continued through the remainder of the month.

O 4

i

SNEC Operations Ikport for 4 Catober 3967 . .... d6 i

O 4. OPERATIO'!M. MS The radiation mow toring system circuits were tested on October 17th.

On October 15th a normal test of the safety injection system was conducted.

The pressurizer relief valves were successfully tested on October lath and 19th. Valve V-3','2 opened at 246$ psig and reset at 2370 poig. Valve V-373 opened at 2540 psig and roset at 2400 psic. '

$. MAI!PMAliCE The principal items of mechanical maintenance for the month included repacking the deacrator steam pressure regulating valve V-1010; disassembling and c1 caning the novernor valve on boiler feed pump No. 2; processing five drums of fu.'DF evaporator bottoms; reinstalling the two component cooling heat exchangers ehat had been removed for cleaning; lapping the seating surfaces in the relief valves on the shall sides of the component cooling heat exchangers; replacing the head gasket on

, No. I cation resin tank in the make-up water treating system; repairing the casket leak-off line on the pressurizer hoa'ter flanco; replacing the cartridges in the filters in the storage well system; disassembling and repairing the hydraulic operated shear located in the storago well; cleaning the tube bundle and replacir.g a gasket in the heat exchanger for the storage well system; cleaning the ICCF sump; rep 3 acing the absoluto filters in the control and auxiliary building exhaust air l

O naaeleri lannine the seats a#a aises aae insta111ng new springs in pressuri=er relier valves V-372 and V-373; replacing the valve in the demineralized water lino l used for resin addition to the domineralizers in the containment vessel; handling /

i fuel subassemblies and preparing the reactor vessel head for operation; cleaning I check valves in the vents and drain system collection headers; repacking the No.1 plunger on the No.1 charging pump; replacing the vanes and motor couplings in the vacuum pumps for the site air particulate monitors, RIC-8 and RIC-9; replacing the vanes in the vacuum punp for the hydrogen analyzer; and replacing a valvo in thu heating steam condensate r9 turn line.

The major items of electrical and instrument maintenance included ranaking the cable connectors on the detectors for nuclear instrumentation source range channels A and B; repairing the calibration unit for the radiation monitoring system; repairing the paging system phone located in the make-up water treating area; i repairing the vacuum pump in the alpha monitor located in the cheinistry laboratory; inspecting and raeggering the detector cables for all nuclear instrumentation channels; installing a 100 amp breaker in motor control center No.1 for a welding nachino; repairing the power supply for nuclear instrumentation source tange '

channel A; replacing the air lines on a square root converter for a safety injection -

system flow ncasuring channel; stroking the purification systan stop valve, HIC-23V and letdown valve, IRC-21V; measuring the response times for all reactor scrams initicted by supercritical loop pirameters; replacing the battary board and a range potentiometer in a CP-3 survey meter; replacing the alarm unit in the pressurizer tempor ture annunciator; repairing the ecmputer-indicator in the radiation monitoring channel RIC-4, for the component cooling system; repairing a switch in the control circuit for No. 2 sewage purnp; installing a new light socket in the s

SliEC Operations Report for October 1967 . . . . . fd O filter vault in the contairnent vessell replacing the meter rolay in the rod drop alam circuit for control rod I;o. 21' replacing the function generator in the pressurizer heater controller, PRC-2; cleaning and setting the vacuum regulating valva on RWDF gae compressor No.11 checking and replacing vacuum tubes in the liquid scintillation counting system in t' e count room; replacing pneumatic relays in the secondary steam flow d/p cell and in the steam generator pressure current to air converter; and installing a new pressure regulator and gauge on the feedwater valve positioner.

6. CimusmY liain coolant system chtnistr> wan maintained for cold shutdown conditions from the beginning of the month until October 12th. Hydrazine was added on October 12th to reduce the oggen concentration in propration for syatem heat-up. On October 23rd hydrogen was added to the system in preparation for operating the reactor at pow n. A su: nary of the analyses perfomed on r.Ain coolant samples taken during this month is contaired in the following table:

lhin Coolant System Minimum haximum pH at 25 C 5.27 6.45 Conductivity, umhos 2.42 22.1 baron, ppm 454 1896 Chlorides, ppm < 0.005 0.035 O tithium, Pn-Oggen, ppn

< 0.01 < 0.01 4 0.005 0.005 Hydrogen, cc/kg Hno at STP O 37 Gross Beta.-Gama il5 Min. degassed) uc/cc 2.0x10-3 9.10x10 1 Tritium, uc/cc 9.47x10-3 3.42x10-2 The chloride conceM-""9 in the supercritical tampera+""- and pressure (STP) loop was ina i a" " " : -. L a than 0.1 ppm dn*45 " .. .. ... 4ne gross beta-gamma (15 liin decassed) activity the loop reached a maximum of 0.6 uc/cc on the last day of the i month.

l The resin in the storage well d mineralizer was replaced on October 2Cth.

The deconteination factor of the new resin as determined from a sa.mple analyzed on l

October 26th was 13.0. The chloride concentration in the storage well water on

  • October 3 2x10"326th ue/ccwas and detemined the boron concentration to be 0.020 was ppa,1926 the gross ppm. beta-garna activity was Four hundred and sixty grams of potassium dichromate and 100 grams of potassium hydroxide were added to the component cooling system water during the month
  • to maintain pH and phromate requirements. The gross beta-gamma activity in the system was less than lx10-0 ue/cc.

Except for a short period after startup of the secondary system on October 24th the ch3orides in the steam generator were maintained below 0.290 pga for the rest of the month. The average activity irt the steam generator blowdown during the month l

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S!!EC Operations Report for l l

October 1967 , . . . . {(t l l

O 7. EADIATIO!! A!D UASTE DISPOSAL Radiation surveying consisted of routine plant surveys, C.V. during shutdown and materials shipsents. The following maximum radiation readings were takent t location Radiation Headinn ChA Nilding Waste Drum (ba}ing machine) 12 mrem /hr beta-cama Charging Pump (contact with chamber) 28 mrcm/hr beta-gama l Sample Room (door of cample panel) 2 mrem /hr beta-gamma j Chmical lab Hot Sink (1" from drain) 45 mrem /hrbeta-gamma 1

E@.f Evaporator (under bottom) 36 mrom/hr beta-cama i

Evaporator (contact outside upper level) 25 mrem /hr beta-gamma Dnn Storage Area (at HRA fence) 2 5 mrum/hr beta-gamna C.V.

Primary Cmpartment (general upper level) < 1 mrem /hr beta-gamma Primary Compartaent (contact H.C. pump volute) 400 mrem /hrbeta-gamma Primary Compartment (S.G. bottom) 200 mrem /hr beta-gamma O

Pri=arx comPart-ent (Pre suri=er dott<=> loo rem /ar bete-gamma Primary Compartment (general lower level) 35mram/hrbeta-gamma Primary Compartment (Regen. HX) 210 mrm/hr beta-gama -

Prinary Compartment (Non-Regen. HX) 60 mrem /hr beta-r,amma Auxiliary Equip. Ccapartment (S.C.H.X.) 10 nrem/hr beta-gama 9 mrem /hr beta-gamm:.

Auxiliary Equip.

Auxiliary Equip. Compartment Compartment (D.T.(D.T. bottom top)- ) 150 mrem /hr beta-gamma Auxiliary Equ p. Ccepartment (general lower level) 10 mrom/hr beta-gama Roactor Deck water level at grating) 20 mrem /hr beta-gamma Reactor Deck instrument ports) 200 mrm/hr beta-gamma ReactorDeck(waistlevel) 20 mran/nr beta-gamma Reactor Deck (storage well railing) 18 mre/hr beta-gamma Contamination surveying consisted of mutine plant site surveys, surveys of materials shipped, tools, equipnent and C.V. during shutdown. The clean arons were within the " Clean Area" limits. The controlled area was generally within the Clean Area" limits. The controlled area was cleaned frequently to keep and/or to return it to the " Clean Area" limits. The exclusion areas were cleaned periodically to minimize

  • the amount of amearable contamination, _ . The following contamination levels were observed <

Incation Contamination Readinn C&A Nildinn Charging Pump Chamber 32540 d/m/ smear beta-gamma Charging Pump Chamber 10 d/m/ smear alpha Q Charging Rocra Floor , 1280 d/m/ smear beta-gamma -

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bEC Opere cions Report for ,

Getober 1967 , , , . //7 _ j I

location Contaninntion Readinn C&A Ipildinn (continued)

Sanple Rocan Sink 175830 d/m/amcarbeta-camma Sample Room Sink < 10 d/m/ smear alpha l

Sample Room Floor 1100 d/m/racar beta-gar.ma Chemical lab Hot Sink 28450 d/m/ mear beta-gama Chemical lab Hot Sink <10 d/m/amear alpha

50F Pump Room Floor 1690 d/m/ smear beta-gamma Shipping Room Floor 520 d/m/ smear beta-gamma l

C.V.

Operating Deck 8910 d/m/omear beta-gamma Operating Deck 410 d/m/ smear alpha Reactor Deck (head) 57000 d/m/ smear beta-gamna Reactor Deck head)' 410 d/m/ smear alpha Reactor Deck 38500d/m/smearbeta-gamma Reactor Deckgrating) (grating) 410 d/m/ smear alpha Prinary Ccepartment (grating 11160 d / smear beta-gamma Primary Compartment (grating A10 d amear alpha Liquid and gaseous effluents from the SNEC site for the month of October 1967 l were as follows: ,

I (Curie) (Curie) (Curie)

Effluent Activity Activity Activity Tvrie This Month Year to Date last Twelve Monthe Liquid 0.000938 0.018582 0.021323 Tritium 0.299424 5 744474 13 504956 Air, Xe 0.169180 16.695536 26.635600 Air, I-131 0.001648 0.002501 0.045505 Air, M.F.P. 0.001692 0.166955 0.266356 Twelve (12) barrels of waste were drummed for temporary storage. No drums were shipped from the site. .

Radiation exposure for all SNEC personnel as measured by film badges for l

the month of September 1967 were a maximum of 260 mrert with a.n average of 32 37 mrem.

Radiation exposure for all visit $ng personnel as measured by film badged for the month of September 1967 were a maximum of 200 mran with an average of 5 55 mrem.

_p The average radiation exposure for all personnel as measured by film badges v for the month of Septanber 1967 was 30.0 mram.

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SAXTON 1:UCIBR EXPERIENTAL CORPORATIOJ O OPEPATING_ STATISTICS HONTH October YFa8 1967 UNIT HONTH YEAR TO DATE NUcIn8 TIES CRITICAL NO. 2 42 537 HOURS CRITICAL HRS. 107 81 1,063 15 19,926.10 TIES SCPAMMED (MANUAL)

NO. 2 33 324 NO. 0 0 31

  • TDS QCRAMMED (INADVERTANT)

THERMAL PWER GDIERATION WH 1691 72- 22,869 14 362,954.01 WDMTU 138.09 1,866.74 12,608 53 AVTMOE WPJ!UP C0!iTROL ROD POSITIONS AT D!D OF HONTH AT MUILIBRIUM PNER OF 17 )Mt HAIN C00DJIT DORON 551 PlH RODS OUT - INCHES ,

NO. 1 40 No. 2 19.5 NO. 3 40 40 NO. 5 40 No. 6 40 NO. 4 EIECTRICA L UiUT HONTH YEAT, T0 D JA_

OROSS GC?ERATION WH 281 4,289.00 61,764.00 STATION SERVICE MWH 263.33 1,537.04 12,186.23 STATION SERVICE $ 93.71 35.83 19.73 AVG. PIAll? EFFICIENCY - WH(e)/WH(t)  % 16.61 18.75 17 02 AVO. OENERATION ENNING ( 85.93tiRS) KW 3270 4,277 1 3,403 35 l PIANT IDAD FACTOR -

(AVO. GEN. FOR MONTH / MAX. IIMD)  % 9.63 12.95 27 96 l

AUXILIARY STEAM SUPPLY - NUCLEAR STEAM SUPPLIED E REACTOR HRS . 85.92 1,015.72 16,505.97 ,

WDF EVAPORA'IOR OPERATION HRS. 162.75 1,4I4.32 5,329.90 -

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