ML20091S268

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Annual Rept on Operation of Washington State University Triga Reactor, for Period of 940701-950630
ML20091S268
Person / Time
Site: Washington State University
Issue date: 06/30/1995
From: Neidiger J
WASHINGTON STATE UNIV., PULLMAN, WA
To:
NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9509080070
Download: ML20091S268 (8)


Text

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{WashingtonStateUniversity  ;

Nuclear Radiation Center Pullman, WA 99164-1300  ;

509-335-8641 FAX 509-335-4433 -

August 31,1994 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 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 1,1994 to '

June 30,1995.

Sincerely, l Alp $< G Gerald E. Tripard Director GET/pw Enclosure cc: J.A. Neidiger NRC, Region IV, Office of Regional Adminstrator American NuclearInsurers t

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. s ANNUAL REPORT ON Tile OPER ATION OF Tile WASIIINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY TRIGA REACTOR Facility License R-76 for the Reporting Period of July 1,1994 to June 30,1995 4

A. Narrative Summary of the Year's Oncration

1. Operating Experience The Washington State University Reactor has accumulated 371 Megawatt hours

, on Core 33-X hours during the reporting period. A total of 228 irradiations for a total of 6734 samples were performed. In addition,10 pulses greater than $1.00 of reactivity addition were performed during this reporting period. The quarterly operations summaries are shown in Table I, section B. '

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2. There were no changes in design, performance characteristics, or procedums that '

mlated to reactor safety during the reporting period.

3. All surveillance tests and requirements wem perfonned and completed within the prescribed time period. The results of allinspectionsmvealed no abnomialities.

B. Eneruv and Cumulative Outout The quarterly operations summaries are given in Table I.

TABLEI Fiscal Year Summary of Reactor Operations J-A-S O-N-D J-F-M A-M-J TOTALS 11ours of Operation 148 81 88 106 423 Megawatt flours 126 69 80 96 371 No. of Irradiations 84 48 39 57 228 No. of Samples 1764 1449 1347 2174 6734 Irradiated No. Pulses > $1.00 3 5 2 0 10 The cumulative energy output since criticality of the TRIGA core since 1967 is 742 Megawatt Days. The mixed core of FLIP and Standard f ucis installed in 1976 has accumulated 476 Megawatt Days.

2 C.

  • Emercency Shutdowns and inadvertent Scrams There were no emergency shutdowns that occurred during the reporting period. The dates and causes of the 7 inadvertent SCRAMS are listed in Table II.

TABLE ll Inadvertent SCRAMS DATE CAUSE 09/23/94 Power Line Spike. No Indication.

12/05/94 High Voltage Failure SCRAM due to failure of sensing relay.

12/05/94 High Voltage Failure SCRAM due to defective voltage regulator tube in power supply.

12/15/94 SCRAM due to complete loss of building power.

/15/94 SCRAM due to loss of building power.

04/14/95 Period SCRAM due to circuit spike signal noise during start-up.

05/18/95 Period SCRAM due to line spike circuit noise during start-up.

D. Maior Maintenance 07/01/94 Replacement of Compensated Ion Chamber #2 for Safety Power Level Channel #2.

All other major maintenance perfomied was routine planned maintenance items, j

E. Channes. Tests and Experiments Performed Under 10 CFR 50.59 Criteria There was one item performed and documented under 10 CFR 50.59 criteria during the n porting period and was documented as such to ensure approval of the modification to satisfy Technical Specification requirement 6.5 and 6.6 for Quality Assurance criteria. On 06/22/94, the Log-N, Linear Power, and Fuel Temperature measuring channels strip chart T

recorders (3) were replaced with a single 3-channel,3-pen strip chart recorder.

F. Radioactive Ef0uent Discharues

1. Radioactive 1.iquid Releases A total of 141.75 microcuries was released in 661 AX2 liters of liquid during the icponing period. The releases are listed in Table 111.

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TABLE Ill Radioactive Liquid Releases Date Quantity Tank Release Tank Release Time (l) Sewer Conc,  % MPC i uCi Conc, uCl/mi Vol, Liters firs uCi/ml 12/08/94 0.89 9.88x 10-9 89.803 2 1.58x 10-9 7.90(2) l l

,! 01/11/95 3.69 4.10x 10-8 90.086 2 6.54X 10-9 32.70(2) l 03/27/95 0.10 6.92x10-9 14,282 2 2.05x 10-10 1.03(2)

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I l 04/25/95 137.07 2.93x10-7 467.311 37.55 1.46x10-8 0.005(3)  !

3 (1) A 2-hour discharge time is used if release time is not measured. Average release time is 4-6 i hours.

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j (2) Based on a release limit of 2.0x10-8 uCi/ml for unknown mixture,10 CFR 20, Table 3.

! I j (3) Isotopes determined to be 311 ,14 C , and 35S beta emitters. Discharge activity limit of 3.0x10-  !

] 4 uCi/mi for 14C is used.

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2. Radioactive Gaseous Release  !

l l During the reponing period, no significant quantity of any gaseous or particulate  ;

j material with a half-life greater that eight days was released.

j During the reporting period, at no time did the Argon-41 release exceed 20% of .

the Effluent Release Limit. l I A total of 4.08 Curies of Argon-41 was released in 5.86x1013 cc of air, which  !

yields an average monthly concentration of Argon-41 of 6.96x10-8 uCi/cc. The i monthly releases are summarized in Table IV. '

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TAMfI 4 V  !

Monthly Agon-41 Releases l

Conc. Before  % Release Limit (l)  % DAC Limit (2) Quantity mci Month Dilution, uCi/mi Before Dilution Before Dilution t

Jul.(1994) 1.25x 10-7 5.00 0.02 625 i Aug 6.65x 10-8 2.66 0.01 332 Sep 5.73x10-8 2.29 0.01 277 ,

Oct 6.47x10-8 2.59 0.01 323 Nov 5.75x 10-8 2.30 0.01 278 i Dec 6.16x10-8 2.46 0.01 308 Jan.(1995) 5.94x 10-8 2.38 0.01 293  ;

Feb 5.61 x 10-8 2.24 0.01 253 i Mar 4.87x10-8 1.95 0.01 243 Apr 8.10x 10-8 3.24 0.01 392 May 9.52x 10-8 3.81 0.01 476 Jun 5.77x 10-8 2.31 0.01 279 (1) Based on 10 CFR 20 effluent release limit of 1.0x10-8 uCi/ml for 41Ar (Table 2, Col.1), and a dilution factor of 4.0x10-3 (S.A.R. 6.4.2) for a before dilution limit of 2.5x10-6 uCi/cc. (20% of i limit is 5.0x10-7 uCi/ml). i (2)Ilased on 10 CFR 20 DAC limit of 3.0x10-6 uCi/ml for 41Ar (Table 1, Col. 3) and a dilution factor of 4.0x10-3 for a before dilution DAC limit of 7.5x10-4 uCi/ml.

3. Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal During the reporting period,20 cubic feet of non-compacted solid waste for a total of 1.38 millicuries and one (1) 55 gallon drum of compacted, dewatered ion exchanger spent resin containing 0.02 millicuries of activity was transferred to the Campus Radiation Safety Office for disposal.

The transfer dates are given in Table V.

TAlllE V Radioactive Solid Waste Disposal Shipments l I

i ACTIVITY VOI.UMii l DATl? in millicuries in Cubic 09/12/94 0.015 7.5 compacted, dewateird spent resin.

09/26/94 1.38 20 non-compacted low level waste in 10 - 2 cuft boxes.

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5 The Campus Radiation Safety Office transferred 5 shipments of radioactive solid waste offsite on the dates given below.

February 25,1994  :

July 7,1994 I November 16,1994 February 1,1995 l April 26,1995  ;

i G. Personnel and Visitor Radiation Eumsures 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. 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 30 millirem, whole body.  ;

A total of 2405 non-Nuclear Radiation Center staff or routine facility user individuals  ;

visited the Center during the reporting period, out of which 978 enter Restricted Areas.

As determined by digital pocket dosimeter and an exposure recorded, the average i individual exposure was <l.0 millirem. i A total of 28 group tours, consisting of 378 individuals, visited the Center during the reporting period. As determined by digital pocket dosimeter and an exposure recorded, the average group exposure was <1.0 millirem.

l TAHil VI Average Quarterly Reactor and Experimenter Staff Exposure  !

(in millirrm) i Jul-Aug-Sep Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb-Mar Apr-May-Jun(l) '

10 25 10 10 (1) 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.

i II. Reactor Facility Radiation and Contamination I.evels I The routine area radiation surveys of the building in non-reactor vital atras(I) had an  :

l. average dose level of 0.03 mR/llr., while routinely accessible reactor vital areas had an average dose level of 0.04 mR/llr. The highest average dose level in a routinely accessible reactoi vital area was 0.1 mR/llr., which occuned in Room 201, Reactor Pool Room. ,

South side. The lowest average dose in a routinely accessible reactor vital area was 0.02 I i

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6 mR/llr., which occurred in Room 201 A, the Reactor Shop area. The average dose in the Reactor Control Room was 0.020 mR/llr. The average dose in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 0.10 mR/llr. The highest average on site dose level was 9.54 mR/lir. 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 areas (l) had an average level of 3.2x10-7 uCi/cm2, while the average level in the reactor vital areas was 8.56x 10-7 uCi/cm2. The highest average value in the reactor vital areas was 4.55x10-5 uCi/cm2which was found on the platform where experimenters stand to insert and withdraw their sam les from the reactor. The lowest average value in the reactor vital areas was 2.20x10 uCi/cm 2which was in Room 201, the Reactor Room Floor. The average level of removable contamination in the radiochemistry sample hoods was 8.43x10-6 uCi/cm2, (1) A noneactor vital area is an ama in the building where radioactive materials are used or stored but which is not a part of the Licensed reactor facility.

1. Environmental Monitorine Proeram The environmental monitoring progmm uses thremoluminecent dosimeters (TLD's) at locations both near and at distances around the reactor building facility. The quarterly exposures in the vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Center are listed in Table VII. The average ambient gamma radiation levels for this area (80 mile radius) is 243 uRem/ day as reported in the 30th Annual Report of the Environmental Radiation Program, Washington State Department of Health, Environmental Health Program Table A-12, page 131.

The values observed indicate there is no significant effect on the enviromnent radiation levels due to reactor operation.

TAllLE VII Environmental Radiation Levels in the Vicinity of the Nuclear Radiation Cemer(I)

(Exposure in uR/ day)

Jul-Aug-Sep Oct-Nov-Dec Jan-Feb-Mar Apr-May-Jun Median 195 156 176 177 177 (2)714 727 789 729 740

(!)1:or sampling stations located 25 meters or greater from the Nuclear Radiation Center.

(2) T!.D anached to " Decorative" granite display on Compton Union lluilding Mall appmsimately 1300 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.

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Quarterly exposures at locations at the reactor facility are listed in Table VIII. No significant effect on the environmental radiation levels by reactor operation was noted.

4 TABLE VIII

Environmental Radiation levels Adjacent  !

l to the Nuclear Radiation Center (l) i 4

(Exposure in uR/ day) l 1 .

location Jul Aug-Sep Oct-Nov Dec Jan-Feb-Mar Apr-May-Jun Median 4 ILLoadiIn2 Rock 208 208 211 212 210  !

Rad. Storage 234 291 324 224 268 Shed  ;

Pool Rm Truck 377 300 254 259 298 l Door  ;

Cooling Tower 156 191 282 165 199 '

Eence Liquid Waste 208 173 197 200 195 i Titnk Building Roof 169 173 169 176 185 West Iluilding WmSide 208 209 22! 212 214 i Pool Room Exh. 143 136 155 141 144 Vent j Pool Room W. 351 283 352 376 341  ;

] Vent (2) j Pool Room E. 247 227 239 271 246 i Vent i Building Roof 143 155 155 153 152 j East  :

SJUdgJintrance 208 169 200 200 194 i

(1) For sampling stations located less that 25 meters from the Nuclear Radiation Center.

(2) Pool Room West Vent. TLD on roof, directly above reactor core.

llnderliDed locations indicate areas that are readily accessible.

Technical Specifications ALARA effluent releases in 3.12(2) specify annual mdiation

exposures at the closest off-site extended occupancy shall not, on an annual basis, exceed ,

the average local off-site background radiation level by more than 20%. For the trpomng '

period, the average total background radiation level for sampling points 400 meters or greater from the facility was 160 uR/ day, while the average total radiation level at the closest extended occupied area 930 meters away was 168 uR/ day. This yields a ratio of ,

5.0%, indicating no significant exposure level above natural background.  ;

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