ML20099G466

Univ of California Irvine Nuclear Reactor Facility Annual Rept for Jul 1991 to June 1992

ML20099G466
Person / Time
Site:	University of California - Irvine
Issue date:	06/30/1992
From:	Geoffrey Miller CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, IRVINE, CA
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9208170056
Download: ML20099G466 (11)

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U$1VERSITY OF cal.lFORNIA, IRVINE _

4 erRxt tty e OAvis e INVINT e LOS ANCtt f 4 e Rn t k$!DL e S AN D!tGO e S AN ) R ANCbCO , S ANT A fl AT.H AR A e S ANI A ( RL'l DEPARTMENT 00 CHEMISTRY IRVINf, CAllFORNIA 92717 NUCLEAR REACTOR FACILITY SL'PERVISOR DR. O L MILLER TEL: t714) h56-(M9 OR 714 Il56M!M2 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission July 30th 1992 Document Control Desk

- Mail Station F1-137 Washington, D.C. 20555 E

Re: Docket 50-326. License R-116 Annual Reoort Submittal. Tech Soc.c_fi.lf f

I,adies/ Gentlemen:

Please find enclosed threc(3) copies of the annual report for the UCI Nuclear Reactor Facility, covering the period July 1st 1991 through June 30th 1992. This report is submitted in accord with license regulanons and Technical Specificati::m. as referenced above.

Sincerely, f I. -

George E. Miller Reactor Supervisor GEM /mm cc: Region V, NRC,1450 Maria Lane, Suite 210, Walnut Crcok CA 94596 American Nuclear Insurance, The Exchange,270 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06032, Policy NF-176 Reactor Operations Committee members and alternates W.J. Evans, Vice Chair, Chemistry 1'70004 3

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U.C.lRVINE Nuclear Reactor Facility o -- Annual Report for July 1st 1991 to June 30th 1992 Facility License R-116 Daket 50-326 -

Prepared in Accordance with Pan 6.7f of the Facility Technical Specifications

by

- Dr G.E. Miller Reactor Supervisor c;

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? ' UCI Reactor Annual Report 91-91 Page1 ;

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l Section 1.

Operations Operation of this facility is in support of the Department of Chemistry program of research and education in the use and application of radiochemical techniques and radioisotopes in chemical ,

studies.

- Reactor utilir a caart from operator training and maintenance, is thus entirely for sample

- irradiation San.ples come from diverse origins related to forensic science, fossil fue!c, geochemistry, art, and archaeological studies, chemical synthesis, industrial quality contrc.,

enzyme studies, trace element pollution studies, etc. The rezetor is also used in class work by undergraduates learning tracer and activation analysis techniques using small quantities of short-lived activated materials.

Some use is made of the facility by other educationalinstitutions supported by the Reactor Sharing Program of DOE since September 1st 1987. This program has involved tours, class demonstrations, and analyses of samples submitted by faculty.

-- A number of items have needed maintenance during this period (see Section 4), but most '

inspections have found the facility to be in good condition. During the annual inspection, no abnormalities were found for the fuel or control rod systems.

, An emergency drill was held on June 25th 1992. Practice was gained in handling a spill / contamination incident. Tested were ccordination of response with all Ell &S personnel and their response team and equipment and the operations at the Student IIcalth Center in terms of handling'a slightly injured, contaminated victim. Methods for personnel and laboratory decontamination were a focus. This was used as a full training exercise for personnel.

Seismic shocks were felt in this area on several occasions during this year. None caused any detectable damage at the facility. Most were centered over 60 miles away. Standing shelving and cabinets have been fastened to walls to minimize damage from falling objects.

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UC1 Reactor Annaal Report 91-92 Page 2

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< - Section 2.

Data Tabulations D>r thf Period July 1st.1991 to June 30th.1992 TARLEI.

Experiment Approvals on file 8 Experiments performed (including repeats) 328 Samples irradiated 818 Energy generated this period (Megawatt hours) 11.7 Total,69 element core = 127.0

>74 element core = 1086.5 Total energy generated since initial criticality 1213.5 Mwh

- Pulse operation this period 14 Total pulses to 6/30/92 955 liours critical this period 137 Total hours critical to date 6666 Intdvertent scrams or unplanned shutdowns 6

Visitors to reactor admitted 691 Maximum dosimeter recorded for vishots 0 mrem

, Visiting researchen, (dosimeter issues) 13 Maximum dose recorded 6mmm Visiting researchers (badged) 2 TABLE H Reactor Status 6/30B2 Fuel elements in core (including 2 fuel followers) 82 Fuel elements in storage (reactor tank - used) .

25 Fuel elements unused (4 instrumented elements + 1 element + 1 FFCR) 6 Graphite reflector elements in core . 33 Graphite reflector elements in reactor tank storage 1 Water filled fuel element positions 6 Experimental faciliti:s in core positions 4 Non-fuel control rods - 2 Total core positions accounted for 127 Core excess, cold, no xenon $2.88 Control rod worths (1/27/92)

-REG. $2.88 SHIM - $3.72 ATR $1.82 Em SD.25 Total: 59.17 h Maxrecm possible pulse insertion . $2.57 Maximum peak power recorded (5/29/92) (no pulses made this report period) 940. Mw

. Maximum peak temperature recorded (B-ring) 260."C l: ,

UCI Reactor Annual Report 91-92 Page 3

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- Sec tion 1 Inadvertent Scrams and Unclanned Shutdowns TABLEIll.

Dmt .lium Power Tvoe and Cause d21 7/3 16:02 30 w Unusually fast period during connul rod calibration insertion because of low current path on circuit board, Reported as abrionnal occurrence to NRC. (See Section 4) 7S 14:46 300 w Period scram on dropping SHIM rod, operator may have knocked another switch, or switching transient happened.

10/25 09:46 <l.5 w . Extemal scram during start-ap. No seismic activity. Seismic swuch not set well after te.t.

10/31 15:46 125 kw Period scram en switching from automatic to steady state mode.

SwitchinF transient.

1i/06 13:28 1.5 w  % power scram while switching into PULSE mode. Switching transieni.

I1:06. 13:35 1.5 w Repeat of earlier event.

1992 4A)9 11:05 1kw Period scram after erratic behavior of period channel. No other indication of fast period. Contact problem in channel circuit boards cured by cleaning and rephigging boards.

Section 4 Maimenance and Surveillance The following non-routine nuintw.mce activities were car:ied out during this period:

. 7/02S1 - He CAM teconfer dmve steady trace for a period of time instead of the nonnal fluctuating one..- This_ was traced to a poor contact in the TEST / OPERATE switch. The switch was cleaned by successive operation which cured the problem. All other contacts and switches in the CAM were cleaned and checked.

~ 7/05S1 - 7/08B1 Worr on taalfunctioning REG rod drive circuit at reactor bridge reponed as Abnormal Occurrence. Circuit for REG rod drive rebuilt to avoid bumed circuit board which allowed a low resistance path current leakage between two previously insulated pads on the board. Resistor R903 replaced with higher wattage to discourage further occunence of problem, and resistor wired high off board to allow more air cooling.

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- 7/09Sl_-Two pool lights were dismantled, serviced .md reassemb w new t gaskets and lamps.

UCI Reactor Annual Report 91-92 Page 4

a 7/16S1 - LOG channel failed during calibration activities. It was repaired the following day by

- replacement of a failed transistor in the demodulator board.

7/1761 Operations were cunailed (according to Tech Specs), because the ventilation system was found to be malfunctioning due ta remodelling work on higher floors of the building interfering with the exhaust duct from the facility. This was corrected by the following day and the system retumed to normal flows.

8/13SI - the SHIM ON lamp was replaced in the magnet current circuit. It had failed during a shutdown period.

8/15S1 - The control room and outer office were repainted as part of building remodelling.

9/3S1 - New smoke detectors were installed in the facility as part of building remodelling upgrades. He old units were verified to be uncontammated and nemoved from the facittty for disposal.

9/12S1 - The police dispatch desk completed installation of a new alami upgrade readout and computer based indicator system to include the reactor security and trouble alarm reports.

Date unspecified - new plas'ic retaining tanks were installed in the sink drain line in the laboratory area. This provides about 10 gallons of hold-up volume to trap poten*ial radioactive material washed in ermr into the sink. (Regulations at UCI call for no activity to be disposed down sink drains.)

11/6S1 - During set-up for a pulse demonstration, a core excess of $3.01 was recorded. Since an uncertainty of +50.03 exists, this was determined not to be in violation of the $3.00 limit.

In addition, the " normal" excess was well under $3.00. The pulse tests were not successful as the MODE switch contacts prevented staying critical in PULSE configuration.

Tims no pulses were fired. The wafers of this switch were eventually replaced as part of aunual maintenance activities during January 1992.

- 1/682 - A serious flood of water occurred in the early morning on the opposite side of the building. The water had seeped under walls into the facility by the time of arrival of the Reactor Supervisor, but did not reach or enter the pool. Water vacuumed up inside the -

facilit~ was checked for contamination before disposal to regular drams, but showed none.

water did fall in to two fuel storage pits where small radioisotope sources were stored.

Hese were dried and cleaned out by 1/2782. The sources were well sealed, and unaffected. This water was also checked carefully for contamination before disposal.

1/26S2 - A new plastic skimmer hose was installed to replace the older ruober/ metal unit which had begun to corrode where the steel support was exposed.

L 3M4S2 - The at pulse was tried after many months of non pulsing. The timing adjustment synchronizing the two rods had been moved inadvertently in the neantime, so a much lower pulse power (540 Mw) tl.an anticipated (1000 Mw) was observed. The timing I

circuit was reset to its original sening and subsequent pulses have been in-line with much earlier data. The new, more sensitive, lazy susan unload port radiation monitor is able to l

"see" the 16N produced in a pulse quite effectively, so shows r burst of radiation over a L few seconds up to 40 mr/hr, dropping in about a minute to < 1 mr/hr rcading.

UCI Reactor Annual Report 91-92 eage 5 l - _. . _ .

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Section 4 Maintenance and Surveillance (continued) 4/21/92 - Erratic behavior was observed for the LS unload ;hannel of the Radiation Area Manitor, turning in spurious alarms at infrequent inte vals. This was traced to a failing Geiger tube on 4/30/92. A new tube had to be ordered and was installed some weeks later, Meanwhile a detector from the lab was traded into 'he LS location, as the latter is more crucial to current operations than having two lab detector channels. his could be done easily as all channels of the new system were deliberately made identical in sensitivity a id range.

4/22/92 - Seismic activity felt quite stror.,1y at 21:55 in the facility. Insufficient to trip seismic trip E or cause any appwnt damage. Pool water observed to s vay several inches, but none splashed out of the pool. (EQ was 6.1 Richter 100 miles E of Los Angeles). Security alanns (motion sensors) were tripped 6/27/)2 - Sub.,tantial seismic event at Landers, CA tripped security alarms at facility at (M:57.

Reactor Supervisor inspected the facility at about 05:30 and found no sign of damage or water spl u.ag from pool. Substantial aftershocks noted at ar>out 08:05. Alarms again wipped, but no signs of damage were found. Seismic trip was not actuated in either event.

(MM V not reached). Initial shock now rated at 7.4 Richter scale. Smaller aftershocks continue into August. Larger ones can just be felt at the facility location.

It snould be noted that during this entire period, the fit.a! stages of main building (Physical Sciences 1) tenovation was cornpleted. This caused numerous small problems with power and utility full or partial interruptions. The staff has had to be especially vigilant to affimi functionality of all systems before reactor operation, and to maintain emergency access and egress routes at the facility. ~

Section 5 Facility Chances ar.3 Special Exoeriments Acoroved i No significant changes or special experiments were t.pproved during this period.

UCI Reactor Annual Report 91-92 Page 6

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S;ct on 6 l Radioactive Effluent Release. 1 (a) Gases.

The major direct release to the endrons is Argon-41 produced during normal opentions.

Very sm:J1 amounts of other gases may be released from irradiated materials in experiments.

Releases are ccmputed based on original estimates at point of origin within me facility and taking only dilution into account. Since much of the release is from operation of the pneumatic transf:r system for samples, this is a conservative estimate in that assumption is made that all use .

of the I'r is at full steady state power level (250 kwatts) when, in fact, some use is with the reactor at a lower power level. In view of the small numbe: s involved, and the fact that an integrated dose check is provided by an environmental dosimeter (CaSO4-Dy) hanging directly in the exhaust at the point of stack d.icharge,it is considered unnecessary to pravide further checks of these estimates. The dosimeter data confmn that an individual standing directly in the exhaust flow for one year would receive an additiond submersion dose from the exhaust less than the reliability limit of the dosimeters, er less than 20 mrem per year, The dosimeter data are presented separately in Sgetion 7. Table IV. Over the years that data have been collected, the accumulated exposure at the exhaust location have been lower than for " control" points because oflower masses of concrete

- structures in the vicinity. In fact the data have been consistently at 20-25 mrem per year l backgrounct level, so confidence of exposure less it.m 5 mrem over background seems possible.

R lase estimates bcsed on operational parameters are as follows:

(1) Oper aon of pneumatic transfer system (7/1S1-6/30S2):

a. Minutes ot operation: 371.5 minutes

b. Release rate assumed: 6. x 10-8 microcuries/ml 8

c. Flow rate of exhaust air: 1.2 x 10 ml/ min 3

Total release corrputed: (a x b x c) = 2.7 x 10 microcuries (2) Release from pool surface (7/1S1-6/3082):

a. Total hours of operation at power (Mwh x 4) = 47 hours5.439815e-4 days <br />0.0131 hours <br />7.771164e-5 weeks <br />1.78835e-5 months <br />

b. Release rate assumed: <l. x 10-8 microcuries/mi 0

c. Flow rate of exhaust air

1-2 x 10 ml/ min 3

Total release comr ed:(a x 60 x b x c) = 3.4 x 10 microcuries Total of (1) and (2) emission in 1 year = 6.1 r.10 3 microcurie:

Concentration averaged over 12 months = < 1.0 x 10-10 mierocuries/ml l - This remains similar to values reported in previous years and remains lower than MPC even assuming no dilution of the plume at the stack.

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-(b) Lioulds and Solids.

Liquid and solid wastes from utilization of by-product materials are disposed through a University contract. Waste is transferred to the cusody of the Campus Environmental Health and Safety Office (E,H&S). Direct disposals from this facility are given below. It is important to note that activity _ values are estimated at the time of transfer to E,H&S control. In all instances considerable time elapses before final shipment from campus, so that substantial decay may occur for medium-lived radionuclides.

DRY WASTES: 4 cubic feet - less than 10 microcuries mixed activation products.

LIQUIDS: 2 gallons - estimated less than 1 microcurie. Most of this was from student laboratory -

work with materials produced with the reactor.

Section 7.

Environmeraal Surveillance.

Calcium sulfate / Dysprosium thermaluminescent dosimeters in packs supplied by the Radiation Detection Company, Funnyvale, Califomia are placed at nine locations around the UCI Campus. One pack is kept on the edge of campus in a wood frame house in University HillF. In fact, the average of the more remotely located " concrete environment" packs on campus ir. - ed as the background for comparison purposes, since a more similar microenvircament is er r. iced

by such packs.

- T3ble of Locations.

1[ Window of reactor room east wall (inside the facility).

2. In liallway on exterior of south wall of facility.

3. Loading dock, adjacent to west wall of reactor room.

4. Laboratory 152, directly over reactor facility, approximately over core centet .

5. In roof exhaust air Dow from reactor room, roof level (hung in center of duct at final release point).

6. Biological Sciences 2 building),5th floor, laboratory near window *.

7. Main library building across campus,5th floor office.

8. Computer Science building,4th floor office, in window.

9. Fume hood exhaust, roof level, from reactor laboratory _(hung in center of duct).

10.12 Perkins Court, University Hills, private residence (wood frame house).

• The location of this dosimeter was moved on October 31991, following occupancy of the new BS2 building which is closer to the reactor than the older building.

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Table IV shows the data as received from RDC for the period. All levels are as expected and are similar to those reponed in recent years. As noted before, areas (1) and (2) are also partly controlled so that nuximum possible exposure to an individual in an uncontrolled area is very

- minimal at this facility with current operations. The air released from the faciuty (neasured by locations #5 and #9) continues to give no detectable exposure above background for 'asimeters immersed in it. laation 7 consistently shows higher readings presumably because it is in a window above a warm, outside, cement wall. Over mrny years, the dan at each location show remarkable consistency Ar, appreciable change would be easily noticeable.

." ABLE IV.

Environmental Dosimet:v Data.

'991-1992 Averace Exposures in mr.

l.ocation. Ouartcr Iolal Total less 2S1 3St 4S1 IS2 backcround (36i 28) e 1 7 7 8 6 28 0 3

2 11 8 12 11 42 6 3 10 6 10 8 34 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 3 8 5 22 0 6 14 10 6* 4* 34 0 7 18 12 18 17 65 29 8 2 2 2 3 9 0 9 6 4 6 6 22 0 10 0 0 2 1 3 0 Average of Imations 6,7, and 8 used for " background" ( = 36) 2 UCI Reactcr Annual Report 91-92 Page 9

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Section 8.

Rndiation Exposure to Personnel.

The annual e posures reported as a result of finger dosimeter r;ng and film badge dosimetry are presented in Table V. Much of this exposure is acquired in the course of isotope handling experiments, and in some instances has been accumulated in areas outside the facility, in loc.'tions hcensed by the State of California. A substantial exposure is experienced by some individuals dunng required calibration or radiation monitoring equipment.

Ten (10) persons were monitored on a continual basis usin; fihn badges, and all of these were also issued with finger dosimeter rings. These were required to be worn while handling iwtopes. Film badges were generally wom at waist level by all personnel. An addi tional twenty-two(22) students were issued badges during the Winter quarter,1992 for a laboratory con 7e in radioisotc,xs, dtr m3 which tney spent some hours in the facility. These exposure listin os nave been included in ttus table.-

Certain additional monitoring is done of visiting individuals who are issued wit'n direct-eading pocket dosimeters in addition to film badges and finger dos m:ter rings.

Contammations surveys consisting of wipe tests and G M surveys have sl.own significant, removable contamination only in areas coming into direct contact with samples removed from the reactor,and on sample handling tools.

TABLE V.

Personnel Exposure Summarv for 5/1/91 t.t1/30/92 (in mrem)

Individuals Whole Body Fincer Rine Deep Shallow Shallow 1 O O 60 1 0- 0 40 1 0 0 30 7 0 0 0 22 0 0 0 (students in class)

Totals 5 -Q Q E0 i

Additional aggregated data from self-reading dosimeters issued to researchers:

1 19- (6 visits) l 6 0 (6 visits)

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I UCI Reactor Annual Report 91-92 Page 10