ML20099G561
| ML20099G561 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Wisconsin |
| Issue date: | 12/31/1992 |
| From: | Cashwell R WISCONSIN, UNIV. OF, MADISON, WI |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20099G557 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9208170091 | |
| Download: ML20099G561 (15) | |
Text
_
4, *+
+
x.
i ;;
w Y
?
3 a
t
.g L
THE UNIVERSITY OF iUSCONSIN
~
NUCLEAR: REACTOR: LABORATORY i1691-1992 ANNUAL OPERATING REPORT
~
7 1
PREPAREDLTO' MEET REPORTING-REQUIREMENTS OF:
[,
U. S.-DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
-(REPORT; DOE /ER/1560-25) -
AND UL S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION.
(DOCKET 50-156,.; LICENSE: R-74)'-
n
~
n PREPARED:BY:-
R! J. CASHWELL.
w
[
DEPARTMENT OF-NUCLEAR--ENCINEERING AND-ENGINEERING: PHYSICS'
~=
k 9208170091 9?';806 PDR ADOCK O$000156 R
- ~..
f-l U.i d,q j
n:. - l b -)
f f
I
^.. _.
THE' UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NUCLEAR REACTOR LABORATORY g,
x 1991-1992 ANNUAL OPERATING-REPORT PREPARED TO MEET--REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF:
U. S. DEPARTMENT-OF ENERGY (REPORT DOE /ER/1560-25)
AND-U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (DOCKET 50-156, LICENSE-R-74)
PREPARED-BY:
R. J. CASHWELL DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING PHYSICS I
?
IJWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-1992 Page 1 of 14 EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
OF REACTOR UTILIZATION Teaching:
Teaching usage of the reactor during the year included:
39 NEEP students in laboratory courses.
66 student in lecture courses which included demonstrations in the reactor laboratory.
Numerous instructors and students from area school systems were given demonstrations in reactor operations and use.
Students and staff from Colorado College, Edgewood College, Lakeshore Technical Institute, Milwaukee School of Engineering, and University of Wisconsin-Platteville, used the facilities for formal instruction or research.
Research:
Neutrons from the reactor were used primarily for neutron activation and analysis.
36 samples were irradiated for research programs in other departments of the UW-Madison (Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Material Scienco and Engineering).
194 samples were irradiated for other educational institution research programs (Colorado College, U.W. Milwaukee, U.W.
Platteville, and Verona High School).
Industrial Use: NAA services were provided to Hazelton Laboratories (to determine La and Sn levels in ethanol-water mixtures) and Johnson Controls, Inc. (to determine composition of dross samples).
Federal Government Agencies:
NAA serv!ces were provided to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (to determine Fe levels in hydroxids solutions and lon-exchange resins).
m
l 1
UWNR Annual Report 1991 92 Page 2 of 14 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXErJTIVE
SUMMARY
OF REACTOR UTILIZAT!ON..
1 A.
SUMMARY
OF OPERATIONS....
3 1.
INSTRUCTIONAL USE --UW-Madison Classes and Activities 3
2.
REACTOR SHARING PROGHAM 4
3.
SAMPLE IRRADIATIONS AND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS SERVICES.
6 4.
OTHER MAJOR RESEARCH USE..
8 5.
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL, FACILITY AND PROCEDURES 8
6.
RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS.
8 B.
OPERATING STATISTICS AND FUEL EXPOSURE 9
e C.
EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS 9
D.
MAINTENANCE.......
10 E.
CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES REPORTASLE UNDER 10 10CFR SO.59.
F.
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL,.
11 l
H.-
RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS 11 13 TABLE 1 LIQUID WASTE TO SANITARY SEWER TABLE 2 EFFLUENT FROM STACK....
14 l
~
i
~
I
-UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-1991-92 PAGE 3 OF-14 I
- A'.
SUMMARY
OF OPERATIONS
-1.
INSTRUCTIONAL USE --UW-Madison Classes and Activities-i Thirty two students enrolled in NEEP 231 participated in a two-hour :
laboratory-session intrcJ ring students to reactor behavior characteristics.
Twelve hours of reactor operating time were demted to this session.
NEEP 427 was offered in the fall and spring semesters with a total enrollment of 22, Several NEEP 427 experiments use materials that are activated in the reactor. One experiment entitled " Radiation Survey" requires that students make measurements of radiauon levels in and around the reactor.
laboratory. All of these reactor uses take place during normal isotope _-
3 production runs, so no reactor time is specifically devoted to NEEP.427.
1 The enrollment in NEEP 428 was 17 as it was offered in both semesters.
Three experiments in NEEP 428 require exclusive use of the reactor. Each of these experiments ( Critical Experiment," ' Control Element Calibration," and
-_" Pulsing").was repeated four times during the year requiring a total of 77 hours8.912037e-4 days <br />0.0214 hours <br />1.273148e-4 weeks <br />2.92985e-5 months <br /> of exclusive reactor'use. Other NGEP 428 laboratory sessions use material that has been irradiated in the reactor. (" Fast Neutron Flux Measurements by Threshold Foil Techniques" and " Resonance Ausorption"). These two experiments were repeated six times during the year; L
4Th rty-our NEEP 305 students used the reactor for an experiment to i
f measure the half lives of the longer-lived delayed neutron emitters;
~
The Reactor Laboratory continues to_ attract large numbers of tours, with -
groups from public schools, day cares, scout troops, Kollege for Kids, trades
- apprentice programsi teacher groups, and service organizations visiting for tours and nuclear power information.
u.
t 4
. u
e i
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991 PAGE 4 OF 14 2.
REACTOR SHARING PROGRAM User institutions participated in tha program as detailed below.
9 Participating Principal Number of Faculty /
Jadtution loycatigator Studen_ts involved Academic / industrial D. Woolston 1/20 Teacher / Internship Program Reactor Tour; Di;cussion of Nuclear Power Blackr.3wk High School S. O'Brien 1/30 Paactor Tour Calvery Gospel School L. Anderson 3/60 Science Careers and Nuclear Power for 5-12th grades Cherokee Middle School N. Contrucci 2/25 Reacter tour and nuclear power discussion for middle school students Colorado College E. Henrickson 1/3 NAA of sand samples NAA, short and long and andesites for tracing origin NAA of Rock for studies Edgewood College Madison, WI P. Weldy 1/7 NAA demonstration / Reactor operation demo Lakeshore Technical
' Institute D. Gossett 1/9 Reactor operation demonstration, Neutron Monitor Operation
. Milwaukee School of -
Engineering Prof. Dieball 1/16 Reactor Tour and Reactor Operation demonstration Monona Grove High School R. Zebell 2/22 Tour of Reactor Laboratory
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-1991-92 PAGE S OF 14 New Glarus High School S. Wehrley 1/19 Tour of Reactor Lab and Facilities St. Joseph's Middle School J. Dwyer 1/9 Tour of Reactor Lab as part of science curriculum Senate Middle School V. Laufenberg 2/34 How a Nuclear Power plant works University of Wisconsin -
Platteville H. Fenrick 1/7 Reactor Operstion and NAA demonstration Van Hise Middle School D. Dubielzig 8/250
Subject:
Nuclear Waste Verona High School Chemistry Class R. Marks 4/100 Atomic Physics
' Chemistry Class 11 S. Moore 1/1 NAA of Rocks USER
SUMMARY
Educational Institutions:
15 Students:
612 Faculty / Instructors:
31
!'W 4
. UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-92 PAGE 6 OF 14 3,
' SAMPLE IRRADIATIONS AND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS SERVICES There were 700 individual samples irradiated during the year. Of these-samples,411 were irradiated for 15 minutes or less. Samples accumulated 129.9 i
irradiation space hours and 583.8 sample hours. Many samples were irradiated and then counted at the Reactor Laboratory as part of our neutron activation-
. analysis service. In the listing below the notation (NAA) indicates that the samples were processed by our neutron activation analysis service.
. Chemistry D9partment (NAA)-
- 7. samples, 2 less than 15 minutes, 5.5 sample hours,1.5 irradiation space hour.
- Prof Lerner and 2 students used the NAA service to determine Na and Mg
~
content in a determination ~of effect of cations on carbohydrate conformation.
Supported by Whitaker Foundation and NIH.
- Colorado College (NAA) c 170 samples,-_100.95 sample hours,8.1 Irradiation space hour. Professor.
Hennckson and 6 students used the NAA service for investigation of trace element concentrations in rocks and rock systems ' Supported by DOE Reactor Sharing' Program.
Electrical and Computer Engineering (NAA)'
10 Samples,1 sample hc ',0.1 irradiation space hours. Professor McCaughn land 2 students used the NAA._ service to determine erbluni content of crystals.
Hazelton Laboratories '(NAA)_
i139 Sampies, all less than 15 minutes,37.25 sample hours,1.75 irradiation space -
hours. ' A researcher used the;NAA service to determine La and Sn levels in ethanol-water mixtures. Industrial support.
L
-Johnson Controls, Inc. (NAA)
L 21 samples,(12 less than _15 minutes,'21 sample hours,2.5 irradiation space hours. Staff members used the NAA service to' determine composition of dross samples.L Industnal support L
L 1
h 1
I
UWNR AMuAL R' PT 1991-92 PAGE 7 uF 14 1
Material Science and Engineering Department, UW-Madison (NAA) 19 samples, mi less than 15 minutes, 4.75 sample hours,0.5 irradiation soace hours. Professor John H. Perepezko, three additional staff members and 5 students are using the NAA service for analysis of Nb Ti-Al alloys. The analyses are then used to accurately determine the phase diagram of the alloy system.
Supported by DARPA through the Office of Naval Research.
NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology (NAA) 70 samples,128 sample hours,22 Irradiation space hours. A staff member used the NAA service to determine Fe levels in hydroxidc solutions and ion exchange i
resine.
k Nucitsar Engineering and Engineering pitydics, UW Madison NEEP 427 anr1428 LaborMy CDrses 194 samples,120 less than 15 minutes,242.88 sample hours,73.54 irradiation space hours. Irradiations in support of teaching laboratory.
Reactor Laboratory 56 samples,4 less than 15 minutes,16 sample hours,8.75 irradiation space hours. Irradiations for flux measurements and instrument calibrations.
R University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (NAA) 12 Samples,3 less than 15 minutes,7.5 sample hours,1.25 irradiation space hours. Professor Conrad and 1 undergraduate student used the NAA service to determine impurities in coatings. Supported by DOE F3 actor Sharing Progrcm.
University of Wisconcin Platteville 2 sarnples,4 sample hours,2 irradiation space hours. Professor and 7 students f
in a neutron ectivation analysis laboratory. Supported by USDOE Reactor Sharing Program, Verona High School 10 nmples,15 sample hours,1.5 irradiation space hours Activations for demonstrations. Supported by DOE Reactor Sharing Program.
5 i
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-92 PAGE 8 CF 14
~
4.
OTHER MAJOR RESEARCH USE The neutron radiography facili'. was inactive during the yea..
5.
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL. FACILITY AND PROCEDURES Changes reportable under 10 CFR 50.59 are indicated !n section E of tius report Personnel changes during the year were as follows:
Professor George M. Maxwell replaced Professor VanSciver on i.
the Reactor Safety Committee.
Susan Englehardt resigned as Health Physics supervisor for the University. She was replaced.on th3 Reactor Safety Committee by the acting r$diation Svety Officer, Abdul BenZikri. A search
~
for a permaneni.eplacement is continuin0 -
Reactor Operators Joe W. Kettner and Eric P. Loewen were appointed as Senior Reactor Operators upon licensing by NRC.
Douglas A. Bishop, Jody I. Helland, John G. M,rphy, and Michael T. Trubenbach we:e appointed as Reactor Operators upon licensing by NRG-The Safety Department, parent organization of the University Radiation Safety Office has been transferred from the administrative control of the Department of Physical Plant to report directly.to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning and Management. The Radiation Safety L
Office continues to be operationally controlled by the University Radiation p
Safety Committee, and the relationships with the Reactor Laboratory are unchanged.
g, 6.
_ RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS The program of inspection and testing of reactor components continues.
Inspection of underwater components showed no deterioration or wear.
y-M r
r-W p
T-
+
ee r'
.gf e
r+-
-""^T'-
I
l UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-92 PAGc 9 oF 14 B.
OPERATING STATISTICS AND FUEL EXPOSURE Critical Optratina Period Simigas Mrs J A U irs f1!!3gs FY 199192 138 556.06 637.67 36 Total Present Core 2430 8991.74 7475.59 570 Total TRIGA Cores 4465 16256.73 12463.77 1881 Tha excess reactivity of core 123-R12 increased slightly during the year to 4.51 percent.
C.
EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS There were 7 automatic scrarns during the year distributed as follows:
7/25/91 High pool level alarm due to thermal expansion plus currents due to leck in polyethylene tube conveying water tc whale tube C2.
The currents caused actuation of tho float switch while the pool level was below the actual setpoint The polyethylene tubing was replaced.
The following 6 scrams are retrospectively classified as range switch probleme on the picoammeters. The picoammeters provide an electronic scram function, as well as the technical specification required electronic scram. This electronic scram cometimes actuates even though toe bistable (which produces both electronic and relay scrams) does not change state.
8/1/91
& 8/1/91 (2 scrams)
Electror.ic scrams in one case while reducing power, in the other case during steady state operation with no control manipulations taking place. No upscale movements an any instruments, and no bistable operation. After i.westigation, solder joints in the logic element were resoldered, and the contacts of the logic element connector were burnished.
9/24/91 Another electronic scram with no upscale indication on any instrument. Since inis appeared to be a recurrence of the electronic scrams on 8/1/91, it was decided to replace one of the three instruments (logN-period nmplifier and the wo l
i 1
1 UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-92 PAGE 19 0F 14 Mcc3mmotm) that can cause electronic scram. The logN-Perihd EmpZer was replaced with the spare, sir:ce this instrument had previously caused ebetronic scrams without bistable actuation, 9/24/91 Electronic scram coincident with upranging #1 picoammeter to 10'JO kW range. Could not cause to recur with testing Replaced picoammeter with spare, and reheated scider joints on range switch for unit that was removed.
9/26/91 Electronic and relay scram from #1 picoammeter when changing range switch to 30 watt range. Found and repaired intermittent solder joint in range resistor on spare (switch han been replaced in 1988, and tested satisfactorily at that time).
9/27/91 Electronic scram from #1 piccammeter when switched to 300 W range. Restarted'and continued full power run with #1 picoammeter on full power range in order to complete run required to maintain fuel gamma ray dose at self-protection levels Switched back to original picoammeter.
l D.
MAINTENANCE Routine preventisa maintenance continued to maintain equipment operabiiity, except for the events discussed immediately above, i
E.
CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES REPORTABLE UNDER 10CFR 50.59 l-The air monitor which monitors the radioactivity in air discharged from the stack was replaced in January 1992, The new system desenption matches that in the Safety Analysis Report (pages 2-54 and 2 55) except for the quoted sensitivities.
The values in the SAR were calculated sensitivities without consideration of normal background variations. The equipment currently in servicu will detect a L
l particulate activity of about SE-10 Ci/ml and a gasecur activity of about 1E-7 l
Cl/mi with normal background. In addition, the Continuous Air Monitor system (not described in the SAR, but reported as an additional instrument in our 1979-l 80 annual report) has been replaced with a system identical to the stack air l
monitor. The CAM includes gaseous detection capability and can be used as a spare for the stack monitor.
w
y UWNR ANNUAL. REPORT 1991-92 PAGE 11 oF 14 F.
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL 1.
SOLID WASTE s
No solid waste was shipped from the facility during the year.
2.
LIOlJID WAS'i E There were 5 discharges of liquid radioactive waste to the sewer system during the year. Concentrations discharged were below MPC without considering dilution by the sewage dit harge flow. Table 1 details the discharges to the sewer system.
3.
PARTICULATE AND GASEOUS ACTIVITY RELEASED TO THE ATMOSPHERE Table 2 presents info.mation on stack discharges during the year.
G.
SUMMARY
OF RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL (1 July 1991 - 30 June 1992)
No personnel received any significant radiation exposure for the above period. The highest doses recordet were 70 mrem to the whole body and 4
0 mrem to extremities.
H.
RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS The environmental monitoring program at Wisconsin uses Eberline TLD Ig area monitors located in areas surrounding the reactor laboratory The following table indicatec dose rates a person would have received if continuously present in the indicated area for the full year.
I
h UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-92 PAGE 12 0F 14 l
.k'
. Annual Dose Data -- Environmental Monitors Average Dose Rato mrem / week Location 19al-E2 Inside Wall of Reactor Laboratory 9.06 Inside Reactor Laboratory Stack 1.81 i
Hignest Dose Outside Reactor Laboratory (Reactor Lab roof 1
' entrance window: monitor adjacent
- to stone surface) 2.80
- Highest Dose in Occupied Nonrestricted Area (second floor classroom) Room 247 1.46 Average hse in all Nonrestricted Areas (27 Monitor Points) 1.43 Lowest Dose Reported in Non restricted Area
.95 e
b
.I ;
..A i
u-e--.
e
,sy..
ey,w e w
-em,-
.r--w, r
~
'UWNR ANNUAL. REPORT. 1991-92
-PAGE 13 OF 14 TABLE 1 LIQUID WASTE TO SANITARY SEWER Date
.7/3/91 7/23/91 2/3/92 2/26/92 4/15/92 TOTAL Total pC1 70.23 129.55 2.124 15.60 7.92 233.424 GALLONS 1200 1450 1200 1400 1220 6470
% of MPC 2.9E-2 4.4E-2 1.0E-3 7.0E-3 1.0E-3 Co-58 (MPC Used = 4E-3).
gCi 1.96 4.73 0
0 0.26 6.95 l
uti/ml 2.2E-8 5.2E-8 2.9E-9 Fraction of MPC 5.4E-6' l.3E-5 7.3E-7 Co-60 (MPC Used =:lE-3) pCi 5.90 5.81 0.37
-1.80 0
13.88 gCi/ml 6.6E-8 6.4E-8 4.lE-9 2.0E-8 Fraction of MPC 6.6E-5 6.4E-5 4.lE-6 2.0E-5 I
Cr-51 (MPC Used = 5E-2) l pCi 9.46 19.57 0
0 5.29 34.32 gCi/ml 1.lE-7 2.2E-7 5.9E-8 Fraction of MPC 2.lE-6 4.3E-6 7.3E-7 Mn-54 (MPC Used = 4E-3) gCi 6.76 7.64 0.20 0.58 0.49 15.94 pCi/ml 7.5E-8 8.5E-6 2.2E-9 9.4E-9 5.5E-9 Fraction of MPC 1.9E-5 2.1E-5 5.5E-7 2.3E-6 1.4E-6 Zn-65 (MPC Used = 3E-3)8 pCi 54.15 91.80 1.554 12.95 1.88 162.334
[
pCi/ml 6.1E-7 1.0E-6 1.78E-8 1.4E-7 2.lE-8 Fraction of MPC 2.0E-4 3.4E-4 5.9E-6 4.8E-5 7.0E-6 l
Average concentration at point of release to sewer = 9.5E-6 sci /ml.
Average daily sewage flow for dilution - 2.37E4 gallons.
i largest daily: release fraction of limit, including dilution = 4.4E-4 of MPC.
Average yearly concentration = 7.0E-9 yCi/ml.
i
4 f
UWNR ANNUAL REPORT 1991-92 PAGE 14 0F 14 TAEI_g EFFLUENT FROM STACK 1
1.
Particulato Activity There was no-discharge of particulate radioactivity above background levels.
2.
Gasoous Activity -- All Argon 41 Maximum Activity Instantaneous Average Discharged Concentration Concentration Month (Curies) pCi/ml x 10
pCi/ml x 10
i July 1991 0.092 2.0 0.0513 August 0.089 1.6 0.0500 September 0.086 1.6 0.0500 October 0,088' l.3 0.0492 November 0.108 1.5 0.0622 December 0.029 1.1 0.0162 January 1992 0.202 1.0 0.1130 February 0.591 1.4 0.3520 March 0.838 1.4 0.4680 April 0.024 1.4 0.0140
-May 0.072 1.7 0.0400 June 0.084 3.5 0.0486 TOTAL 2.303
-3.5 (Maximum) 0.1095 (Average).
Maximum-Instantaneous Concentration - 0.145.of MPC Average Concentration = 4.6E-3 of MPC 8
MPC used 2.4E-5 pCi/ml; calculated in SAR to yield 3E-8 pCi/ml in non-restricted area
,,