Text

Pulstar Annual Rept to NRC for Jul 1991-June 1992 North Carolina State Univ Nuclear Reactor Program
	ML20099K269
Person / Time
Site:	North Carolina State University
Issue date:	06/30/1992
From:	; North Carolina State University, RALEIGH, NC
To:	;
Shared Package
ML20099K266	List: ML20099K265; ML20099K269; ML20099K272;
References
	NUDOCS 9208260005
	Download: ML20099K269 (10)
	v • d • e

_. _ _ _ _ _..__ _ _ -

l l

PULSTAR ANNUAL REPORT TO UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION for the ,

Period 01 July 1991 - 30 June 1992 >

NCSU NUCLEAR REACTOR PROGRAM 21 August 1992

Reference:

PUI. STAR Technical Specifications Section 6.7.5 Docket No. 50-297 Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 JDR208260oos 920821-p ADOCK 03000297 PDR

DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PULSTAR REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT For the Period: 01 July 1991 30 June 1992 The following report is submitted in accordance with Section 6.7.5 of the PULSTAR Technical Specifications:

6.7.5.a Brief Summmy (1) Entetor Operating Experience:

The NCSU PULSTAR Reactor has been utilized for the following:

a. Teaching and Short Courses 148.1 hours1.157407e-5 days 2.777778e-4 hours 1.653439e-6 weeks 3.805e-7 months

b. Faculty and Graduate Student Research 414.6 hours6.944444e-5 days 0.00167 hours 9.920635e-6 weeks 2.283e-6 months

c. - Neutron Activation Analysis 1,472.5 hours5.787037e-5 days 0.00139 hours 8.267196e-6 weeks 1.9025e-6 months

d. Nuclear Training (Utilities) 582.8 hours9.259259e-5 days 0.00222 hours 1.322751e-5 weeks 3.044e-6 months

e. PULSTAR Reactor Training 39.9 hours1.041667e-4 days 0.0025 hours 1.488095e-5 weeks 3.4245e-6 months

.. Reactor Cal / Measurements & Surveillance 35.9 hours1.041667e-4 days 0.0025 hours 1.488095e-5 weeks 3.4245e-6 months

g. Reactor Health Physics Surveillance 18.7 hours8.101852e-5 days 0.00194 hours 1.157407e-5 weeks 2.6635e-6 months

i. Reactor Sharing '4.1 hours1.157407e-5 days 2.777778e-4 hours 1.653439e-6 weeks 3.805e-7 months TOTAL 2,716.6 hours6.944444e-5 days 0.00167 hours 9.920635e-6 weeks 2.283e-6 months Same reporting period 1990-1991 3,190.4 hours4.62963e-5 days 0.00111 hours 6.613757e-6 weeks 1.522e-6 months -

A cross section of experiments performed in the reactor:

a. Neutron Activation Analysis of filters, animal tissue, bone, protein solutions, hair, sediments / soil, rain / river water, tobacco, vegetation, electric components, fibers, resins, bauxite, coal, ash, graphite, etc.

b. Reactor thermal power measurements for teaching laboratories.

c. Neutron diffusion length measurements in graphite,

d. Neutron Radiography.

c. Neutron fluence and spectral measurements.

(2) Changes in Performance Characteristics Related to Reactor Safe.ly:

None i

l'UISrAR RI%CIOlt ANNUAL,Id.1 ORT 2

01 hty 1'n! % hne IW2 (3) Results of Surveillance. Trsts. and Inspections:

The eactor surveillance program has revealed no significant nor unexpec ed trends in reactor systems performance during this report period.

6.7.5.b Intal linergy Outind:

799.3 Megawatt hours 33.3 Megawatt days Pulse Optrationh:

None Reactor was Critical:

1,057.1 hours1.157407e-5 days 2.777778e-4 hours 1.653439e-6 weeks 3.805e-7 months Ctunu.ative Tot;tl Encrev. Output since Initial Criticality:

17,666.5 Megawatt hours' 736.1 Megawatt days 6.7.5.c Entubst of Emergency and Unscheduled Shutdowns:

Unscheduled Shutdowns - 3 total (1) Linear Power Channel spiked upscale.

(2) Sample basket stuck in irradiation facility.

(3) Unable to transfer to Intermediate Range, inadvertent SCRAMS - 13 total (4) Operator error - 11 (5) Spurious signals - 1 I

Includos an additional 20.6 'agawatt* hours to correct a typographical error from a previous report.

'

l'U!$1 AR RIMCIOR ANNt!Al. RITokT 3 01 July IW1, Y) June IW2 Explanation of (1) above:

The Linear Power Channel exhibited several small upscale spikes of less than 50 pcm (0.05% Ak/k). The signal connector was cleaned and the channel calibrated.

Explanation of (2) above:

Ilandling tools were used to unstick the sample basket from its irradiation facility. -It was retrieved by normal handling methods.

Explanation of (3) above:

During the first start up after completing Design Charges 901 through 91-6, the operator was unable to clear the Source Range inhibit to continne on to the power range. Investigation revealed that a newly installed 117 VAC power cable inside the Control Console was inducing AC noise into the Intermediate Range Channel. The cable was re routed and the problem cleared.

Explanation of (4) above:

i Improper operation of the Linear Ixvel Power Channel range switch by Nuclear Power Plant trainees (NT) and PULSTAR Reactor trainees (PRT) (10).

Operator stopped Primary Pump instead of starting Secondary Pump (1).

Explanation of (5) above:

Set point drift of a pressure-electric switch occured in the Primary Coolant Flow Measuring Channel.

l 6.7.5.d Maior Maintenance Operations:

L The PULSTAR facility has implemented a liquid waste reduction program.

The first phase of the program addressed pump seal leakage. The Primary Pump seals were replaced with mechanical seals which reduced the amount of water discharged to a negligible amount. The design of the pump permitted the use of either type of seal. New packing seals were also added to the Secondary Pump which further reduced the total volume of water released. The second

_,_. _ _ _ . , ~ . _ _ _ . . _

e.- . . - , - . . . . . . . . , . - ~ . - . . ~ ~ . ~ ~ .- - . . _. - - . - - . - _ _ _ u _. .

. l'UISrAR RIMCrOR ANNUA!. RI: PORT 4

' 01 July 1991. Aune 1992 phase will evaluate all remaining pumps to determine the feasability of adding mechanical seals to them.

6.7.5.e .Chmigclin Facility. Procedures. Tests. and Experiments:

1. Design Changes (a) DC 90-1 installed new high and comper,ating voltage power supplies in a new rack adjacent to the Can'.at Console.

(b) DC 91-1 removed Pulse Channel hardware and instrumentation.

There are no plans in the forseeable future for pulsing this reactor.

(c) DC 912 added two digital electiometers (one is an installed spare) to the Control Console to monitor nitrogen-16 in the primary coolant.

(d) DC 91-3 allowed various instruments to be repositioned in the Control Console to facilitate other design changes.

(e) DC 91-4 has been approved but not started. ,

(f) DC 915 installed a commercial annunciator system in the Control Console.

(g) DC 91-6 provides eight digital displays to complement the analog multi point recorder in the Temperature Measuring Channel.

2. Procedure Changes (a) PC 1-91_ was Revision 7 to the PULSTAR Operations Manual. This ,

documented changes required by the deletion of the Pulse Channel and added additional requirements to the Key-Off Checklist.

(b) PC 2-91 was Revision 8 to the PULSTAR Operations Manual. This documented the design changes to the Control Console mentioned above.

l-

ITINI AR Rl!ACIOR ANNUAL, REI' ORT j 01 July 1W1. M June IW2 6.7.5.f Jhidkutstive Effluent:

Lhtuit iWasic (summarized by quarters)

1. Radioactivity released during the reporting period:

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

No. of Tota! Tot. Vol. Diluent Tritium Period Batches pCi Liters Liters pCi 4 6 01 Jul - 3'l .u 91 21 483.07 7.06 x 10 1.13 x 10 230.05 01 Oct - 3 ! P . 91 2 117.96 6.84 x 10' 2.88 x 10' 113.30 -

5 01Jan . Mar 92 6 294.66 2.05 x 10' 4

7.15 x 10 253.25 01 Apr - 30 Jun 92 ? 155.10 1.02 x 10 3.76 x 10' 141.12 (f) 1,050.79 Ci total activity released during this reporting period.

(g) 737.72 pCi of tritium were released during this reporting period.

2. Identification of Fissior, and Activation Products:

The gross alpha-beta-gamma activity of the batches in (a) above were less than 4 x 104 pCi/ml (the maximum specific activity given in IIcalth

Physics Procedure HP 20-2). An isotopic analysis of these batches indicated only background activity.

3. Disposition of liquid effluent not releasable to Sanitary Sewer System:

All batches of 1(a) above when diluted by campus water (2.80 x 106 liters; 11 ninimum daily campus intake) resulted in activity considerably less ti. . 4 x 10' Ci/ml (10 CFR 20 limit). Therefore, all batches were released to the sanitary sewer system.

l'UISrAR RIMCIOR ANNUA!, RilPORT 6 01 July 1991 30 June 1992 Gaseous Waste (summarized monthly).

1. Radioactivity discharged during the reporting period (in Curies) for:

(a) Gases:

Total Time Xen _ Period in Ilours Curies 1991 25 Jun - 24 Jul 687.10 0.658 24 Jul 22 Aug 689.83 0.365 22 Aug - 20 Sep _ 702.83 0.425 -

20 Sep - 04 Nov 1,072.33 0.619 04 Nov _- 06 Dec 775.32 0.368 06 Dec - 03 Jan Rx. S/D 0.000 1992 03 Jan - 29 Jan 615.80 0.170 29 Jan - 27 Feb 697.25 0.032 27 Feb - 27 Mar 703.33 0.282 27 Mar - 24 Apr 672.00 0.500 24 Apr - 22 May 672.25 0.829 22 May - 22 Jun 735.41 0.285 Totals 8,014.44 4.533 (b) Particulates with a half-life of greater than eight days: _

Filters from the particulate monitoring channel were analyzed upon removal and again the following week. There was no particolate activity ((b) above) indicated on any filter during this reporting period.

2. Gases and particulates discharged during this reporting period:

(a) Gases:

The yearly average concentration of argon-41 released from the

- PULSTAR reactor facility exhaust stack during this period was 1.52 x 10-8 pCi/cc.

(b) Particulates:

See gaseous waste 1(b) above.

t w

-____._._.__m__._.e l-l -- .i

~ '

PUISTAR RIMCIOR ANNUAL IWPORT 7 [

! 01 July 1991. 30 June 1992 l L- :

l; Solid Waste froru_ Reactor

1. Total volume of solid waste 0.22 m' (7.77 ft.') -

!.' 4

2. Total acuvity of solid waste - < 0.283 mci ;

3. Dates of shipments and disposal:

i

27 March 1992 Chem-Nuclear: iystems Inc. (CNSI) ,

d

, I f

L s

i h

. . ._ _ - _ . _ , . , _ , . . . , _ . . _ . . _ . , . . . _ , . _ , ~ . . , _ _ . _ _ _ . . , _ _ . _ . - . , . . - . , . . .

- .- - - _ _ _ . . . . . . .~ . - . . ~ - . - .-. _

PU15rAlt IWAUlost ANNUAL RI: PORT 8 01 July 1WI . y) Junc IW2 l

6.7.5.g . Personnel Radiation Exposure Report2 Ji;1culty and Staff Total Exposure (rem)

ARhilSTO, Antonio C. 0.020 131DDY, Oscar D. 0.000 BILYJ, Stephen J. 0.010

BOURIIAM, hiohr ned 0.000 l DAVIS, Glenda F. 0.000 DOSTER, J. Michael 0.000 DUDZIAK, Donald J. 0.010 DUFOUR, Laurence R. 0.000 ELLEMAN, Thomas S. 0.010 L GARDNER, Robin P. 0.000 l GILLIGAN, John G. 0.000

" IIANKINS, Orlando E. 0.000 KINKAID, Kerry L 0.070

MANI, Kolam V. 0.000 l MAYO, Charles W. 0.000 MAYO, Robert M. 0.000 MUNN, R. Ilugh 0.050 MURTY, K. Linga 0.000 PEREZ, Pedro B. 0.010 PLAVNEY, Christopher 0.010 TURINSKY, Paul J. 0.000 VERGHESE, Kuruvilla 0.000 WEAVER, Jack N. 0.000 Other: ,

Approximaiely 19 film badges were issued monthly to graduate students and temporary staff; Approximate: 174 film badges were issued for short courses; Approximawly 300 film badges were issued for visitors.

No significant radiation exposures were reported; the majority of these exposures were in the "no measureable exposure" range.

i l

6.7.5.h Summary of Radiation and Contamination Surveys Within the Facility Neither the radiation nor the contamination surveys indicated any trend or shift of data from past experience or surveys.

2 Compiled anri prepared by the Radiation Protection Of fice.

I i

' - l'UISTAR RIMCIOR ANNUAL RI: PORT _g 01 July IW1 30 June IW2 6.7.5.i Description of Environmental Surveys Outside of the Facility See Attachment A-M

_ - . _ _ _ -m._ ___-__m.

ML20099K269

Text

Reference:

Navigation menu

Search