ML20115J052

Annual Rept for Jul 1995-June 1996

ML20115J052
Person / Time
Site:	University of California - Irvine
Issue date:	06/30/1996
From:	Geoffrey Miller CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, IRVINE, CA
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9607230432
Download: ML20115J052 (11)

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,IRVINE i a:Rustav . DAvm . mviN . taS ANGE128

• RIVERSWE

• SAN DEOO = SAN FRANCMCO SANTABARBARA e SANTA CRUE George E. Miller IRVINE, CA 92697-2025 i Seniorlaturer Emeritus (714) 824 4 649 l l DepartmentofChemistry and FAX: (714) 824-8571 or (714) 824-7621  !

l NuclearReactorfacility E-Mail: GEMILLER@uci.edu '!

July 16,1996 i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission l Document ControlDesk  :

i Mail Station PI-137  !

l Washington, D.C. 20555 l Re: Docket 50-326: License R-116

! Annual Reoort Submittal. Tech Socc 6.7f Ladies / Gentlemen-I

! Please find enclosed three(3) copies of the annual report for the UCI Nuclear Reactor Facility, covering the period July 1st 1995 through June 30th 1996. This report is submitted in accord with license regulations and Technical Specifications as refemnced above.

f Sincerely, 1

George E. Miller  ;

Reactor Supervisor  ;

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i cc: Region IV, NRC,611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, TX 76011-8064 American Nuclear Insurance, The Exchange,270 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06032, Policy hT-176 Reactor Operations Committee members and altemates F.J. Feher, Vice Chair, Chemistry 9607230432 960630 PDR ADOCK 05000326 R PDR 7E Ll7 '

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U.C.IRVINE  ;

i Nuclear ReactorFacility i

Annual Report  ;

for' July 1st 1995 to June 30th 1996 Facility License R-116 l Docket 50-326 l

Paparedin Accordance with Part 6.7f l l

of the Facility Technical Specifications 1

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by 3 Dr. G. E. Miller Reactor Supervisor UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Repon 1995-96 Page1

Section 1.

Operations

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Operation of this facility is in support of the Depanment of Chemistry program of research and i education in the use and application of radiochemical techniques and radioisotopes in chemical studies.  !

Reactor utilization, span fmm operator training and maintenance, is thus entirely for sample l I

irradiation. Samples come from diverse origins related to forensic science, fossil fuels, geochemistry, art, and archaeological studies, chemical synthesis, industrial quality control, enzyme nudies, tmce element pollution studies, etc. The reactor is also used in class work by undergraduates learning tracer and activation analysis techniques using small quantities of short-lived activated materi:'.ls. A new item i has been the production of labelled gold colloid (Au-198) as part of a pediatric research investigation at ;

Harbor /UCLA Medical Center. At the present time this work is purely in vitro, and does not involve patients, other human subjects, or animals.

Some use is made of

• 2 facility by other educational institutions supponed 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. l A second new control panel was installed in April 1996. This replaced the %P channel instrument with a Power Range Monitor Unit from Gamma Metrics. Existing water and fuel temperature monitors were reinstalled in the new panel. This replacement was accomplished rapidly with no problems and the reactor was only shut down for this work for 8 days.

Dr. George Miller continues as Reactor Supervisor (and Lecturer) in the Chemistry Department and Dr. Patricia Rogers is Associate Supervisor.

A pan-time general Laboratory Assistant, Mr Nima Ghaderi, assists with routine heahh physics and maintenance operations at the facility.

The facility was inspected by NRC Region IV Inspector Blair Nicholas during the period 11/27/95 to 12/1/95. Mr Blane Murray, also of Region IV was also present during part of this time. Notices of violation were issued for administrative / procedural issues. No operational problems were noted. This was the first Region IV inspection at this site following the closing of Region V.

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UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Report 1995-96 Page 2

Section 2.

Data Tabulations for the Period July 1st.1995 to June 30th.1996 TABLEI.

' Experiment Approvals on file .

8 Experiments performed (including repeats) 332 Samples irrdiated 1562 Energy generated this period (Megawatt hours) 16.4 Total,69 element core = 127.0

>74 element core = 1112.5 Total energy generated since initial criticality 1254.2 Mwh l

Pulse operation this period 0 Totalpulses to 6/30f>6 978 l Hours critical this period 161 Totalhours critical to date 7093 Inadvenent scrams or unplanned shutdowns 7 Visitors to reactor- admitted 344 Maximum dosimeter differential recorded for visitors 0 mrem

Visiting researchers (dosimeter issacs) 8 Maximum dose recorded (1,2,3,10,3 mrem and several 0 readings) 10 mrem Visiting researchers (badged) 3 Max dose reponed 0 mrem TABLE II l

Reactor Status 6/30/96 Fut.1 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 uflector elementsin core 33 Graphite reflector elements in reactor tank storage 1 Water filled fuelelement positions 6 Experimental facilities in core positions 4 Non-fuel control rods 2 Totalcore positions accounted for 127 Core excess, cold, no xenon $2.87 Control rod worths (4/11/96)

REG $2.84 SHIM I

$3.66 I A1R $1.78 Em $0.77

Intah 19E t Maximum possible pulse insertion $2.55

Maximum peak power recorded (no pulse operation during this period) '0-Mw Maximum peak temperature r corded (B-ring) 0.C i

UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Repon 1995-96 Page 3 i

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Section 3.

Inadvenent Scrams and Unplanned Shutdowns TABLE III.

Dalt THDe Power Tvoe and Cause 1 1221 07/03 15:35 25 mw Linear (WRLM) range in MANUAL mode instead of AUTO : node.

Operator error during stan-up.

07/21 17:50 10 kw Lmear power increase on too fast a period for acto circuit to adjust (4.5 seconds). Operator errorin familiarization with new equipment. .-

122fi 01/03 12:35 220 kw Period scram - operator error while adjusting power for fuel thermocouple measurment. Power adjusted too rapidly.

02/08 10:30 2.5 kw Linear power increase on too fast a period for auto circuit to adie (4.5 seconds). Operator error in familiarization with new equipmen 02/12 15:02 250 kw Premature termination of run using manual scram. Sample failed to return properly from PT system to terminus. Capsule (rabbit) broke at end leaving sample in core. Sample later retrieved using suction tube.

Sample of powdered teflon presented no radiological or chemical hazard.

02/23 09:45 < 2.5 mw During start-up checklist found air pressure dropped to ATR/FFR systems. Could not complete start-up checklist. FFR air drive solenoid found to be stuck in oper position. Cleaned from fine rust panicles and hartiened grease, lubncated, and retumed to full service.

02/29 11:41 1kw Linear, %P scrams - all meters seemingly interrupted. Irreproducible event. Probably external power surge thmugh console.

03/13 12:03 250 kw %P scram caused by detector signal swing when water circulation (cooling) initiated.

06/05 23:45 0 ARM false alarm. Seem to be finding very irregular (several months elapse) between false alarms on one channel of this instrument. May be slow failure of a GM tube, or other component. Instument always checks well after problem, so remains in service.

a UCI TRIGA Rextor Annual Repon 1995-96 Page 4

Section 3 Maintenance and Surveillance ne following non-routine maintenance activities were carried out during this period:

July 1995 - June 1996 January 30th 1996. Service was done on the Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) chart recorder so that chart uptake mechanism performed more satisfactorily.

February 6th 1996. Overtank Area Radiation Monitor (ARM) channel falsely alarmed. Replugging system cured immediate problem which did not recur.

March 8th 1996. A n w entry stamp for the reactor log book was introduced to bring entries in better line with new instrument modules that had been installed.

April 1st - 8th 1996. New (right hand) insttrument panel installed following removal of old panel.

His panel has a new Power Range Monitor for %P and pulsing ranges, fed by existmg non-compensated ion chamber. New scrams were wired into existing SCRAM bus. Fuel and water temperature modules were re-installed in the new panel. A pool temperature meter is now located in the panel instead of being a separate loose unit. De pulsing circuits were not activated, nor were new magnet current supplies, also provided with the new panel. Rese will be connected at a later date. A check of calibrations was done before start-up. Rod drop times, calibrations, and power calibrations were all accomplishged without difficulty using the new system. Only a small amount forchamber adjustment was needed to bring the new module in .

hne with previous calibrations. Good agreement was found between all power indicators at 200 kilowatts power.

June 15th 1996. On graduation day, someone in the early evening pulled an emergency shower in the hallway outside the facility. His ran for about 20-30 minutes before it could be tumed off.

Fortunately maintenance staff were nearby, but severalinches of water filled the hallways, and went under doors into the facility and a few gallons entered the reactor pool. This caused an increase in pool water conductivity (1.6 up to 2.5 micromhos/cm) which is slowly being .

brought back down by the pool purification system. l i

UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Report 1995-96 Page 5

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Section 5 Facility Channes and Special Exneriments Approved No special experiments or additional facility changes were approved during this period.

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UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Repon 1995-96 Page 6 i

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Section 6 i Radioactive Effluent Release.

(a) Gases.

'Ihe major direct release to the environs is Argon-41 produced during normal operations. Very small amounts of other gases may be released from irradiated materials in experiments.

Releases are computed based on original estimates at point of origin within the facility and l taking only dilution into account. Since much of the release is from operation of the pneumatic transfer  ;

system for samples, this is a conservative estimate in that assumption is made that all use of the PT 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 numbers 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 discharge, it is considered unnecessary to provide further checks of these estimates. The  !

dosimeter data confirm that an individual standing directly in the exhaust flow for one year would receive an additional submersion dose from the exhaust less than the reliability limit of the dosimeters, ;

or less than 20 mrem per year. The dosimeter data are presented separately in Section 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 of lower masses of concrete structures in the vicinity. In fact the data have been consistently at 20-25 mrem per year background level, so confidence of .

exposure less than 5 mrem over background seems possible. ]

Release estimates based or operational parameters are as follows:  :

(1) Operation of pneumatic transfer system (7/195-6/30/96):  !

a. Minutes of operation: 468.6 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 I Total release computed:(a x b x c) = 3.4 x 10 microcuries (2) Release from pool surface (7/1/95-6/3096):

a. Total hours of operation at power (Mwh x 4) = 66 hours7.638889e-4 days <br />0.0183 hours <br />1.09127e-4 weeks <br />2.5113e-5 months <br />

b. Release rate assumed: <1. x 10~8 microcuries/ml 8

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

Totalrelease computed:(a x 60 x b x c) = 5.7 x 10 microcuries Total of (1) and (2) emission in 1 year = 9.1 x 103 microcuries Concentration averaged over 12 months = < 1.5 x 10-10 microcuries/ml This remains similar to values reported in previous years considering the operation hours, and remains lower than MPC even assuming no dilution of the plume at the stack.

UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Report 1995-96 Page 7

(b) Lioulds and Solids.

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

DRY WASTES:

2 ft3box---> 24Na with <0.01 mci on 7B/95 2 ft 3box---> 60Co and 51Cr with <.1 and <.01 mci respectively on 10/24/95.

2 ft3 box---> 60Co and 3H with <0.1 and <l.0 mci mspectively on 2/27/96.

LIQUIDS: none disposed during this period.

Section 7.

Environmental Surveillance.

Calcium sulfate / Dysprosium thermoluminescent dosimeters in packs supplied by the Radiation Detection Company, Sunnyvale, 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 Hills. In fact, the average of the more remotely located " concrete environment" packs on campus is used as the backgmund for comparison purposes, since a more similar microenvironment is experienced by such packs.

Table of Locations.

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

2. In hallway 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 center.

5. In roof exhaust air flow from mactor 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 S <ss campus,5th floor office in sunny window

8. Computer Science bunJng,4th floor office, in shaded 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.

UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Report 1995-96 Page 8

i Table IV shows the data as received from RDC for the period. All levels are as expected and i are similar to those reported in recent years. As noted before, areas (1) and (2) are also partly  !

contmiled so that maximum possible exposme to an individual in an uncontrolled area is very minimal  !

at this facility with current operations. The air released from the facility (measured by locations #5 and j

1. 9) continues to give no detectable exposure above backgmund for dosimeters immersed in it. }

Location 7 consistently shows higher readings presumably because it is in a window above a warm, -

outside, cement wall. Over many years, the data at each specific location show remarkable consistency. An appreciable change would be easily noticeable.  !

f TABLE IV.

Envimnmental Dosimetrv Data.

1995-1996 Average Exoosures in mr.

Location. Ouaner Annual Total less 2S5 3S5 4/95 IS6 IQial background  ;

(36i 23) 1 6 4 4 6 20 0  ;

2 11 8 8 9 36 0 l 3 11 4 3 5 23 0 4 2 9 9 11 31 0 5 6 7 6 9 28 0 ,

6 6 5 5 7 23 0 7 19 16 17 17 69 29 8 5 4 3 5 17 0 9 6 6 6 7 25 0 0 l 10 3 2 1 2 8 l

Average of locations 6,7, and 8 used for " background" ( = 36) i i

l UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Report 1995-96 Page 9 I

I Section 8.

Radiation Exnosure to Personnel.

The annual exposures reported as a asult of finger dosimeter ring and film badge dosimetry are presented in Table V. All of this exposure was acquired in the course of isotope handling experiments, and in one instance was panly accumulated in an area outside the facility, in a location licensed by the State of California, but from by-product material produced at the facility, No exposures have been reponed for individuals involved in facility operations.

Eight (8) persons were monitored on a continual basis using film badges, and all of these were also issued with finger dosimeter rings. These were required to be worn while handling isotopes. Film badges wem generally worn at waist level by all personnel.

Cenain additiond monitoring is done of visiting individuals who are issued with direct-reading pocket dosimeters in addition to film badges and finger dosimeter rings.

Contamination surveys consisting of wipe tests and G-M surveys have shown significant, removable contamination only in areas coming into direct contact with samples removed fmm the reactor, and on sample handhng tools.

TABLE V.

Personnel Exoosure Summarv for 5/1/95 to 4/30/96 (in mrem)

Individuals Whole Body Finger Ring Deep Shallow Shallow 1 O O 50 17 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 (Students in class) ,

1 Totals 3 -Q Q 50 l Additional aggregated data from self-reading pocket dosimeters issued to researchers (mrem):

3 0 (1 visit) i 1 0 (5 visits) l 1 0 (2 visits) 1 0 (4 visits) 1 19 (5 visits)

UCI TRIGA Reactor Annual Repon 1995-96 Page 10