ML20132H074

Rept on Reactor Operations for Period Jan-Dec 1986

ML20132H074
Person / Time
Site:	Purdue University
Issue date:	12/31/1986
From:	Stansberry E PURDUE UNIV., WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
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SCHOOL OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana 47907

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9 REPORT ON REACIOR OPERATIONS i

For the Period  ;

January 1,19'J6 to December 31, 1986 l

PURDUE UNIVERSITY REACTOR-1 1

PURDUE UNIVERSITY West Lafayette, Indiana 47907

- March 1987 Prepared by l

Eldon R. Stansberry Reactor Supervisor i

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1. IMIBODUCTION --

This report is submitted to meet the requirements- set forth 1 in- 10' CFR 50.59 and the technical specifications of the Pardse 1 University Reactor (PUR-1) for the period Jaaaary 1, 1986 to l December 31, 1986.

During the reporting period a total of 644 persons visited the reactor facility. This number isoladed 159 grosps of which  ;

, 131 visits were for the purpose of~' maintenance or surveillamoe ""

l testing. l 1

2. M DESIGN M DPERATIONAL Sg&HEgg 2.1 Facility Damian Channsa There were no design changes to the facility in 1986. -

l 2.2 Performance Charmeteristles  ;

l j During 1986 the operations of the PUR-1 facility l continued satisfactorily. No changes were identified daring

the visual. inspection of the surfaces of two respresntative i

fuel plates. This incinded no evidence of corrosion or defects that might compromise the integrity of the cladding. 1 i Satisf actory fnel performance continued during the year.

2.3 Eksagga h Onoratina Prosadarma Concerninz Safety 31 Famility Dnerations f No changes in the operating procedures of the facility were made during 1986, a

2.4 Rssn11s 21 Snry.111mnem IJAAA And inanections  !

2.4.1 leartivity Limits The reactivity worths of the control rods were determined to be as follows:

Shim-safety #1 -

5.03%  !

Shim-safety #2 -

2.68% l Regn1 sting Rod -

0.25%

The worth curves of the control rods were checked after the inspection and the excess was calculated to i i be 0.47%. The shutdown margin was determined to be

7.49% based on these vainep.

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The control rod inspection was done on July 9, 1986 with no evidence of' change or deterioration

obse rved.

j No experiment was placed in the reactor pool  !

l- daring the year that would require the determination 'I

of' its reactivity during the initial criticality  ;

j following its installation.  :

i 1.4.2'Rggg&ss 3 sis 51 Sxskans 1

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! Each prestartap check included a channel test for l each safety system, provided the shatdown exceed 8 lt hours or if the system was repaired or de-energized. ,

! Each. reactor safety system had a channel check l performed at time intervals of less than 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> ,

daring operation. ,

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The electronic calibration of all safety channola

was completed on September 16, 1986. '

I l On October 8,1986 the irradiation of gold foils l

for a power calibration was made. No significant change was identified from this calibration.

Daring the prestartup which precedes each ran, i the radiation area monitors and the contiamons air

monitor were checked for normal operation. Daring I' 1986 the calibration of the radiation area monitors

was completed by March 17 and Aagast 26 and the j calibration of the continsons air monitor was ,

completed by April 1 and September 30.

! Following the control rod inspections the rod 1* drop times were measured on July 9, 1986. The rod drop times fell between 529 and 536 milliseconds.

These vaines are consistent with past measurements and

], are well within the specification limits of 1 second.

! 2.4.3 ZIingEZ Coolant Srstan 1

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The weekly measurements of the pH of the primary

j. coolant fell between 4.6 and 6.3 daring 1986. The low l readings were due to a temporary probe that was being used in the early prit of the year while awaiting delivery of a new probe, but they are within j specification limits of 5.511.0.

I j Daring the restarting for each ran the 1 condactivity of the primary coolant is measured, and i

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never exceeded 1.33 micronhos-cm daring- the year.

This represents a resistivity of more than 750,000 ohm /cm which exceeds the lower limit of 330,000 ohm /cm as given in the specifications.

According to the prestartup checklist the height of water above the core was 13 feet or greater for each reactor ran. The specification of 13 feet of water was always either met or exceeded.

Monthly samples of the primary coolant wa s-collected and analyzed by personnel from Radiological Control for gross alpha and beta activity. No activity was identified in the samples which wonid indicate failure of the fuel plates.

2.4.4 Containnsat Readings between 0.06 and 0.13 inches of water were recorded weekly for the negative pressure in the reactor room and exceeded the minimum of 0.05 inches required by the specifications.

The semi-annual checks for the proper operation of the inlet and outlet dampers and the air  !

conditioner were completed on May 8 and October 31, 1986. All worked sati sf actorily. '

On July 7, 1986 selected fuel plates were visually inspected. The surface condition of fuel plate #4-3-73 indicated no change from the last inspection, and the cladding of the other inspected plates revealed no change. All spare, anirradiated fuel plates were sent to Oak Ridge National Laboratory on February 20, 1986.

2.4.5 Exmeriments The mass of the singly encapsniated samples and the flux of the reactor are such that the complete release of all gaseous, particulate, and volatile components of the samples would not resnit in doses in excess of 10% of the equivalent annual doses as stated in 10 CFR 20.

No samples of unAnown composition or that required double encapsulation were submitted for irradiation.

2.5 Channsz, Tssis JJul Exneriments Rsonirina Commission Anthor h a tion

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No changes, or experiments which required anthorization from the Commission pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 (a) were l perfoemed during 1986 I

2.6 Chanes in Facility M I

No changes in the facility staff occurrard in 1986.

3. 29]ER GENERATION 1

Operation of the PUR-1 during 1986 consisted of 39 runs which j generated 219,204 watt-minutes of energy and covered an latograted ranning time of 167.9 hours1.041667e-4 days <br />0.0025 hours <br />1.488095e-5 weeks <br />3.4245e-6 months <br />.

4. UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS During 1986 there were no unscheduled shutdowns.

5. KAINTENANCE The only maintenance beyond the usual routine maintenance in 1986, was the replacement of the Sola power tranformer on October 3.

6 CHANGES, IEELS AtR EXPERIMENTS No changes, tests or experiments were carried ont without prior Commission approval pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.59 (b).

7. RADIDACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASES No measurable tuonnts of radioactive effluents were released to the environs beyond our effective control, as measured at or prior to the point of such release.

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