ML20132H111

Rept on Reactor Operations for Period Jan-Dec 1990

ML20132H111
Person / Time
Site:	Purdue University
Issue date:	12/31/1990
From:	Clikeman F PURDUE UNIV., WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
To:
Shared Package
ML20132H016	List: ML20132H013 ML20132H018 ML20132H024 ML20132H029 ML20132H032 ML20132H036 ML20132H040 ML20132H047 ML20132H050 ML20132H056 ML20132H074 ML20132H086 ML20132H106 ML20132H111 ML20132H117 ML20132H122 ML20132H131 ML20132H136 ML20132H141
References
NUDOCS 9612270140
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3 REPORT ON REACTOR OPERATIONS For the Period January 1,1990 to December 31,1990  ;

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PURDUE UNIVERSITY REACTOR-1 0 PURDUE UNIVERSITY West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 i March,1991 Prepared by i F. M. Clikeman Laboratory Director and Reactor Supervisor D

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1. INTRODUCTION This report is submitted to meet the requimments set forth in 10 CFR 50.59 and the technical specifications of the Purdue University Reactor (PUR-1) for the period January l 1,1990 to December 31.1990.

O During the reporting period of 1990 a total of 563 persons visited the mactor facility.

Those persons included 138 different groups, of which 75 groups were for the purpose of maintenance or surveillance testing,12 groups were for class purposes, 21 groups were pre-scheduled tours,6 groups were participants in our reactor sharing program and 24 were miscellaneous groups. '

2. PLANT DESIGN AND OPERATIONAL CHANGES 2.1 Facility Design Changes O There were no design changes to the facility in 1990. '

2.2 Performance Characteristics The operation of the PUR-1 facility continued satisfactorily during the mporting period. During the visualinspection of the surfaces of two representative fuel plates no changes were identified. This inspection included any defects that might compromise the integrity of the cladding including any evidence of corrosion. l Satisfactory preformance of the fuel continued during the year.

O 2.3 Changes in Operating Procedures Conceming Safety of Facility Operations 1

No changes in the operating procedures of the facility were made during 1990.

2.4 Results of Surveillance Tests and Inspections 2.4.1 Reactivity Limits The reactivity worths of the control rods were determined to be as follows:

O Shim-safety #1 - 4.99%

Shim-safety #2 - 2.64%

Regulating Rod - 0.25%

1 The worth curves of the control rods were checked after the inspection and the  !

! excess was determined to be 0.41%. The shutdown margin was determined to l i be 7.48% based on these values.

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The control rod inspection was done on July 12,1990 with no evidence of j

- change or deterioration observed. j l No experiment was placed in the reactor pool during the year that would  !

requim the determination ofits reactivity during the initial criticality -  :

following its installation. -!

3' 2.4.2 Reactor Safety Systems  !

Each prestartup check included a channel test for each safety system, 'I provided the shutdown exceed 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> or if the system was repaired or de . j energized.  ;

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

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On August 27,1990 the electronic calibration of all safety channels was -

completed.  !

I The irradiation of gold foils for a power calibration was done on October 11, i 1990. No significant change was identified from this irradiation.

I During the prestartup which precedes each run, the radiation area monitors  ;

and the continuous air monitor were checked for normal operation. During )

1990 the calibration of the radiation area monitors and the continuous air -1 3

monitor was completed on March 17 and September 28.

Following the control rod inspections, the rod drop times wem measumd on l July 12,1990. The rod drop times fell between 533 and 580 milliseconds.

These values are consistent with past measurements and are well within the specification limits of I second.

2.4.3 Primary Coolant System O' The weekly measumments of the pH of the primary coolant fell between 4.8 and 6.3 during 1990. 'Ihese value are within the specification limits of 5.5 +_.

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During the prestartup check, which proceeds each run, the conductivity of the primary coolant was measured and the values never exceeded 1.48 micrombos-cm. This represents a resistivity of more than 675,000 ohm /cm l

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I p which exceeds the lower limit of 330,000 ohm /cm as given in the  !

p specifications.

The speci6 cation of 13 feet of water was always either met or exceeded, l

f according to the prestarted check list that was completed prior to each reactor run. I o ,

l Monthly samples of the primary coolant was collected and analyzed by I l personnel from Radiological and Environmental Management for gross alpha and beta activity. No activity was identified in the samples which would

! indicate failure of the fuel plates. -:

L _2.4.4 Containment Readings between 0.035 and 0.135 inches of water wem recorded weekly for l

the negative pmssure in the reactor room. The weekly readings from June 18 O i

. to July 9 were mcorded at 0.035 inches which is below the minimum value of 0.05 set by the technical specifications. During this time, the reactor was not -

operated and on July 9, the calibration was checked and the fluid level of the gauge was found to be low. The instrument was recalibrated and the reading. .!

was 0.13 inches, well above the level required for operation. All other l weekly readings were between 0.055 and 0.135 inches.  !

The semi-annual checks made in 1990 for the proper operation of the inlet and outlet dampers and the air conditioner were completed on April 11 and O  :

October 30,1990. All worked satisfactorily. I Selected fuel plates were visually inspected on July 11,1990. The surface condition of fuel plate #4-3-73 indicated no change fmm the last inspection,

, and the cladding of the other inspected plates identified no changes.

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

i No samples of unknown composition or that mquired double encapsulation l-were submitted forirradiation.

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4 2.5 Changes, Tests and Experiments Requiring Commission Authorization During 1990 no changes, or experiments which required authorization from the Commission pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 (a) were performed.

2.6 Changes in Facility Staff I U During the year Mr. Edward Merritt successfully passed the examinations for his ,

operators license. On December 31, Mr Eldon Stansberry retired from the l University and as reactor supervisor. He will continue to be on call and intends to maintain his operating license. Professor F. Clikeman will assume the duties of l reactor supervisor. '

3. POWER GENERATION Operation of the PUR-1 during 1990 consisted of 29 runs which generated 258,938 watt-O minutes of energy and covered an integrated running time of 59.8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br />. l 1

4. UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS 1

Two unscheduled shutdowns occurred during 1990. Both of these shutdowns were l

rw>ciated with the log N channel with noise in the channel generating false period i indie-tWs. Voltage checks and routine maintenance corrected these problems.

All of these unscheduled shutdowns were on the conservative side of safety and no unsafe condition existed at the time of shutdown.

O 5. MAINTENANCE Only routine maintenance was required during the reporting period.

6. CHANGES, TESTS AND EXPERIMENTS t No changes, tests or experiments were carried out without prior Commission approval pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.59 (b).

7. RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASES No measurable amount 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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