ML20132H141

Rept on Reactor Operations for Period Jan-Dec 1995

ML20132H141
Person / Time
Site:	Purdue University
Issue date:	12/31/1995
From:	Clikeman F PURDUE UNIV., WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
To:
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References
NUDOCS 9612270147
Download: ML20132H141 (6)

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i NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

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I REPORT ON REACTOR OPERATIONS For the Period January 1,1995 to December 31,1995 1

+ i PURDUE UNIVERSITY REACTOR-1 I PURDUE UNIVERSITY l West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 March 1996 Prepared by F. M. Clikeman Laboratory Director and Reactor Supervisor 4

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1. INTRODUCTION

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i This report is submeted to meet the requirements set forth in 10 CFR 50.59 and the technical specifications of the Purdue University Reactor (PUR 1) for the period January 1,1995 to December 31,1995, i

l i: During the reporting period of 1995 a total of 352 people visited the reactor facility. Those people j induded 95 different groups, of which 46 groups were for the purpose of maintenance or surveillance l testing,18 groups were for class purposes,17 groups were pre-r,cheduled tours, and 3 groups were participants in our reactor sharing program.  ;

2. PLANT DESIGN AND OPERATIONAL CHANGES l 2.1 Facility Desion Chances I l

There were no design changes to the facility in 1995.  ;

2.2 Performance Characteristics

. The operation of the PUR 1 facility continued satisfactorily during the reporting period. During l the visual inspection of the surfaces of two representative fuel plates no changes were  !

g identified. This inspection included any defects that might compromise the integrity of the ' -

cladding including any evidence of corrosion. Satisfactory performance of the fuel continued l

during the year, j 2.3 Changes in Operating Procedures Concoming Safety of Facility Operations  ;

Five operating and six maintenance / calibration procedures were rewritten or revised and l approved during the year.

2.4 Results of Surveillance Tests and Inspections l 2.4.1 Reactivity Limits l l

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

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Shim-safety #1 - 4.97%

Shim-ssfety #2 - 2.62%

Regulating Rod - 0.26%

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 be 7.43% based on these values.

The inspection of the control rods was completed on August 1,1995 with no evidence of change or det3rioration observed.

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No experiment was placed in the reactor pool during the year that would require the determination of its reactivity during the initial criticality following its installation.

2.4.2 Reactor Safety Systems Each prestartup check included a channel test for each safety system, provided the shutdown exceeded 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-energized.

Each reactor safety system had a channel check performed at time intervals of less than I

4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> during operation.

On August 30,1995 the electronic calibration of all safety channels was completed.

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The irradiation of gold foils for a power calibration was done on October 19,1995. The calibration indicated that the actual power was 16% below the indicated power level at 100 watts and that the system was nonlinear in the last decade but in a conservative direction.

. During the prestartup which precedes each run, the radiation area monitors and the continuous air monitor were checked for normal operation. During 1995 the calibration of the radiation area monitors and the continuous air monitor was completed on March 27 and Sepicmber 26.

e Following the control rod inspections, the rod drop times were measured on August 1, 1995. The rod drop times fell between 541 and 589 milliseconds. These values are consistent with past measurements and are well within the specification limits of one second.

2.4.3 Primary Coolant System The weekly measurements of the pH of the primary coolant fell between 5.0 and 5.3 during 1995. These value are within the specification limits of 5.5 i 1.0. During the weekly checks and the prestartup check which proceeds each run, the conductivity of the primary coolant was measured and the values never exceeded 1,42 micrombos-cm. This represents a resistivity of more than 700,000 ohm /cm which exceeds the lower limit of i 330,000 ohm /cm as given in the specifications.

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The specification of 13 feet of water was always either met or exceeded, according to the )

prestarted check list that was completed prior to each reactor run.

Monthly samples of the primary coolant was collected and analyzed by 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.

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2.4.4 Containment i* '

Readings between 0.08 and 0.18 inches of water were recorded weekly for the negative pressure in the reactor room.

The semi-annual checks made in 1995 for the proper operation of the inlet and outlet derr(ms and the air conditioner were completed on January 31 and August 3. All

- wocked satisfactorily.

l Selected fuel plates were visually inspected on August 1,1995. The surface condition of fuel plate #4-3-73 indicated no change from the last inspection, and the cladding of the other inspected plates identified no changes.

2.4.5 Experiments

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The mass of the singly encapsulated 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 result in doses in excess of 10% of the equivalent annual doses as stated in 10 l.-

CFR 20.

, No samples of unknown composition or that required double encapsulation were j submitted for irradiation.

2.5 Changes, Tests and Experiments Requiring Commission Authorization a

During 1995 no changes, or experiments which required authorization from the Commission i- pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 (a) were performed.

2.6 Changes in Facility Staff There were'no changes in the Facility Staff during the year.

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1 1 j- 3. POWER GENERATION l i i

- Operation of the PUR 1 during 1995 consisted of PS runs which generated 145,226 watt-minutes of 1

energy and covered an integrated running timo oi 65.1 hours1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br />.  !

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4. UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS No unscheduled shutdowns occurred during 1995.  !

l S. MAINTENANCE s

3, Only routine maintenance was required during the reporting period.

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6. CHANGES, TESTS AND EXPERIMENTS No changes, tests or experirnents were carried out without prior Commission approval pursuant to the requirernents 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 measdod at or prior to the point of such release.

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