ML20136J162

Operating Rept for Univ of Lowell Reactor, Jul 1984 - June 1985

ML20136J162
Person / Time
Site:	University of Lowell
Issue date:	06/30/1985
From:	Wallace T MASSACHUSETTS, UNIV. OF, LOWELL, MA (FORMERLY LOWELL
To:
References
NUDOCS 8601130231
Download: ML20136J162 (12)

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OPERATING REPORT FOR 'INE UNIVERSITY OF LOWELL REACTOR EDR THE PERIOD JULY 1, 1984 TO JUNE 30, 1985 Docket No. 50-223 License No. R-125 3 y naunsa sugga 1 R

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.e A. INTRODUCTION In the late 1950's the decision was made to build a Nuclear Center at what was then Lowell Technological Institute. Its stated aim was to train and educate nuclear scientists, engineers and technicians, to serve as a multi-disciplinary research center for LTI and all New England academic institutes, to serve the Massachussetts business community, and to lead the way in the economic revitalization of the Merrimack Valley. The decision was taken to supply a nuclear reactor and a Van-de-Graaff accelerator as the initial basic equipment.

Construction of the Center was started in the summer of 1966.

Classrooms, offices, and the Van-de-Graaff accelerator were in use by 1970. Reactor license R-125 was issued by the Atomic Energy Commission on December 24, 1974, and initial criticality was achieved on January 1975.

The name of the Nuclear Center was officially changed to the "Pinanski Building" in the spring of 1980. The purpose was to reflect the change in emphasis of work at the center from strictly nuclear studies. At that time, the University of Lowell Reactor became part of a newly established Radiation Laboratory. The Laboratory occupies the first floor of the Pinanski Building and performs or coordinates research and educational studies in the fields of radiological sciences and nuclear engineering. The remaining two floors of the Pinanski 1

Building are presently occupied by the Computer Science Department.

On February 14, 1985, the University of Lowell submitted a timely application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for renewal of the facility operating license R-125 for a period of 30 years. The renewal

. process continues to proceed during this reporting period.

B. FUNCTION The Radiation Laboratory is a major research focal point of the University. More than 170 graduate students have used or are using tl.e Laboratory's services; the comparable number for the faculty is in excess of 25. Much research is correlated with safety and efficiency in the nuclear and radiation industries, including public utilities, pharmaceuticals, medical applications, health effects, etc.; however, much research is also done by workers in other fields who use the unique facilities as analytical tools.

In addition, the Laboratory's facilities are used in the course work of various departments of the University. It also provides these services to other universities in the New England area, government agencies and, to a limited extent, industrial organizations in Massachusetts and the New England area.

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s C. OPERATING EXPERIENCE

1. Staff Channes

. .One person has taken and passed the reactor operator licensing exam. Another -person has taken the senior reactor operator licensing

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exam and failed one'section. This candidate has been scheduled to retake the failed section. A reactor operator trainee was hired during this period. The operations staff now consists of one trainee, three

- operators, three senior operators, one senior operator candidate and one supervisor.

. 2. Experiments The major uses of the reactor during this fiscal year were activation analysis, dosimetry studies, teaching, and for training of >

new personnel. Activation analysis techniques were used to study clay, glass, soil, rubber, water, geological rocks, and electronic components.

A large amount of reactor time was used in direct support of University courses. Foils and wires were irradiated for flux measurements, various isotopes were produced for activation analysis and for counting classes and labs. . Control rod calibrations, an approach to criticality, measurements of positive and negative periods, prompt drops, temperature coefficient and calorimetric measurements of power were included in a Reactor Operations course. Students in Radiological Sciences measured radioactive effluents, performed standard surveys, and 3

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-activated 'some foils. Physics testing continues to included the evaluation of neutron damage to electronic components and neutron spectra measurements.

3. Operations Summary '

During the course of the fiscal year 1984-1985 the reactor was critical a total of 420.14 hours1.62037e-4 days <br />0.00389 hours <br />2.314815e-5 weeks <br />5.327e-6 months <br />. The utilization is broken down as follows:

Operatina Hours 420.14 Hours at full power 178.69 Megawatt hours 293.94 Experimental Utilization Sample hours 130 Number of irradiations 121 l

Number of hours for training 1000

4. Channes in Facility Desian There has been no changes in the facility design during this reporting period.

5. Performance Characteristics The Reactor's performance has been normal over the past year. The picoammater range switches continue to be a problem as is evidenced by the number of scrams associated with them. Following is a breakdown of all scrams and their explanation.

(a) Noise spike on Period meter 1 (b) Noise spike while range switching 10 4

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(c) Improper range switching on linear

. power channel 2 (d) Loss of normal power 3 (e) Manual 3 One manual scram was due to a pair of eyeglasses falling in the pool. The other two were for prompt drop measurements during a laboratory demonstration.

Radiation surveys at licensed power showed no adverse variation from expected levels, and no fission products were detected outside the reactor core.

6. Results of Surveillance Tests and Procedures Surveillence tests and inspections were performed according to schedule. Components were rebuilt or replaced as necessary to maintain normal operation of this system. There were no abnormalities discovered which would violate the Technical Specifications or good practice.

All operating procedures, emergency procedures, emergency plan, security plan, requalification plan, as well as the facility's Final Safety Analysis Report were updated and reviewed by the Radiation Safety Subcommittee as part of the reactor's license renewal effort.

D. ENERGY GENERATED Energy generated during report period (MWD) 12.35 5

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,1 l ~ Number of hours reactor was critical 420.14 Total cumulative energy. output-(MWD) 128.80

, E. MAJOR MAINTENANCE The primary coolant flow measuring channel has been completely replaced with an updated exact replacement.

F. CHANGES TO THE FACILITY UNDER 10 CFR 50.59 All facility changes to date do not pose an unreviewed safety question.

All procedural changes and changes which presented a situation not covered in the FSAR were submitted to the Reactor Safety Subcommittee

. for prior approval. Any procedural changes have been listed in section C.6. All other changes made throughout the year are listed under Changes in Facility Design or Major Maintenance.

G. ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS Surveys of the environs external to the reactor' building have shown no increase in levels or concentrations of radioactivity as a result of reactor operations. Air particulate samples collected at continuously monitored sites have shown no reactor produced activities. Grab 6

r- ,w---_-.-_-_ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - _ - - _ _ - _ - _ - _ . -- _ - _ _ _ _. _ .,

p sampling of air downwind from the reactor has also shown no activity other than naturally occurring species.

Water samples collected from the Herrimack River upstream and I downstream of the reactor location similarly have yielded no radioactivity associated with reactor operations.

H. RADIATION EXPOSURES AND FACILITY SURVEYS

1. Personnel Exposures Attempts have been'made to ' maintain personnel exposures at the lowest reasonable level, and doses received by individuals concerned either directly or indirectly with operation of the reactor were well within allowed limits. Six individuals received measurable whole body penetrating doses; four were operations personnel. A dose summary is presented below.

DOSE

SUMMARY

(mres/Qtr.)

3rd 4th 1st 2nd' Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter

1. Operative - 10 - -

2. Operative 20 10 - -

3. Operative - 20 - -

4. Operative - - - 10

5. Experimenter - 10 - -

6. Support - 20 40 70 7

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2. Radiation Surveys Radiation levels measured in the reactor building have been l; l'

typically less than 0.1 mrem /hr in general areas. A number of experiments have been conducted in which transient levels at specific locations have been in excess of 100 mrem /hr. Doses in these instances have been controlled by use of shielding and/or personnel access control. The pump room remains designated as a high radiation area during reactor operation.

3. Contamination Surveys General area contamination has not been a problem in the reactor building. Contamination has expectedly occurred at specific locations where samples are handled and particular experiments have been in progress. Surface contamination levels have generally been less than 10-6 Ci/100 cm2 Handling tools and other specific items have exhibited contamination up to about 10-5 Ci/100 cm2 . Na24 is the most commonly encountered contaminant. Air sampling in the reactor building has identified no significant quantities of reactor produced airborne radioactivity.

I. NATURE AND AMOUNT OF RADI0 ACTIVE WASTES

1. Liquid Wastes Following is a summary of radioactivity releases to the sanitary sewer during the reporting interval I

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Gross Beta Undiluted Gross Diluted Gross Beta Radioactivity Beta Activity Activity Concentration Date Released Concentration Daily Monthly (pC1) (pCi/ml) (pCi/ml) (uCi/ml)

~ -8 -10 8/1/84 4.13 1.40x10 1.39x10 4.93x10

-8 ~9 8/13/84 1.% 6.90x10 6.17x10 2.33x10-10

-6 -8 8/29/84 127.00 4.47x10 4.25x10~7 1.51x10

-7 8/30/84 19.80 6.%x10 6.62x10-8 2.35x10~9

-7 10/18/84 3.15 1.11x10 1.06x10-8 3.75x10-10 12/14/85 87.72 3.9x10-6 2.94x10-7 1.04x10-8 2/19/85 .44.40 1.57x10-6 1.49x10-7 5.31x10-8 4/17/85 34.15 1.20x10-6 1.14x10-7 4.06x10-8 4/17/85 13.14 4.63x10-7 4.41x10-8 1.57x10-9 5/14/85 55.39 1.95x10-6 1.86x10~7 6.59x10-9

-8 -9 6/20/85 20.44 7.14x10" 6.79x10 2.41x10

2. Gaseous Wastes Argon-41 continues to be the only reactor produced radioactivity indentifiable in the gaseous effluent. Following are the monthly stack release data for Ar41 for the reporting period:

Date Amount Released Duration of Release (C1) (hrs)

June 1984 0.386 12 July 1984 1.490 44 August 1984 0.589 31.75 ,

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Date Amount Released Duration of Release (C1) (hrs)

September 1984 0 0 October 1984 0.126 4 November.1984 0.035 1.25 December 1984 0 0 January 1985 0.456 17.75 February 1985- 0.286- 3.75 March 1985 0.541 9.25 April 1985 1.100 20.50 May 1985 0.635 33.25  ;

June 1985 0.133 4.25

3. Solid Wastes Solid wastes, primarily paper, disposable clothing along with miscellaneous items such as resin have been packaged in appropriate containers but no off-site shipments have been made during the reporting period.

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$mel/vbJJarlNJrSJ0/d$58 (617) 452-5o00 January 6, 1986 Director Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Re: Docket No. 50-223 Facility License No. R-125 Gentlemen:

In accordance with Section 6.6, Subsection 5 of the Technical Specifications for the University of Lowell Reactor, we are submitting herewith 40 copies of the Operating Report for the period ending June 30, 1985.

Sincerely yours, k - a88 ~

Thomas J n'allace Nuc1 car Reactor Supervisor TJWadam Enclosure (s) 4

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