ML20151S992

Operating Rept for Univ of Ma Lowell Reactor for Period of 970701-980630

ML20151S992
Person / Time
Site:	University of Lowell
Issue date:	06/30/1998
From:	Bobek L MASSACHUSETTS, UNIV. OF, LOWELL, MA (FORMERLY LOWELL
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9809090185
Download: ML20151S992 (11)

Text

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Leo Bobek University ofMassachusens Lowell RecctorSupenisor One University Avenue

': Iyin~\1Y ,>l PinanskiHall107A Lowell, Massachusetts 01834 y<-sat I;I: 8yri< tel. 978-934-3365 fax. 978-459-6561 LOWett RADIATION LABORATORY August 31,1998 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 7

Re: License No. R-125, Docket No. 50-223 Pursuant to the Technical Specifications for license referenced above, we are submitting the Annual Report for the University of Massachusetts Lowell Research Reactor.

Sincerely,

'l Leo M. Bobek, Reactor Supervisor

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cc: T. Dragoun, Region I T. S. Michaels, Senior Project Manager W

y "/ f 9809090185 980630 ,

DR ADOCK 0500

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i OPERATING REPORT I

FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MASS. LdWELL REACTOR i

l FOR THE PERIOD J l

JULY 1,1997 TO JUNE 30,1998-Docket No. 50-223 License No. R-125 1 l

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~A. Introduction B. Function C Operating Experience

1. Experiments and Facility Use -

2. _ Clianges in Facility Design

3. Performance Characteristics 1

4. Changes in Operating Procedures Related to Reactor Safety )

.5. Results of ' Surveillance Tests and Inspections 6.. Staff Changes

7. Operations Summary D. Energy Generated ,

E. Inadvertent and Emergency Shutdowns i F. Major _ ' Maintenance j G.

Facility Changes Related to 10 CFR 50.59 H. Environmental Surveys

I. Radiation Exposures and Facility Surveys j

1. Personnel Exposures l-( ~2. Radiation Surveys j

~3. Contamination Surveys

.J. Nature and Amount of Radioactive Effluents

1. Liquid Wastes

2. Gaseous Wastes l l

j 3. Solid Wastes l

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i A. INTRODUCTION L

L 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

l. - and educate nuclear -scientists, engineers. and technicians, to serve as a

! - multi-disciplinary research center for LTI and all New England academic 1 L institutes, to serve the Massachusetts 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-Giaaff Acelerator as the initial basic equipment. ,

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

o 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. I l

L 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 physics, radiological sciences, and nuclear engineering. The remaining two floors of the Pinanski Building are presently occupied by various other University departments.

On February 14, 1985, the University of Lowell submitted an application to the ' Nuclear Regulatory Commission for renewal of the facility operating license R-125 for a period of 30 years. On November 21,

( l1985, the license. renewal was granted as Amendment No.9 of License R-125 in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.

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-g.s B. FUNCTION The Radiation Laboratory is a major. research focal point 'of the University. More than 200 graduate students, have used or are using the Laboratory's services; the comparable nu'mber for the faculty is in excess of 25. The. University departments utilizing the facility include Biology, Chemistry, Earth . Sciences, Physics, Mechanical Engineering,. Plastics Engineering, Radiological Science and Chemical / Nuclear Engineering. The University's . Amherst campus- and Medical Center have active research programs at the Radiation Laboratory. Much research is concerned with-

- safety ' and efficiency in the nuclear and radiation industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical applications, health effects, public utilities, etc.;

however, much research is' also;done by workers in other fields who use the unique facilities as analytical tools.

In: addition, the Laboratory'sI facilities are used in~ the course work of

.various departments of the University. It also provides these services to other campuses of the . Massachusetts system, other universities in the New England area, government' agencies and, to a limited ' extent, industrial organizations in Massachusetts and the New England area, as well as numerous school science programs in the Merrimack Valley.

C. OPERATING EXPERIENCE

1. Experiments and Facility Use.

The major uses of the reactor during this fiscal year were activation analysis, dosimetry studies,- calibrations, specialized isotope production, neutron effects studies, teaching > and personnel training.

Activation. techniques were used to study geologic composition of

. rock samples and constituents of forest soils. The evaluation of the neutron - to the ' gamma: ratio and detailed neutron spectral mapping for in-core experiments is continuing.

Do'simetry studies and calibrations utilized N-16 production for high

energy gamma fields and reactor facilities for mixed neutren acd gamma

' dosimetry.

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Isotopes were produced for calibration standards, medical research use, and lab practicums.

Reactor operating time used for teaching purposes included a reactor operations course emphasizing control rod calibrations, critical approaches, period measurement, . prompt drops and calorimetric measurement of power and preparation of- students and staff members for NRC licensing

. examinations. Freshman laboratories for reactor principles and activation analysis were conducted for chemical / nuclear engineering students.

. Radiological science . students utilized the facility for performance of radiation and ' contamination surveys. Senior students participated in a laboratory that required locating and identifying an unknown isotope of low activity in a mockup power plant en' vironment. The isotope was provided for the students in an isolated area in the reactor pump room during non-operating hours. During the practicum, the students were supervised by faculty and staff. The reactor served as a source of neutron and gamma radiation for various radiological science and biology laboratories.

A number of activation and decay experiments were performed for both ~ university and non-university students -alike. -For the seventh consecutive year, activation - and decay- experiments - were provided for local school science classes involving :more than 2,000 students who observed the experiment at the reactor or in their classrooms via

' interactive cable T.V. -

The major outside usest for the 4 reactor facility is neutron and gamma

-damage studies of electronic components, characterization of neutron detectors, and neutron effects upon materials.

-2. Changes in Facility Design Changes are pending to nuclear. instrumentation and radiation aionitoring systems under the provisions of 10CFR50.59.

13. Performanc'e Characteristics Overall, the performance of= the reactor and associated systems has been normal over .the :past year.

4.- -Changes in Operating Procedures Related to Reactor Safety

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i The Department of Energy has revised the projected date for LEU fuel receipt to January 1999. Submittals to all NRC requests and answers to questions were completed in July,1997 and an NRC order to effect the change to LEU fuel was issued on July 31, 1997. Changes to operating procedures will then be needed to implement the new fuel use.

Provisional changes to operating procedures have been made and ap,:r;ved for new nuclear instrumentation. They will be implemented as the equipment is installed. The same process will be used for new radiation monitoring equipment.

5. Results of Surveillance Test and Inspections All Technical Specification Surveillances required during the fiscal year were performed in a timely manner. The results of each requirement have been reviewed by the Reactor Supervisor and Chief Reactor Operator.

Almost all surveillance test results were found to be within specified limits and surveillance inspections revealed no abnormalities which would jeopardize the safe operation of the reactor. Each required calibration was also performed.

6. Staff Changes Major changes to staff included the retirement of the Reactor Supervisor in January 1998. Subsequently, the Chief Reactor Operator became Acting Supervisor. A new Reactor Supervisor has been hired and will begin as July 1,1998. The Health Physics Technician has transfered to another position within the university. Negotiations with the university administration are ongoing to authorize hiring a replacement. A part-time student senior reactor operator left in June. As of June 30, the reactor staff consists of two part-time student reactor operators and two full-time senior reactor operators, including the Acting Supervisor. An NRC license examination is scheduled for August 1998.

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7. Operations Summary During the course of the reporting period 1997-1998, the reactor was critical a total of 546.27 hours3.125e-4 days <br />0.0075 hours <br />4.464286e-5 weeks <br />1.02735e-5 months <br />. The utilization is broken down as follows:

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Operating Hours Critical hours 627.29 IIours at full power Megawatt hours 517.43 Exoerimental Utilization Sample hours 1038.49 (includes multiple samples)

Number of irradiations 188 Number of training hours 417.81 D. ENERGY GENERATED Total. energy generated (MWD) 21.56 Number of aours reactor was critical 627.29 Total cumulative energy output (MWD) . 249.71 E. INADVERTENT AND EMERGENCY SilUTDOWNS There were 14 inadvertent scrams. Nine of these scrams were due to electronic noise on aging instrumentation which is being replaced. One scram occured due to loss of pressure on an access door seal. The four remaining scrams not related t'o instruments were operator errors in which

'three were upranging and downranging aged picoammeters, and the fourth due to a trip not being reset.

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F. MAJOR MAINTENANCE j L  !

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- In order. to- maintain . operations, two high enriched fuel elements j l- 'were-' received L and. placed in core. Appropriate- physics testing as required l by the ' license -Technical Specifications. was performed to assure all j

operation requirements were met. The two HEU elements will permit  !

continued. operations' until. the: LEU conversion takes place. )

1 l l l No other major - maintenance, systems related or otherwise was -

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G. FACILITY CHANGES RELATED TO 10 CFR 50.59 There have been no facility changes to date which pose an unreviewed safety question. A review of the- changes for new nuclear instruments is ongoing in accordance with > 10CFR50.59 H. ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS ,

Surveys of the environsEexternal to the. reactor' building have  ;

continued' to shew no increase in levelsc or concentrations of radioactivity l

as' a result of reactor operations. ' Air particulate- samples collected at a j continuously monitored site on the roof'of the Pinanski building have '

shown no reactor produced radioactivity. Thermoluminescent dosimeters are used to monitor unrestricted areas outside of the Reactor. The results of these measurements show that doses in- these areas were ,

indistinguishable from background radiation levels -during the period of July 1,1997 to June 30, 1998; Analysis of water samples collected from the Merrimack River -

Lupstream and downstream of the reactor location have continued to yield 1 no ' radioactivity' associated with reactor - operations, o

l, L 1. RADIATION EXPOSURES AND FACILITY SURVEYS

( I. Personnel Exposures p

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2. Gaseous Wastes Argon-41. continues to be the only. significant reactor produced I radioactivity identifiable in the gaseous effluent. Following are the )

monthly- stack release data for Ar4 1 for the reporting period:

l Month Ar-41 Released (Curies)-

i July 1997 6.1

- August 1997 ~ ~'

3.7 l September 1997- l.1 ~ l October 1997 1.2 November 1997 1.5 1 December 1997 3.3

-January 1998 1.4 February 1998 0.5 l s March 1998 O.1 4

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. April 1998 8.8' l May 1998 0.1 June 1998 0.0 Total 27.8 This release represents a 12 month dose of 0.6 mrem to the nearest member of the public using the EPA Comply code.  :

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3. Solid Wastes l Solid wastes, primarily paper, disposable clothing, and gloves, along with other miscellaneous items have been disposed of in appropriate l containers. Most of the activity from these wastes consisted of short live-d induced radioactivity. These wastes were held for decay and then released if no activity. remained. The remaining long lived waste (< 10 cubic feet) was collected and rtored in a designated long lived waste storage area

awaiting ultimate disposal at Barnwell.

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