ML20151X478

PNO-77-146:flushing of Reactor Bldg Toilet Caused Reactor Scrams Over Past Several Yrs.No Safety Implications Involved & Contrary to Published News Repts,Sys Not Required for Emergency Cooling of Reactor

ML20151X478
Person / Time
Site:	05000083
Issue date:	08/19/1977
From:	Constable G, Klingler G, Sniezek J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:
References
PNO-77-146, NUDOCS 9809170110
Download: ML20151X478 (1)

Text

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION j d//0 Y 7 ~ / LN ^ h 1

August 19, 1977 I

_This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation l and is basically all that is known by IE staff as of this date.

Facility: University of Florida Training Reactor ,

l Docket No. 50-83 '

Gainesville, Florida

Subject:

SCRAMS AT TRAINING REACTOR CAUSED BY, TOILET FLUSHING i y .

The University of Florida Training Reactor is a 100 kw (thermal) Argonaut reactor which periodically conducts various authorized physics experi-ments for educational purposes. During the experiment to measuro the temperature coefficient of reactivity, secondary cooling water is taken from the city water supply rather than the normal well supply to permit better reactor temperature contro1~.

When city water pressure is low, the flushing of the reactor building toilet causes a further decrease in water pressure which is sensed oy a pressure switch which operates as a low flow sensor. The facility is designed so that operation of this pressure switch will result in a reactor scram. Several scrams of this type have occurred over the past several years. There are no safety implications involved. Contrary to published news reports this system is not required for emergency cooling g of the reactor. - -

There has been media interest in this event. There was an article in j the Washington Post newspaper on August 19, 1977 plus national TV and radio media announcements on August 18, 1977. Region II does not plan to issue a news release. The State of Florida has been notified.

Region II (Atlanta) became aware of media interest when the Washington Post article was transmitted to Region II on August 19, 1977, by the j NRC Headquarters Office of Public Affairs.

LConstable, IE x28019 GKlingler, IE x28019 JSniezek, IE x28019 -

i

Contact:

Distribution: Transmitted H St '/.'/I; Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford Commissioner Kennedy S. J. Chilk, SECY C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner Gilinsky (ForDistribution)

Transmitted: MNBB $/7 PBldgYll[ E. Volg , IE L. V. Gossick, ED0 E. G. Case, NRR Regio '/ s F S. H. Hanauer, ED0 Ol J. J. Fouchard, PA SSBldgdl1,0 (MAIL)

W. G. Mcdonald, MIPC C. V. Smith, NMSS R. J. McTiernan, 0IA R. G. Ryan, OSP R. Minogue, SD O V

H. K. Shapar, ELD W PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION 9809170110 770819 U PDR I&E PNO-77-146 PDR .