ML20199J690

Informs NRC in Writing of Discovery of Procedural & TS Violation on 971117 & 21 Re Fuel Temperature & Power Indications.Corrective Actions:Procedure Will Be Out & Observed for All Operations Regardless of Simplicity

ML20199J690
Person / Time
Site:	University of Illinois
Issue date:	01/12/1998
From:	Holm R ILLINOIS, UNIV. OF, URBANA, IL
To:	Alexander Adams NRC
References
NUDOCS 9802060013
Download: ML20199J690 (5)

Text

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Radiation Science Laboratory University of Illinois C2 Urt>ana-Champaign Department of Nuclear Engineering / Conege of Engineering

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214 Nuclear Engineering Laboratory 217 333-7755/o866 .

_ 103 South ooodwin Avenue 217-244-5916 fax Urbane. IL 61801-2964 e[

l 7C Anineheleeresar Neanik Phraic^mt Rh:hard L. Holm - Mark Kaczor .'*

r hokn@uksc.edu m-kaczor@uiuc.edu January 12,1998 Docket No. 50-151 Alexander Adams Jr. ..

Sr. Project Manager United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission M.S. Il-B-20 Washington, DC 20555

Dear Mr. Adams,

Pursuant to our phone conversation of January 8,1998 this letter is to in. .a tne Nuclear Regulatory Commission in writing of our discovery of a procedural and Technical Specification violation. On November 17 and 21,1997 one of our operators performed a pulse of the TRIGA -

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reactor without first performing a fuel temperature and power level indication channel check per the operating procedures and technical specifications. A discussion of the events, their significance and the corrective action is attached.

If there are any questions conceming this matter please do not hesitate to call me.

Sincerely,

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Richard L. IIolm Reactor Administrator g c: Tom Burdick, USNRC, Region Ill- ,0  !

Reactor Committee ,

file llI'!!!! lI !'  !! ,i 9802060013 980112 .==i = c -

PDR ADOCK 05000151 P PDR1

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x I! Discussion of Pro _c,edural and Te-haical Specification Violations on Novemba 17 and 21.1997 =

with regard to fuel tanowature and power indications at the -

University ofIllinois Nuclear Reactor Laborrtory, January 8,1998 ;

E Discussen of Evait_s

' On November 17 and 21,1997 an opcrmor paformed a pulse on the reactor without pcrfornung the required checks on the reactor for fud tw6e and power indicsionJ per the operating procedure. %is was discovered during .

• the quartaly review of the opwating logs and preparation for a pulse today. Step 2 of the opwating procedure (see stached) for pulso opcration states '* Operate the wactor between 30 kWand 250 kWto ensure that thefuel -

temperature systems are operable. Compare Ae NM-1000. NP-1000 and NPP-1000poner indicationsfor

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agrvement. " Not pcrforming this sicp in tg socedure riso creates a violation of Technical Specifications 4.3 (b) and ( c) (see attached). Thcsc Tedinical Sfecifications require a chaand check of the fuct tempcrmure for pulse

. opcration and a channel check of the power level measuring channels who ti:e reactor is in opastion espectivdy.

His specification is norma'ly met by taking the reactor to 50 kW or 250 kW and vcrifying that the fud tanpwatures

- and powcr channels are in agreconut and as expected for the indicatal poww. His specification is also met by the .

prcutart checks performed by the control console computa prior to daily opcrations. The prculart c' xks introduce i signals into the channds and vwify propa rtsponse hence meeting the rupremmt of a "... qualitative veryication

. ofucceptableperhrrrumee... " as dermal in Technical Specification 1.20 Channel Check (see attached). %c same

,, _ signal is introduced into both chanaels and the opwator comper:s the output of the channcis for agreemesit thus

- meeting the semed part of Tec'.nica' Specification 1.20 "... comparison ofthe channel with ot/. + inderemlent L channels... ".- Ahhough the prestart chcoks pcrform the required fvciction of a channel cha;k, it is normal procedure

' to pwform these checks with the reactor actually at pown.

. The prestart checks were pwformed on Novanber 17 ar.d 21 and the fuel tempcrature and pcwcr huhcadons did respond narnally during the pulses performed.

Root Cause

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. Opwation of the reactor has been infrequent in the lect six months and hace opansors are not as intimately familiar with the procedurcs as they r.hould be. De opwator simply torgot no pwform the checks, mentioned. ~

CmTective Action .

AH +- Due to the infrequency of operatbas, procedures will be out da i observed for all eperations regardless of

<* De operator in question will leliver a lecture on procedural compliance, with particular attetion to pulsing requiremaats.

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l'. 31 R*. acto: Safety Svstem

'Applicab111tv This specification applies to the surveillance requirements for the measuring channels of the reamcor safety. system.

Objective The oojective is to assure that the safety system will remain operabla and will prevent the fuel temperature safety limit from being exceeded. _

Sp'ecifications a.

A channel test of Leach of the reactor safety system channelsJoha11-be performed prior to each day's -operation or prior to each oper-c ation exr.ending more than one day.-

O b. - - A channel check of the fuel element temperature measuring channels shall be performed daily whenever the reactor is in operation at

_ power levels greater than 50 kw or when pulse operation is planned.

c. 'A channel check of the power level-' measuring channels shall'be performed daily whenever the reactor is in 'oneration.

d. A' channel calibration by the. calorimetric method shall be made of the power level monitoring channels semi-annually, but at intervals not to ext:end'aight months.

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e. A calibration sa the temperature measuring channels shall be performed semi-annually, but at intenals not to exceed eight mLnths. This calibration shall consist'of introdu-ing electric potentiaisiin place'of the thercoccuple input to the channels.

f. if of the cio ing[chan la shj l1 be er'f ormed - mi-a u'he tem ra ur inal sa kh s

a 11y, ea ,* 3 int en 1s i net to\xceu eigh months, i is eriYica en sh 1 I ,,

con is of co=paritg er measured temper tu. C

'or at in a re/erenc J

.k own poder evel wihh the temp' rat Ak fe ac .ari ahtup te eadured i th '

Jniti th re or. f

' Basis T*a, operable.

daily tests ' Tht and channal checks will assure that the safety channels

• semi-annual es11brations and verifications will permit

.av-long-term drif t of _ the channels to be corrected.

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e 3-- 4 ililE 4easuriha chan- t

=anplifiars ocasuringJ ansn : Acpu;: wnte Nni:n / ire"tsnne:tes !a.elnes( .

, - Ocasuring cnan tne'talue ot,a process7 variable. .

the; purpose of'

'lll8I Mtor -Safeet Svt ten a

_measuring,cnannels protective _.systen c: Ans asscciateo circuitryThe - reac tor sa

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of-'*f e tv .systemiis r

p requires :canual prote' tive- action to; be initiatedtUk.3"[y-.

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Its normalisanner. or-system is perforcing'itsintendes_

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l-1,20'LChat e:

B, Check i A channel check is a' qualitative verificati

.perfescante :y obserrat;an oischannelr:ehavior. on of_ acceptable

sinclude'co

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steasuring cthe same vart.ania. tne-enannel nth othercent , .

intepenThis verification 7shall [

channels tor :ethods h

41. 211 ' Channel" Te s t a'

zehannel to verify thatEit 1sEoperable.- A channel tesc is the' introduction of-a: signa

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=1.22.' Channel Calibrattoni - A ch  :

such that its outrut respones

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,..th acceptable ~ range)andannel calibration =is'an adju_

Walues ef-' the 3;a rne ter .:nich - tne channel neasures

-accdracy.cto knownt

" 1 1.237 the@ef dore cenfigurationerence Core e)is:ingta:- A reference"acore is- d core configuration s kilar;towith cthe; initial'startop of theTreactor.

I2E Fexnonal : "Afhexagonallis4 Lelencents designated by?surrounding.tne central opening of the: core.onc of1the'six concentrit .

(t he :1r.ne rmo s t hexagonal the lettersband. (BLehrougn G.:vich the' letter BThe hexagonalslare-2 .

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used-to: designate Y ~~

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. S$tdown

,by vnich theMarcin reactot must - Shutdovn= Margin'is thatlincrecent of reactivity-q q

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tshutdown reactivity starting' from any permissible on

> operating ~L conditib p such ' that the' reacter vould remain l suberitical Loperator action. further without i

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Shutdown Reactivity'- Shutdovn Reactivity is the minii "'

vorth required <in the control and safety rod system atnum reactivit'y C, ,

ireactor-_can be~cade subcritical by no less thaLatarting all times, Q -[ ). ofrom a highest sorthL rco f ully! vtthdravn and isecured experiment in its most worth non-with n with the the hiznestassuming

' reoctive state.

~1 hes.2FExperinent Sa f e t eSvs t e- s - - Expe r iment

- Mincluc;ing their. associated input circuitsEafety Systems are those systems,

+ xinitiate a scram:for - the- priru:y purpose o -hich are designed to

) orgto. provide infortation: enicn f protect.ig an experiment 3

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initiated. requires manual protective action to

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. .3,y e; j .f University of Illinois Nuclear Reactor Laboratory

,1 . NRLOP-1 4

_. _ , __ Rev. Date: 6/95 e 2D Remove the source,"as above, if necessary.

1 , _. _ 3._ j The cooling system may be started at any time previous to operations above 1.0 MW, REMINDER: The secondary system is stated with the_ throttling valve closed, and -

the Primary system is started with the isolation valves civsed; l 4.' Record the rod pcsitions, fuel temperatures, and bulk water temperature for a power level of about 250 kW. Compare the NM1000, NP1000, and NPP1000 power indications for agreement.

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5. -If the cooling system is in operation, record the water temperatures and flow rates.  !

3' ;6. z Compare the fuel temperatures and reactivity loss in step 4 with a previous c operation for the same conditions. (This check is made to ensure that the fuel

--temperature systems are operable.)

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J.7 When the operating power level is reached record the values for; rod position, fuel-- _

temperatures, water temperature, anxi flow rates.

[ 8. For continuous operation at a given power level, all operating values are recorded

'  : at intervals no greater than 30 minutes, for the first two hours, then at intervals no :

greater than one hour.

- 9. , Changes in the number of cooling towers, the flow to the cooling tawers, and -

_-operation'of the fans may be required to maintain a desired primary system temperature. These changes are logged,'under remarks, as they are accomplished.

10. For changes in power level, all operating values are recorded, including any -

changes that are made in the flow to the cooling towers.

. Pulsed Ooeration

, LNOTE:- ~

• • • Pulsed operation of the reactor is permitted by the Technical t 5 Specifications up to a power level of 250 kW, however, the Pulse Permissive Bistable is normally set at 1 kW Resetting of this bistable requires the approval of the Reactor Administrator.

"* The use of 15 watts in the Pulsed Operation Section of this procedure is arbitrary, pulse worth determination and pulsing can be carried out at any

- power below the setting of the Pulse Permissive Interlock.

' *** Prior to pulse mode operation verify that the rods cannot be moved UP when in pulse mode.

, 1; With the power level at 15 W, set the transient rod (s) at the values determined for the pulse

- 2. - ' Operate the reactor between 50 kW and 250 kW to ensure that the fuel q

+ , temperature systems are operable. Compare the NM-1000, NP-1000 and NPP- 7 1000 power indications for agreement.

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