ML20203J580

Annual Operating Rept for License R-74,US Nrc,For FY85-1986

ML20203J580
Person / Time
Site:	University of Wisconsin
Issue date:	07/31/1986
From:	Cashwell R WISCONSIN, UNIV. OF, MADISON, WI
To:	NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION (ADM)
References
NUDOCS 8608050331
Download: ML20203J580 (8)

Text

. 1 ANNUAL OPERATING REPORT FOR LICENSE R-74 THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FOR FISCAL YEAR 1985-1986 1

PREPARED BY: R. J. CASHWELL DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING 8608050331 860731 PDR ADOCK 05000156 R PDR o

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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NUCLEAR REACTOR LABORATORY ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 1985-1986 A.

SUMMARY

OF OPERATIONS

1. INSTRUCTIONAL USE - UW-MADISON FORMAL CLASSES Three Nuclear Engineering Department classes make use of the reactor. Forty-two students enrolled in NE 231 participated in a two-hour laboratory session introducing students to reactor behavior characteristics. Twelve hours of reactor operating time were devoted to this session. NE 427 was offered in the fall and spring semesters and had an enrollment of 25. Several NE 427 experiments use materials that are activated in the reactor. One experiment entitled " Radiation Survey" requires that students make measurements of radiation levels in and around the reactor laboratory. The irradiations in support of NE 427 and the radiation survey take place during normal isotope production runs, so no reactor time is specifically devoted to NE 427. The enrollment in NE 428 was 26, as it was offered in both semesters.

Three experimeats in NE 428 require exclusive use of the reactor.

Each of these experiments (" Critical Experiment", " Control Element Calibration", and " Pulsing") was repeated four times during the year requiring a total of seventy-eight hours of exclusive reactor use. Other NE 428 laboratory sessions use material that has been irradiated in the reactor (" Fast Neutron Flux Measurements by Threshold Foil Techniques" and " Resonance Absorption"). These two experiments were repeated eight times during the year. Individual one- to two-hour sessions in the reactor laboratory were also held l

for c+.nsr departments on campus.

2. REACTOR SHARING PROGRAM User institutions participated in the program as detailed in the following paragraphs:

Academic / Industrial Teachers' Internship Program--Professor George Maxwell of the UW Minerals & Metals Engineering staff, together with 20 teachers enrolled in the above internship program, were conducted on a tour of the reactor facility while at full power. '

Bayport School District (Wisconsin )--High school students from Green Bay were conducted on a tour of the reactor and associated laboratories.

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UWNR Annual Report 2 3 Carleton College (Minnesota)--Professor Henrickson and 8 undergraduate students used the NAA service to analyze rocks, pottery, and sediments for senior theses projects.

Professor Shelby Boardman and 5 students used the neutron activiation analysis service for an overall objective of greater understanding of evaluation of igneous rock systems in Colorado.

Carroll College (Wisconsin)--Professor Auchter and 2 of his advanced chemistry students came to the laboratory for a 4-hour NAA laboratory session.

Edgewood College (Wisconsin)--Professor Welty and 4 students attended a neutron activation analysis laboratory session and were conducted on a tour cf the reactor facility.

LaFollette High School (Wisconsin)--Instructor Paul McIntosh and 14 students toured the reactor and associated facilities.

Lakeshore Technical Institute (Wisconsin)--Professor Reindi and his class of 15 health physics technology attdents participated in a reactor operation demonstration, a session on Neutron Activation Analysis, and laboratory work in determination of specific activities in air and water samples.

University of Minnesota-Duluth--Professor Rapp and his research group continued their work using NAA of copper to characterize copper sources in Midwestern U.S.; NAA of bronze artifacts to characterize artifact trace element profiles in Cornwall; both primarily to enable determination of source of materials in artifacts.

I Waunakee High School (Wisconsin )--Instructor J.

Adeelinger and 45 high school students were conducted on a tour of the reactor while at low power.

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point--Professor Lokken and 12 undergraduate students visited the laboratory for a l

reactor operation demonstration experiment and tour.

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3. brILITY PERSONNEL TRAINING One group of ten STA candidates frem Wisconsin Public Service Corporation attended our two-week Research Reactor Training Program. This program gives operating practice while it reinforces previous training in reactor physics and operation and gives laboratory experience in health physics and instrumentation.

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UWNR Annual Raport 3

4. SAMPLE IRRADIATIONS hND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS SERVICES There were 5,043 individual samples irradiated during the year. Nine hundred and nineteen (919) of these samples were irradiated for 15 minutes or less. The remaining samples accumulated 485.6 irradiation space hours and 21,474.33 sample hours. Many samples were irradiated and then counted at the laboratory as part of our neutron activation analysis service. In the listing below, the notation (NAA) indicates that the samples were processed by our neutron activation analysis service.

Center for Climatic Research, UW-Madison (NAA) 72 samples, 36 less than 15 minutes, 5.6 irradiation space hours, 72 sample hours.

One staf f member and 1 graduate student analyzed arctic drilling cores to attempt to determine effect of climatic changes on sediment constituent elements. Support unknown.

Center for Great Lakes Studies, UW-Milwaukee (NAA) 299 samples, 161 less than 15 minutes, 255 sample hours, 23.23 irradiation space hours.

One staff member and one graduate student. Use of NAA to study effect of ash materials on minnows. Supported by NOAA-Sea Grant and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

1 Chemistry Department, UW-Madison. (NAA) 29 samples, all less than 15 minutes.

One staff member, one graduate student, and one post doctoral fellow used NAA in a study of sodium and rubidium interactions with DNA. Supported by NSF and NIH.

Enzyme Institute, UW-Madison. (NAA) 30 samples, 22 less than 15 minutes, 16.6 sample hours, 4.1 irradiation space hours.

One staff member and 1 student used NAA to measure metals present in an enzyme to determine mechanisms of enzyme actions.

Supported by National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

Food Science Department, UW-Madison. (NAA) 9 samples, all less than 15 minutes.

One staf f member and 2 graduate students used NAA to measure l

halogen content of oils to determine efficiency of processes to i remove odors. Support unknown.

Globe Battery Division of Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, WI. (NAA) 77 samples, 41 less than 15 minutes, 108 sample hours, 6.42 irradiation space hours.

NAA of impurities and additives to lead. Industrial support.

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• Hazelton Laboratories' America, Inc.. Madison, WI (NAA) 4 samples, all less than 15 minutes.

Attempt to use NAA to measure iodine content of low iodine animal diets. Industrial Support.

Department of Human Oncology, UW Hospitals &

Clinics. 353 samples, 205 less than 15 minutes,.797.89 sample hours, 167.53 irradiation space hours.

Four staff, 1 post doctoral fellow, 2 graduate students.

Irradiation of rats in a facility constructed to give maximum east neutron dose with minimal samma ray and thermal neutron l contamination. The object of the research is to determine survival I of and cancer risk in the clonogenic target cells of rat mammary l and thyroid epithelia at high and low dose rates of fission spectrum neutrons. Supported by Department of Energy and National  !

Cancer Institute.

Metallurgical and Mineral Engineering, UW-Madison. 1 (NAA) 60 samples, all less than 15 minutes. )

Professor and 1 graduate student. NAA for chemical analysis of I ceramic materials. Support by Department of Energy and Sandia Laboratories.

Two staff members and 5 graduate students. NAA of lead for studies of thermodynamics and phase equilibrium of materials.

Supported by National Science Foundation.

Nuclear Engineering, UW-Madison. 193 samples , 108 less than 15 minutes, 276.68 sample hours.

NE 427 and 428 Laboratories. Two staf f members and 51 students. Activation for laboratory experiments.

Nuclear Engineering, Reactor Laboratory. 3384 samples, 110 less than 15 minutes, 18649.66 sample hours, 94.83 irradiation space hours.

Evaluation of analysis parameters, preparation of materials for standardizations, measurement of neutron fluxes. Most of the sample hours (18,649.66) and irradiation space hours (91.28) were for a study of amount of irradiation needed to color topaz.

Nuclear Medicine Department, UW-Madison. 74 samples, 81 sample hours, 46.25 1rradiation space hours.

Two staff members and 4 graduate students. Production of F-18 for use in evaluation of radiopharmaceuticals, protocols, and physiological modeling methods in positron emission tomography.

Orthopedic Surgery Department, UW-Madison. (NAA) 16 samples, 48 sample hours, 3 irradiation space hours.

Three staff members used NAA in a study of possible toxic effects of degraded hip Joint materials of heart transplant patients. Supported by Department of Surgery.

Physics Department, UW-Madison. (NAA) 9 s am ples , 4.5 sample hours. 0.5 1rradiation space hours.

One staff member and 1 student. Determination of concentrations of rare earths and contaminants in synthesized crystals. Supported by Department of Energy.

UWNR Annual Raport 5 l Reactor Sharing Program. 412 samples, 12 less than 15 minutes, 1200 sample hours.

Carleton College. (NAA) 338 samples, 10 less than 15 minutes, 882 sample hours. Analysis of rocks, pottery, and sediments.

Lakeshore Technical Institute. (NAA) 1 sample less than 15 minutes. A session on neutron activation analysis and laboratory work in determination of specific activities in air and water samples.

Middleton High School. CNAA) 1 sample less than 15 minutes.

University of Minnesota-Duluth. (NAA) 72 samples, 318 sample hours.

To characterize copper sources in Midwestern U.S.; NAA of bronze artifacts to characterize artifact trace element profiles in Cornwall.

Soil Science, UW-Madison. 72 samples, 216 sample hours.

One professor, 1 grad student. Used in study of cretaceous tertiary boundaries layer for PhD thesis.

U. S. Forest Products Laboratory, Wisconsin.

(NAA) 16 samples, all less than 15 minutes.

Two staff members used the NAA service to measure concentrations of wood preservative materials. Supported by U. S.

Department of Agriculture.

Warzyn Engineering Company, Wisconsin. (NAA) 222 samples, all less than 15 minutes.

Measurement of halogen content in water samples. Supported by industrial clients.

West Virginia State University. (NAA) 12 samples, all less than 15 minutes.

One staff member and one graduate student used NAA to measure Selenium content in animal feeds. Support unknown.

Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. (NAA) 18 samples, 12 less than 15 minutes, 12 sample hours, 4.03 irradiation space hours.

Measurement of impurity' levels in borated plastics. Industrial support.

Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. (NAA) 112 s am pl es , all less than 15 minutes.

Staff members used NAA service as part of EPA method for determining halogen concentrations in water samples. Supported by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

5. CHANGES IN PERSONNEL, FACILITY, AND PROCEDURES Changes reportable under 10 CFR 50.59 are indicated in Section E of this report.

There were no significant changes in the facility, procedures, or personnel during the year.

UWNR Annual Raport 6 ,

6. RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS

Surveillance tests and inspections during the year revealed no safety-related defects.

B. OPERATING STATISTICS AND FUEL EXPOSURE Critical Oparating Period Startups Hours MW Hours Pulses i

FY 85-06 168 726.74 561.59 40 Total Present Core 1369 5194.23 4018.66 300 Total TRIGA Cores 3425 12377.01 9158.44 1661 i

Excess reactivity on core I23-R12 decreased by 0.055p

. during the year to 3.94% (22 May 1986). The core was slightly modified to 123-R10 which had an initial excess reactivity of 3.46*p.

C . EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS There were no emergency shutdowns during the year.

I There were 18 inadvertent scrams distributed as indicated below J Trainee Operator Error Scrams 8/21/85 and 6/17/86--Trainee turned picommmeter range switch in wrong direction.

6/12/86--Trainee failed to uprange picoammeter #2 during a power increase.

1 Relay scram on high pool level.

8/13/85--During a full power run, under high temperature and humidity conditions, pool temperature increased enough for expansion of pool water to give a high pool level scram.

Water temperatures were below alarm points.

d Relay sc.*ams with no changes in any measured parameteri switching noise sensitivity of log-N-period relay scram.

8/22/85, 9/3/85/ 10/3/85, 6/3/86--In these scrams the scram relay dropped out with no annunciators, measuring channel indication changes, or bistable actuations. All nuclear instrumentation and the fuel temperature meter have bistables that

] In no case did any bistable operate. Trouble lock in until reset.

shooting, including oscilloscope checks, could not determine the component affected by the switching noise.

The problem was finally traced to noise sensitivity of the photo-isolated solid state relay used for the relay scram in the log-N-period amplifier. Noise spikes could cause a momentary 4

deactivation of the relay without actuation of the bistable which drives the relay. The problem appears to have been resolved by addition of a current-sinking resistor and a parallel capacitor.

This filter appears to have eliminated the noise sensitivity without adding delay time from actual trip conditions.

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UWNR Annual Raport 7 1 Scram from safety channels on a square wave to 90%

power.

8/27/85--A square wave to 90% power overshot as sensed by the picoammeter channels.- Indicated power reached 785 when the trip terminated the power increase. The square wave calibration curve had shifted and was recalibrated.

2 Scrams from regulator malfunction in detector

' positive high voltage power supply.

8/28/85--Period Relay Scram while. reactor was operating at steady power level. Period indicativn went downscale, then upscale to cause trip. Period response was normal following the trip. HV power supply and compensating supplies were checked and found to be normal. Since it was not possible to determine the cause of the failure, subsequent operation was performed with a i complete spare log-N channel alongside the console to try to determine the source of the problem.

1 9/17/85--A similar scram occurred. Again, behavior following the scram was normal and detector high voltage, compensating voltage and log-N internal voltages were normal. No other instruments responded before the trip. A recording voltmeter was connected to the high voltage power supply, with no indication of significant variations.

On September 30, 1985, the regulator tube in the positive high voltage supply failed (while the reactor was shut down).

1 Scram from momentary loss of electric power.

9/24/85--Relay Scram from momentary loss of AC power to the building.

1 Scram from operator error.

< 1/7/86--Operator inserted too much reactivity during a power increasei reactor scrammed from short period.

4 5 Scrams from malfunctioning log-N period amplifier.

1/9/86--Period Scram from upscale spike on log-N with no indications from other instruments. The log-N was replaced with a spare. The instrument that was removed was bench tested and no problems discovered.

' 1/14/86--Electronic Scram drop of #1 blade only.

l Investigation showed that the electronic scram from the log-N had

! dropped from its normal 12 volt level to 7.1 volts. The log-N

! amplifier was replaced with the unit removed on 1/9/86. The defective unit was repaired by replacing a defective integrated I

circuit.

1/16/86--Relay and electronic period scram from f microphonic noise in log-N period amplifer. The microphonic behavior persisted after the scram, and a defective solder joint was found and repaired. The solder joint was connecting a filter capacitor in the instr ument power supply.

i 4/11/86--Electronic Scram of #1 blade with no bistable i operation and no indication of cause. All voltages checked normal.

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UWNR Annual Raport 8 >

4/11/86--Electronic Scram of all blades from failure of instrument power supply in log-N instrument. The power supply board was replaced.

NOTE: Technical Specifications require neither electronic scram capability nor period scrams of any type, since the UWNR is a pulsing reactor.

D. MAINTENANCE The only major maintenance effort during the year was replacement of the galvanized ducting of the Beam Port and Thermal Column Ventilation System with PVC ducts. The replacement also moved the duct high enough that it is no longer at a convenient height to use for a step. In addition, isolation valves were added for each beam port, so a possible water leakage path could be isolated if a beam port gasket were to leak.

Normal preventative maintenance activities continued.

E. CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES REPORTABLE UNDER 10 CFR 50.59 There were no changes in the facility or procedures reportable under 10 CFR 50.59.

F. RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL

1. Solid Waste Thirty-eight cubic feet of solid waste containing 3.82 m111 curies of accivity was transferred to the University Radiation Safety Department on 11 November 1985. The material was shipped to U. S. Ecology at Hanford, Washington on 9 December 1985.

2. Liquid Waste There were two liquid waste discharges during the year. The concentrations at discharge were below MPC levels without considering dilution by the sewage discharge flow. Table 1 details the discharges to the sewer system.

3. Particulate and Gaseous Activity Released to the Atmosphere Table 2 presents information on stack discharges during the year.

UWNR Annual Rsport 9 TAB'LE 1 LIQUID WASTE TO SANITARY SEWER Annual 16 Aug. 85 10 March 86 Total Total Activity Discharged (Microcuries) 598.19 79.95 678.14 Liquid Quantity Gallons 1500 1000 2500 Co MPC - 2E-2 Microcuries --

0.25 0.25 Microcuries/ml 6.6E-8 Co MPC - 4E-3 Microcuries 51.82 4.9 56.72 Microcuries/ml 9.14E-6 1.3E-6 Co MPC - 1E-3 Microcuries 14.17 3.1 17.27 Microcuries/ml 2.5E-6 8.2E-7 Zn MPC - SE-3 Microcuries 311.7 50.7 362.4 Microcuries/ml 5.50E-5 1.3E-5 Mn MPC - 4E-3 Microcuries 43.6 7.6 51.2 Microcuries/ml 7.69E-6 2.0E-6 Cr-51 -

MPC - SE-2 Microcuries 176.9 13.4 190.3 Microcuries/ml 3.12E-5 3.5E-6 All concentrations discharged were below MPC without accounting for dilution by sewage flow.

Average concentration at point of release to sewer = 7.17E-5 microcuries/ml.

Average daily sewage flow for dilution = 2.37E-4 gallons.

Average yearly concentration = 2.07E-8 microcuries/ml.

6 UWNR Annual R port 10

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TABLE 2 EFFLUENT FROM STACK

1. Particulate Activity There was no discharge of particulate activity in excess of background levels.

2. Gaseous Activity - All Argon 41 Activity Maximum Instantaneous Average Stack Discharged Concentration Concentration Month (Curies) ( Microcuries/ mix 10-* *( Mic rocuries/ mix 10-*

• July '85 .16316 1.8 .0910 August .04890 1.0 .0257 September .11419 1.5 .0636 October .15705 2.5 .0970 November .07550 2.2 .0420 December .14559 2.2 .0790 January '86 .06236 0.8 .0350 February .05448 0.8 .0340 March .10203 1.6 .0675 April .10998 3.7 .0639 May .07093 3.1 .0380 June .04422 1.9 .0260 TOTAL 1.14839 3.7 (maximum ) .0552 The MPC used is 2.4x10-8 microcuries/ml.

This MPC is that calculated in the SAR to result in a concentration of 3x10-* microcuries/ml in the area surrounding the laboratory.

The maximum instantaneous concentration released was 0.154 of MPC, while the average concentration released was 0.0023 of MPC.

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, (* UWNR Annual Report 11

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G.

SUMMARY

OF RADI ATION EXPOSURES (15 JUNE 1985 - 14 JUNE 1986)

No excessive exposure of personnel to radiation occurred during the year. The highest exposure for any employee was 30 mrem whole body, 32 mrem skin, and 2720 mrom extremities.

The highest dose recorded for any student badge was 40 mram whole body. These doses are only a small fraction of auarteriv exposure limits (1250 whole body, 7500 skin, 18750 extremities).

Routine radiation and contamination surveys of the facility revealed no problem areas, consistent with personnel exposure data cited above.

l H. RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS The environmental monitoring program at Wisconsin consists of thermoluminescent dosimeters (LiF TLD service from Eberline) located in areas surrounding the reactor laboratory.

The table below lists doses for persons continuously in the area for representative dosimeter readings.

Annual Dose Data--Environmental Monitors Location Average Dose Rate-arem/ week Inside Wall of Reactor Laboratory 10.7 Inside Reactor Laboratory Stack 2.5 Highest Dose Outside Reactor Labor- 2.9 atory (Reactor Lab roof entrance window: Monitor adjacent to stone surface) .

Highest Dose in Occupied Nonrestricted 1.7 Area ( third floor classroom facing away from Reactor Lab - Room 314)

Average Dose in Occupied Nonrestricted 1.5

Area l

Average Dose in All Nonrestricted Areas 1.6 (27 Monitor Points )

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UWNR Annual Rzport 12

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I. PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS ON WORK BASED ON REACTOR USE Center for Great Lakes Studies Krezoski, J. R., " Particle Reworking in Lake Michigan Sediments:In-Situ tracer measurements using a rare-earth-element", 28th Conference Great Lakes Res.,

Internat. Assoc. Great Lakes Res., Milwaukee, WI, June, 1985.

(Abstract)

Department of Human Oncology Kelly H. Clifton, one manuscript on clonogenic thyroid cell survival is in preparation.

Nuclear Medicine S. John Gatley, James E. Holden, James R. Halama, Timothy R.

DeGrado, Dana R. Bernstein and Chin K. Ng, " Phosphorylation of Glucose Analog 3-0-Methyl-D-Glucose by Rat Heart",

Biochemical and Bloohvsical pesearch Communications , v.

119, No. 3, pp 1008-1014. (1984)

J. E. Holden, S. J. Gatley, R. D. Hichwa, W. R. Ip, W. J.

Shaughnessy, R. J. Nickles, and R. E. Poleyn, " Cerebral Blood Flow Using PET Measurements of Fluoromethan Kinetics",

Journal of Nuclear Medicine, pp 1084-1088. (1981)

James R. Halama, S. John Gatley, Timothy R. DeGrado, Dana R.

Bernstein, Chin K. Ng, and James E. Holden, " Validation of 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-D-glucose as a glucose transport analogue in rat heart", Amer. J. physiolorv. (1984) i Nebraska Wesleyan University, Department of Physics Dave Goss, Sharon F. Farrens, and Robert E. Warta, "Did Meteorites Odessa and Canyon Ditolo have a Common Source", 1 Nebraska Wesleyan University Report, as yet unpublished. 1 i

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July 24, 1986 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555

Dear Sir:

!.nclosed J herewith is a copy of the Annual Report for the fiscal year 1985-86 1

"for the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor Laboratory as required by our Technical Specifications.

Very truly yours,

1. bzlu.u/

R. Cashwell Reactor Director Enc. (Annual Report)

XC: James R. Miller, Chief Standardization and Special Projects Branch XC: Office of Inspection and Enforcement Region III 0

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