ML20207T417

Annual Rept for 1986,including Operations Summary,Power Generation,Shutdowns,Unscheduled Maint on safety-related Sys & Components & Changes,Test & Experiments W/O Prior NRC Approval

ML20207T417
Person / Time
Site:	Neely Research Reactor
Issue date:	02/16/1987
From:	Karam R Neely Research Reactor, ATLANTA, GA
To:	Grace J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
References
NUDOCS 8703230553
Download: ML20207T417 (9)

Text

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Neely Nuclear Research Center

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Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (404) 894-3600 annamaa e otsicmns touonnowicon

-, F E B 2<1 Ai0 : p 9 February 16, 1987 Dr. J. Nelson Grace U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region Il 101 Marietta Street, N.W.

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Reference:

Docket 50-160; License R-97 Gentlemen:

Pursuant to Section 6.7a of the Technical Specifications for the Georgia Tech Research Reactor (License R-97), the following annual report is submitted. The reporting period is January 1, 1986 through December 31, 1986 (calendar year 1986). The designation of the sections below follow the title and order of Section 6.7a of our Technical Specifications.

1. Operations Summary

a. Changes in Facility Design There was no change in facility design during this reporting period.

b. Performance Characteristics During the reporting period the reactor was operated at power levels up to 1000 kw(t) using a 17-element core. Fuel performance has continued to be satisfactory with no known problems.

c. Changes in Operating Procedures The following procedures were slightly modified, reviewed and approved by the Nuclear Safeguards Committee.

2010 Operating Datalog - Control Room 2012 Operating Log - Experimental Status 3100 - Experimenter's Checklist 4200 - Changes in Facility Design

d. Results of Surveillance Tests and Inspections The surveillance tests and inspections of the facility required by the Technical Specifications were performed. Documentation of each of the tests and inspections are available at the site for review.

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cE of An Equal Educate and Employment Opportunity Institution A Unit of the Universdy System of Georgia

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Dr. Grace February _.16, 1987 Page 2

e. Changes, Tests and Experiments Approved by USNRC There were no changes,' tests or experiments that required the approval of the USNRC pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 (a).

f. Changes in Plant Staff and Committee Membership Dr. R.A. Karam, Director, Nuclear Research Center Mr. Leslie Dean McDowell, Reactor Supervisor Dr. R.A. Karam, Reactor Engineer Mr. R.M. Boyd, Radiological Safety Officer Mr. William Downs, Senior Reactor Operator Mr. Mitch Mercer, Electronics Specialist Mr. David Cox, a trainee for Reactor Operator Mr. Jerry Taylor, Senior Radioisotope Lab Specialist Mrs. Judy Rodgers, Administrative Secretary The current organization of the Nuclear Safeguards Committee is as follows:

Mr. R.M. Boyd Dr. R.N. MacDonald Dr. J. Mahaffey, Chairman Mr. J. Hopper Dr. B. Kahn Dr. P. Desai Mr.~ L.D. McDowell Dr. Henry Neumann

2. Power Generation For the period January 1, 1986 through December 31, 1986 the total power generation of the reactor was 169.87 megawatt hours. The reactor was operated for a total of 265 hours0.00307 days <br />0.0736 hours <br />4.381614e-4 weeks <br />1.008325e-4 months <br />. There was no opera-tion at power levels higher than 1 MW.

3. Shutdowns During the reporting period there were eight (8) unscheduled shutdowns of the reactor. These are tabulated in Table 1, as to the cause and preventive action taken.

4. Unscheduled Maintenance on Safety-Related Systems and Components a) The stack fan failed on 1/27/86. Vibration in the conduit caused loss of insulation on one wire which resulted in a short. The wire was replaced and conduit was relocated in order to minimize vibration.

b) Reactor tank level indicator (channel 2) caused a scram on 2/11/86.

The line was flushed; several bubbles escaped. Checked setpoint and verified it was working all right.

c) Reactor tank level indicator (channel 2) caused a scram on 2/14/86.

It was disassembled, cleaned from all grit and reassembled and installed. It worked fine.

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Dr. Grace February 16, 1987 Page 3 d) The .picoammeter #2 was not working correctly on 2/15/86. Several tubes and resistors were replaced. It was recalibrated and checked.

Operation was normal.

e) Gas monitor recorder reading at 1 MW was high on 2/17/86. Replaced amplifier and slidewire. The instrument was recalibrated.

f) The Kanne chamber output was erratic 2/26/86. Replaced electro-meter tube in Keithley and reference battery. Source check indicated that both Keithley and recorder output were normal.

g) The Kanne chamber chart recorder was not working correctly on 2/27/86. The slidewire was replaced. It was recalibrated and checked with a source and put back in service.

h) The inner main airlock door gasket was leaking at the upper left corner on 4/17/86. The gasket was replaced with a new one. The gasket was checked by pressurizing the airlock and soap checking.

1) The H O chart recorder drive was not working on 5/9/86. The 2

drive motor was replaced and the system was tested. Proper performance was verified.

j) Kanne chamber recorder was erratic on 5/9/86. The recorder was cleaned and the amplifiers in recorder and Keithley were checked.

Installed a cooling fan in the Keithley. The system was then tested and verified to be in working order.

k) The D 0 flow recorder was sluggish on 6/10/86. A frozen bearing 2

in the drive motor was replaced. System was tested and proper performance established.

1) Picoammeter #2 was not working properly on 7/24/86. The rotator ball was replaced. System was tested and proper performance established.

m) Kanne chamber recorder reading was abnormally high. Replaced Keithley amplifier with a new one. System was tested and proper performance established.

n) D 0 flow recorder was not working on 7/24/86. The 60 Hz switch 2

was replaced. The system was tested and proper performance was established.

o) The truck door gasket was leaking on 8/14/86. The gasket was replaced by a new one. The containment building was pressurized and tested for leaks. Proper performance was established.

p) The hoses for the shutters on the thermal column were leaking on 9/8/86. Two hoses were replaced. System checked and found to work properly.

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.a q) Magnetic actuation amplifier would not_ energize on 9/11/86. . A 4 4.5 Ohm 10 watt resistor was replaced. The. system was tested .s 1 and proper performance was established >. ,

r) The drain valve air hoses were leaking slightly'on 9/15/86. : Ihe ~

leaking hoses were replaced. The' system wan checked and proper performance was established.

s)- Flux ~ Amplifier:#1': High voltage supply failed on 10/7/86.

Repaired high voltage power supply. System was - verified <;o work properly.

5. Changes, Tests and Experiments Without Prior U.S.N.R.C. Approval-During the reporting period there were thirty-three approved experiments for the Georgia Tech Research Reactor. Each of these was evaluated prior to its approval with regard to Section 3.4 of

-our. Technical.. Specifications. 'Rscords of each experiment are-available at the e,ite for rsview.

6. _ Radioactive Effluencs Releases

a. Gaseous' Effluents 1)- Gross Radioactivity Releases N+

a) Total grosgradioactivity -noble ghses:

Curies of Ar (only detettable noble gas) 277.19 Ci b) Average normal steady stat 9 concentration released bdt of stack. ,

r' 1 MW: '3.0 x 10-6 '

microcuries/cc 5 MW: No run at 5 MW i c) Maximum instantaneous concentiation Eeleased:

-4 2.6 x 10 microcuries/cc -

41 Ar, 491 microcuries/sec d) Percent of technical specification limit: ,

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l 84%

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-a A" 1 s 2)- Iodine Released stX:

- a) Total: radioactivity ofciodine released:

, -(Minimum detectable release is.400

'microcuries/ year) None

.b) Percent of Technical Specification limit:

n

• - Less than l'.7

3) Part'iculates Released A.'

a) -Tc'tal gross radioactivity (Beta, Gamma) released:

Less than 1 microcurie b) Gross alpha radioactivity released:

Less than 1 microcurie

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c) Total gross radioactivity of nuclides with half-lives greater than eight days:

3 Less than 1 microcurie

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d) Percent of-MPC for particulates with half-lives greater than eight days:

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Less than 0.01

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b. Liquid Effluents 1,

V 1) Total gross radioactivity (Beta, Ggmma)-released, excluding tritium, and average concentration

'A Total Released: 304.7 microcuries 4

Average Concentration: 5.9 x 10-7 microcuries/cc before dilution with other Georgia Tech water

. The majority is from laboratory sinks or operations outside the reactor containment building and is not generally attributable to reactor opetutions.

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22)I Maximum concentration' radioactivity'(Beta, Gamma): released,'.

. excluding; tritium, to unrestricted area: ,

7.0 x!10-7 microcuries/cc gross *-

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3) Total ' alpha radioactivity release' :d2 (minimum detectability 2 microcuries/ year): 2 -

None

4) Total:. volume of liquid waste released:

0  ?

5.0 x 10 ml

~5)- Total volume of dilution water:

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7.'4'x 1010 ,1

6) . Total radioactivity and concentration released by-nuclide:

b 73,635.8 microcuries Tritium

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1.5 x'10 -4

,d jf'g"4 Average concentration: microcuries/cc Tritium iW .

7) ' Percent of Technical Specification limit for; total radioactivity from site:

4 ii- d'

" 22.36% for gross Beta,' Gamma excluding tritium and 0.17% for' tritium '

7. _EnvironmentaNMonitoring '

'gw h:3 q a. through d." Envidhnmental monitoring is done' with 43.TLD's and

. . ,30 film badges. See Figure 1; " Environmental

' Monitoring Stations." TLD's hre changed on a three-month basis. Film badges are'at 30 'of t'at same locations as the TLD's'N rm ,

g TLD Dose mrem ,

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[c ,, Highest 130*** (Station 9)

N Lowest 0 (all stations except 9 and in the stack)

• ^ -5 On only one occasion (3/12/86) a spec of Co 60 , equivalent to 1.26 x 10

'microcuries/cc, was measured.

Minimum sensitivity is 3 mrem This dose was not from GTRR operations but rather from sealed sources used  ;

, for calibration of health physics instruments.

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February 16,- 1987 Page 7 Highest Annual _

Average Radioactive Level 111 (Station 9)

e. Maximum cumulative radiation dose from:

1. Direct radiation and gaseous effluent:

25 mrem /yr

2. Liquid effluents:

none or 1% 10 CFR20 limits

8. Total Occupational Personnel Radiation Exposure for 1986 No person received greater than 1000 mrem to the whole body. No person under the age of 18 years received greater than 20 mrem.

This dose was not from GTRR operations but rather from sealed sources used for calibration of health physics instruments.

.If you'have any questions concerning this report, please let me know.

Sincerely,

.h- 0}iJLL v R.A. Karam Director Nuclear Research Center RAK:jlr L pc: Members, Nuclear Safeguards Committee Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dr. Stelson s Dr. Stevenson

[l' Frank Murphy

Table 1 Unschtduled R: actor Shutdown:-1986' Report No. Date Primary Trip Circuit Cause Recommended Actions 86-1 2/11/86 Reactor tank low level' Air bubbles in line. Line was flushed, on Channel #2 86-2 12/86 Reactor tank low level Accumulation of grit. Disassembling and cleaning on Channel #2 86-3 3/19/86 Power level Channel #2 Spurious spike current Checked zero and setpoint Recalibrated and checked stability. Everything was fine.

Operator was requested to closely monitor performance.

86-4 3/26/86 Power level Channel #2 Regulating rod driving Replaced' tubes in auto-control. _

out due to tube mal- chassis.

function 86-5 4/4/86 Low ionization chamber Spurious signal due to Check zero and scram setpoint.

voltage increase in leakage Checked calibration, operator-current was requested to monitor closely.

86-6 7/10/86 Criticality alarm Manual scram due to In accordance with procedures.

criticality alarm 86-7 10/3/86 Low ionization chamber Spurious, increase in Checked zero setpoint, linearity, voltage leakage current pulse and voltage. All checked okay. Monitor performance 86-8 10/6/86 Low ionization chamber Spurious increase in Checked high voltage and resistance voltage leakage current to ground. Checked all connectors and tightened. Monitor performance.

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