ML20212C334

Annual Operating Rept for 1986

ML20212C334
Person / Time
Site:	General Atomics
Issue date:	02/25/1987
From:	Asmussen K GENERAL ATOMICS (FORMERLY GA TECHNOLOGIES, INC./GENER
To:	Berkow H Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
67-1031, NUDOCS 8703030761
Download: ML20212C334 (11)

Text

e GATechnologies - -

GA Technologies Inc.

PO. BOX 85608 SAN OtEGO, CAUFORNIA 92138 (619) 455-3000 February 25, 1987 67-1031 Mr. Herbert Berkow, Director Standardization and Special Projects Directorate Division of PWR Licensing-B U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Connission Washington, D.C. 20555

Subject:

Facility License R-67; Docket 50-163 Submittal of Annual Report (3 copies)

Dear Mr. Berkow:

'Ibe following is an annual report for GA 'Iwchnologies Inc.'s (GA) TRIGA Mark F reactor (License R-67) prepared in the same format as that required for GA's Mark I (R-38) . While the Technical Specifications for Mark F require no annual report, the ntabered sections below are the sections referred to, for exanple, in Section 9.6e of the Technical Specifications for GA's Mark I TRIGA reactor (License R-38, Docket 50-89).

Part I A brief narrative summary of (1) operating experience (including experiments performed), (2) changes in facility design, performance characteristics and operating procedures related to reactor safety occurring during the reporting period, and (3) results of surveillance tests and inspections.

1. Operatino Experience The Mark F reactor was in operation during 1986 mainly to provide steady-state irradiation for experiments related to thermionic device tests. No pulses were performed. 'Ite steady-state operations

included extended irradiations of thermionic devices, underwater neutron radiography of the thermionic devices and occasional Se out-of-core irradiation of samples.

"oS Edo During this year, experience associated with the Mark F FLIP fuel tram uranium, reported first in 1978, then in successive years, is b@0 unchanged. ' Itis situation causes no problem but is, as before, under 4 continuous scrutiny. Several indications of this effect were so observed in 1986, but none were serious.

SS o 'Ibe operating schedule during all of 1986 was the following. Typical  !

om irradiation runs lasted 1500 continuous hours, after which the I g@e reactor was shutdown and the several thermionic devices were rmoved l

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from the core and inspected using the neutron radiography '(m) rig and the same Mark F reactor as.the neutron source. The NR inWien cycle took typically 5-7 days, after which the long term irradiation was - continued; L : typically, the reactor. power for thermionic

irradiation was selected in the range 1250 to 150010f.

In the course of the year, certain license amenhents were granted that were sought in 1985. - Additional license amanhents were sought in 1986.

i a.= 'the amenhent requested in 1985 for extending the permissible thermionic tests fran 10,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> to 20,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> was issu.d in 1986.

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b. An amendment was ' requested in 1986 to increase the ntanber of' thermionic devices that can be tested simultaneously from 4 to i 7. It is expected to be issued early in 1987..

c. An amen &nent' to permit routine use of IRT fuel in the Mark F TRIGA reactor, especially the 20-20 type, was requested in 1986.

Its issue is expected early in 1987.

2. - r%arv== in Pacility n==ian, Performarx:e (%aracteristics, and ,

operatina Procedures All of the essential facility design changes ' pursuant to the long term thermionic tests were incorporated in 1984 and discussed in that year's Annual Report. None of the operations during 1985 and 1986 involved any changes in reactor performance characteristics. All of the operation was steady-state; no pulsing operations were involved.

. 'the continuous operation (namely at 168 hours0.00194 days <br />0.0467 hours <br />2.777778e-4 weeks <br />6.3924e-5 months <br /> /wk) was essentially the j same as in 1985. Minor changes in the Operating Procedures were made mainly to clarify the intent since most were written when 10 hour1.157407e-4 days <br />0.00278 hours <br />1.653439e-5 weeks <br />3.805e-6 months <br /> / ,

l week operation was in effect. The changes in Facility Design during 1986 were also made mainly to inprove the operation. 'these changes j were mainly in the auxiliary instrtunentation.

a. A perimeter alarm system has been installed that gives audible and visual indication when any: security related gate or door is

l. opened or left open.

l b. A first scram indicator has been installed so that the operator

can identify the scramning circuit when several scram signals occur almost simultaneously.

j c. 'the argon stack monitor electronics were moved to the reactor  ;

, control roan. 'the instrtanentation itself was upgraded and a new '

! dual pen recorder (Iog/Lin) was installed to give a recorded j- record of argon activity in addition to the scaler integrated

counts.

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d. A third in-core self powered detector (SPD) was reinstalled for use to monitor the in-core flux distribution available for the ,

, irM: ore thermionic cells.

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e. A power monitor detector was noved from its regular out-of-core i'

location to another out-of-core location. % e reason was to seek i a location less influenced by the addition of out-of-core irradiation samples. S e move was successful.

f. During the year, the Mark F reactor hall was reroofed to prevent recurrence of leaks that have endangered electronic equipnent in 4

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i i 3. Surveillance tests and inspections were performed as required by

Sections 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 of the Mark F Technical Specifications. A

! assunary of results is presented below.

Fuel Surveillance 1

, h e reactor fuel was measured for bending and length changes and was

inspected visually. his surveillance occurred at about 7/30/86.

l J 1 elements were acceptable and passed all tests. Se five fueled l follower control rods were also examined and found to be satisfac-

[ tory. Several fuel elements (appro.:imately 26), discussed last year,

! were continued on an increased frequency of inspection. At the annual l fuel inspection all of these fuel elements were found to be satisfac-tory. In fact, sane of the elements showed slight inprovement.

On March 7, '1986, one fuel element (#6357) was removed from service

because it was difficult to remove from the core grid plate. It i passed the 1/16-inch bend test and elongation test. It is now stored in the fuel canal. One element (#6399) was dropped accidentally. It I. was mmhed very carefully, passed all tests, was put back in

service and subsequent detailed inspections showed no faults. It is i still in satisfactory service.

I . On October 16, 1986, a reinspection of the 26 fuel elements noted

above was conducted. All passed the required tests. Only one was difficult to remove fran its core position (&-2), but it fits easily into other core positions. It is still in satisfactory service in

, another core position.

l It nust be noted carefully that none of the 26 elenents that are -

L receiving special attention are in danger of releasing fission i products. Se surface effects noted earlier are not related to i release of fission products. %e public health and safety is in no I way at increased risk from these elements.

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Control nod surveillance The fuel follower control - rods were inspected on 7/30/86 and were found to satisfactorily pass the surveillance tests. .In fact, all

, passed the 1/32-inch bend test, although they are required only_ to pass the 1/16-inch bend test.

Pulsina System Surveillance Since the startup of the Thermionic test program in January 1985, no pulse assembly (rod, rod drive, piston, etc.) has been in the core.

Only five control rods with standard control rod drives hwe been in use in 1985 and in 1986.

Basetor safety surveillance As specified in the Technical Specifications, channel tests of the reactor safety system channels, channel calibrations .of the power level monitoring channels, and calibration of the temperature and channel checks of the fuel element temperatureMneasuring channels were performed. The tests were performed at least as often as required, and the results were satisfactory. Early in 1985 a license amen hent reduced the miniatun frequency for the power calibration to semiannually. A power calibration is required also for operational reasons during' each startup after the shutdown for neutron radiography of thermionic devices. This occurs about every 1,500 hours0.00579 days <br />0.139 hours <br />8.267196e-4 weeks <br />1.9025e-4 months <br />, or every 10 weeks. Because of the in-core changes of the thermionic devices, the power calibrations required a change greater than 5 percent in 9 power monitors during 1986.

~The area monitor and survey system were under survillance during this reporting period. The frequency of calibration was as indicated below.

Continuous Air Monitor l Alarm setpoints were checked daily when there was reactor operation.

j The systen was calibrated semiannually with three U-235 sources in j front of the detector (600 cts / min,1500 cts / min, and 5000 cts / min).

Eberline Area Monitors

! Operation was checked daily; alarms were activated in response to a l

source every two weeks; calibration was performed semiannually with a

4aci Cs-137 source.

l Portable Survey Meters l

The Eberline R02 and R02A meters, the Ludlum pancake GM meters (Model 3), and the LFE SNDOPY (neutron) meters were calibrated seniannually i

in the GA Technologies calibration facility.

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Part II A tabulation shming the energy generated by the reactor . (in megawatt-hours). 'the energy _ generated in 1986 by the Mark F reactor was 10,932.215 megawatt-hours.

Part III

'the ntauber of emergency shutdowns and inadvertent scrams, including the effect, if any, on the safe operation of the reactor, and the reasons for any corrective maintenance required, if any.

1. 1/11/87 External Scram. 'thermionic Cell 1.1 cooling water bus experienced low flow. No safety consequences. Flow rate increased.

2. 1/16/86 External Scram. 'thermionic Cell 3.1 low cooling flow. No safety consequences. Flow rate increased.

3. 3/5/86 K1 Power Channel Scram. Operator forgot to uprange during startup.

4. 4/17/86 External Scram. A newly installed alarm indicator for alarms fra thermionic instrtunantation interacted through the external scran instrumentation blowing a fuse. After revising the alarm indicator to have its own independent power source, the new indicator works well.

5. 5/31/86 External Scram. 'thermionic cell No. 4 suffered a tranducer power supply failure. No safety consequences.

6. 7/22/86 External Scram. Lightning induced an AC line transient and interrupted the 480 V AC thermionic supply. No safety '

consequences.

7. 7/28/86 External Scram. During a low power run to measure core excess reactivity, the thermionic engineer inadvertently disconnected the cooling lines to the cells, thus causing a low flow scram. No safety consequences.

8. 7/30/86 High Voltage Scran. Reactor operator error. Caused when operator was moving a power channel detector (under supervision) and inadvertently disconnected the detector cables. No safety consequence.

9. 7/31/86 Power Channel Scram, K2. Operator error because he downranged instead of upranging during a power increase.

10. 8/19/86 High Voltage Scram. When a scram is induced by loss of high voltage, several other scrams are activated very quickly - so quickly, in fact, that the operator usually

has difficulty in determing the first circuit to scram. By this date we had installed a first scram indicator circuit.

Consequently, the operator knew that the high voltage circuit had caused the scram. %e power supply (HV6) was replaced and bench tested for several days. No failure was subsequently detected.

11. 8/24/86 High Voltage Scran. h is was due to a short to shield at a feed through connector for power channel K2. %is cause was probably a weakened connector that was disrupted when an operator disconnected the cable for a weekly measurenent of the high voltage value.

PART IV Discussion of the major maintenan operations performed during the period, including the effect (if any) on the safe operation of the reactor, and the reasons for any corrective maintenance required.

1. 1/27/86 Continuous Air Monitor. Converted the AC power plug fran a standard plug to a secure twist-lock plug. his eliminated the problem that occurred 1/26/86 when the power to the CAM was inadvertently removed for a short time.

2. 1/31/86 Arcon Stack Monitor. An increase in noise output was traced to the failure to reinstall the AC line filter that was removed temporarily during an electronic calibration check.

3. 2/4/86 Water Treatment System. %e water treatment system motor powers the treatment circulation pump through a mechanical coupler. %e alignment of the motor and pump has become progressively worse over the years. A revised mounting plate permitted the alignment to be reestablished so that the coupler need not be replaced semiannually.

4. 3/9/86 K3 Power Channel. While moving the reactor bridge, the K3 signal cable was separated fran its connector. It had apparently been assembled ineptly at an earlier time, the connection and cable were reassembled solidly and returned to service.

5. 3/11/86 Cleaned push button range switch contacts on K3 power channel micro-microamplifier. Wis reduced erratic readings. Manufacturer reccanends a lubricant that has been ordered.

6. 3/12/86 Replaced broken fan belt on Mark F ventilation fan.

7. 3/12/86 %e power supply for the chart recorder for self powered detector (SPD) No. 2 burned out. A new supply was ordered and installed. Wis SPD is one of three, none of which are required by the license.

8. 3/25/86 Araon Stack Monitor. A new log /lin strip chart recorder (S2.TBC) was installed on the argon stack monitor channel.

his replaced a badly worn 15 year-old unit.

9. 5/27/86 Mark F Coolina System (2 MW) . he plastic pipe and expansion joint in the city water supply broke. %e Caupany fire truck supplied water to prevent an excessive rise in the reactor tank water tengerature. %e broken section was replaced with a solid pipe and the unit returned to normal service. Se reactor safely operated at full power .during this event while under careful scrutiny by senior facility personnel.

l 10. 7/31/86 (1) Cleaned again the push button range switch contacts on K3 power channel micro-microansneter amplitifier. %is inproved the erratic readings. Still waiting for !

lubricant.

(2) Self Powered Detector No. 3. After initial service in 1985, the unit was so mishaped that it could not be inserted within the core. Since then, the radioactivity has decayed sufficiently to permit repair work to be conducted safely. It was reinserted within the core to provide the third of three in-core SPD detectors.

11. 8/6/86 Cleaned push button range switch contacts on K2 power channel micremicroanplifier channel. %is cleared erratic readings.

12. 8/19/86 High Voltage Power Supply. After a high voltage scram, the power supply was replaced with a new unit. After extensive bench testing, no fault could be found. The problem was

, finally traced to a faulty high voltage connector which shorted intermittently. After replacing this connector, no t further trouble was experienced.

13. 9/5/86 Replaced a fan belt on the Mark F ventilation system.

j 14. 10/14/86 Replaced an end bearing the the Diffuser Pump.

15. 11/15/86 Recleaned push button contacts on K2 power channel for the micro-microamplifier.

16. 12/22/86 Reroofed the Mark F reactor hall to prevent recurring leaks from rainstorms.

We following items are listed separately since they represent efforts to inprove the performance of the console instrumentation.

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1. 1/15/86 Installed a visual and audible sonitor to measure the 3 radiation level at the console. W e level is sitt to alars' '

at 2 mr/hr. N

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2. 3/7/86 Installed a "FIRErf SCRAM IleICMOR" on the ' reactor console. <

'this circuit indicates which of several scrans (which might.

be . activated almost instantaneouely) was the firet, or ,

initiating, scrast sipal. -

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3. 6/3/86 %e final version of a " CELL ALARM I!OICATOR" Wa installed and, thoroughly cnecked out. %is alarm syctam prwides a visual status report on' all aspects of t.hormionic cell alarms and/or bypass conditions.

4. 6/27/86 Se awkwardly located argon' stack monitor was awed to t;he '

Mark F reactor control roaa. We indicator pamtl is now an integral part of the reactor console instrumentation.

1 5, 7/30/86 he neutron detector for the K2 power monitor charnwl was mwed to an alternate side of the core to reduce the effect ,

on power indication when samples are mMad or rarwed from the out-of-core sasple ircadiator.

6. 10/10/86 InstalledtwoinwHighVhtagepowersuppliesforK2andK3  ;

power channels. We original high voltage power supply used for the'three power channels is now used for the K1 power channel. Now all three power channels have their own

• power supplies.

7. 10/24/86 Installed a " perimeter alarm" circuit with audible and visual alarms that activate in the control room when;any facility entrance door' or perimeter gara,,is cpenwl. , he intent is to prwide the teactor operator with improved l- '

/j l surveillance during off-shift operations. -

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8. 12/5/86 %e input nozzle for the argon stack monitor was rayLM:ed I with an inprwed version. In acdition a second noszle veo ,

installed in the same duct to prwide capability for particulato outside sampling. Air flow in established with a standard GA portable air sanpler with flow mtter.

Part V ,

A sunmary of each change to the facility or preculurus e tests, and experiments carried out under the conditions of 10CWR50.59 is presented '

beloW.

1. 3/06/86 Mark F Console Modification: First Scran IndicatcI. A f device was designed, brea& card tested, finalized, ed installed. Subsequent on-line tests were reviewed by the t

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s ataff and the criticality and safety Cosmittee (CSC). he p'

j tresult is an appewed circuit that is capable of indicating which scran occurred first in a situation when -several

, scrans occur in sequence almost sinalltaneously.

2. 4/21/86 W A for Pers M menh alar == in Mark F " *or _

r Age. S e Technical specifications require several alarms m and/or scrans for thermionics testing. In an effort to .

. central i ze h d outs and prwide additional alarms if t e rea desired, the facility desiped, tested, and constructed a .

new alarm circuit. His circuit ac h tes' the them, ionics auxiliary alarms as well as all the others.

Careful attention was given so that no single mode failure could prevent one or more alarms from occurring when t' needed.

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- 3. 4/21/86 nelem&im of Mark F. Melt Manitor circuitry. Se argon stack monitor was moved to a control room location with the

! 3 I follwing imprwements:

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1. shorter gas sanpling line,

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2. more surveillance for the electronics which are now located in the control ro m , and l'

[ 3. centralized system compared to earlier tin.es where it l .

was located in a separate building.

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. All aspects were reviewed by CSC and Health Physics. %e i new system was recalibrated and has performed well in the new location.

l 4. 6/5/86 erate siah vo1&- Power hlies for Mark F Paetor.

/ We effort here was to replace the single high voltage pg source that supplied three separate power monitor channels J with three separate power supplies, one for each separate l ,, rower monitor channel. Each supply has its own high

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voltage test and scran. Se system was installed and

/" c tested and judged satisfactory by CSC.

I e y , 5. 7/14/86 Modification /Isprovements of safety System for hermionics Q

I Proiect - TRIGk Console Interface. Previously, essentially all of the thermionics related scrams and alarms were fed

!'$ to a dedicated caputer and relayed to the 'IRIGA console.

To inprwe the reliability, several hardwired scram l

, . . - initiating circuits were installed on the thermionic

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'- monitor and fed directly to the EXTERNAL Scram bus at the

\ reactor console. % e main inprwesent was to separate the alarm circuitry fra the scram circuitry and, for the t, latter, prwide in certain instances hardwired scram initiators rather than have the dedicated couputer relay p the information.

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3 For - the alarms, a new,' separate hardwired line to the console activates a loud, wailer siren if any of the alarms i sounds. CSC approved the upgrade efforts.

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ih A-suunary of the nature and amoun of radioactive effluents relmaamd or discharged to the environs beyond the effective control of the licensee is maaanred at, or prior to, the point' of such release or discharge.

During the calendar year 1986, 12.401 curies of Argon-41 were released from the facility to the *=aarhere. "

All liquid and solid wastes were transferred to GA's Stet-696 licensed Waste ' Processing Facility for ultimate disposal. Solid wastes are packaged and shipped to an authorized disposal facility. - Liquid wastes are handled in a similar manner, or small quantities of low level liquid wastes may also be released into the municipal sewerage system within the limits and criterim specified by applicable local, state and U.S. NRC regulations. 3' i 1

PART VII A description of any envirornmental surveys performed outside the -

facility. .

%ere have been no sipificant changes to the Envircrimental Surveillance Program during 1986.

PAIT VIII A _ cimry of radiation exposures received by facility personnel and visitors, including the dates and time of sipificant exposure, and a brief stamary of. the results of radiation and contamination surveys performed within the facility.

Facility Personnel Whole Body Pww=Jres for the Year 1986: (RDO Bigh igm Average Maber of anployees Monitored . . 17 0.700 0.000 0.321 Nonfacility GA Personnel Whole Body Pww=3res for the Year 1986: (RDO

.I E19h IQM AV5 H Le l nanber of anployees'Manitored . . 81 0.440 0.000 0.030

%e majority of these exposures were received at other facilities en the

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GA site.

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Contractor / Customer Personnel Whole Body Exposures for the Year 1986: (REM)

Eigh log Averace Ntaber of Persons Monitored . . . 76 0.820 0.000 0.116 Visitor Whole Body Exposures'for the Year 1986: (REM)

Eigh I,gg Averaae Ntaber of Persons Monitored . . . 14 0.000 0.000 0.000 Routine Wipe Surveys High Wipe 1186 edgo/100 m2 Average Wipe 22 Edgn/100 m2 Low Wipe <25 Edgn/100 m2 Routine Radiation Measurements High 200 mrem /hr 8 1 foot Average 10 mrem /hr 8 1 foot Low 0 maem/hr 8 1 foot Should you desire additional information concerning the above, please l contact me at:

GA Technologies Inc.

ATTN: Keith E. Asmussen P. O. Box 85608 San Diego, CA 92138 Telephone (619) 455-2823 Very truly yours, l sdaL-c Keith E. Asmussen, Manager I Licensing, Safety and Nuclear C m pliance l

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cc: John B. Martin, U.S. NBC Region V l

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