ML20216D473
| ML20216D473 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000113 |
| Issue date: | 08/13/1997 |
| From: | Williams J ARIZONA, UNIV. OF, TUCSON, AZ |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9709090325 | |
| Download: ML20216D473 (6) | |
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Nuclear Reactor Laboratory
- 'Dit UNIVERSITY Of Engiricering Building (20)
A John G. Williana. Director fiRIZONA
-tus-eu>a 8 P. O. Box 210020 Tu:so6. Arizona 857210020 TUCSON ARIZONA
$20) 21-8 9 August 13,1997 4
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 RE: Annual Report for License R-52, Docket 50-113 This is the Annual Report covering the period July 1,1996, through June 30, 1997, for the activities of the TRIGA Mark l Reactor at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. The report is submitted in compliance with Section 6.7e of the
- Facility Technical Specifications and Paragraph 50.59(b) of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations.
1.
During the reporting period, the reactor was operated for research and education. It was used for reactor operator training of replacement operators at this facility. The reactor was used for graduate thesis research and undergraduate Nuclear Engineering course experiments, including approaches to critical, control rod calibrations, measurements of the dynamic response of the reactor to step and periodic changes in reactivity, and flux mapping. The reactor was also used for neutron activation analysis for teaching and research.
Reactor upgrading or modifications include running digital signals (annunciator lights) from the left and right hand drawers in the control console to isolation amplifiers also located in the control console. The 10CFR50.59 review pertinent to this modification was reviewed by the Reactor Committee on 5/10/96 and was submitted as an attachment to this facility's 1996 annual report to the NRC.
p Power channel calibration by the calorimetric method was not l
performed during the reporting period. Reactor operation at near full power required for this calibration was not possible at the close of the V
reporting period due to extensive pool water maintenance. However, the power channel calibrations were performed within the annual time frame as defined by the facility technical specifications. The total worth of the NS[59032s970sta h
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U. S. Nucl3ar Regulatory Commission page 2 August 13,1997 regulating, shim, and transient rods were measured to be $3.77, $2.98, and $2.42, respectively. The largest change in worth was 2.1%of total worth on the reg rod, which is consistent with the small changes in rod worth due to rotational changes of position of Individual fuel elements from fuel movement during approach to critical experiments and fuel inspection.
Eighty-one standard fuel elements were measured for length and bend during the reporting period. Three instrumented fuel elements and one demountable fuel element were checked for bend. One standard fuel element (long retired from service) was not checked and two fuel-followed control rods were not checked. All fuel that was checked passed the requirements of the facility technical specifications and all were free from any surface damage. 282 pulses or reactivity insertion greater than $1.00 were performed since the previous fuel meat urement.
Maximum reactivity insertion rates of $0.16/sec, $0.10/sec, and
$0.16/sec were measured for the regulating, shim, and transient rods, respectively. All three insertion rates were less than the maximum rate allowed by the facility technical specifications.
The transient rod drive assembly was inspected twice during the reporting period. Both piston seals were found to be in satisfactory condition and no wear or rust accumulation was present in the air cylinder.
Rod drop times from full out to full insertion were meastwd to be 0.30, 1
0.32, and 0.59 seconds for the regulating, shim, and transient rods, respectively. There was no appreciable change in the drop times of the control rods since the last rod drop measurements. All three drop times were less than the time required by the facility technical specifications.
The regulating, shim and transient rods were not required to be visually inspected during the reporting period.
The area radiation monitors, the pool activity monitor and the pool conductivity meter were calibrated during the reporting period.
2.
The reactor was critical for a total of 79 hours9.143519e-4 days <br />0.0219 hours <br />1.306217e-4 weeks <br />3.00595e-5 months <br />, producing 2188 kW-hours (0.091 mW-day) of thermal energy. The cumulative energy output since the facility was commissioned is 9.412 MW-days. During the
U. S. Nucbcr R:gulatory Commicslon p:ge 3 August 13,1997 rep'orting period 25 pulses with input reactivity greater than $1.00 were performed. The cumulative number of pulses greater than $1.00 since the time pulsing was initiated is 2110.
The reactor was in operation 69 days during the reporting period, with 162 hours0.00188 days <br />0.045 hours <br />2.678571e-4 weeks <br />6.1641e-5 months <br /> of operating time, as recorded by the consolo clock.
3.
There wore no inadvortent reactor ceramo during the reporting period.
4.
Major maintenanco included replacing a coction of the oil return lino in the Froon cooling syctom for the reactor pool water, replacing the linear pon holdor in the dual pen recordor and re routing tho voltago line to the throo.way air colonoid that actuatoo tho transient rod. Minor maintenanco items included servicing the C.A.M. air pump, changing filtor cartridges in the water purification cyctom, adding pool water lost by evaporation, replacing burned out light bulbo in the reactor pool, replacing burned out annunciator bulbo in the reactor control concolo, and making porlodio adjuctmento to the roactor control concolo circuitry, 5.
The Reactor Committoo mot four timos during the reporting porlod:
8/28/96,12/4/96,3/12/97 and 5/8/97.
At its meetings and in Individual reviews by Committeo members, the Committee reviewed operations and operational records of the facility as specified by the Committee charter. This included audit of preliminary check sheets, pulsing check sheets, approach to critical and termination check sheets, operations and maintenance log books, monthly and annual check sheets, Irradiation records, and experiments performed with the reactor. The Committee received reports about new operator trainees, laboratory class enrollment, and reviewed the 1996 annual report to the NRC, 6.
No liquid waste was discharged from the facility during the reporting period.
Four and one-half (4.5) cubic feet of dry waste were discharged from the facility during the reporting period. This waste (non-radioactive) was picked up by the University Radiation Control Office and transferred to the University n partment of Risk Management. The waste was then e
picked up by browning Ferris Industries and trucked to Phoenix, AZ, to be incinerated with University biomedical waste..
I
U. S. Nucle:r R:gul: tory Commission p:ge 4 August 13,1997 Measurements of the Argon-41 concentration in the reactor pool water have demonstrated that the maximum rate of release of Argon-41 from reactor pool water is less than 0.74 uCl per kilowatt-hr of reactor operation. The pneumatic transfer system produces opproximately 0.05 pCI of Argon-41 per kW min of reactor operation, some of which is released when the system is operated. Presented below are the calculations of the maximum monthly releases of Argon-41 from the reactor pool surface, the pneumatic transfer system and the totals.
Argon 4 (uCl)
Month Argon 41 (uCl)
Pneumatic Argon 41 (uCl)
Total Pool Surface Transfer System July 1996 30.9 0.0 30.9 August 1998 5.8 0.0 5.8 September 1990 522.7 0.0 522.7 October 1996 13s )
0.0 134.6 November 1996 256.4 0.0 256.4 December 1996 16.4 0.0 16.4 January 1997 28.3 0.0 28.3 February 1997 51.0 0.0 51.0 March 1997 244.4 0.0 244.4 April 1997 263.1 0.0 263.1 May 1997 10.7 0.0 10.7 June 1997 54.8 178.5 233.3 The dally calculations for Argon-41 release from the pneumatic transfer system did not include decay of the isotope prior to release and, therefore, give an over estimate of Argon-41 release. The max: mum total estimated Argon-41 release from the facility during the reporting peliod is 1.80 millicuries. There were no other gaseous effluents from the facility during the reporting period.
7.
Nineteen (19)) persons were issued film badges on a monthly basis for all or part of the reporting period in the Nuclear Reactor Laboratory.
The persons receiving badges included all reactor operators, faculty and staff members using the reactor laboratory, researchers, and all
U. S. Nucl:ar Regulatory Commission paga 5 August 13,1997 students in laboratory cources. Four badged individuals were reported as having received exposures of non penetrating radiation from 10 20 mrom on body badges. Five badged Individuals were reported as having received exposures of non penetrating radiation ranging from 20 to 60 mrem on ring badges. For the month of November,1996, tho film badge vendor reported exposures of non penetrating radiation on 5 ring badges ranging from 20 40 mrom,15 body badges ranging 1.om 10 20 mrom and 3 monitor badges ranging from 10 20 mrom. During the month of November,1996, several badged Individuals never wore their
' adges and two other monitor badges recorded no exposure.
c Two hundred fifty five (255) non badged persons were admitted to the Reactor Laboratory In classes, tours, or on official business during the reporting period. All groups were issued pocket dosimetors or were admitted only after completion of a radiation survey which showed all dose rates to be less than that in an unrestricted area as required by the facility procedures. Pocket doslmeters issued to visitors indicated that no exposure was received.
8.
Radiation surveys of the reactor room, control room, and experiment cet up room were conducted monthly during the reporting period by members of the University of Arizona Radiation Control Office using direct measurement and wipe tests. The results show little detectable activity except where expected (l.o., irradiated samples in storage areas and internal wall surfaces of the irradiation facilities). Other radiation sunleys were performed by members of the reactor laboratory staff when necessary. No radiation exposure which can be attributed to reactor operations has been detected outside the reactor laboratory.
9.
Environmental TLD monitors at 3 locations on the building housing the reactor and at 10 other locations on the University campus were replaced and read quarterly during the reporting period. For the 12-month period from July 1,1996, through June 30,1997, the average yearly total of the 3 TLDs located on the reactor building roof was 103.3 mrom and the average of the 10 other TLDs was 114.4 mrom, after subtraction of the average reading of two control TLDs, which were kept in a chielded container in a non radiation area. This is consistent with similar measurements for these locations in previous years. Thus, there is no evidence that radiation exposures in the vicinity of the reactor are higher than normal, in January,1994, eight TLD monitors were placed at the periphery of the restricted area. In April,1994, two TLD monitors
U. S. Nucl:ar Regulatory Ccmmission page 6 August 13,1997 were placed in an office area far removed from the rostricted area to provido a baselino reference for building background. The lowest total exposure for the reporting period at the restricted area periphery was 18 mrom, while the highest was 127 mrom. Using a 0.25 occupancy factor for areas adjacent to the restricted area, exposure to the pubtle was less than 100 mrom/ year. Surveys performod at the poriphory of the rostricted area with the roactor operating at full power showed the doso rate to be much less than 2 mrom/ hour, in writing this report, I havo tried to bo both complete and as brief no is roaconable, and still satisfy the requirements of 100FR50.59, the Facility Technical Specifications, and the noods of the Commission. If other or moro detailed Information is nooded, ploaco contact mo at your earliest convenlenco.
Sincorely, ff C),/
John G. Williams, Director Nuclear Reactor Laboratory JGW:HD/dg cc:
Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorato Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation One Whito Filnt North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 U.S. NRC, Region IV Office of Inspection and Enforcement 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011 Dr. Michael Cusanovich V ce President for Research University of Arizona C orFICOWPWWWPDOC9s1FuGAANN RPT 97 #6
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