ML21238A024

Univ of Utah, Submittal of Annual Operating Report 1 July 2020 Through 30 June 2021

ML21238A024
Person / Time
Site:	University of Utah
Issue date:	07/30/2021
From:	Foley A Univ of Utah, Salt Lake City
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML21238A024 (9)

Text

Nuclear Engineering U COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

July 30th, 2021

• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555

To whom it may concern:

Enclosed please find the Annual Operating Rep01i for the University of Utah TRI GA Nuclear Reactor, License No. R-126, Docket number 50-407, for the period of 1 July 2020 through 30 June 2021. This repmi fulfills the requirements of the TRJGA Technical Specifications 6.7.1.

If there are any further questions or concerns regarding this report, please contact me.

Respectfully,

Amanda Foley Reactor Supervisor, University of Utah Nuclear Engineering Program 50 South Central Drive, Room 1206 The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 Phone: 801.581.4188 E-mail: amanda.foley@utah.edu URL: http://wv,'w.nuclear.utah.edu

Cc: Xiaosong Yin, USNRC Craig Bassett, USNRC Nuclear Engineering U COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Repo1t I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021

The University of Utah TRI GA Reactor (UUTR)

Annual Operating Report

for the period 1 July 2020 through 30 June 2021

Amanda Foley Reactor Supervisor

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP)

Nuclear Engineering U COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Report I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021 I. NARRATIVE

A. Operating Experience The University of Utah TRI GA Reactor (UUTR), License No. R-126, Docket No. 50-407, was critical for 43.408 hours0.00472 days <br />0.113 hours <br />6.746032e-4 weeks <br />1.55244e-4 months <br /> and generated 1,929.385 kilowatt-hours of thermal energy during this rep01ting year. The reactor was used for educational demonstrations and training, laboratory experiments, reactor systems tests, reactor power measurements, and sample irradiations.

B. Changes in Facility Design The TRI GA Mark III console was upgrade to a Thermo-Fisher designed console. The control rod drives were rebuilt. The ARMs were replaced with Mirian DRM-1/2/2E. The relevant 50.59s are located in the facility.

• C. Surveillance Tests Documentation of all surveillance activities is retained and stored by the facility. The following surveillances have been completed during the 2020-2021 operating year.

i. Control Rod Worth The control rod worth, shutdown margin, and excess reactivity were measured on 9/2/2020 and 6/21/2021 using the control rod drop method with values, as shown in Table I. The reactor was defueled for upgrades between I 0/19/2020 to 6/16/21.

Control rod drops were performed on 6/19/21, but the recorded data was not set to a fine enough step report point and was unusable. The calibration was re-accomplished on 6/21 /21. Note: the run date for measurement was 6/21 /21 but the data analysis was finalized on 6/23/21.

Table 1. SummalJ' o control rod worth. SDJvl, and ER Core Configuration #24-C #24-C Date 9/2/20 6/23/21 Worth($ Worth($)

Safet Rod 2.020 1.957 Shim Rod 1.540 1.533 0.320 0.293 0.898 0.863 0.962 0.963 ii. Control Rod Inspection The biennial control rod inspection was performed during May of 2020, so no further inspections are required until May 2022. Drop time for control rods were tested and verified to be< 2s, during each semi-annual control rod calibrations.

iii. Thermal Power Calibrations Calorimetric power calibrations were performed on 8/21/2020, 6/16/2021 with the results shown in Table 2. The calibration on 6/16/2020 was after the console installation and and was done at 80 kW with results <5%. The reactor was defueled

Utan Nuclear Engineering Program (LJNEP) 2 Nuclear Engineering

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Report I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021

for upgrades between 10/19/2020 to 6/16/21.

Table 2. Summa,y of calorimetric power calibrations Date Percent Power Indication Linear Power Indication Thermal Calculated Power Level 8/21/2020 92.2 91.4 89.6 6/16/2021 77.8 79.9 78.9 iv. Fuel Inspection Next inspection is May 2022.

v. Fuel Temperature Calibration Fuel temperature channels were calibrated on 8/31/2020 and 6/7/2021. The channels were calibrated to less than or equal to 2°C error over the range from 20 °C to 400 °C.

The reactor was defueled for upgrades between I 0/19/2020 to 6/16/21.

vi. Reactor Safety Committee (RSC) Audits Three RSC audits were completed during this reporting period. The data are shown in Table 3. These audits identified no significant deviations from standard operating practices.

Table 3. Audit summarv Audit Period Auditor Operations and Maintenance 1 Jan. 2020 to 30 Jun. 2020 Ryan Schow Operations and Maintenance 1 Jul. 2020 to 31 Dec. 2020 Gregory Moffit Radiation Safety and ALARA 1 Jul. 2020 to 30 Jun. 2021 David Dolan vii. Environmental Surveys Sixteen environmental monitors are located in the areas surrounding the University of Utah and UUTR. Maximum exposure of 8 mrem in a quarter to an environmental dosimeter situated in Building 80 was measured; Table 4 shows the average dose recorded since 2011. In 2019, The University of Utah changed dosimeter manufacturer from Landuar to Mirian, resulting in the change of values from 2018 to 2019.

Table 4. Summarv of environmental monitorinz around the UUTR Year Avera2e quarterly readin2s for the ei2ht environmental monitors (mrem) 2020 0.29 2019 1.0 2018 34.56 2017 31.78 2016 31.18 2015 32.06 2014 33.81 2013 33.88 2012 35.56 2011 35.13

II. ENERGY OUTPUT

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) 3 Nuclear Engineering

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING f THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Report I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021

The UUTR reactor was critical for 43.408 hours0.00472 days <br />0.113 hours <br />6.746032e-4 weeks <br />1.55244e-4 months <br /> and produced 0.08 megawatt*days (1,929.385 kilowatt* hours) of energy during this reporting period. Since initial criticality, the reactor has been operated for a total of 4,298.364 hours0.00421 days <br />0.101 hours <br />6.018518e-4 weeks <br />1.38502e-4 months <br /> with an accumulated total energy output of 9.933 megawatt-days (238,393.95 kilowatt-hours).

III. EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS:

Two inadvertent SCRAMs occurred during this period the first on 8/19/2020 and the second on 6/16/202 I. Summary of the inadvertent scram and unplanned shutdown is given in Table 5.

Ti bl - S a e ). ummaryo na vertent fl. d an np anne ut owns SCRAMS dU l dSh d Date Run Number TyJJe Cause Action 8/16/2020 2079 Linear Power Noise in the linear power The channel was tested for noise.

channel cause the channel to scram at I W.

6/16/2020 2091 Fuel Fuel temperature I One of the thermocouples located Tern perature indicated a negative in the C ring instrumented fuel was temperature so the plugged into the Omega display.

thennocouple was The original thermocouple had the unplugged to troubleshoot wires switched from proper the channel without settings.

understanding that unplugging the thermocouple causes the Omega display to default to the max reading resulting in a SCRAM.

IV. MAJOR MAINTENANCE A. The TRI GA Mark III console was replaced with a Thermo-Fisher designed console. With this console upgrade, the following items were replaced/upgraded:

• SCRAM relay logic (still completely analog; 10 CFR 50.59 actions accomplished)

• Controller for control rods, magnet power, and interlocks

• Chart recorder

• Displays

• Ultra-sonic water sensor

• Water float level alarms

• Damper wiring

• High radiation bell e Air pressure gauges

• Conductivity sensors

• Water flow rate sensor

• pH sensor B. The control rod drives were rebuilt including:

e:i Draw tube sleeve bearings

• Pinion shaft outrigger bearing

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) 4 Nuclear Engineering

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Report I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021

• Resistors R902, 903, 904

• Switches S90 I, 902, 903

• Connectors P901, J901

• Bodine motors from shim and safety

• R90 I, changed from 1 OK to 5K

• A flexible guide and wire system

• CR901 was changed to a IN4007 diode

• The terminal board is now a printed circuit board

• R905 has been eliminated as it is no longer necessary C. The ARMs were replaced with Mirion DRM-l/2/2E and integrated into the new console using Teleview 3000 and a Direct Logic 205 PLC controller to change the state of a 24 VDC relay.

D. The CAM blower Universal RAT blower model 22U-RAI was replace with a Howder Roots blower model 22U-RAI.

V. CHANGES, TESTS AND EXPERIMENTS PURSUANT TO 10 CFR 50.59 Three screenings were complete pursuant to IO CFR 50.59, one (control rods) screened out of requiring an evaluation according to IO CFR 50.59 and two ( console and ARMs) required an evaluation according to IO CFR 50.59.

A. The UUTR control console was replaced with a new Thermo-Fisher Gamma-Metrics (TFGM) Console. This replacement included SCRAM relay logic (still analog),

controller for control rods, magnet power, and interlocks. Replacement of the chart recorder with a digital recorder. Replacement of suppmi systems such as the float sensors, water level sensor, water flow rate, pH sensor, conductivity sensors, air pressure sensors, high radiation alarm bell, Pl power supply. The damper ventilation was rewired.

Digital displays were added to the console to relay the information from the neutron power drawers.

B. The control rod drives were rebuilt after it was discovered in the console upgrade that they were wired incompatibly, and required refurbishment. The control rod rebuilds replaced with "like for like" for the draw tube sleeve bearings, the pinion shaft outrigger bearing, resistors R902/903/904, switches S90 l /902/903, and connectors P901, J901. The safety and shim rods received Bodine motors that are the modern equivalent of the old motors. Changes that were made include resistor R90 I from 1 OK to 5K to reduce noise.

The flexible guide and wire replaced the old magnet coiled cord. The CR901 is now a I N4007 diode instead of a bi-diode transient voltage suppressor to reduce inductive kick from the magnet. The terminal board is now a printed circuit board. The R905 resistor is no longer necessary and has been removed.

C. The Eberline model #DAI-JCS ARMs were replaced with Mirion DRM-I/2/2E due to the fact that there were beyond their designed lifetime and of the 4 in place only 2 were still operational. They were integrated into the new console system via Teleview 3000 connected to a Direct Logic 205 PLC that controls a 24VDC relay that is powered open.

VI. REACTOR SAFETY COMMITTEE

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) 5 Nuclear Engineering

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Report I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021

As of the end of the rep01iing period, the current members of the RSC as designated by the Licensee are as follows:

Ryan Schow, Chair Glenn Sjoden, Director Utah Nuclear Engineering Program Amanda Foley, Reactor Supervisor Fred Monette, RSO of University of Utah Donald Wall Benjamin Huffman Greg Moffitt The UNEP staff continues to review and update facility documentation to assure compliance with all applicable regulations.

VII. RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS

A. Liquid Waste - Total activity released: none

B. Solid Waste - Total activity: none.

C. Gaseous Waste - Total estimated activity released: 24.021 µCi.

The UUTR was operated for 43.408 hours0.00472 days <br />0.113 hours <br />6.746032e-4 weeks <br />1.55244e-4 months <br /> at power levels up to approximately 90 kW. At this power level, Ar-41 production is substantially below MPC values for unrestricted areas. The minimum detectable concentration of Ar-41 from the CAM system for the stack monitor has been found to be less than two-thirds of 10 CFR 20 appendix B limits for release to unrestricted areas. The annual calculated concentration of Ar-41 generated during operation is estimated to be l.07x 10- 10 µCi/ml, which is approximately 0.004 % of the DAC. The total amount of Ar-41 released was estimated to be 24.021 µCi. No phosphorus-32 was released from the UUTR or associated facilities during this period. A monthly summary of gaseous releases is given in Table 6. The total amount of all gaseous radioactivity released was estimated to be 24.021 µCi.

Table 6. Summarv of'Monthlv Gaseous Radioactive Effluent Month Power(kWh) Ar-41 (µCi) Ar-41 (µCi/ml) Estimated Release % ofDAC P-32 and all others July 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

August 594.068 7.396 3.29E-11 0 0.001%

September 873.318 10.873 4.84E-I I 0 0.002%

October 7.027 0.087 3.89E-13 0 0.000%

November 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

December 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

January 0 0.000 0.0OE+00 0 0.000%

February 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

• March 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

April 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

May 0 0.000 0.00E+00 0 0.000%

June 454.972 5.664 2.52E-11 0 0.001%

Total 1929.385 24.021 1.07E-10 0 0.004%

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) 6 Nuclear Engineering

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Report I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021 VIII. PERSONNEL RADIATION EXPOSURES

• A. UNEP Personnel The University of Utah Radiation Safety has issued to all personnel with duties in the reactor laboratory a Mirian gamma and neutron dosimeter. The duty category and monitoring period of personnel are summarized in Table 7. A summary of the whole body exposures to the UNEP personnel is presented in Table 8.

Table 7. Summarv of Monitored Personnel Last Name First Name Start Date End Date Duty Cate2:ory Allison Andrew 1/1/2021 6/30/2021 Regular Ashton Thomas 7/1/2020 12/31/2020 Regular/Terminated Bates William 4/1/2021 6/30/2021 Regular Boice Maxwell 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regu Jar/Terminated Carver Alexandra 7/1/2020 1/10/2020 Regular/Terminated Cazalas Edward 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Chalifoux Aaron 7/1/2020 10/16/2020 Regular/Tenninated Channon Aodh 10/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Crockford Daniel 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Eckley Courtney 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Edward Goodell 7/1/2020 9/30/2020 Regular Faure Quentin 7/1/2020 9/30/2020 Regular/Terminated Feist Donovan 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Fitzhugh Richard 7/1/2020 6/30/202 I Regular Foley Amanda 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Forster Logan 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Gibb Logan 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Goodell Edward 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Graham Brandt 10/1/2020 3/31/202 I Regular/Terminated Hall Tanner 10/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Hardy Connor 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Hartos Michael 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Kurtyka Nicholas 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Landeros Jeri 7/1/2020 6/30/2020 Regular Larson Joseph 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Leon Rodrigo 7/1/2020 1/10/2020 Regular/Terminated Linford Kevin 4/1/2021 6/30/2021 Regular Lund Matthew 7/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Te1minated Mecham Nicholas 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Mensinger Gabriel 7/1/2020 12/31/2020 Regular/Tenninated Miller Scott 7/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Olson Codey 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Papadopoulos Nicholas 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regular/Terminated Pappas Steven 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Re_gular Quist Teancum 7/1/2020 6/30/202 I Regular Saenz Brittney 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Sioden Glenn 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Snow Jesse 7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Regular Walker Joshua 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Regu Jar/Terminated

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) 7 Nuclear Engineering

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING I THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UUTR Annual Repmt I July 2020 - 30 Jun 2021

Wano-7/1/2020 6/30/2021 Weeks 10/1/2020 3/31/2021 Re ular/Terminated

Table 8. Summar Estimated whole-bod Number of individuals in each ranae Less than 0.1 41 0.I0to0.25 0 0.25 to 0.50 0 0.50 to 0.75 0 0.75 to 1.00 0 1.00 to 2.00 0 2.00 to 3.00 0 3.00 to 4.00 0 4.00 to 5.00 0 Greater than 5 rem 0

B. Measured Doses During the period of 7/1/2020-6/30/202 l, the average personal dose was 16.97 mRem with the highest individual dose of 63 mRem.

i. Dose Equivalent Limit

a. Maximum Permissible Dose Equivalent= 5000 mrem/year (1250/quarter).

b. Minimum Detectable Dose per Monthly Badge= 1 mrem.

C. Visitors 20 individuals visited the reactor facility during the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.

None of the visitors received a measurable dose.

IX. LABORATORYSURVEYS The University of Utah Radiation Safety Office conducted monthly surveys of the facility during the reporting period. The studies have not indicated any unusual radiation levels over previous years. The facility retains records of surveys.

X. ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Environmental monitoring conducted by the University of Utah Radiation Safety indicated no unusual dose rates in the areas surrounding the Merrill Engineering Building, which houses the UUTR reactor facility.

Prepared by: Amanda Foley Date: 7/27/2021 Reactor Supervisor

Submitted by: Amanda Foley Date: 7/30/2021 Reactor Supervisor

Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP) 8