ML23305A047

Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, Submittal of Annual Operating Report

ML23305A047
Person / Time
Site:	University of Wisconsin
Issue date:	10/27/2023
From:	Agasie R Univ of Wisconsin - Madison
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML23305A047 (1)

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Nuclear Reactor. Laboratory UWNR University of Wisconsin-Madison 1513 University Avenue, Room 1215 ME, Madison, WI p3706-1687, Tel: (608) 262-3392, FAX: (608) 262-8590 email:*reactor@engr.wisc.edu, http://reactor.engr.wisc.edu License R-74 Docket 50-156 October 27, 2023 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN:

Document Control Desk Washington, D. C.

20555 Enclosed is a copy of the 2022 2023 Annual for the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor Laboratory as red by Technical fication 6.7.1(1).

SRd, Robert<<. sie Reactor Director Enc.

(Annual Report) cc:

Compliance Inspector, Craig Bassett Facil y Project

, Paulette Torres Reactor Safety Committee, RSC 1518

a THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NUCLEAR REACTOR LABORATORY FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 ANNUAL OPERATING REPORT Prepared to meet reporting requirements of:

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission License R-74 Docket 50-156 Technical Specification 6.7.1(1)

Prepared by:

Robert J. Agasie College of Engineering THE UNIVERSITY

---q/'-----

-WISCONSIN-MADISON

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 1 of 15 TABLE O.F CONTENTS A.

SUMMARY

OF OPERATIONS..................................... 2

1.

INSTRUCTIONAL USE.... ;............................... 2

2.

OUTREACH ANO COMMUNITY SERVICE....................... 3

3.

IRRADIATION* SERVICES................................. 7

4.

CHANGES IN PERSONNEL, FACILITY AND PROCEDURES........ 8

5.

RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS AND INSPECTIONS........ 9 B.

OPERATING STATISTICS AND FUEL EXPOSURE.................... 9 C.

EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS............... 10 D.

MAINTENANCE............................................... 10 E.

CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES AND EXPERIMENTS REPORTABLE UNDER 10 CFR 50.59.......... *................... 11 I

F.

SUMMARY

OF RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL............,... 11 G.*

RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS......................... 12 H.

RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS.................................... 12 TABLE 1 TABLE 2 TABLE 3 ANNUAL ENVIRQNMENTAL MONITORING DOSE DATA........... 13 LIQUID RADIOACTIVE*WASTE DISCHARGED TO SEWER........ 14 EFFLUENT FROM STACK................................. 15

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-.

seal Year 2022-2023 A.

SUMMARY

0~. OPERATIONS

1.

INSTRUCTIONAL USE Page 2 of 15 Nuclear ~ngineering (NE) 231, "Introduction to Nriclear Engineering" was of in the spring semester with an enrollment of 25 students.

The course incorporates. an engineering design challenge utilizing the reactor.

The students designed, manufactured, and tested a light-sensitive ctor to measure Cherenkov radiation emitted from the reactor.

The students then determined how that data correlated with the actual reactor.pow~r level.

Two sections NE 427, "Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory", were offered during the acaqemic year with a total enrollment of 25 students.

Several NE 427 experiments use materials that are activated in the reactor.

One experiment requires students to make measurements of radiation levels in the Reactor Laboratory.

Two sections of NE 428, "Nuclear Reactor Laboratory", were offered during the academic year with a total enrollment 18 students.

Three exp~riments require exclusive use of the reactor ("Crit l Experiment", "Control Element Calibration", and "Pulsing") requiring a total of 18 hours2.083333e-4 days <br />0.005 hours <br />2.97619e-5 weeks <br />6.849e-6 months <br /> of exclusive reactor use.

Other l~boratory sessions use materials that have been irradiated in the reactor ("Fast Neutron Flux Measurements" and "Resonance Absorption").

Individual class sections for NE 305, "Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering", NE 424, "Nuclear Materials Laboratory", EP 469, "Research in Engineering Physics", EP 568, "Research Practicum*I" and EP 569, "Research Practicum II" were held at the Reactor Laboratory, with 41 students participating.

The Reactor Laboratory continues its commitment to educational outreach programs and community service.

A listing of individual schools and educational programs that received services is provided below in section A.2 of this report.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023

2.

OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE Page 3 of 15 Participating Institution Number of Participants American* Society of Mechanical Engineers UW-Madison Student Branch*

12 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

Argonne National Laboratory 12 A reactor tour as part of a course on nuclear reactor fundamentals for government employees.

Badger Summer Pre-College Program 11 A reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor in support of an*

immersive college-prep program for students completing grades 9-12.

Beloit College 0

Analyzed swipe tests to leak check radioactive sources and performed detector calibrations.

Boy Scouts of America 120 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nu~lear reactor.

Program included hands on demonstrations of radiation detection and shielding.

Program co-sponsored by the UW Student Branch of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) in support of the Scouts Atomic Energy Merit Badge program.

Collaboratory for Engineering Education and Teaching Excellence 4

• Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear

• energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

Consortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation 23 Reactor tour.with a discussion on research capabilities of the UW nuclear reactor.

The core mission of the ETI is to bridge the gap between the university basic research and NNSA nati.onal laboratories' mission.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 4 of 15 Participating Institution Number of Participants Davis-Bahcall Scholars Black Hills State University 10 Reactor tour.with a discussion of the nuclear processes during fission.

The Davis-Bahcall Scholars Program is a program for South Dakota high school seniors or college freshmen exploring the world of modern scientific research at the Sanford Underground Research Facility.

The program includes a road trip to the Soudan Underground Laboratory and NOVA facility in Minnesota, OW-Madison, Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab in Illinois.

Department of Energy Horizon-broadening Isotope Production Pipeline Opportunities (HIPPO). Program

• 11 Reactor tour with a discussion on isotbpe production capabilities at the UW nuclear reactor.

The HIPPO program aims to develop the future isotope production workforce for the nation and the DOE Isotope Program.

Gender Minorities and Women. in Physics (GMaWiP)

UW-Madison Student Branch 6

Reactor tour with a discussion on research capab~lities of the UW nuclear reactor.

Mount Horeb High School 40 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear*

energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

North Central Chapter of Health Physics Society 9

Reactor tour with a d~scussion on research capabilities of the UW nuclear reactor.

Nuclear Innovation Bootcarnp 24 Reactor tour with *discussion on nuclear energy as a clean energy source.

The Nuclear Innovation Bootcamp equips a select group of students and early-career professionals with the tools and understanding needed to approach the clean energy challenges of today and tomorrow.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 5 of 15 Participating Institution Number of Participants ProCSI: Promoting Computational Science Initiative 22 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

ProCSI introduces high-school students to the co~putational science discipline where participants are shown how the fundamental building blocks they are currently learning in high-school math, physics, and science classes are connected to advanced concepts in computer science and engineering:

Saint John's School 15 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

Sauk Prairie High School.

7 SHINE Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

3 Reactor tour with a discussion on services provided by the UW nuclear reactor~

State of Wisconsin Department of Health & Family Services Radiation Protection Division 9

Reactor tour with a discussion on emergency planning for the UW nuclear reactor.

State of Wisconsin Legislature 18 Reactor tour with a discussion on the economic impacts of*

the UW nuclear reactor on the State of Wisconsin.

UW College of Engineering Computer Aided Engineering Department 8

Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

UW College of Engineering Graduate Student Safety Seminar 31

• Reactor tour with a discussion on radiation and reactor safety in support of graduate research in the College of Engineering.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 6 of 15 Participating Institution Number of Participants OW College of Engineering Mechanical Engineering Department 11 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

OW Engineering Physics Department Graduate Student Recruitment Program 13 Reactor tour with a discussion on the capabilities and uses of the UW nuclear reactor in support of graduate research

• recruitment program.

OW Engineering Physics Department Department Open Houses 103 Reactor tours with a discussion on the capabilities and uses of the UW nuclear reactor and the UW nuclear engineering program fostering community engagement and undergraduate recruitment.

OW Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Interdisciplinary Education Group 8

Reactor tour with a discussion on nuclear materials research at the UW nuclear reactor.

OW Medical Physics Department 8

Reactor tour with a discussion on research capabilities of the UW nuclear reactor.

OW Police Department 4

Awareness training including a discussion on reactor emergency preparedness and response procedures.

OW-Oshkosh Office of International Education 17 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor for student from Korea.

OW-Whitewater Department of Physics 0

Analyzed swipe tests to* leak check radioactive sources and performed detector calibrations.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 7 of 15 Participating Insti~ution Number of Participants Verona Area High School 16 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nucle~r energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) 56 Reactor tour with a discussion on applications of nuclear energy and uses of the UW nuclear reactor.

WISE is a learning community where women interested in science, technology, engineering, or math build strong connections with each other and UW-Madison staff and faculty who. share their interests.

• OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE USER

SUMMARY

Organizations: 30

Participants:

631

3.

IRRADIATION SERVICES There were 203 individual samples irradiated during the year.

Samples accumulated 95.7 irradiation space hours and 223.8 sample hours.

Experiments accumulated 3.0 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of neutron irradiation.

Department of Engineering Physics, OW-Madison NE 231 3.0 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of neutron irradiation Following a course redesigned to incorpo~ate an engineering

.design challenge util~zing the reactor, students designed, manufactured, and tested a light-sensitive detector to measure the Cherenkov radiation emitted from the reactor while operating.

The students correlated the detector data to the actual reactor power_level.

. Department of Engineering Physics, OW-Madison

_NE 427 126 samples, 112.0 sample hours Production of foil sources for radiation detector experiments and activation of samples for the neutron activation analysis experiment.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 8 of 15 Department of Engineering Physics, OW-Madison NE 428 24 samples~ 28.0 sample hours Irradiation of foils for resonance absorption measurements and fast neutron flux measurements.

UW Nuclear Reactor Laboratory 13 samples, 6.9 sample hours Production of calibration sources for required reactor measurements, flux measurements and development of methods for instrumental neutron activation analysis.

Charlotte Pipe Foundry 14 samples, 14.0 sample ho~rs Neutron activation analysis of samples containing antimony.

Northstar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC 17 samples, 62.0 sample hours Irradiation of radiopharmaceutical samples to refine production techniques.

SHINE Medical Technologies 9 samples, 0.9 sample hours Irradiation of radiopharmac;eutical samples to refine production techniques:

4.

CHANGES_ IN PERSONNEL, FACILITY AN

D. PROCEDURE

S Personnel changes.during the year were as follows:

The following Reactor Operator Licenses were terminated:

Name Zackery Helgert Anthony Boyd Noah Bolling License OP-503819 OP-503820 OP-503822 Effective Date August 2, 2022 August 2, 2022 August 2, 2022

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 9 of 15 The following individuals were appointed as Reactor

• operators:

.Name Alison Q.

Daniel P.

,Andrea N.

Holden Manche ski Strzelec License OP-504875 OP-504876 OP-504877 Effective Date August 19, 2022 August 19, 2022 August 19, 2022 Facility changes reportable under 10 CFR 50.59 are detailed in section E of this report.

There were no other changes to the_ facility during the year.

All procedures were reviewed with proposed revision approved by the Reactor Safety Committee.

No changes to operating procedures related to reactor saiety occurred during the year.

5.

RESULTS OF SURVEILLANCE TESTS AND INSPECTIONS The.program of inspection and testing of reactor components continues, satisfactorily meeting procedural acceptance criteria.

Inspection of underwater components during the annual maintenance showed no deterioration or abnormal wear.

The pool leak surveillance program continues to monitor the pool make-up volume and pool water radioactivity.

The pool leak surveillanc~ program indicated that no water effluent had been released to the environment this year.

B.

OPERATI~G STATISTICS AND ~L EXPOSURE Operating Period Critical MW-Hours Runs Pulses Hours Fiscal Year 2022-2023 303.38 224.47 72 30 Cumulative TRIGA 30/20 LEU 4,239.06 2,790.39 1919 436 Core K21-R6 was operated throrighout the year.

The excess reactivity of this core was determined to be 3.913%p.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 10 of 15 C.

EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS AND INADVERTENT SCRAMS There was one emergency manual SCRAM during the year.

On October 6, 2022, while performing a nor~al reactor startup, a reactor operator received a short period alarm.

The operator implemented the immediate actions of the UWNR 156, Unexpected Shift in Reactivity by inserting a manual SCRAM.

Upon further investigation it was determined the operator had lost operational awareneis and.had unintentionally inserted sufiicient reactivity manually to trip the short period alarm.

D.

MAINTENANCE The Preventive Maintenance Program continues to maintain equipment and systems in good condition.

Routine demineralizer regeneration occurred on October 12, 2022 and May 25, 2023.

Corrective maintenance performed as a follow up action necessary for reactor restart following an emergency shutdown or automatic SCRAM is covered in section C of this report.

Additional corrective maintenance'was performed on the following installed systems, structures, and components (SSC) as described in the Safety Analysis Report (SAR):

On August 1, 2022 and. May L2, 2023 the Stack Air Monitor (SAM) experienced a Trouble fault. In both events, troubleshooting determined the particulate channel background detector had failed.

The dete_ctors were replaced, the channel calibrated and returned to service.

On October 27, 2022, during completion of the UWNR 110, Daily Reactor Pre-Startup Check List, the Pneumatic Sample Transfer System (PSTS) blower failed to start when the system was turned on.

Troubleshooting revealed the solid-state relay used to allow the low voltage DC demand circuit to load the high voltage AC motor start~r failed.

The relay was replaced, and the system was returned to service.

On April 17, 2023, during completion of the UWNR 121, Ventilation System Operating Procedure, the lead fan failed

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 11 of 15 to start when the ON/OFF/AUTO toggle switch was in the ON position.

Troubleshooting.revealed that the toggle switch had failed.

The switch was replaced.

The system was tested to confirm it was operable and returned to servic~.

E.

CHANGES IN THE FACILITY OR PROCEDURES AND EXPERIMENTS REPORTABLE UNDER 10 CFR 50.59 There were no changes to the facility, reportable pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59, completed during the year.

There were no changes to procedures, reportable pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59, completed during the year.

There were no new experiments, reportable pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59, conducted during the year.

F.

SUMMARY

OF RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL (01/01/22 -

12/31/22)

The personnel radiation monitoring program at the University of Wisconsin for the past calendar year used Landauer Luxel brand monitors for whole pody and extremity

exposure, No personnel received any significant radiation exposure for the above period.

The highest annual whole-body doses recorded were 34 mrem deep dose equivalent (ODE) and 35 mrem shallow dose equivalent (SOE).

The highest annual extremity dose was 56 mrem and the highest annual

.dose to the lens of the eye was 34 mrem.

The highest dose received by a member of the public visiting the reactor lab was 0.18 mrem, as measured by Mirion brand, model DMC 3000 electronic personal dosimeters.

Monthly radiation surveys continue to demonstrate acceptable radiation dose rates within th~ reactor laboratory and no contamination.

• uwNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fi~cal Year 2022-2023 G.

RESULTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS (01/01/22 -

12/31/22)

Page 12 of 15 The environmental monitoring program at the University uses Landauer Luxel brand area monitors located in areas surrounding the reactor laboratory.

Table 1 indicates the dose a person would have received if continuously present in the indicated area for the entire 2022 calendar year.

H.

RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS

1.

LIQOID EFFLUENTS L~quid waste discharged to the sanitary sewer from the facility during the year is detailed in Table 2.

No liquid effluents were released to the environment during the year.

2.

EXHAUST EFFLUENTS Table 3 presents information on stack discharges during the year.

3.

SOLID WASTE No solid waste was transferred from the facility during the year.

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT Fiscal Year 2022-2023 TABLE 1 ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DOSE DATA (01/01/22 -*12/31/22) 13 of 15 Location Annual Dose

{rnrem)

Dose Ins Reactor Laboratory Stack Highest Dose in.Non-rest cted Area Highest Dose in Occupied* Non-restricted Area Average Dose all Non-rest Areas

{26 Monitor Points)

• Oc6upied areas include classrooms) offices, and

<l 22 22 2.78 lobbies/meet areas where an individual might reasonably spend more than.2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> day

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 14 of 15 TABLE 2 LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISCHARGED TO SEWER Release Date:

Gallons Released:

Total µCi:

Sum of Fraction of MPC w/o dilution:

Sum of Fraction of MPC w/ daily dilution:

Isotope Co-58 Co-60 Mn-54 MPC

(µCi/ml) 2.00E-04 3.00E-05 3.00E-04 10/06/2022 971 1*0. 73

-4.613E-02 l.884E-03 Released 1.589E+00 4.324E-07 2.162E-03 4.371E+00 1.189E-06 3.964E-02 4.768E+00 1.297E-06 4.324E-03 05/22/2023 923

• 15. 58 6.851E-02 2.660E-03 Released 1.983E+00 5.676E-07 2.838E-03 6.138E+00 l.757E-06 5.856E-02 7.460E+00 2.135E-06 7.117E-'-03 Annual total volume of water released to the sanitary sewer (gallons)

Annual total activity released to the sanitary sewer (µCi)

Average daily sewage flow for dilution (gallons)

Annual sum of fraction of MONTHLY release limit with DAILY dilution Annual sum of fraction of MONTHLY release limit with MONTHLY dilution

µCi

µCi/ml Fraction of MPC

µCi

µCi/ml Fraction of MPC

µCi

µCi/ml Fraction of MPC 1894 26.31 2.370E+04 4.544E-03 1.493E-04

UWNR ANNUAL REPORT-Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Page 15 of 15 TABLE 3 EFFLUENT FROM STACK

1.

Particulate Activity There was no di~chaige of particulate activity above background levels.

2.

Gaseous Activity - All Argon-41 Activity Maximum Average Month Discharged Concentration Concentration (Curies)

(µCi/ml)

(µCi/ml)

July 2022 0.077 4.120E-07 4.615E-09 August.

0.111 4.620E-07 6.823E-09 September 0.298 7.000E-07

1. 881E-08 October 0.168 4.520E-07 1.042E--:08 November 0.152 5.430E-07 9.685E-09 December 0.191 5.820E-07 1.164E-08 January 2023 0.023 5.310E-07 l.424E-09 February 0.114 6.380E-07 7.728E-09 March 0.168 8.810E-07 l.030E-08 April 0.150 l.0l0E-06 9.663E-09 May 0.053 4.840E-07 3.299E-09 June 0.030 3.510E-07

1. 984E-09 Total Maximum Average 1.535 l.0l0E-06 8.033E-09 Using the Gaussian Plume model, as described in section

13. 1. 7. 2 of the "Safety Analysis Report for the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor", a concentration of 6E-5

µCi/ml at the stack discharge would result in a maximum air concentration of lE-8 µCi/ml at any point downwind.