ML19281A194
ML19281A194 | |
Person / Time | |
---|---|
Site: | 05000262 |
Issue date: | 02/27/1979 |
From: | Dixon D Brigham Young University, PROVO, UT |
To: | |
Shared Package | |
ML19281A193 | List: |
References | |
NUDOCS 7903070280 | |
Download: ML19281A194 (2) | |
Text
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Annual Operating Report for 1978 Brigham Young University L-77 Reactor Facility 23 Feb 1979 A. Narrative summary of reactor operating experience.
The L-77 reactor was operated 21 times during the 1978 calendar year, with a total energy production of 64.2 watt-hours.
The main use of the reactor was, as usual, in the teaching of the reactor physics laboratory class, Physics 557. This involved 12 separate reactor operations and included training in reactor operations as well as reactor physics experiments and applications.
A simple experiment on subcritical multiplication during the fall semester was performed for an undergraduate physics class, Physics 202. The remaining operations were for instrument or reactor calibration measurements, reactor maintenance, or practice runs.
B. Unscheduled shutdowns.
There were seven unscheduled scrams during the calendar year, all of which resulted from operator errors, mostly in connection with switching ranges on the linear meter at very low power levels. In none of these incidents were there any safety problems.
C. Surveillance tests.
All of the safety circuits were tested and found operative. The control-rod drop times were well within the 500-millisecond limit. Since the control-rod worth calibrations were virtually the same as they were after start-up in 1967, they are assumed to be unchanged. The power calibration was roughly consistent with those from previous years, with a value calculated as 0.34 watt while the reactor was at a nominal 0.50 watts. The old calibration was retained because there is no compelling reason to believe that a change has occurred in the system.
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. D. Maintenance operations.
Both of the log micro-microammeters were maintained and refurbished by our electronics shop in March 1978. One of these meters had a new power transformer and a new tube installed. Otherwise maintenance operations were confined to routine maintenance, calibrations, and replacement of bias cells.
The equipment worked well, and there were no equipment failures.
E. Facility and Procedure Changes.
None.
F. Radioactive materials released to the environment.
None.
G. Environmental surveys outside the facility.
None.
H. Significant radiation exposures.
None.
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Dwight Dixon Facility Chief