ML19320C001

Annual Rept for Period 790701-800630.

ML19320C001
Person / Time
Site:	University of California - Irvine
Issue date:	07/08/1980
From:	Geoffrey Miller CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, IRVINE, CA
To:
Shared Package
ML19320B996	List: ML19320B995 ML19320C001
References
NUDOCS 8007150620
Download: ML19320C001 (15)

Text

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U.C.IRVINE TRIGA REACTCR ,'

Annual Report for Period

] July 1st, 1979'to June 30, 1980 Facility Licenser R-115 Docket 50-326 .

Prepared in accordance with Part 6.7f of i the facility specifications.

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by Dr G.E. Miller Reactor Supervisor

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CHAPTER 1 OPERATIONS Operation of this facility is in support of the Department of Chemistry program in research and education in the use and application of radiochemical techniques and radioisotope utilization in chemical studies.

Reactor utilization, apart from operator training 67d maintenance, is thus entirely for sample irradiation. Samoles come from diverse origins related to forensic science, fossil fuels, geochemistry, art and crcheology studies, chemical synthesis, industrial quality control, enzyme studias, trace element pollution,etc.

The reactor was also utilized in class work by undergraduates learning tracer and activa tion analysis techniques using small quantities of short-lived activa ted ma terials.

12 graduate students and 6 post-doctoral associates have used the facility under tho guidance of three faculty in Chemistry. These include visitors from Israel and Norway. .-:

One senior operator license has lapsed in this period and no n ew operators have been trained. Currently the facility thus has 4 licensed senior operators and 1 licensed operator ( including the reactor supervisor).

No major changes or maintenance have been needed in this period. '

Minor replacement wo rk ha been performed in rebuilding of the two

" fast" transfer system in-ce.re termini and the SHIM rod drive magnet was rcplaced. The annual inspection of core components indicated that all core items are in good condition.

Operations this year have been ma intained at about the level of Icst year. A list of recent publications is given in Appendix I.

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CHAPTER 2 DATA TABULATIONS FOR THE PERIOD (JULY 1,1979 -JUNE 30,1979) .

TABLE I.

Experiment approvals on file 7 Experiments performed (including repeats) 369 Samples irradiated 3935 Energy generated, Mw hours 58.52 Tctal, 99 element core: 127.0

>74 element core: 641.5 Total since initial criticality: 76R.5 Mwh Pulse operation (a nnu al) 11 of which greater than $2.30 insertion: 9 Total pulses to 6-30-80 636 Hours critical (a nnu al) 344 Total to 6-30-80 3953 hr Operator training and requalification 4 hours Inadvertent scrams 26 Visitors to reactor (a dmi tted) 413 Max dose recorded (all within instrument errors) 1 mr Visiting researchers (dosimeter issues) 250 Maximum dose recorded 14 mr Visiting researchers (badged) 4 i -.

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0AT4 TA3ULAT!CNS FOR THE PERIOD ( 7ULY 1,19 79 -7'1'72 33,1979). Page 2-2 Table II.

Reactor Status 6-30-80 Fuel elements in core (incl 2 fuel foll'owers) : 8 Fuel elements in storage (reactor tank ) - used 29 Puel elements unused (instrumented) 1 Graphite reflector elements in core 34 Experimental facilities in fuel element positions 4 Water filled positions o Core excess (c old , no Xenon) $2.68 Control Rod worths ( 5-6-80 i R EG $3.66 SHIM S3.24 ATR S1.68

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FTR

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$0.81 TOT'iL $9.39 Mcximum possible pulse insertion (ATR + FTR) $2.49 Maximum peak power attained (5-lR-80) 964 Mw Maximum peak temperature observed (B-r ing) 329 C i

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CHAPTER 3 INADVERTANT SCRAMS AND UNPLANNED SHUTDOWNS TABLE III DATE TIME P OWER TYPE' AND CAUSE 1979 7/,5 11:48 <5kw Linear power scram. Operator switched range switch incorrectly during raise to power.

7/25 11:29 <5w Period scram. Operator error during criticality approach.

9/15 11:42 <1w Period scram. Operator error during criticality approach.

9/21 11:38 <3w Period scram. Operator error during criticality aaproach.

9/28 10:40 1.5w Period scram on switching to auto mode.

13:12 10kw uinear scram on switching to auto mode.

10/2 15:47 150kw Period scram on switching to auto mode.

10/10 14:12 10kw Period scram on switching to auto mode.

10/24 13:29 250kw Linear scram on switching to auto mode.

11/9 9:18 250kw Fuel Temo scram on switching to check water temps (dirty contacts!)

11/20 16:35 200kw Shim rod drop due to had magnet contact.

16:54,17:lR same 11/30 10:18 10kw Linear power scram. operator tange sw. error.

14:29 250kw Seismic trip. No seismic activity.

12/5 15:49 20kw Period scram on switching to auto mode.

12/10 15:05 250kw  % Power scram. Operator error on unbalanced lazy susan sample load.

1980

- 1/15 15:21 250kw  % Power scram. Same error as 12/10/79 f2/13 09: 05 10kw Linear power scram. Shim rod DOWN push button f ailure.

2/25 11:13 250kw  % Power scram. Same error as 12/10/79.

3/4 14: A8.

- lkw Linear scram. Range switch error during rod calibrations.

3/10 08:25 250kw Seismic scram.No seismic activity.

3/17 12:44 300w Period scram during raise of power.

15:26 250kw FTR rod released. No explanation found.

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3NACb RTANT SCRAMS AMO UNPLA'1" O SW 70^V45 Page 3-2 3/19 15:43 250kw Seismic scram. No seismic activi ty.

4/22 09: 48 10kw Linear scram on switch to auto mode.

5/2 10: 30 <3w Period scram during criticality approach.

5/5 15:19 <3w Period scram druing rod calibrations.

5/22 14:01 3kw Unintentional manual scram - bar hit.

5/23 14:22 10kw Linear scram on switch to auto mode.

5/27 14:14 250kw Linear scram. range switch incorrectly pcsitioned.

'6/5 '13:09 250kw Snim rod dropped. No reason found.

6/9 15:21 250kw Shim rad dropped. Still no reason found.

6/10 09:92 250kw Shim tod dropped. Maladjusted switch?

CHAPTER 4 MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS All ma jor items (fuel elements, control rods, console systems) continus. to be found in good condition during routine maintenance inspect'. 3ns.

There are a few recurring and new items given special attention chis year.

(a) SHIM rod drive magnet. A new magnet was installed on 11/23/79. The previous magnet appeared to have swollen in its casing interfering with good armature contact and thus allowing f requent rod " drops".Later (June,1980) problems with rod drops were again experienced, bu t these wore traced to a loose lock-nut on the rod down push rod actuator, permitting microswitch tripping.

(b) The fixed area monitor designed to monitor samples removed from the rotating specimen rack was finally repaired on 11/13/79. Delive ry time on a replacement geiger tube had been over 6 months!

(c) The compensation voltage to the LOG chamber was found to be at zero in November. This was found to be due to a broken wire at its attachement to the feeding BNC connector. The loose BMC co.inector rotating during previous testing had caused the wire to sever.

(d) Unusually high water conductivity was observed on 1/4/90 following addition ..of water to " top-up" the pool level. The level was about 3 micrombos/cm (no rma l about 1.4). ' Water va lve s on the building

-purification system had been incorrectly set by Physical plant personnel. The pool was lef t over the week-end, and by Monday morning the level was back to 1.4 micrombos/cm.

(o) During fuel removal, ch eck s, me asur eme nt and replacement for annual inspection purposes, one element was-incorrectly latched and released

. prematurely, falling to the bottom of the pool. It was readily retrieved and showed no sign of physical damage. The element was returned to service. -

(f) The pneumatic transfer capsules (rabbits) continue to fracture more frequently and e asily than expected. Methods have been developed for easy sample retrieval when this occurs and no special problems have resulted.

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CHAPTER 5 FACILI.TY CHANGES AND SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS APPROVED The only facility change made this year has been to install replacement in-core termini for the " fast" pneumatic transfer systems. The construction is essentially identical to that employed before, except that slightly larger diameter tubing was used with a slightly heavier wall thickness to provide better stability. Slight problems were i ncu r red during installation due to close tolerances on the tubing fitting into the fuel element positiens. The tubes were eventually sanded off to increase clearance so that insertion and removal could be more readily accomplished. Core locations were changed so that the reactivity shadowing of the REG red was reduced.

No other significant changes were made during this period and no special experiments were approved.

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CHAPTER 9 RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASES (a) Gases. The ma jo r . di rect release to the envi rons is Argon-41 produced during normal operations. Very small amounts of other short-lived gases mcy be released f rom irradiated materials in exoeriments.

Releases are estimated based on original estima tes at point of origin within the facility and t ak ing o nly dilu tio n into account. An

. integrated dose estimate is provided by an e nvi r o nme ntal dosimeter (calcium sulf ate-dysprosium) hanging directly in the exhaust at the point of stack discharge. This is changed qua r te rly . The results substantiate the projection that the submersion dose to an individual standing in the stack discharge continuously would be less than the reliability limit of the dosimeter estimated at about 20 mrem per year.

The exact quarterly dose readings obtained are given below at Location 5 in Section 7 (1) Operation of the pneumatic transfer system (7/16/79-6/30/80):

Total (250 kw assumed) 3,615 minutes Release rate 6 x 10(-8) microcu r ies/ml Flow rate 2 x 10(6) ml/sec Total release 2.5 x 10(4) mi crocu r ies

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(2) Release f rom pool surf ace:

Total operation (Mwh x 4) 274 hours0.00317 days <br />0.0761 hours <br />4.530423e-4 weeks <br />1.04257e-4 months <br /> Release rate (a ssume d) <1 x 10(-8) microcuries/ml Flow rate (e xh aust) 2 x 10(+4) ml/sec Total release <2 x 10(+4) mi crocu r ies Total of (1) and (2) <d . 4 x 10 (+4) microcu ries Concentration averaged over 12 months = <7 x 10(-10) mi crocu r ies/ml This is almost the same as the level reported last year.

(b) Liquids and Solids. Liquid and solid wastes from utilization of ma terials by-product are no rma lly disposed through a University  !

contract. Due to contract and shipping dif ficulties this year, mo s t of I the waste is being stored on Campus outside the reactor tacility. I Special' facilities have been constructed. for this and storage is under l

RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASES page 9-2

- the close supervision of the UCI Radiation Safety Of fice. Shipme nts a re oxpected to be resumed shortly. No wastes have been generated this year other than irradiated sample ma terials.

Much of the materials generated are transferred to other users operative under State of California license and transferred by those users beyond control of.the reactor facility.

Disposals by the facility were as follcws: (activities are determined cc of time of transfer to Radiation Safety Office control).

Dry Wastes: 6 cubic feet- 26 mi c ro cu r ies mixed activation products.

Liquid Wastes': Nil i

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CHAPTER 7 ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEILLANCE Calcium-sulphate: Dysprosium the rmo lumi ne scent d osime te rs in packs supplied by Radiation Detection Company.Sunnyvale, Califorr.ia are placed at nine locations around Campus. One pack is kept off-campus in a wood frame house (second s to ry ) as a control. The average of the remotely located packs on campus is in fact used as a " concrete e nvi ronme nt" background "or comparison purposes for evaluation of packs placed closer to the facility.

Locations:

1. Window of reactor room (inside facility).

2. Between reactor laboratories and radiochemical lab,in hall.

3. Loading dock, adjacent to west wall of reactor facility.

4. Classroom-152, over reactor facility.

5. In roof exhaust air flow f rom reactor room.

6. Steinhaus Hall (Bio. Sci) building: 4th floor.

7. Library building. 5th floor.

8. Computer Science Building, 4th floor.

9. Fume Hood Exhaust, Roof Level, from reactor lab.

10. 17941 Spicewood Way, I rvi ne (control) .

Table IV shows tha data as received from RDC reports for the period.

All levels are as expected. Those above background reflect the neutron generator operating schedule (n itroge n-16 in the cooling water) and are I essentially similar to those reported in prior years. As noted before, areas 1 and 2 are. partly controlled so that the maximum possible annual I dose to a tru e "o f f-s ite" individual would be estimated at less than 40 l mrem f rom this data '(above background) .

The main and fume hood exhaust ducts continue to show A dose above background within error limits delivered to continuous occupancy of the exit stack locations.

o o ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEILLANCE Page 7-2 TABLE IV ENVI.R. ONMENTAL DOSIMETRY. .R EP O.R. T D.ATA-Average Exposur_es in mr Location

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Quarter Total

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Total less 4 --

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3 1 2 B AC'< GR 5UND (121 mr) 79 79 80 90 +21 1 39 39 45 39 161 40 2 54 47' 67 53 221 100 3 lost 37 39 38 152 31 4 25 27 24 23 99 0 5 28 27 27 24 106 0 6 33 34 35 30 132 (3) 7 '32 36 37 29 134 (0) 8 25 25 26 20 96 (0) 9 51 26 30 25 132 11 10 26 27 -25 21 99 0 Ave rage of locations 6,7,8 used for BACXGROUND.

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CHAPTER 9 RADIATION EXPOSURE TO PERSONNEL The annual exposures recorded are presented in Table V. Essentially all of these e xposur es are a cq uir ed in the course of isotope handling experiments and in some instances will have been received in State licensed areas. Most personnel working within the f acility also carried noutron film. No non-zero exposures have ever been reported for these films.

29 of the personnel reported were undergraduate students in a class in Radioisotope Techniques- meeting for one academic quarter (9 weeks of laboratory work ) only. No non-zero readings were reported for this group. -

Contamination surveys consisting of wipe tests and G-M surveys have shown significant, r emo va ble short-lived contamination in isotope hcndling areas. No other contamination areas have been found.

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RADIATION EXPOSURE TO PERSONNEL Pago 8-2 TABLE V.

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-Personnel Exposure Summa ry ~I~1/1/79 - 12/31/79 (in mrem)

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WhJle Body Individuals Pen Non-Pen-S0

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1 0 0

-1 55 0 560 1 20 0 130 1 0 0 1000 1 0 0 220 1 0 0 140 1 0' 0 100 1 0 0 , 90 1 0 0 de

-1 1 0 30 65 3 -a

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• Not monitored.

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AP PENDIX I Recent Reactor Facility Publications (79-80) 1.B.H .Olson and V.P .G uinn, " Accumulation of Trace Elements in Soil and Plants f rom Land Disoposal of Secondary Domestic Wastewater",in State of Knowledge in Land Treatment of Wastewater. Vo_1 2 ( U.S . Army Corps of Engineers, Hanove r, N.H . , 1973), pages 289-299.

2.8.H .O ls on, V . P .G uinn, D . C.H ill , and M.Massiri, " Effects of Land Disposal .of Secondary Ef fluent on the Accumulation of Trace Elements in Torrestrial Ecosystems", in Trace Substances in E nvi ro nme ntal Health.

XII, e d '. by D.D. Hemphill (University of Missouri, Columbia, 1978),

pcges 362-376.

3.V . P .G uinn , "H isto rical Fo rewa rd" , in Comouters in Activa tion A naly s.i_s and Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy ed. by B.S. Carpenter, M.D.D'Agostino, and H.P. Yule lCOSF-780421, Dept of Energy , 1979, 979 cages), pages lii-ix.

4. T. Izak-Biran and V.P .q uinn, " Determination of Cesium and Potassium in Marine Species by Neutron Activa tion Analysis",J. Ra'dioanaly tical Chem, 55(1980) 61-67.

5. V.P.Guinn ~ and J.Moste, " Neutron Activation Analysis", Chapter 7 in I AEA Technical report on Elemental Analysis of Biological Materials, ed.

by R.M.Parr (IAEA, Vienna, 1980), pages 105-140.

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