ML20085H050
| ML20085H050 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Saxton File:GPU Nuclear icon.png |
| Issue date: | 11/30/1967 |
| From: | SAXTON NUCLEAR EXPERIMENTAL CORP. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20083L048 | List:
|
| References | |
| FOIA-91-17 NUDOCS 9110280115 | |
| Download: ML20085H050 (8) | |
Text
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SAfTON NOCLEAR FlP1RIHCTAL CORPORATIg{
i operations Repe-t for Novenber 1967
- 1. REACTOR OPERATIONS
- At the beginning of this report period the reactor was being operated at a power level of 17 Wt in continuation of the Supercritical Technology Program. The !
supercritical temperature and pressure (STP) test hop was being operated at super-critical conditions with a coolant (gross beta-cama,15 minutes degassed) activity of 0.4 ue/cc.
I Cooldown of the STP test loop was initiated at 8:45 AM on November let for
! the purpose of invcatigating the cause for a higher than normal leakage of coolant i from the loop and also to nyaluate the effects that further operation of the 1 cop
! with defective fuel cladding night have on the overall experiment. The reactor was manually shutdown at 9:27 AM. A decision was made on th.s afternoon of Noveaber lot to teminate the STP experiment and to remove the test fuel bundlu for examination at the Westinghouse Tout Irradiation Facility. Cooldown of the reactor main coolant system was begun on the 4-12 thift.
The main coolant system was maintained in a cold depressurized condition for fuel handling until Novamber 16tu. On November 16th work on restoring the reactor vessel head to operating conditions was cornpleted and filling and venting of the main coolant syntam was initiated. Heat-up to 5000F, using the main coolant pump and the pressurizer heaters, was completed on November 18th.-
The reactor was made critical at 2:00 FM on November 20th. As the neutron flux level was increased from the source range into the lower intemediate range, ,
nuclear instrwnentation intennediate range channel A would not respond to flux level Q
increases above 10-9 amperes. The reactor start-up was halted and an investigation l of the defective instrument channel was begun. During the investigation a noise
resulted. The trouble was traced to defcetive detector cables. Repairs were effected by replacing the cables. ;
The reactor was taken critical and loaded to a power level of 17 Mt on .
November 22nd, On November 23rd the power level was increased to 23.5 MWt. Operation at a power level of 23 5 Wt continued until St45 /M on November 30th when the reactor was inadvertent 3y scrammed. The scram occurred when the electrical power to nuclear instrumentation cabinet B was :nanually momentarily interrupted. A subsequent investigation shoved that the scram .tas caused by " overshoot" in the affected power range channel when electrical power was restored. Reactor operation at a power level ,
of 23 5 MWt was resumed at 2:30 PM. .
- 2. GENFRAL The period November 6th through November 15th was devoted primarily to the handling of core subassemblies. The fueled pressure tube for the STP test loop and the ,
test fuel subassembly #503-4-25 were removed from core positions-N-4 and N-1 respeetively and were placed in storage. - The-plutonium test subassembly #503-4-26 with four new removable fuel rods installed was inserted in core position N-1.- A stainless- steel
" plug" assembly was inserted in core position N-4.
O 4
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S:174 Operations Report for tioy m fr 1 % 7 . . . . . h2 O Or. November 15th the irradiated fuel shipping cask containing the fuel rod bundle removed from the STP test loop pressure tube and two " creep test" fuel rods (h711 and #712) was re.aoved from the containmont vessel and returned to the Westinghouse Post Irradiation Facility at Waltz Mill, Pa.
3 FPFMMF21TAL PROGRtJ!
Operation of the STP test loop was terminated on the first day of the conth.
Fuct rod cladding failure was apparent when fission products were identified in samples of the test loop coolant. The pressure tube containing the 7-fuel rod bundle was removed from the reactor vessel and placed in storage. All test loop electrical erluipacnt, instrumentation, and controls were de-energized and all piping connections to reactor plant systems vere valved closed.
Test fuel subassembly #503-4-25 was r moved from core position N-1. The f four removable rods in this subassembly are zirconium relaxation test rode #21 and
- 22, and 304 SS clad internally pressurized fuel rods #781 and #782.
The STP test loop fuel rod bundle an'a two Zr-4 clad " creep test" fuel rods,
- 711 and #712, were shipped to the Westinghouse Post Irradiation Facility for examinations.
Four new 3x3 subassembly rmovable fuel rods (CK, KJ, Jo and PM) were received at the site. Tnr e of the rods (KJ, PM and J0) are clad with Zirealoy-4 2
O u(nifomally enriched to 6.6 w/o PuO .H-33) 2 having Rods KJ and a nominal PM arethickness of with pressurized 23 5He mils to and contains Pu0 -UO 500 psi (room temperature). Rod JO is a standard unpressurized removable rod. The fourth rod, CK, in c3ad with Zirealoy-4 (H-32) havin6 a nominal thickness of 23 5 .
mils with Pu02-UO > pallets unifomally enriched to 6.6 w/o Pu02, and contains a Cr(CO)6 pellnt which will decompous on going to operating tmperature and produce an internal pressure of 1500 psi.
Tt.e plutonium test assembly #503-4-26 was inserted in reactor core position N-1. Tne four removable mda in the subassembly are CR, VJ, JO and PM described above.
The purpose of this experiment is to continue the in-pile testing of pressurized fusi rods and to provide data on the creep rate of Zircaloy-4 cladding under reactor operating conditions.
A stainless steel c' plug" was inserted in core position N-4 to replace a STP test loop pressure tube.
Daring the period Novmber 22nd through Novmber 30th the reactor was oporated at 23.) PMt to provide baseline data for a test to detemine the effect of pH '
changes on fuel center temperatures and on heat transfer between instrumented fuel .
rods and coolant.
O
SNEC Operations Report for Novenber 1967 . . . . . O O t. on ntari a:At r m is The No. 2 turbine overspeed trip was tested on November 15th. The trip was actuated et a turbine speed of 1925 RPM.
On November 16th the response time from signal initiation to sertaa breaker opening was measured for the reactor scram circuits. The manual response time was 0.028 seconds. The minimum automatic scram response time was 0.160 seconds and the maximum was 0.204 seconds.
A normal test of the cafety injection system was conducted on November 19th.
On November 24th the radiation monitoring system circuits were tested.
- 5. Mall!TD E CE The pr.ncipal items of mechanical maintenance for the nionth included replacing two bearings in the variable speed drive on No. 2 charging pump; replacing the V-belts on the stach fan; replacing the carbon vanes and bearings in the air pumps for the two site particulate monitors, RIC-8 and RIC-9; replacing the rupture disc on spent resin storage tank No.1; repairing the insulation of the component cooling system heat exchangers; painting the east and west stair cases in the C&A building; painting the I
access plattom to the boric acid mix tank in the C&A building; replacing the diaphragms in the nitrogen purge valves on two RWDF gas decay tanks; lapping the seat and disc ir.
ano setting the relief valve on the component cooling piping for the main coelant pump; repairing the storage well shear; shearing the support baffle from the STP test loop
' Q fuel bundle; rebuilding an air pump for an environmental air sampler; preparing the reactor vessel head for subassembly changes; handling fuel subar,semblies and fuel rode
( in the storage well; receiving, loading and shipping the irradiated fuel shipping cask; restoring the reactor vessel head to operating conditions; miV.ng four drums of evaporator bottoms with canent; and repairing the air pump ja the alpha monitor in the sample room. .
The major items of electrical and instrument maint enance for the month included replacir.g the G-M tube and a transfomer in the co.nponent cooling system rodiation monitoring channel, Ra-4; replacing the G-M tube in the area beta-gamma radiation monitor in the chemistry laboratory; replacing four potentiometers in the log microamceter for nuclear instrumentation intemediate range channel Al replacing the cables to the cunpensated ionization chamber for nuclear instrumentation inter-mediate range channel A; connecting the air blower in the primary ecmpart:nent of the containment vessel to motor control center No.1; installing a new decace unit in a count room scaler; testing response times for the reactor scram circuits; calibrating the level indicator for the refueling water storage tank; setting the nigh level alam on the refueling water storage tank; cleaning and calibrating the make-up water
- totalizer flowmeter for the main coolant system; cleaning and setting the vacuum ,
regulating valves for RWDF gas compressors No.1 and No. 2; calibrating the turbine steam pressure transmitter, PI-153; calibrating the main steam flow intergrator; installing a vacuum gauge on spent resin storage tank No.1; repairing the liquid scintillation counting system in the count rocm; replacing the bellows in the steam generator level controller ratio totalizer and calibrating the unit; and replacing I the batteries in a CP-3 portable radiation survey meter.
O 4
S!EC' Operations Report for Novmber 1967 . . . . . #4
- O 6. mS=
The main coolant system chemistry was beind maintained for power operation at the beginning of the month. On November 2, the hydrogen was removed and boric acid was added to the system in preparatior, for cooldown. The system rcmained in cold ahndown until November 16 when hydrazine was added to reduce the oxygen content. On November 20 hydrogen was added in preparation for power operation of November 21.
Main coolant chemistry was maintained for power operation throughout the remainder of the month. The litnium concentration was varied from less than 0.01 ppa to 150 ppu for pH versus reactivity measurements. Boron concentration ranged frcxn a minimum of 498 ppa to a maximum of 1060 ppn. Tne maximum activity (gross beta-gama 15 min.
degassed) attained in the main coolant daing the month was 0.840 ue/ce.
A pu::cary of the analyses perforced on main coolant samples taken during the i month de contained in the following tablet Pain Coolant Systm M_,i_nimum Maximum l pH at 25 0 5 51 6.98 j Conductivity, u*.aos 2.51 24 3 Doron, ppm 498 1060 i lithium, pps < 0.01 1.50 Chlorides, ppa 4 0.005 0.005 1
0xygen, pps < 0.005 0.005 i Hydmgen, cc/xg H 2O at STP <5 34 O Crud, ppb Gross Beta-Gama (15 min, degassed) ue/cc 62 1.87x10-3 115 8.40x10-1 l Tritium,ue/cc 2.05x10-2 7.62x10-2 ',
I l Except for brief periods after startup of the secondary system, steam i
' generator chlorides woro maintained at less than 0 300 ppn. Steam generator blowdown activity averaged less than 1x10-8 ue/cc. Steam generator samples analyzed for tritiur, j during the month showed no detectable tritium.
'i i The chloride concentration in the supercritical tmperature and pressure (STP)
,j test loop was maintained at less than 0.1 ppa during the short period that the loop was ll operated at the beginning of the month. The gmas beta-gama (15 min degassed) activity in the loop leveled off at approximately 0.4 uc/cc. Pission products were identified j in loop coolant samples.
l
- 7. RADIATION AND WASTE DISPOSAL i
l Radiation surveying consisted of routine ple.nt surveys, C.V. during shutd(,,sn ,
j and materials shipnents. The following maximum radiation readings were taken 4
i Imention Radiation Readinn
') C&A Buildinn l
Waste Drum (baling machine) 0 5 meam/hr beta-gamra i
O Charging Pump (contact with chamber)
Sample Roam (door of sample panel) 15 mram/hr beta-gama 1.0 mrem /br beta-gama -
l, Chemical lab Hot Sink (l" from drain) - 19 mrea/hr beta-gamma l
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SNEC OFrations Report for Novmber 1%7 . . . . . #5 O location Radiation Readinn RWDF Evaporator (under bottom) 30 mrem /hr beta-camma Evaporator (contact outside upper level) 15 mrem /hr beta-camma Drum Storage Area (at HRA fence) 0.7 mrem /hr beta-gama C.V.
Primary Compartment (general upper level) 75 mrer/br beta-cama Primary Compartment (contcet H.C. pump volute) 190 mrun/nr beta-gama Prinary Compartment (S.O. bottora) 85 mrem /hr beta-camma Primary Ccepartment (pressurizer b.t .om) 80 mrem /hr bel.a-gamma Primary Compartment general lower a 11) 50mres/hrbeta-gamma Primnr/ Compartment Regen. HX) 155 mrem /hr beta-gamma Prmary Compartment Non-Regen. HX) 35 mrem /hr beta-cama Auxiliar/ Equip. Ceepartment (S.C.H.X.) 8 mrem /hrbeta-gamma Auxiliary En uip. Compartment (D.T. top) 11 mrem /hr beta-gama Auxiliary Equip. Occpartment (D.T. bottom) 45 mrem /hrbota-r,amma Auxiliary pnent Compartment (general lower level) 8 nrem/hr beta-gamzra Reactor Deck water level at grating) 18 mrem /hr beta-gamma Reactor Deck instru'nent ports) 200 mrem /hr beta-gamma Reactor Deck waist level) 20 mrem /hr beta-cama Reaevor Dock storage web railing) 20 mrem /hr beta-gama ContcAination surveying consisted of routine plant site surveys, surveys of matericle shipped, tools, equipment and C.V. duting shutdown. The clean areas were <
within the " Clean Area' limits. The controlled area was generally within the " Clean Area" limits. The controlled area was cleaned frequently to keep and/or to return it to the " Clean Area" limits. The exclusion areas were cleaned periodically to minimize the amount of smetrable ec,ntamination. The following contaminction levels were observed:
Incation Enlaminttion Readinn C&A Buildig Charging Pump Chamber 23210 d /cmear beta-gama Charging Pump Chamber e 10 d /amcar alpha Charging Room Floor 2410 d / smear beta-gama Sample Room Sink 31240 d /cmearbeta-gamms Sample Room Sink <.10 d /amearalpha '
Sample Room Floor 240 d / smear beta-gama Chemical lab Hot Sink 8400 d smear beta-ge.mma Chemical lab Hot Sink < 10 d /smearalpha E@.E Pump Roca Floor 2160 d/m/ smear beta-gama Shipping Room Floor 460 d/m/cnear beta-gamma O .
SNEC Operations Report fo8' Novemb,er 1967 . . . . . #6 c "t =sa^tte" ne e$ae O t = tiea c.v.
Operating Deck 1655d/m/smearbeta-gamma Operating Deck 4 10 d/m/ smear alpha Reactor Dock (head) 19850 d /smearbeta-gamma Reactor Deck (head) < 10 d /smearalpha Reactor Deck (grating) 31520 d /ntaear beta-ga m a Reactor Deck (grating) <-10 d/m/ smear alpha Primary Comprtment (grating) 11410 d/m/mear beta-ganna Primary Cecprtment (grating) <10 d/m/ smear alpha l Miocellaneous.
C.V.
Fuel Shipping Cask (11-15-67) 9000 d/m/near beta-gansna Puel Shipping Cask (11-15-67) 10 d/m/ smear alpha I
Liquid and gaseous effluents from the SNBC site for the month of Novanber 1967 were as follows:
i i (Curie) (Curie) (Curie)
Effluent Activity Activity Activity tast T e1 e xeata-O Tvre 781 xe=tw re r te o^te Liquid 'O.000642 0.019324 0.021004 Tritium 0.115022 6.059496 13 523850 Air, Xe 0.576178 17.271714 26.059422 Air, I-131 0.000000 0.002501 0.045273 f
Air, H.F.P. 0.005762 0.172717 0.260594 No barrels of waste were dru::med for temporary storage. Twelve drums were shipped from the site.
Radiation exposure for all SNEO personnel ne measured by film badges for the month of October 1967 w.: e a maximum of 260 mrem with an average of 23 3 mrom.
Radiation exposure for all visiting personnel as measured by film badges for
- the month of October 1967 were a maximum of 35 mrem with an average of 6.6 mrm.
The average radiation exposure for all personnel as measured by film badges
- . for the month of October 1967 was 21.5 mrem.
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S AXTON NUCLEAR EXPERDENTAL CORPORATION O OP m T1N0 STAT 1ST1cS MONTH November YFAR _1967 NUCLTAR U!!IT MONTH YEAR TO DATE TDGlS CRITICAL NO. 3 45 540 HOURS CRITICAL HRS. 232.62 1295 77 20,158.72 TDZS SCR/402D (MANUAL) NO. 1 34 325
- TD2S QCRAMED (INADVERTANT) N O. 2 2 33 THDF'L P0 DER GDERATION MhH 5,I36.86 28,006.00 368,090.07 AVERAGE BJRNUP WD/dTU 419 31 2,286.05 ,
13,027 84 CONTROL ROD POSITIONS AT D;D OF HONTH AT QUILIBRIUM POER OF 23.5 Kat MAIN C00IANT PORON 517 Ppg RODS OUT - INCHES NO. 1 to No. 2 25.15 No. 3 to NO. 4 40 NO. 5 40 , NO. 6 LD O" "i.ja lRICAL UNIT HONTH YEAR TO Py O d S OD ERATION WH 910 5,199.00 62,674.00 '
STATI;" SERVICE MhH 170.29 1,707 33 12,356.52 STATICN SERVICE % 18.71 32.84 19.72 AVO. PIANT ZFTICID;CY - P!nH(o)/MnH(t) % 17.71 18.56 17.03 AVO.GENERATIONPJNNINO(226.57 RRS) KW 4,016.42 4,229.06 3,411.14 PIANT IDAD FACTOR -
(AVO. GEN. FOR MONTH /XAX. load) % 29.19 14.29 27.96 AUXILIARY STEAM SUPPLY - NUCLEAR STUJi SUPPI.IED Bf REACTOR HR3. 226.62 1,242 34 16,732 59 K4DF EVAPORATOR OPERATION HRS. 66.50 1,480.82 5,396.40 d *
- RD{ ARKS November 20; reactor scramed frora Intemedinte Chant.el A high SUR due to noise. Reactor was suberitical at time of scram to facilitate testing of Intemodiato Channel A.
November 30; reactor scrammed due to inadvertant opening of nuclear instrumentation Cabinet B feed breaker on vital bus during instmment calibration.
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