ML20235A583
| ML20235A583 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000134 |
| Issue date: | 01/06/1988 |
| From: | Newton T WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, WORCESTER, MA |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8801120331 | |
| Download: ML20235A583 (2) | |
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WORCESTER Worcester
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POLYTECHNIC Massachusetts 01609
_ _ INSTITUTE (617)793-5000 January 6, 1988 Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Re: Docket No. 50-134 License R61 Annual Report for 1987
Dear Sir:
. 0peration of the WPI Open Pool Reactor was routine, with no significant problems encountered. The loss of the preamp of the B-10 proportional counter in our startup channel in June led to complete replacement of the original GE vacuum tube instrumentation in the startup channel with a Canberra 2006E preamp, Canberra 2015A timing single channel analyzer, and Ortec 449 ratemeter.
A in N chart was removed in September of 1987, and analysis of the chart showed the power produced for the period of June 1986 to September 1987, to be 152.0 kw hrs. The total power produced over the life of the reactor now stands at 7367 kw hr as of September, 1987. Annual maintenance and inspec-tion was completed on June 9,1987 with no unusual findings and all parameters checked annually measured in their normal range.
During 1987 there were 14 unscheduled scrams. Five of these were caused oy operator upscaling errors, five were caused by electronic transients, two occured during fuel handling with a partially unloaded core, one wcs caused by a power loss, and one caused by accidental disturbance of a safety channel detector. Scram recurrence prevention should improve in 1988 since the causes of electronic transients have been eliminated and new operators will gain experience.
In February of 1987, the WPI core configuration was changed to slightly enhance the flux available at the sample irradiation position. All rele-vant parameters were measured and were consistent with expected values.
Mr. K. Matthews received an R0 license June 10, 1987. The three previous students R0's graduated in May and their licenses were terminated.
Presently, we have 1 R0 and 2 SR0's and hope to have one student in train-ing for an R0 license in the spring of 1988.
Effluent releases have been well wityn that of previous years, with the only release being trace amounts of Ar due to activation in the beam port and thermal column at power levels above 1 kw.
' On September 17, 1987, changes to the safety analysis report and technical l l specifications were submitted to the NRC in support of converting the WPI fuel to low enriched uranium. A fuel element was removed from the core and placed in a 6m shipping container on August 27, 1987, to test the container 8801120331 880106 PD3 ADOCK 05000134 v i R PDR S l 1
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for the shipping of the HEU fuel. The results indicated that radiation 1 levels in the' container will be adequate for shipment of the HEU fuel after a sufficient cooling time.
The WPI Reactor is primarily used for academic instruction and student project work. Reactor usage during 1987 was slightly above average due to increased usage for activation analysis projects.
If further information is desired, please contact me.
Sincerely, i14 ' ?hlD& '
Thomas H. Newton, Jr.
Director Nuclear Reactor Facility THN/ns t
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