ML20211H350

Operating Rept for Univ Ma Lowell Reactor for Period 980701-990630. with

ML20211H350
Person / Time
Site:	University of Lowell
Issue date:	06/30/1999
From:	Bobek L MASSACHUSETTS, UNIV. OF, LOWELL, MA (FORMERLY LOWELL
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9909020070
Download: ML20211H350 (12)

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',,y_ _. Leo Bobek

• University ofAfassachusetts Lowell Reactor Supervisor M PinanskiHallIO7A One University Avenue '

Lowll, Afassachusetts 01854

- tel. 978-934-3365 far. 978-934 4067 LOWeLL i RADIATION LABORATORY l

1 August 26,1999 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Re: License No. R-125, Docket No. 50-223 Pursuant to the Technical Specifications for license referenced above, we are submitting the Annual Report for the University of Massachusetts Lowell Research Reactor.

Sincerely, Leo M. Bobek, g

Reactor Supervisor cc: T. Dragoun, Region I T. S. Michaels, Senior Project Manager f

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l OPERATING REPORT l

1 FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MASS.LOWELL REACTOR FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1,1998 TO JUNE 30,1999 ,,

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1 Docket No. 50-223 License No. R-125 l

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CONIENTS A. In troduction -

B. Function i C Operating - Experience  !

1. Experiments and Facility Use

2. Changes in Facility Design

3. Performance Characteristics

4. Changes in Operating Procedures Related to Reactor Safety

5. Results of Surveillance Tests and Inspections I

. 6. Staff Changes i i

7. Operations Summary D. Energy Generated E Inadvertent and Emergency Shutdowns F. Major Maintenance s {

G Facility Changes Related to 10 CFR 50.59-H. Environmental Surveys  !

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I. Radiation Exposures and Facility. Surveys

1. Personnel Exposures

2. Radiation Surveys

3. Contamination Surveys J. - Nature and Amount of Radioactive Effluents

1. Liquid Wastes

2. Gaseous Wastes

3. Solid Wastes OP98-2

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. , A. INTRODUCTION In the late 1950's the decision was made to build a Nuclear Center at what was then Lowell Technological Institute. Its stated aim was to train l

and educate nuclear scientists, engineers and technicians, to serve as a multi-disciplinary research center for LTl and all New England academic l ' institutes, to serve the Massachusetts business community, and to lead the I

way-in the economic revitalization of the Merrimack Valley. The decision l was taken to supply a nuclear reactor and a Van-de-Graaff accelerator as I the initial basic equipment.

Construction of the Center was started in the summer of 1966.

Classrooms, offices, and the Van-de-Graaff accelerator were in use by 1970. Reactor license R-125 was issued by the Atomic Energy Commission on December 24, 1974, and initial criticality was achieved on January 1975.

The name of the Nuclear Center was officially changed to the "Pinanski Building" in the spring of 1980. The purpose was to reflect the l

change in emphasis of work at the center from strictly nuclear studies. At '

that time, the University of Lowell Reactor became part of a newly established Radiation Laboratory. The Laboratory occupies the first floor '

of the Pinanski Building and performs or coordinates research and educational studies in the fields of physics, radiological sciences, and nuclear engineering. The remaining two floors of the Pinanski Building are presently occupied by various other University departments.

On February 14, 1985, the University of Lowell submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for renewal of the facility operating license R-125 for a period of 30 years. On November 21, 1985, the license renewal was granted as Amendment No.9 of License R-125 in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.

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4 B. FUNCTION The Radiation Laboratory is a major research focal point of the University. More than 200 graduate students have used or are using the Laboratory's services; the comparable number for the faculty is in excess

> 'of 25 The University departments utilizing the facility include Biology, Chemistry,. Earth Sciences, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Plastics f

Engineering,- Radiological Science and Chemical / Nuclear Engineering. The University's Amherst campus and Medical Center have active research programs at the Radiation Laboratory. Much research is concerned with safety and efficiency in the nuclear and radiation industries, including pharmteeuticals, medical applications, health effects, public utilities, etc.;

however, much research is also done by workers in other fields who use the unique facilities as analytical tools.

In addition, the Laboratory's facilities are used in the course work of various departments of the University. It also provides these services to other campuses of the Massachusetts system, other universities in the New England area, government agencies and, to a limited extent, industrial organizations in Massachusetts and the New England area, as well as numerous school science programs in the Merrimack Valley.

C. OPERATING EXPERIENCE

1. Experiments and Facility Use The major uses of the reactor during this fiscal year were activation  !

analysis, dosimetry studies, calibrations, specialized isotope production, l neutron effects studies, teaching and personnel training.

Activation techniques were used to study geologic composition of l rock samples. Neutron activation analysis has been used in blood perfusion studies and other biomedical research applications. Dosimetry studies and calibrations utilized N-16 production for high energy gamma fields and . reactor facilities for mixed neutron and gamma dosimetry. i Isotopes were produced for calibration standards, medical research use, and lab practi,cums.

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Reactor operating time used for teaching purposes included a reactor

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operations course emphasizing' control rod calibrations, critical approaches, period measurement, prompt - drops and calorimetric measurement of power and preparation of students and staff- members for NRC licensing

, examinations. Freshman laboratories for reactor principles and activation analysis were conducted. for chemical / nuclear engineering students.

Radiological science students utilized the facility for performance of radiation and contamination surveys. Senior students participated in a laboratory that required locating and identifying an unknown isotope of j low activity in a mockup power plant environment. The isotope was provided for the students in an isolated area in the reactor pump room during non-operating hours. During the practicum, the students were supervised by faculty and staff. The reactor served as a source of neutron and gamma radiation for various radiological science and biology laboratories.

A number of activation and decay experiments were performed for both university and non-university students alike. For the seventh consecutive year, activation and decay experiments were provided for local school science classes involving more than 2,000 students 'who observed the experiment at the reactor or in their classrooms via interactive cable T.V. i The major outside uses for the reactor facility is neutron and gamma l damage studies of electronic components, characterization of neutron detectors, and neutron effects upon materials.

2. Changes in Facility Design The following changes to the facility have been made under the provisions of 10CFR50.59.

Upgrades to the reactor nuclear instrumentation have been completed. - All original vacuum tube based instruments have been replaced with solid state instruments and verified operational.

A precision rack and pinion slide adjuster has been attached to the reactor power detectors to permit easier and finer power calibration adjustments.

A temporary change to allow operation of the reactor without one of six nuclear instrumentation automatic shutdowns was made until the instrument could be rectified.

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, Installation of new area radiation detectors and station readouts is continuing.

3. Performance Characteristics Changes to remctor nuclear instrumentation during the last reporting period had affected one automatic safety system circuit subsequently requiring notification of the NRC. The Unusual Event notification was made j in a letter to the NRC dated October 22, 1998.

l All other operational parameters have been normal.

4. Changes in Operating Procedures Related to Reactor Safety Changes to operating procedures have been made and approved related to facility changes identified under section 2.

5. Results of Surveillance Test and Inspections All Technical Specification Surveillances required during the fiscal year were performed in a timely manner. The results of each requirement )

have been reviewed by the Reactor Supervisor and Chief Reactor Operator. I With the exception described in section 3, all other surveillance test results were found to be within specified limits and surveillance inspections revealed no abnormalities which would jeopardize the safe operation of the reactor. Each required calibration was also performed.

6. Staff Changes A new Reactor Supervisor has been hired as of July 1,1998. A Chief Reactor Operator was appointed and hired as of March 1999. A new '

Health Physics Technician was hired in October 1998. As of June 30, the reactor staff consists of two full-time senior reactor operators, one part-time senior operator, one full-time reactor operator, and four part-time reactor operators. In addition, three non-staff senior reactor operators and one non-staff reactor operator are maintaining active licenses.

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7. , Operations Summary During the course of the reporting period 1998-1999, the reactor was critical a total of 678.11. The utilization is broken down as follows:

Operating Hours I

Critical hours 678.11

. Hours at full power 529.71 Megawatt hours 555.13 Experimental Utilization Sample hours 876.71 (includes multiple samples)

Number of irradiations 328 Number of training hours 225.13 D. ENERGY GENERATED Total energy generated (MWD) 23.13 Number of hours reactor was critical 678.11 Total cumulative energy output (MWD) 272.84 i E. INADVERTENT AND EMERGENCY SHUTDOWNS There were 12 inadvertent scrams. Six of these scrams were due to electronic noise on the remaining vacuum tube based instrument which has since been replaced in April. One scram occured due to an airlock interlock. One scram was due to a detector high voltage failure. One scram was a manual scram due to a misaligned experiment. Three scrams not related to instruments were due to linear power monitor ranging errors.

None of the inadvertant scrams had any safety significance and all safety systems performed in accordance with the technical specifications.

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F. MAJOR MAINTENANCE The following major maintenance has been undertaken during the reporting period. The ventilation valve pneumatic pistons and air compressors were replaced. Funding for this major underta' king was provided by the Department of Energy. The pneumatic seal for the

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containment truck door was replaced and subsequently an integrated ,

containment leak rate test was satisfactorily performed. The remaining I 4

vacuum tube based nuclear power monitor was replaced and tested i operational. The two reactor control blade magnet power supply / trip actuators, and the trip logic element were all professionally rebuilt using modern components. The logic element was modified to accept the  ;

electronic trip outputs provided by the new nuclear instrumentation.

Relay logic remained unchanged. Full documentation was provided for the rebuilt units, and each was satisfactory tested to meet or exceed original design specifications.

G. FACILITY CHANGES RELATED TO 10 CFR 50.59 There have been no facility changes to date which pose an unreviewed safety question. The Department of Energy has revised the projected date for LEU fuel receipt to January 2000. Submittals to all NRC requests and answers to questions were completed in July,1997 and an NRC order to effect the change to LEU fuel was issued on July 31, 1997.

i H. ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS Surveys of the environs external to the reactor building have continued to show no increase in levels or concentrations of radioactivity as a result of reactor operations. Air particulate samples collected at a continuously monitored site on the roof of the Pinanski building have shown no reactor produced radioactivity. Thermoluminescent dosimeters are used to monitor unrestricted areas outside of the Reactor. The results of these measurements show that doses in these areas were indistinguishable from background radiation levels during the period of OP98-8

July 1,1998 to June 30, 1999.

Analysis of. water samples collected from the Merrimack River upstream and downstream of the reactor location have continued to yield no radioactivity associated with reactor operations.

I. RADIATION EXPOSURES AND FACILITY SURVEYS I. Personnel Exposures Personnel exposures were maintained at the lowest reasonable levels. Doses received by individuals concerned either directly or indirectly with operation of the reactor were within allowed limits.

Twenty-four individuals were monitored by film badge during the year.

Fifteen received measurable external deep dose equivalents ranging from 10 to 70 mrem.

2. Radiation Surveys Radiation levels measured in the reactor building have been typically less than 0.1 mrem /hr in general areas. Experiments have been conducted in which transient levels at specific locations have been in excess of 100 mrem /hr. Doses in these instances have been controlled by use of shielding' and/or personnel access control. The pump room remains designated as a high radiation area during reactor operation and access is controlled. Dose equivalent levels in the order of 10 mrem /hr are present adjacent to the closed beam ports during maximum power operation.

3. Contamination Surveys General area contamination has not been a problem in the reactor building. Contamination has occurred at specific locations where samples are handled and particular experiments have been in progress.

Contamination in these areas is controlled by the use of easily replaced plastic-backed absorbent paper on. work surfaces, contamination protection for workers, and restricted access. A new hand and foot monitor was purchased for staff exiting the reactor containment building.

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i J. NATURE AND AMOUNT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES 1

1. Liquid Wastes Liquid wastes are stored for decay of the short lived isotopes and then released to the sanitary sewer in accordance with 20 CFR 2003. A total of 938 Ci was released over the 12 month period. The principle

! isotopes released was Co-60.

2. Gaseous Wastes l Argon-41 continues to be the only significant reactor produced radioactivity identifiable in the gaseous effluent. Following are the monthly stack release data for Ar41 for the reporting period:

l Month Ar-41 Released (Curies) l July 1998 3.2 August 1998 0.3 September 1998 3.8 October 1998 4.2 November 1998 9.9 December 1998 3.4 January 1999 0.2 February 1999 6.6 March 1999 7.3 April 1999 2.7 May 1999 1.3 June 1999 2.7 Total 45.6 l

l This release represents a 12 month dose of 1.0 mrem to the nearest member of the public using the EPA Comply code.

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4 3., Solid Wastes Solid wastes, primarily paper, disposable clothing, and gloves, along with other miscellaneous items have been disposed of in appropriate containers. Most of the activity from these wastes consisted of short lived -

induced radioactivity. These wastes were held for decay and then released if no activity remained. The remaining long lived waste (< 10 cubic feet) was collected and stored in a designated long lived waste storage area j awaiting ultimate. disposal at low-level radioactive waste disposal site.

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