ML20085H020

Monthly Operating Rept for Mar 1968 for Saxton Nuclear Experimental Corp

ML20085H020
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Site:	Saxton File:GPU Nuclear icon.png
Issue date:	03/31/1968
From:	SAXTON NUCLEAR EXPERIMENTAL CORP.
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References
FOIA-91-17 NUDOCS 9110280105
Download: ML20085H020 (9)

Text

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SAXTOU NUCIT),3 I:XPI27C TAL n0RPORATIQi Oncratione Repert for March 1968 1.

CE"EAL At the beginr. ins of this report period the main coolant systca was in a cold depressurized condition in continuation of the plant outage which was begun on Febraa7 16t h.

On Mar:h 4t* the fuel shipping cask containing eleven irradiated fuel rods and two irradiated rods emlosing nrconium alloy test specimens was reaoved from the centaimcm vessei and returned to +.he Westinghouse Post Irradiation Facility at Waltt Mill, Pa.

The period March 5th to March 13th was devoted to maintenance work and to compic'inc plart modifications necessary for the power escalation program. The main coolunt pamp was disassembled for an interna.' inspection and the replacement of volute f3anC? gaskets. A careful vitual e:: amination was made of the stator, rotor, bearinse, thrW runner, themal barrier, and impeller. No abnormalitics were found.

The tuo rafcly valves fer the steam generator were reinstalled after set pressures hac been detemined :n a test stana.

-On Maren 13tn the main coolant system was filled and vented. The pressure in the containment vessel was raised to 5 psig on March 14th.

The door gaskets and stil a~ ess2ble penetrations were satisfactorily tested with soap bubbles. The leak t es' wn c:mirtid to verify a tight containment vessel for the escalated power 0

p rcc ra.m. Ticat p cf the nain coolant system to 500 F, using the main coolant pump ar.d re rr sssuriner heat ers, war concleted on March 16th.

Tne pertoa Mar:n 18th through the end of the onth was devoted primarily to werg cn tne pressurizer relief valves. The valves were tested with the newly installed sn'ie.:mer de nces energicec.

The anti-simmer devices had no detrinental effects on-the mesure relieving perfomanc.e of the valves; however, the use of these devices cic ro:- prevue 'he valves from leaking at the new systua operating nressure of 2200 pQ. D.e main --otlant system was cocled doun three times so that we relief valves couH be ir.c.ked and the seats and discs lapped. A service engineer for the

- marc _ fact u-er c f the valves supervised the lapping work and the reassembly of the valves en Mars 2m. Heat-up of the main coolant system was completed and rctesting of the relacf vase s was best.n on the last day of the month.

2.

REACTOR OPERATIONS, Tr.= reactor was made critical at 1:55 PM on March 27th and was operated at loe power fcr the purpose cf heatir.g the main coolant system from 2500F to 485 F.

The rearer war manusily scramaed when heat-up was completed. -

9 9110280105 910424 PDR FOIA DEKOK91-17 PDR

SUSC Operations Report for liarch 1968

......#2 3.

EXPERIlrTAL PRT,RA?!

The following irradiated fuel rods and materials were shipped to the Westinghoude Post Irradiation Facility for examination and/or disposal:

Eight fuel rods (304 SS, UO ) - from damaged 3x3 %bassc=bly #503-4-1 2

Puel rod No. 503-14-4 (D) - (Zr, Pu02-UO, Polle: ced),9x9removabic 2

fuel rod Pael rod No. 503-16-1 (D) - (Zr, Pu02-UO2, Vipac), 9x9 re.ovable fuel rod SS, UO, pressurised), 3x3 renovable fuel rod Fuel rod No. 781(304 2

Zircaloy Relaxation Test Rod No. 21 (Zirconium alloy test specimens)

Zircaloy Relaxation Test Rod No. 22 (Zirconium alloy test specimens) l Preparations for the escalated power program were continued throughout the month.

There was no reactor operation during the month. The total effective full power nours of operation for Core II is 7475 and estimates of the fuel burn-up as of March 31, 1968 are: Core II average 8725 WDAITM; plutonium region average 14 377 WDA2; peak plutonium rod 18,150 MWDAini; peak plutonium pellet 24,225 WDA:H;.

h.

OPERATIO3AL TISTS i

The No. 2 turbine overspeed trip was tested on Febr.::.:/ 26, 1958.

The l

trip was actuated at a turbine speed of 1925 R"'.

On March 14th the response timo from signal initiation to_ scram breaker-epening was measured for the reactor scram circuits, including those added for power i

operation above 23.5 Wt. Tne minimum automatic scram response time was 0.079 seconds and the maximum was 0.230 seconds.

Tne radiation monitoring system circuits were tested on March 15th.

A_ successful test of the safety injection system was completed on March 19th.

l Drop times were measured for all six control rods on March 28th..The main coolant system was being maintained at normal operating conditions of temperature, pressure and flow. Tne minimum drop time recorded was 0.890 seconds and the mw%r was 0.414 seconds.

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- SUEC Operations Report for March 1968..

. //3 5.

PIE T HODIFICATIONS The following modifications and additions were made to plant equipment to accomodate the escalated power program (Technical Specification Change No. 25).

Anti Simmer Devices An air loading device was mounted on the bonnet of each of the pressuriter relief valves. The air loading device is a diaphragm operator which transmits a constant force to the valve spindle. The additional force is desirable to reduce the probability that the valve will weep when the main coolant system is operated at 2200 psig.

The diaphragm operator will vent, thus freeing the relief valve to function solely on spring load, when the main coolant syst.em pressure exceeds 2300 psig. Redundency in equipment is provided to improve the overall reliability of the system.

Variable Frecuenev Motor-Generator Set.

During the increased power operation of Core II, the main coolant pump will be supplied power at 63 Hertz from the variable frequency motor-generator set. The motor-generator set will be used to assure an increased flow cocst down of the main coolant pump in the event of a loes of AC power to the plant.

The modifications made to the plant electrical system to provide the increased coast down are ac follows:

i The output breaker of the motor-generator has been electrically and mechanicallJ pre. vented from opening.

The over-current protection for the main coolant pump was transferred from the generatur breaker to the motor breaker.

i Equipment has been added to automatically transfer the excitation for the generator from the AC driven excitor to the 125V DC station battery in the event of loss of power to the AC driver exciter and/or j

in the event of low voltage at the generator output terminals.

(

A relay has been provided to remove the excitation for the electromagnetic clutch of the motor-generator set in the event of a i

loss of the nomal generator fic1d cKeitation. Measurements of the main coolant pump flow coast doom with the coast down energy of i

the generator were made.

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SNEC Operations Report for March 1968......

//4 Reactor Scram Circuits Two underfrequency relays have been added to trip the reactor in the event of low variable frequency M-G set output frequency. These relays will assure that the frequency of the power supplied to the main coolant pump, during reactor operation above 23.5 FMt, will not drift down and cause a lower pump speed.

Two micro-switches on the main steam pressure reducing valve (PRV) have been wired into the reactor trip circuits.

These switches are actuated by the movement of the valve stem and will position contacts to scram the reactor when the PRV closes beyond a set position.

Two merecid switches have been added to the turbine auto stop oil systan.

These switches are actuated by low oil pressure and will trip the roctor in the event of a turbine trip.

A manually actuated switch that pemits the above new reactor trips to be blocked when the reactor is operated at peder levels below 23 5 }Mt has been installed. The trip circuits are automatically restored when the main steam flow exceeds a value coresponding to a reactor power level of 23.5 IMt and/or when the PRV valve position corresponds to that for a reactor power level of 23.5 FMt.

Safety Injection System Circuits The safety injection control circuit has been revised so that the safety injection pumps are no longer stopped after a preset number of gallons. An alam is still actuated by the flow totaliser-timer to alert the operator.

Pain Steam Pressure Reducine Valve (PRV) Control Circuit A new switch that makes it possible to close the 4 inch PRV during waming of the main steam line preparatory to start-up of the secondary system has been installed on the control board in the reactcr control room.

6.

FamTEw:CE The principal items of mechat cal maintenance for the month included replacing a valve in the control rod drive mechanism roam sump drain line; checking the cet pressure of both steam generctor safety valves on a test stand and re-install-ing the valves; replacing the filter cartridges in the filters in the purification and storage well systems; painting the component cooling system heat exchangers;

SHEC Operations Report for Farch 1968

1. 5 dicassembling and internally inspecting the main coolant pump; tichtening the bolts on the pressuriner heater flange; replacing the shaft, vari-disc, and drive belt on the vari-drive for No.1 charging pump; replacing a rupture disc in the discharge piping of one of the steam generator safety valves; repackira the vent valves on the steam generator; repairing the steam coils in the inlet air handler for the containment vessel; cleaning and setting the safety valve on the soft water header to the cation dmineralizer units in the uke-up water treating system; replacit.g a cracked fitting in the discharge piping of the storage well system pumps; repairing the door to the drums handling room in the radioactive waste treatment l

facility; preparing the reactor vessel head for operation; installin6 and testing the anti-simme-devices on the pressurizer safety valves; and lapping the seats and discs in the pressuricer safety valves.

The major items of electrical and instrument maintenance included installing a new coil on a solenoid valve in the steam generator blowdow.. sampling system; clean 2ng and setting the relief valves and the flow detector in the primary system flange and valve leak detecting system; repairing the motor in the conduct-ivity recorder on the control board for the water treatment plant; replacing the electrical connectors and remaking the seals on the detector for nuclear instrument-atien power range channel A; replacing the differential preasure gauge on the storace well system filters; cleaning, lubricating and replacing the brushes in the tachometer-generator on No.1 charging pump; replacing the indicating meter on a radiation monitor system computer-indicator; calibrating the multi-point l

temperature rcecrder in the reactor control room; checking the response time for all reactor scram circuits; repairing the selector switch on the alpha scaler in the count room; measuring the main coolant pump coast down time; replacing the brake dien en the containment vessel crane; replacing a transfomer and repairing a circuit board in the computer-indicator for site radioactive particulate monitor, RIC-4,r inetalling a radiation detector in the primary compartment.with a remote readout in the reactor control room; repairing the motor on the clean area vacuum cleaner; and repairing the paging phone in the auxiliary equirnent room.

7 CHUIS M Main coolant system chemistry was maintained for cold shutdown conditions from the beginning of the month until filling and venting of the system on March 12th and lhh. Hyciratine was added on March 13th to reduce the dissolved oxygen content of the system prior te heat-up. Smaller quantities of hydrazine were added on March 15th, 26th and 29th to maintain oxygen specifications for the remainder of the month. Boron concentrations ranged from a high of 1787 ppm during cold shutdown at the beginning of the month to a low of 750 ppm at the end of the month.

Su= mary of the anal,yses perfomed on main coolant samples taken during the month is conta$ned ln the following table:

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S::LC Operations Report for

1. 6 Ihrcq __1960 _,

Main Coolant System Mindrun Maxirum pH at 25 0 5.26 5.94 0

Conductivity, umhos 3.90 7.05 Boron, pp 750 1787 Cnlorides, p p e 0.005

< 0.005 QA'Cen, pp

' O.005 0.025 Gross Ecta Gar =a (15 Min. Degassed) ue/cc 1.30x104 2.20xlo-2 2

Tritium,uc/cc 1.52x10 3.067J.0-2 An analysis of a storage well water sample taken on March 4th showed the buron concentration to be 1884 pyn, chlorides to be 0.055 pp and t,he cross beta.-

Cama activity to be 2.79x10-3 ue/ce.

8.

RADIATIG A"D UASTE DISPGAL Radiation rurveying consisted of routine plant surveys, C.V. during chutdown and materials chipments.

The following maximum radiation readings were taken:

Incation Radiation Readint-CLA Buildinn Waste Drum (baling rachine) 4.5 mram/hr beta-gama Charging Pump (contact with chamber) 30 mrcm/hr beta-gama Se.ple Roam (door of sample panel) 1.5 nren/hr beta-gama Clicmical Inb Hot Sink (l" from drain) 1.4mram/hrbeta-gamma Semple Room Sink (l" from drain) 17 mrem /hr beta-gama E!DF Evaporator (under bottom) 50 nr r beta-gama Evaporator (contact outaide upper level) 10 nr hr octa-gama DrumStorageArea(atHRAfence) 0.7 mr r beta-ga:rtu t

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Primaq Compartment (seneral upper level) 100 mrcm/hr beta-gama Primary Campartment (contact M.C. pump volute) 410 mrmt/hr beta-ga:=ta -

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Prima n Compartment (S.G. bottam) 250 mrem /hr beta-garna l'

Primary Cenpartment (pressuri er bottom) 110 nrem/hr beta-gama Primary Compartment (general lower level) 65 nre:t/hr beta-gama l

Primaq Ccupartment (Regen. HI) 270 mrem /hr beta-gama Prima n Campartment (Non Regen. EX) 30 nrem/hr beta-gama l

Auxiliary Equipent Compartment (S.C.H.X.)

8 mrcm/hr beta-gama Auxil'.ary Equipent Compartment (D.T. top) 6 mrem /hrbeta-gamma

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S!EC Ooerationc Report for March 1968.

//7 l

l Radiation Readinn Incation f

C.V. (Continued) l Auxiliary Equipment Compartment (D.T. bottom) 30 mren/hr beta-gama Aurdliary Fquipraent Compartment (general lower level) 3 mran/hr beta-ga=a Reactor Deck (water level at grating) 45 mram/hr beta-ga=a ReactorDeck(inctrumentports) 350 mrun/hr beta-gama Reactor Deck (waist level) 50 mran/hr beta-gamma Reactor Deck (storage well railing) 50 mren/hr beta-gamma l

Miscellaneous I

Main Coolant Pump (unpeller blade) 2000 mren/hr beta-gama l

Contamination surveying consisted of routine plant site surveys, surveys of materials shipped, tools, equipnent and C.V. during shutdown. The clean areas were within the " Clean Area" limits. The controlled area was generally 'dthin 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 minimice the amount of smearable contamination. The following contamination levc3* were observed:

Ireation Contamination Readinn CLA Duildinn Cnarging Pump Chamber 3590 d /smearbeta-gamma Charging Pump Chamber 4 10 d smear alpha Charging Room Floor 705 d / smear beta-gama Sample Room Sink 376000 d smear beta-gama Sample Room Sink 410 d smear alpha Sample Room Floor 328 d smear beta-gan.ma Chenical Iab Hot Sink 42400 d smear beta-gama Chemical lab Hot Sink 4 10 d smear alpha RNDF Pump Room Floor 782 d smear beta-gnma Shipping Room Floor 4 100 d smear beta ga=na C.V.

Operating Deck 2680_d smear beta-gamma Operating Deck 410 d smear alpha Reactor Dock (head) 42100 d smear beta-ga=na Reactc* Deck (head) 410 d smear alpha-Reactor Deck (grating)

-31600 d smear _ beta-gama ReactorDeck(gratin 6)

<10 d smear alpha Primary Compartment (grating) 2130 d / smear beta-gama Primary Canpartment (grating)

(10 d/m/ smear lpha

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SliEC Operations Report for thrch 1968

//8 Liquid and gaseous ef fluents from the St.T.C site for the month of March 1968 were as follows:

(Curie)

(Curie)

(Curie)

Effluent Activity Activity Activity Type This Month Year to Date last Twelve Months Liquid 0.000665 0.001386 0.009847 Tritium 0.217065 1.632098 3.529642 Air, Xe 2.003970 4.179335 15.018640 Air, I-131 0.000000 0.000173 0.001826 Air, M.F.P.

0.020039 0.041793 0.150186 One barrel of waste was drummed for temporary storage. Twenty-four drums were shipped frca the site.

Radiation exposure for all SNEC personnel as measured by film badges for the month of February 1968 were a maximum of 240 mran with an average of 33.02 mrem.

Radiation exposure for all visiting personnel as measured by film badges for the month of February 1968 were a maximum of 0 mren with an average of 0 nrc=.

The average radiation exposure for all personnel as measured by film badges for the month of February 1968 was 20.9 mrm.

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SAXT0fb_ NUCLEAR EXPERIMENTAL CORPORATION OPERATING STATISTICS MONTH March YEAR _1968 NUCLa R UNIT MONTH YEAR TO DATE TDG3 CRITICAL NO.

1 84 626 HOURS CRITICAL HRS.

2.6 346.86 20,919.86 TIMES SCRAMKED (MANUAL)

NO.

1 33 360

• TIMIS QCRAMMED (INADVERTANT)

N O.

0 1

34 THERMAL POWER GENERATION MWH 0

6,654.69 384,624.62 AVERAGE BJRNUp WD/MTU 0

543.20 14,377.43 CONTROL ROD PWITIONS AT DID OF MONTH AT FQUILIBRIUM PORER OF 0

MWt MAIN C001 ANT BORON 750 PPM RODS OUT - INCHES NO 1 0

No. 2 0

No. 3 0

NO. 4 0

NO. 5 0

No. 6 0

ELECTRICAL UNIT MONTH YEAR TO DATE ORNS GENERATION MWH O

lil89 64,465 50 STATION SERVICE MWH 175.76 950.89 23,166.79 STATION SERVICE 0

79.97 20.42 AVG. PLANT EFFICIENCY - MWH(e)/MWH(t) 0 17 87 24.76 AVG. GENERATION RUNNING (

0 llRS)

KW 0

4,173.68 3,380.70 p

PLANT IDAD FACTOR -

(AVG. GEN. FOR MONTH / MAX. 10AD) 0 12.69 27.15 AUXILIARY STEAM SUPPLY - NUCLEAR STEAM SUPPLIED BY REACTOR HRS.

0 289.57 17,440.66 RWDF EVAPORATOR OPERATION HRS.

205.5 205.5 5,563.40

• RD! ARES :

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