HOME HELP OAK RIDGE NATIONAL
LABORATORY
operated by
U N I O N CARBIDE CORPORATION for the U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY C O M M I S S I O N
ORNL- TM- 733 (Revised) COPY NO.
MSRE DYESIGN AND OPERATIONS REPORT Part VI
OPERATING SAFETY LIMITS FOR THE MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR EXPERIMENT S . E. B e a l l R. H. Guymon
's
.
NOTICE T h i s document contains information of a preliminary nature and was prepared primarily for internal use at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It i s subiect to revision or correction and therofore does not represent a final report. The information i s not t o be abstracted, reprinted or otherwise given public dissemination without the approval of the ORNL patent branch, Legal and Information Control Department.
-
68
LEGAL NOTICE T h i s report was prepared as an account of Government sponsored work.
Neither the United States,
n w the Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission:
A. Maker any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, w i t h respect t o the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained i n this report, or that the use of any
information,
apparatus, method, or process disclosed
i n t h i s report may not infringe
privately owned rights; or
B. Assumes any l i a b i l i t i e s with respect t o the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed i n this report.
As
used i n the above, “person
contractor or
acting on behalf
of the Commission� includes any employee or
of the Commission, or employee of such contractor, t o the extent that such employee
contmctor
of the Commission,
or employee of such contractor prepares, disseminates,
or
provides access to, any inForrnotion pursuant t o h i s employment or contract w i t h the Commisaion,
or h i s employment w i t h such contractor.
-3MSRE DESIGN AND OPERATIONS REPORT Part V I OPERATING SAFETY LIMITS FOR THE MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR EXPERIMENT
S. E. B e a l l R. H. Guymon T h i s document h a s been prepared a t t h e r e q u e s t of t h e U. S. Atomic Energy Commission t o s e t t h e l i m i t s f o r v a r i o u s parameters r e l a t e d t o t h e Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment.
I n some c a s e s t h e l i m i t s r e p o r t t h e l e v e l
a t which t h e r e a c t o r w i l l be shut down by automatic monitoring devices. I n a l l c a s e s t h e r e a c t o r o p e r a t o r s a r e o b l i g a t e d t o t a k e s t e p s intended t o c o r r e c t a parameter which i s t e m p o r a r i l y o u t s i d e t h e s p e c i f i e d range i n d i c a t ed h e r e i n . 1.0
Containment
1.1 Leakage from t h e primary system a s i n d i c a t e d by t h e r e a c t o r and drain-tank-cell
4
a i r a c t i v i t y w i l l not exceed t h e e q u i v a l e n t of
l i t e r s of s a l t a f t e r 120 days of o p e r a t i o n a t f u l l power, a s
e s t i m a t e d i n t h e case of t h e Most Probable Accident.'
Off-gas
a c t i v i t y r e l e a s e w i l l be l i m i t e d t o f i s s i o n - p r o d u c t concen-
-4p,c/cc
t r a t i o n s averaging l e s s t h a n 1 . 5 x 10
i n t h e stack.
2
F i s s i o n product r e l e a s e w i l l be monitored by r a d i a t i o n monitors on t h e o f f - g a s l i n e s and a t t h e s t a c k . 1.2
The cover-gas supply p r e s s u r e w i l l be kept a t 30 p s i g o r g r e a t e r and t h e l e a k - d e t e c t o r system p r e s s u r e above 50 p s i g t o h e l p prev e n t e x c e s s i v e exposure t o o p e r a t i n g personnel, a s s p e c i f i e d i n Chapter 0524 o f t h e AFC Manual. 3
' S . E. B e a l l et a l . , ":WRE Design and Operations Report, P a r t V, Reactor S a f e t y A n a l y s i s R e p x t , " USAEC Report ORNL TM-732, Oak Ridge N a t i o n a l Laboratory, August 1964. 'Based on 3 x p c / z c a s p e r m i s s i b l e c o n c e n t r a t i o n a t ground l e v e l downstream of t h e s t a c k . A n atmospheric d i l u t i o n of 0.5 x lo5 i s assumed. 'Chapter
0524, "Standards f o r Radiation P r o t e c t i o n .
I'
-41.0
Containment ( continued)
1.3
The r a d i o a c t i v i t y i n t h e r e a c t o r c e l l s e r v i c e l i n e s w i l l be maintained a t a l e v e l s u f f i c i e n t l y low t o p r e v e n t e x c e s s i v e exposure t o p e r s o n n e l , a s s p e c i f i e d i n Chapter 0524 of t h e AEC Manual.
1.4
The p r e s s u r e i n t h e r e a c t o r and d r a i n t a n k c e l l s w i l l b e maint a i n e d below atmospheric p r e s s u r e d u r i n g r e a c t o r o p e r a t i o n .
1.5 The m a x i m u m r e a c t o r and d r a i n - t a n k - c e l l l e a k r a t e
w i l l not be
allowed t o exceed 1% of t h e c e l l volume p e r day, c a l c u l a t e d f o r t h e c o n d i t i o n s of t h e Maximum C r e d i b l e Accident.'
The i n -
leakage r a t e w i l l b e determined a t l e a s t once p e r week.
1.6
The m a x i m u m vapor-condensing system p r e s s u r e (under nonaccident c o n d i t i o n s ) w i l l not exceed 3 p s i g .
1 . 7 The b u i l d i n g high-bay p r e s s u r e w i l l be m a i n t a i n e d a t s l i g h t l y l e s s t h a n atmospheric p r e s s u r e (-0.1 i n . H20) d u r i n g a l l opera t i o n s i n which t h e high bay s e r v e s a s t h e secondary c o n t a i n ment.
1.8 The v e n t i l a t i o n system f i l t e r s
w i l l be t e s t e d a t l e a s t annually
and a f t e r each change of f i l t e r s .
1.8.1 The measured e f f i c i e n c y of t h e f i l t e r s must be g r e a t e r than
99.9%
f o r 0.5 p and l a r g e r p a r t i c l e s , a s i n d i c a t e d
by t h e s t a n d a r d d i o c t y l p h t h a l a t e t e s t .
2.0
F u e l System
2.1 The maximum s t e a d y - s t a t e power l e v e l i s 10 Mw ( a d m i n i s t r a t i v e limit).
15 Mw o r l e s s .
2.2
The po.rer l e v e l f o r s a f e t y - r o d scram t r i p i s
2.3
The temperature l e v e l f o r s a f e t y - r o d scram t r i p i s l e s s t h a n 14000F.
Adjustment of t h e t r i p between 1300 and 140O0F w i l l
r e q u i r e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e approval. 2.4
The m a x i m u m f u e l system cover-gas p r e s s u r e i s 50 p s i g .
*
,
2.0
F u e l System ( continued)
3 2.5 The maximum s a l t f i l l r a t e w h i l e f i l l i n g t h e core i s 1.0 f t /min. 2.6
The m a x i m u m amount of 235U 120 g.
which w i l l be added a t one time i s
During ctperation f u e l w i l l only be added through t h e
sampler e n r i c h e r
.
2.7 The maximum c o n c e n t r a t i o n of f i s s i o n a b l e m a t e r i a l i n t h e f u e l s a l t w i l l not exceed by more t h a n 5% t h e minimum r e q u i r e d f o r full-power o p e r a t i o n a t 1200째F w i t h e q u i l i b r i u m xenon and t h e c o n t r o l rods poi.soning
0.6% Sk/k.
The f u e l s a l t w i l l be sampled
and t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n measured a t l e a s t once p e r week.
R
2.8 A t no time during c r i t i c a l o p e r a t i o n of t h e r e a c t o r w i l l t h e r e a c t i v i t y anomaly be allowed t o exceed 0.5% Jk/k.
A "reactivity
anomaly" i s d e f i n e d as a d e v i a t i o n from t h e r e a c t i v i t y which i s expected on t h e b a s i s of measured r e a c t o r p h y s i c s c o n s t a n t s and c a l c u l a t e d e f f e c t s o f burnup and f i s s i o n product accumulation. R
2.9
A p o s i t i v e p e r i o d of 1 s e c o r l e s s w i l l cause a s a f e t y - r o d scram.
7.0 Coolant System
3.1 The maxinum coolant system cover-gas p r e s s u r e i s 50 p s i g . 4.0
Control Rods
4.1
The normal compI.ement o f c o n t r o l r o d s i s t h r e e , of which two a r e r e q u i r e d t o scram f o r s a f e t y a c t i o n .
4.2
The maximum scrim time ( t i m e from i n i t i a t i o n of s i g n a l u n t i l a r o d i s on t h e s e a t ) i s 1.3 sec.
4.3
The r o d speed (motor powered) i s 0.5
+-
0.05 in./sec.
This speed p e r m i t s m a x i m u m r e a c t i v i t y a d d i t i o n s i n " s t a r t " of
0.1% 6k/k p e r s e c and i n "run" of 0.05% Ak/k p e r sec. R
4.4
The scram time of t h e rods w i l l be checked b e f o r e each f i l l x i t h fuel salt.
-65.0
Nuclear Control and S a f e t y I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n
5 . 1 All n u c l e a r s a f e t y i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n w i l l be checked f o r proper o p e r a t i o n b e f o r e each f i l l .
R
5.2
A minimum o f two s a f e t y - l e v e l channels w i l l be i n s e r v i c e during r e a c t o r operation.
5.3 A minimum of two r e a c t o r f u e l o u t l e t temperature s i g n a l s w i l l be i n s e r v i c e during r e a c t o r operation.
5.4
A minimum of one f i s s i o n chamber w i t h c o u n t - r a t e c i r c u i t must be i n o p e r a t i o n during s t a r t u p f i l l i n g o p e r a t i o n s .
R
5.5 A minimum of two p o s i t i v e p e r i o d s a f e t y channels w i l l be i n s e r v i c e during r e a c t o r operation.
6.0
Personnel Radiation Monitoring
6.1
Radiation l e v e l rnonit o r s
A minimum of two personnel r a d i a t i o n monitors w i l l be i n opera t i o n a t a l l times, one i n t h e high-bay a r e a and one i n t h e c o n t r o l - room a r e a.
6.2
A i r monitors
A minimum of two a i r a c t i v i t y monitors w i l l be i n o p e r a t i o n a t a l l times, one i n t h e high-bay a r e a and one i n t h e officecontrol-room a r e a .
7.0
Personnel and Procedures
7.1
Personnel q u a l i f i c a t i o n s The r e a c t o r w i l l be o p e r a t e d only by q u a l i f i e d personnel approved by t h e Chief of Operations.
It w i l l be o p e r a t e d i n con-
formance w i t h documented o p e r a t i n g procedures which, i n no i n stance, d e s i g n a t e a u t h o r i z a t i o n t o o p e r a t e t h e r e a c t o r i n excess of any o p e r a t i n g s a f e t y l i m i t s l i s t e d above.
-7-
7.0 Personnel and Procedmes -
7.2
The minimum s t a f f requirement f o r o p e r a t i o n during any s h i f t i s t h a t a t l e a s t one s u p e r v i s o r and two t e c h n i c i a n s w i l l be on duty d u r i n g r e a c t o r operation.
The c o n t r o l room w i l l not be l e f t un-
a t t e n d e d while f u e l i s i n t h e r e a c t o r v e s s e l .
8.0
Experiment a1 Limits Experiments w i l l be conducted w i t h i n t h e l i m i t s s p e c i f i e d i n t h i s report.
Experimental procedures w i l l be approved i n advance by t h e
Head of t h e Operations Department, Oak Ridge N a t i o n a l Laboratory Reactor D i v i s i o n , o r h i s a u t h o r i z e d a s s i s t a n t .
t
-9-
..
ORNL-TM-733 REVISED
1:nternal D i s t r i b u t i o n 1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
G. R. S. F.
R.
6.
A. 7. C. 8. R. 9. G. 10. W. 11. J. 12. F. 15. J. 14. E. 15. A. 16. C. 17. R. 18. W. 19. R. 20. Pe 21. P. 22. V. 23. T. 24. P. 250 A. 26. R. 27* M. 28. R .
23.
3.
30.
H.
31.
W.
M. Adamson G . Affel
E. Beall F. Blankenship Blumberg L. Boch J . Borkowski B. Briggs H. Burger B. C o t t r e l l L. Crowley L. C u l l e r R. Engel P. E p l e r P. F r a a s H. Gabbard B. G a l l a h e r R. Grimes H. Guymon H. Harley N. Haubenreich D. Holt L. Hudson R. Kasten I. Krakoviak B. Lindauer I. Lundin N. Lyon G. MacPherson C. McCurdy B. McDonald
H. F. McDuffie C. K. McGlothlan A. J. M i l l e r R. L. Moore H. R. Payne A. M. P e r r y 38. H. B. P i p e r 39. J. L. Redford 40. H. C. R o l l e r 41. M. W. Rosenthal 42. H. W. Savage 43. Ann Savolainen 44. D. S c o t t , Jr. 45. M. J. Skinner 46. A. N. Smith 47. I. Spiewak 48. R. C . S t e f f y 49. A. Taboada 50 J. R . Tallackson 5 1 R. E. Thomas D. B. Trauger 52 53. W. C. U l r i c h 54. B. H. Webster 55 A. M. Weinberg 76. M. E. Whatley 57. G. D. Whitman 58-59. C e n t r a l Research L i b r a r y 60-61. Y-12 Document Reference S e c t i o n 62-64. Laboratory Records Departmerit 65. Laboratory Records, RC 66. C. E. Larson 67. S. J. D i t t o 32 *
33. 34. 35. 36 37.
9
External Distribution 68-82.
83-84. 85. 86-89. 90.
91.
D i v i s i o n of Technical Information Extension, DTIE D. F. Cope, Reactor Division, AEC, OR0 R. W. Garrison, AEC, Washington H. M. Roth, D i v i s i o n o f Research and Development, A E C , OR0 W. L. Smalley, Reactor D i v i s i o n , AEC, OR0 M. J. Whitman, AEC, Washington