ORNL-TM-0733.txt

 

    

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OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORAT

operated by

UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION
for the -

U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
ORNL- TM-733

C L

 

MSRE DESIGN AND OPERATIONS REPORT

Part VI
OPERATING SAFETY LIMITS FOR THE MOLTEN-SALT EXPERIMENT

S.E. Beall
R.H. Guymon

£ QETAINED. RELEASE TQE
OvVED. PROGEDURES
THING SECTION.

PATENT CLEARANC
THE PUBLIC 1S APPR !
ARE ON FILE iN THE RES

NOTICE This document contains information of a preliminary nature
and was prepared primarily for internal use at the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory. It is subject to revision or correction and therefore does

not represent a final report.
 

 

 

LEGAL NOTICE

This report was prepared as an account of Guvernment sponsored work, Neither the United States,

nor the Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission:

A. Makes any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy,
completeness, or usefulness of the information contained in this rasport, or thot the use of
any information, aepporosus, method, or process disclosed in this report may not infringe
privately owned rights; or

B. Assumes any liabilities with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of
any information, apparatys, method, or process disclosed in this report.

As usad in the above, "“person acting on behalf of the Commission® includes any employee or

contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor, to the extent that such employse

of contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor prepares, disseminates, or
provides access to, any information pursuant to his employment or contract with the Commission,

or his employment with such contractor.

 

 
ORNL-TM-733

Contract Wo. W-T405-eng-26

Reactor Division

MSRE DESIGN AND OPERATIONS REPORT

Part VI

OPERATING SAFETY LIMITS FOR THE MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR EXPERIMENT

S. E. Beall
R. H. Guymon

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Ozk Ridge, Tennessee
operated by
UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION
for the
U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
MSRE DESIGN AND OPERATIONS REPORT
Part VI
OPERATING SAFETY LIMITS FCOR THE MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR EXPERIMENT

S. E. Beall
R. H. Guymon

This document has been prepared at the request of the U.S. Atomic
Energy Commission to set the limits for various parameters related to the
Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment. In some cases the limits report the level
at which the reactor will be shut down by automatic monitoring devices.

In all cases the reactor operators are obligated to take steps intended to
correct a parameter which is temporarily outside the specified range indi-

cated herein.

1.0 Contaimment

1.1 Leakage from the primary system as indicated by the reactor and
drain-tank-cell air activity will not exceed the equivalent of
L liters of salt after 120 days of operation at full power, as
estimated in the case of the Most Probable Accident.l Off-gas
activity release will be limited to fission-product concen-
trations averaging less than 1.5 X lO-u/uc/cc in the stack.2
Fission=-product release will be monitored by radiation monitors

on the off-gas lines and at the stack.

1.2 The cover-gas supply pressure will be kept at 30 psig or greater
and the leak-detector system pressure above 50 psig to help pre-
vent excessive exposure to operating personnel, as specified in

Chapter 0524 of the AEC Manual.”

 

lS. E. Beall et al., "MSRE Design and Operations Report, Part V,
Reactor Safety Analysis Report,'" USAEC Report ORNL TM-732, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, August 196k,

2Based on % x lOmg)pc/cc as permicsible concentration at _ground level
downstream of the stack. An atmospheric dilution of 0.5 x 10° is assumed.

5Chapter 0524, "Standards for Radiation Protection.”
1.0

A
O

Containment (continued)

1.5

1.5

1.6

no
no

no
AN

The radicactivity in the reactor cell service lines will be
maintained at a level sufficiently low to prevent excesslve
exposure to personnel, as specified in Chapter 0524 of the

AEC Manual.

The pressure in the reactor and drain tank cells will be main-

tained below atmospheric pressure during reactor operation.

The maximum reactor and drain-tank-cell leak rate will not be
allowed to exceed 1% of the cell volume per day, calculated for
the conditions of the Maximum Credible Accident.l The in-

leakage rate will be determined at least once per week.

The maximum vapor-condensing system pressure (under nonaccident

conditions) will not exceed 3 psig.

The building high-bay pressure will be maintained at slightly
less than atmospheric pressure (&O.l in. HQO) during all oper-
atlons in which the high bay serves as the secondary contain-

ment.

The ventilation system filters will be tested at least annually

and after each change of filters.

1.8.1 The measured efficiency of the filters must be greater
than 99.9% for 0.5 p and larger particles, as indicated
by the standard dioctylphthalate test.

System

The meximum steady-state power level is 10 Mw (administrative

limit).
The power level for safety-rod scram trip is 15 Mw or less.

The temperature level for safety-rod scram trip is less than
1400°F. Adjustment cf the trip between 1300 and 1400%F will

require administrative approval.

The maximun fuel system cover-gas pressure is 50 psig.
no
O

L.0

5.0

Fuel System (continued)

2.5

P
2.0

The maximum salt fill rate while filling the core is 1.0 ftB/min.

55U which will be added gt one time is

The maximum amount of 2
120 g. During operation fuel will only be added through the

sampler enricher.

The maximum concentration of fissionable material in the fuel
salt will not exceed by more than 5% the minimum required for
full-power operation at 1200°F with equilibrium xenon and the
control rods poisoning 0.6% {k/k. The fuel salt will be sampled

and the concentration measured at least once per week.

Coolant System

5.1

The maximum coolant system cover-gas pressure is 50 psig.

Control Rods

ho1

L.L

The normal complement of control rods is three, of which two

are required to scram for safety action.

The maximum scram time (time from initiation of signal until a

rod is on the sest) is 1.3 sec.

. + .
The rod speed (mctor powered) is 0.5 - 0.05 in./sec.
This speed permits maximum reactivity additions in "start" of

0.1% §k/k per sec and in "run" of 0.05% 4k/k per sec.

The scram time of the rods will be checked before each fill.

Nuclear Control and Safety Instrumentation

 

5.1

5.2

A\
N

All nuclear safety instrumentation will be checked for proper

operation before each fill.

A minimum of two safety-level chambers will be in service during

reactor operation.

A minimum of two reactor fuel outlet temperature signals will be

in service during reactor operation.
O
O

7'0

Nuclear Control and Safety Instrumentation (continued)

5.4 A minimum of one fission chamber with count-rate circuit must

be in operation during stertup filling operations.

Personnel Radiation Monitoring

 

5.1 Radiation level monitors
A minimum of two personnel radiation monitors will be in oper-
ation at all fimes, one in the high-bay area and one in the

control-room ares.

O

.2 Air monitors
A minimum of two air activity monitors will be in operation at
all Times, one in the high-bay area and one in the office—

control-room area.

Personnel and Procedures

 

7«1 Personnel gualifications
The reactor will be operated only by qualified perscnnel ap-
vroved by <he Chief of Operations. It will be operated in con-
fermance with documented operating procedures which, in no in-
stance, designate authorization to operate the reactor in excess

of eny operating safelty limits listed above.

7.2 Tre minimum staff reguirement for operation during any shift is
that at least one supervisor and two technicians will be on duty
during reactor operacvion. The control room will not be left un-

atwended wnile fuel 1s in the reactor vessel.

Experimental Timits

 

Experiments will be conducted within the limits specified in this
report. Experimental procedures will be approved in advance by the
Head of the Operations Department, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Reector Division, or his authorized assistant.

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E. Beall
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Borkowskl
Briggs
Burger
Cottrell
Crowley
Engel
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Fraas
Gatbard
Gallaher
Grimes
Guymon
Harley
Haubenreich
Holt
Hudson
Krakovliak
Lindauer
Lundin
Lyon

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ORNL~TM-75%

Internsal Distribution

 

26.
27,
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29,
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31.
32,
33
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L9-50,
51-53.

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. G. MacPherson

C. McCurdy

McDeonald
McGlothlan

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Moore

Payne

Piper

Redford

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Scott, Jr.

J. Skinner

N. Smith

C. Steffy

Taboada

R. Tallackson

E. Thoma

C. Ulrich

B. H. Webster

A. M. Welnberg

Central Research Library
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Laboratory Records Department
Laboratory Records, RC

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EFxternal Distribution

 

Cope, Reactor Division, AEC, ORO
Garrison, AEC, Washington
Philippone, Reactor Division, AEC, ORO

Roth, Division of Research and Development, AEC, ORO
Smalley, Reactor Division, AEC, ORO

Whitman, AEC, Washington

ivision of Techknical Information Extension, DTIE