Texas A and M University Nuclear Science Center. Twenty-second progress report, January 1-December 31, 1985

Technical Report · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5468390

Anderson, D G; Jeffords, E L; Krohn, J L; Petesch, J E; Stasny, G S

Reactor utilization decreased from 1984 as indicated by a smaller number of samples irradiated and of total irradiations. In addition there was a decrease in megawatt-days of reactor operation and the number of hours at steady state. There was also a large decrease in the total number of experiments hours. The observed trend in reactor utilization appears to be a result of the reduced operating schedule begun in September, 1983, new price increases for services effective in January, 1985, and the slowdown in the oil industry over the past few years. A program with the International Atomic Energy Agency for developing and testing computer software for use at research reactors was continued in 1985. Core VIII, which has been operational since December 1982, was used throughout 1985. Pulse operations were reinitiated in February 1983 for the first time since 1976, and a total of 113 pulses ($466.90 total pulse reactivity) were executed in 1985. Several major facility projects, modifications, and improvements were completed during the past year. A new control rod positioning method was developed and installed on shim safety rods 1 and 4 with the remainder of rods to be completed in 1986, and improvements were made to the liquid waste handling system. Several operational problems occurred in 1985 but did not result in a significant loss of reactor operating time. The secondary cooling pump motor had to be replaced, and instrumentation age also was a factor in some repair down-time. During this reporting period there were no changes made to the site area; however, work continued on extension of the runway at nearby Easterwood Airport. This extension should be completed in 1986 but should have no affect on the air traffic patterns relative to the NSC.

• Research Organization: Texas A and M Univ., College Station (USA). Texas Engineering Experiment Station
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76ER04207
• OSTI ID: 5468390
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/04207-18; ORO-4207-18; ON: DE86010291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
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HYDRIDE MODERATED REACTORS
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WATER MODERATED REACTORS