ML103000126

Reed College, Reply to RAI TAC No. ME4086 Dated September 27, 2010

ML103000126
Person / Time
Site:	Reed College
Issue date:	10/21/2010
From:	Frantz S Reed College
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC ME4086
Download: ML103000126 (7)

Text

REED COLLEGE REACTOR FACILITY October 21, 2010 3203 Southeast Woodstock Boulevard ATTN: Document Control Desk Portland, Oregon U S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 97202-8199 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Docket: 50-288 telephone License No: R- 112 503/777-7222

Subject:

RAI TAC NO. ME4086 fax 503/777-7274 e"ail Attached are the answers to the subject RAI dated September 27, 2010.

reactor@reed.edu We have revised our proposed amendment to allow us to use fuel we re-

-eb ceiveA'allowed under our current License and Technical Specifications.

http://reactor.reed.ed u The response and attachments do not contain any security sensitive infor-mation.

Please contact us if you have any questions. Thank you.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executedon 1o-Zt-2 .0 Stepp G. Franto Director, Reed Research Reactor

Your proposed changes to license condition 2. B. would restrict special nuclearmaterial (SNM) to low-enriched uranium (LEU) and only allow SNM in the form of TRIGA fuel. Do you possess any SNM of other forms or enrichments such as fission chambers or flux foils? If so, please revise your proposed license condition to specify the amount, enrichment and form of the material.

See revised submittal that includes fission chambers. Note also that we have removed the reference to the 1-Curie PuBe source which was removed from the rector decades ago.

2 During its review, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has noted some correctionsand updates that need to be made to license condition 2.B. The reference to "Chapter1" in the license condition should be "ChapterI." The title of "Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)

Part 70" has been revised since license condition 2.B. was originally written. The title of 10 CFR Part 70 is now "DomesticLicensing of Special Nuclear Material." The license condition does not contain authorityfor SNM produced during operation of the reactorwhich was common for license conditions written during the 1960s. License condition 2.B. should contain authority to receive, possess, use, but not separate,such specialnuclearmaterial as may be produced by operationof the reactor.Please address these issues or explain why these revisions to the license condition are not needed.

See revised submittal that includes these changes.

3 The fuel you are to receive from the University of Arizona (UA) contains SNM and byproduct material produced by operation with the fuel in the UA reactor.Please propose changes to your license condi-tion to receive and possess, but not use this material.

See revised submittal that includes these changes.

4. Please discuss the similaritiesand differences between the UA fuel and the current Reed Research Reactor fuel. Discuss dimensions, uranium content and density, burn. up, built-in poisons if any, mate-rials of construction, etc.

The fuel currently at the Reed Research Reactor is shown in Table 1 and compared to the Arizona fuel we are receiving. Note that other than burn up, it is identical to the stainless steel clad fuel we are using.

Table 1: Fuel Elements for Use K'At Uranium content [mass %]

Installed Clad&

8.55 Installed SS Clad~ SS Clad 8.55 krizona 8.5 BOL U-235 enrich. [mass %] U] 19.89 19.75 19.75 Fuel alloy outer diameter [mm] 35.82 36.45 36.45 Fuel alloy length [mm] 355.6 381 381 Cladding material Al 304 SS 304 SS Cladding thickness [mm] 0.83 0.51 0.51 Cladding outer diameter [mm] 37.47 37.47 37.47 Overall length [mm] 720 734 734 Built in poisons None Sm/Mo Sm/Mo Average MW-hrs 21.31 12.53 87.41 Maximum MW-hrs 27.47 23.34 174.84 Number 58 10 95

Some of the fuel from Arizona will not be used at Reed. It is listed in Table 2. We will pos-sess but not use the 2898, 4058, and the follower elements, until the US .DOE removes them*

for ultimate disposal.

Table 2: Fuel Elements for Possession Only T otal Ui!(( U-235 (g) Comments 2898 D 180.8500 36.1700 Can be disassembled 4058 X 190.0000 38.0000 Damaged SHIM ROD FF 160.0000 32.0000 Control Rod Follower' REG ROD FF 160.0000 32.0000 Control Rod Follower

5. Your application states that storage of the UA fuel in fuel storage racks will meet the' technical specifi-:

cation (TS) requirements for fuel storage. Please provide your basis for reachingthis conclusion ease so.Ili coII JItdIILV*

"I wt VI VI I. .dIU n,.)"' I This RAI is no longer applicable since the fuel that is allowed in'the reactor is already cov-ered under our current License and Technical Specifications. The fuel from Arizona that we will 'noti be using; Will'be stored'in the USDOE:supplih*dttlriferbaskefs in-the'reactor: pool until such'timeas theUS DOE removeslit froi" the.site " .. * ..

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Revised February :17, 1992 to reflect the NRC License Authority File Copy as amended through Amendment No. 5 issued January, 16, 1992.. .

THE REED INSTITUTE (REED COLLEGE)

DOCKET NO. 50-288 FACILITY LICENSE License. No. R-112 The Atomic Energy Commission ("The Commission") having found,- with respect to the application for license of The Reed Institute (Reed College) (hereinafter "Reed College" or-".the licensee"), that: - . . .

a. The application for license complies with the requirements' of tlhe Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (hereinafter "the Act"), and the Commission's regulations set

-forth, in Title 10, Chapter 1, CFR;, -

b. Thereactor..has been constructead inconformity with ConstructionP,ermit No.,,CPRR-101 and will operate in conformity:with ithe application and in conformity with the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission;

c. There is reasonable assurance that the reactor can be operated at the designated location without endangering the health and safety of the public;

d. Reed College is technically and financially qualified to engage in the proposed activities in accordance with the Commission's regulations;

e. The issuance of this license will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public: and

f. Reed College is a-nonprofit educational institution and will operate the reactor for the conduct of educational activities. Reed College is therefore exempt from the financial protection requirements of Section 170 of the Act.

Facility License No. R-1 12 effective as of the date of issuance, is issued as follows:

1. This license applies to the TRIGA Mark I type nuclear reactor (herein "the reactor"),,

owned by Reed College and located on its campus in Portland, Oregon, and which is described in the application for license dated April 15, 1967, and supplements thereto dated July 5 and August 22, 1967, and March 13 and April 26, 1968 (herein referred to as "the application"), and authorized for construction by Construction Permit No. CPRR-101.

2. Subject to the conditions and requirements incorporated herein, the Commission hereby licenses Reed College:

A. Pursuant to Section 104 c of -the Act and Title 10, Chapter 1, CFR, Part 50, "Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities", to possess, use and operate the reactor as a utilization facility in accordance with the procedures and limitations described in the application and in this license; B. Pursuant to the Act, and Title 10, Chapter/I, CFR 50, Part,70, "Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to receive, possess and use.up:to.7000 grams of contained uranium-235 in the form of TRIGA fuel, and to possess, but not to separate, such special nuclear material and byproduct material as may be produced by operation of the reactor: and C. Pursuant to the Act and Title 10, Chapter I, CFR, Part 30, "Rules of General ,

Applicability to Licensing of Byproduct material", to receive, possess and use a 1.64-curie sealed -americium-beryllium o:eutron;startup source for.the operation of the reactor: and D. Pursuant to the Act. and Title 1I0, Chapter. I;,CFR 50,, fPlaprt 7Q; Domestic Licensing of.Special Nuclear Material, .tpo,receivepossess,,and use up to.1,1 grams of contained highly enriched uraniumr?35 in theifrpm of fissIon.charmbers; and E. Pursuant to, the Act and Title 10,-Chapter I, CFR 50, Part,70, 'Dpmestic Licensing of Special NuclearIMaterial," t6o.receive .nd poss-essbut pot to .use-up to 300 grams of contained uranium-235 intheporm,of,TRlA fefru m

.he.University of Arizona. reactor, -and-to possess,.-but nt,-.tq separate, such special nuc.lear material and byproduct material that may be contained in the fuel.

3. The license shall be.deemed to contain and_ be, subject to.the conditions specified in Part 20, ,Section ;30.34 of Part 30, Sections;50-54 and, 50.59 of part. 50, and Section 70.32 of Part 70 of, the Commission's regul.tiQns; is §ubject to all applicable provisions of the Act and rules, regulations.and, orders fqfthe Com mission now or hereafter in effect; and is subject to the additional conditions specified or incorporated below: , --

A. Maximum Power Level -

The licensee may operate the reactor at,,steady-state ppwer, levýels up.to a maximum of 250 kilowatts (thermal).

B. Technical Specifications I ~.1

• The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Change No. 4, are hereby incorporated in this license. The licensee shall operate the reactor in accordance with these Technical Specifications. No changes shall be made'in the Technical Specifications unIess authorized by the Commission as provided in Section 50.59 of, 10 CPR Part 50.

C. Records (This entire section deleted as per'tamendment of 10-3-72. See Section K of the Technidal Specificaitions.)

D. Reports

'addition ri to reports othe'7wise reqUiredbby applicable reguklations :-

(1) The licensee shall inform the Commission of any incident or condition

.relatin§ ýto the operatiorn'of the"',j:acttor w'iich*pirevented,dorcould!'have

".revented an~cdear system fronm, pefforringits safety function as described

"":inthe "e~hri! *ecifidatiolh o611", the safety ahdlysis:`refrt. For each such occurrence, Reed College shall promptly notify by telephone or telegraph the Directo?'-of the appropriate Atoniic nergy conmission Regional Compliance

'Offic Istse~alnin Apo..idix.. of 1'0 C'F part 20 and shal.submit Within ten (10) d a.ys a; re.po. '" tng to.lhiheetory,,Divsior' ofReaicto6r Licensing S('hereinaft~r+: ,

"*irect ,,DrL*:,}',t ',-opV.tothe Regionail:Cotmpliance Office.

(2) As promptly as practicable, but no later than sixty (60) days after the initial Sof the f'adity, 'Reed llegeoshall submita :writte' report to.the

.. Dbirector', DRL, 'describiig 'the Yrn.Asued values of th&ope0ratigconditon's or czharactenistics lstbdbelow a~ne ealuatig-any signifid6a*t variation of a.-

-¢measured value from the correspond ing predicted value,'

(a) Maximum excess reactivity of the facility, not including the worth of control rods or other control devices such as burnable poison strips or soluble poison, or any experiments; -

" ... t c 1 c..*76)* roCrl od-reactlvitycworth;, .- - -,

(c) Minimum shutdown margin both at room and operating temperatures:

(d) Maximum worth of the single control rod of highest reactivity value; and

(e) Maximum total and individual reactivity worth of any fixed or movable experiments inserted in the facility.

(3) The licensee shall report to the Director, DRL, in writing within thirty (30) days of its occurrence any substantial variance disclosed by operation of the reactor from performance specifications contained in the safety analysis report or in the Technical Specifications.

(4) The licensee shall report to the Director, DRL, in writing within thirty (30) days. of its occurrence, any significant change in the transient or accident analysis, as described in the safety analysis report.

E. Physical Security Plan The licensee shall maintain and fully implement all provisions of the Commission-approved physical security plan, including amendments and changes made pursuant to the authority of 10 CFR 50.54(p). The approved physical security plan entitled "Physical Security Plan for Reed College Reactor Facility" dated June 1983, submitted by letter dated November 10, 1983, as supplemented by letter dated February 22, 1984, consists of documents withheld from public disclosure pursuant to 10 CFR 2.790(d).

F. Until completion of the Recovery Plan in response to the Commission's Confirmatory Action Letter of November 25,,1991, the time periodicity requirements for Technical Specifications surveillances E.3, F.2, F.9, and F.10 will be waived. However, these surveillance requirements must be completed prior to return to routine reactor operations.

4. This license is effective as of the date of issuance and shall expire at midnight, October 3, 2007.

FOR THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Donald J. Skovholt Assistant Director for Reactor Operations Division of Reactor Licensing Date of issuance: July 2, 1968