ML113180004
| ML113180004 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Issue date: | 11/10/2011 |
| From: | Rhonda Butler Univ of Missouri - Columbia |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Adams, A 415-1127 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML113180132 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML113180004 (20) | |
Text
Conversion of the University of Missouri-Columbia Research Reactor (MURR) from HEU to LEU Fuel NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
2 Presentation Topics
- Facility Overview
- Key Reactor Parameters
- Confirmation of Overall Objective
- Background
- R Regulatory l t O Options ti
- Path Forward NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
3 Facility Overview Location:
On the University of Missouri main campus in Columbia, Missouri (~200 Missouri. ( 200 km West of St.
St Louis)
History:
- First critical on October 13 13, 1966 (Licensed at 5 MW)
- Uprated and licensed at 10 MW in 1974
- Started 150 hour0.00174 days <br />0.0417 hours <br />2.480159e-4 weeks <br />5.7075e-5 months <br />s/week operation in September 1977
- Goal G l for f conversion i to t LEU fuel f l is i July J l 2016
Purpose:
Multi disciplinary research and education facility also Multi-disciplinary providing a broad range of analytical and irradiation services.
3 NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
4 Key Reactor Parameters
- MURR is a pressurized, reflected, heterogeneous, open pool-type, which is light-water moderated and cooled.
cooled
- Maximum power - 10 MWth
- Peak flux in center test hole - 6.0E14 n/cm2-s
- Core - 8 fuel assemblies (775 grams of U-235/assembly)
- Control blades - 5 total: 4 Boral shim-safety, 1 SS regulating
- Reflectors - beryllium y and ggraphite p
- Forced primary coolant flow rate - 3,750 gpm (237 lps)
- Forced pool coolant flow rate - 1,200 gpm (76 lps)
- Primary a y coo coolant a temps e ps - 120 0 °F ((49 9 °C)
C) in,, 136 36 °F (58 °C) C) outou
- Primary coolant system pressure - 85 psia (586 kPa)
- Pool coolant temps - 100 °F (38 °C) in, 106 °F (41 °C) out
- Beamports - three 4-inch 4 inch (10 cm), three 6-inch 6 inch (15 cm)
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
5 Confirmation of Overall Objective
- Key Cornerstones Modify MURR License Consistent with NRC HEU-LEU Objectives MMaintain i t i Current C t MURR R ResearchhRReactor t Status Minimize Mi i i R Regulatory l t Ri Risk k
Timeliness of Licensing Actions NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
6 Driver for Change
- MURR currently operates at a thermal power level of 10 MW using HEU aluminide dispersion fuel l d d tto a d loaded density it off 1 1.52 52 grams off HEU/
HEU/cc.
- Because of its compact core design, MURR can not perform its mission with any currently qualified LEU fuels.
- The US Department of Energy (DOE) Reduced Enrichment for f Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) Program supports the minimization and, to the extent p possible,, elimination of the use of HEU in civilian applications by working to convert research reactors and radioisotope production processes throughout the world to LEU.
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
7 Driver for Change
- MURR is cooperating with the RERTR Program to convert MURR from HEU to an LEU U-10Mo monolithic foil fuel with a density of 15 15.2 2 grams of LEU/cc. This fuel is in the process of being developed and qualified.
- Non-power reactors authorized to possess and use HEU fuel are required by 10 CFR § 50.64 to convert to LEU fuel if federal funding is available available, unless specifically exempted because of a unique purpose.
- In order for MURR to maintain the same level and spectrum of key neutron fluxes at 10 MW with HEU fuel,, a power p uprate p to at least 12 MW with LEU fuel is required.
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
8 Comparison of Fluxes & Reaction Rates LEU to HEU Fuel - 10 MW Neutron Energy Range Metric 1 eV > 1 eV Sum LEU Core 10 MW, Week 79, Day 2 Critical Bank 23.481 inches withdrawn, Regulating Blade 15 inches withdrawn S-32 ((n,p)
,p) reactions in FT Tube B 13-15" n/a n/a 95% +/- 0.3% 95% +/- 0.3%
Flux in FT Tube B 13-15" 87% +/- 0.1% 93% +/- 0.1%
Ir-191 (n,) reactions in FT Tube C 17-20" 87% +/- 0.3% 93% +/- 1.5% 87% +/- 0.3%
Ir-193 (n,) reactions in FT Tube C 17-20" 87% +/- 0.3% 88% +/- 1.9% 87% +/- 0.5%
Flux in Ir wires of FT Tube C 17-20" 87% +/- 0.3% 92% +/- 0.4%
Flux in Wedge #3 Row 1 P-Tube Bottom 3" 86% +/- 0.1% 91% +/- 0.2%
Si-30 (n,) reactions in Green-5 Position 88% +/- 0.0% 90% +/- 1.4% 88% +/- 0.1%
Flux in Green Green-55 Position 88% +/- 0.0%
0 0% 91% +/- 0.1%
0 1%
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
9 Comparison of Fluxes & Reaction Rates LEU to HEU Fuel - 12 MW Neutron Energy Range Metric 1 eV > 1 eV Sum LEU Core 12 MW, Week 79, Day 2 Critical Bank 23.481 inches withdrawn, Regulating Blade 15 inches withdrawn S-32 ((n,p)
,p) reactions in FT Tube B 13-15" n/a n/a 113% +/- 0.3% 113% +/- 0.3%
Flux in FT Tube B 13-15" 104% +/- 0.1% 112% +/- 0.1%
Ir-191 (n,) reactions in FT Tube C 17-20" 104% +/- 0.4% 112% +/- 1.8% 105% +/- 0.4%
Ir-193 (n,) reactions in FT Tube C 17-20" 104% +/- 0.4% 106% +/- 2.3% 105% +/- 0.7%
Flux in Ir wires of FT Tube C 17-20" 105% +/- 0.4% 110% +/- 0.5%
Flux in Wedge #3 Row 1 P-Tube Bottom 3" 104% +/- 0.1% 110% +/- 0.2%
Si-30 (n,) reactions in Green-5 Position 105% +/- 0.0% 108% +/- 1.7% 105% +/- 0.2%
Flux in Green Green-55 Position 105% +/- 0.0%
0 0% 109% +/- 0.1%
0 1%
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
10
Background
- Regulatory Posture of MURR Definition of a Class 104c Facilit Facility Under 10 CFR 50.21 and Associated Requirements DDefinition fi iti off a NNon-Power P R Reactor t U Under d 10 CFR 50 and Associated Requirements NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
11
Background
- Under 10 CFR 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, the MURR is classified as a non-power non power reactor.
reactor
- 10 CFR § 50.2 defines a non-power reactor as a research or test reactor licensed under §§ 50.21(c) or 50.22 of Part 50 for research and development.
- MURR is i classified l ifi d as a researchh reactor, t as defined in 10 CFR §§ 170.3 and 171.5.
- Under § 50.21, 50 21 the MURR is licensed as a Class 104c facility - Amended Facility License No. R-103 (NRC Docket No. 50-186).
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
12
Background
- 10 CFR § 50.2 defines a testing facility (or test reactor) as a nuclear reactor which is of a type yp described in § 50.21(c) of Part 50 and for which an application has been filed for a license authorizing operation at:
(1) A thermal power level in excess of 10 megawatts; or (2) A thermal power level in excess of 1 megawatt, if the reactor is to contain:
(i) A circulating loop through the core in which the applicant proposes to conduct fuel experiments; or (ii) A liliquid id ffuell lloading; di or (iii) An experimental facility in the core in excess of 16 square inches in cross-section.
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
13
Background
- The proposed MURR power uprate to overcome the conversion flux penalty will result in a thermal power level greater than criterion (1)
(1), but MURR does not seek any of the operating states of criterion (2).
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
14 Regulatory Options
- It appears that the following three regulatory paths or options are available for the MURR to uprate in power greater than 10 MW to overcome the flux conversion penalty:
1 A
- 1. Applyl for f an exemptionti from f the th testing t ti facility f ilit classification based on the need to increase power in order to maintain the same performance as the current HEU fuel; or
- 2. Petition for rule making to revise the definition of a testing facility; or
- 3. License the facility as a testing facility.
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
15 Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended Section 31, Research Assistance, states:
- a. The Commission is directed to exercise its p powers in such manner as to insure the continued conduct of research and development and training activities in the fields specified below by private or public institutions or persons below, persons, and to assist in the acquisition of an ever-expanding fund of theoretical and practical knowledge in such fields. To this endd th the C Commission i i iis authorized th i d and d di directed t d tto make k arrangements (including contracts, agreements, and loans) for the conduct of research and development p activities relating to-NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
16 Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended (1) nuclear processes; (2) the theory and production of atomic energy, energy including processes, materials, and devices related to such production; (3) utilization of special nuclear material and radioactive material for medical, biological, agricultural, health, or military ilit purposes; NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
17 Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended (4) utilization of special nuclear material, atomic energy, and radioactive material and processes entailed in the utilization or production of atomic energy or such material for all other purposes, including industrial or commercial uses, the generation of usable energy, and the demonstration of advances in the commercial or industrial application of atomic energy; (5) the protection of health and the promotion of safety during research and production activities; and (6) the preservation and enhancement of a viable environment by developing more efficient methods to meet the national energy needs needs.
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
18 Path Forward
- Regulatory and Licensee Actions
- Review Process
- Timetables NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
19 Path Forward
- Regulatory and Licensee Actions What actions are required q of the NRC?
What actions are required of MURR?
- Review Process What does the review process consist of?
Review process dependent on option taken.
- Timetables Conversion C i off MURR iis ttargeted t d ffor JJuly l 2016 Submittal date dependent on option taken.
How long will process take take, dependent on option taken taken.
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland
NRC Public Meeting - November 10, 2011 Rockville, Maryland