ML20033F287
| ML20033F287 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000199 |
| Issue date: | 03/12/1990 |
| From: | Murley T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | MANHATTAN COLLEGE, RIVERDALE, NY |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20033F281 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9003190282 | |
| Download: ML20033F287 (7) | |
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l
In the Matter of Docket No. 50-199 MANHATTAN COLLEGE Facility Operating License No. R-94 (ManhattanCollege Amendment No. 8 ZeroPowerReactor)
ORDER MODIFYING LICENSE r
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ManhattanCollege(thelicensee)istheholderofFacilityOperating LicenseNo.R-94(theLicense)issuedonMarch 24, 1964 and subsequently renewed on March 26, 1985 by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission (the Commission).
The license authorizes operation of the Manhattan College Zero Power Reactor l
(the fecility or MCZPR) at a power level of up to 0.1 watt (thermal). The l
l facility is a training reactor located in Riverdale, a residential section of the Bronx, New York City, and is located in the Leo Engineering Building two i
blucks from the main campus. The mailing address is Menhattan College Zero l
Power Reactor, c/o Mechanical Engineering Department, Riverdale, New York-10471.
l II On February 25, 1986, the Comission promulgated a final rule in 10 CFR L
50.64 of its regulations limiting the use of high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel in l
l dorrestic research and test reactors (non-power reactors) (see 51 FR 6514). The l
rule, which became effective on March 27, 1986, requires that a licensee of an l
existing non-power reactor replace HEU fuel at its facility with low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel acceptable to the Comission:
(1) unless the Comission has determined that the reactor has a unique purpose and (2) contingent upon Federal 90031902G2 90031 A D
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PDR ADOCK 05000199 P.
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' Government funding for conversion-related costs. The rule is intended to promote the comon defense and security by reducing the risk of theft and diversion of HEU fuel used in o n-power reactors end the adverse consequences to public health and safety and the environment from such theft or diversion.
10CFR50.64(b)(2)(1)and(ii)requirethatalicenseeofanon-power reactor:
(1)notinitiateacquisitioncfadditionalHEUfuel,ifLEUfuel acceptable to the Comission for that reactor is available when it proposes that acquisition, and (2) replace all HEU fuel in its possession with available LEU fuel acceptabic to the Comission for that reactor, in accordarice with a scheduledeterninedpursuar.1to10CFR50.64(c)(2).
10CFR50.64(c)(2)(1)oftherule,amongotherthings,requireseach licensee of a non-power reactor, authorized to possess and to use HEU fuel, to develop and to submit to the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (Director) by March 27, 1987, and at 12-month intervels thereafter, a written proposal (preposal) for meeting the rule's requirements.
10CFR50.64(c)(2)(1)alsorequiresthelicenseetoincludeinits proposal:
(1)acertificationthatFederalGovernmentfundingforconversion is.avai16tle through the Department of Energy (DOE) or other appropriate Federal agency, and (2) a schedule for conversion, based upon availability of fuel acceptable to the Comission for that reactor and upon consideration of other factors such as the availability of shipping casks, ir'plementetion of arrangements for the available financial support, and reactor usage.
10CFR50.64(c)(2)(111)requiresthelicenseetoincludeinitsproposal, to the extent required to effect conversion, all necessary changes to the license, to the facility, and to the licensee's procedures (all three types of changeshereaftercalledmodifications).
This paragraph also requires the
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3-licensee to provide supporting safety t.nalyses 50 as to meet the schedule established for conversion.
10CFP50.64(c)(2)(iii)alsorequirestheDirectortoreviewthe licensee's proposal, to confirm the status of Federal Government funding, and to determine a final schedule, if the licensee has submitted a schedule for l
conversion.
10CFR50.64(c)(3)requirestheDirectortoreviewthelicensee's supporting safety analyses and to issue an appropriate enforcement order diret. ting both the conversion and, to the extent consistent with protecting the public health and safety, any necessary modifications. The Comission explained in the statement of considerations of the final rule that in most cases, if not all, the enforcement order would be in the form of an order to modify the license under 10 CFR 2.204 (see 51 FR 6514).
10 CFR 2.204 provides, among other things, that the Comission may modify a license by issuing an amendment on notice to the licensee that it may demand a hearing with respect to any part or all of the amendment within 20 days from the date of the notice or such longer period as the notice may provide. The l
amendment will become effective on the expiration of this 20-day-or-longer l
period.
If the licensee requests a hearing during this period, the amendment l
will become effective on the date specified in an order made after the hearing.
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10 CFR 2.714 sets out the requirements for a person whose interest may be affected by any proceeding to initiate a hearing or to participate as a party.
On May 19, 1989, the Director received the licensee's proposal, including its proposed modifications, supporting safety analyses and schedule for i
l conversion. The conversion consists of replacement of high-enriched with low-enriched uranium fuel elements. The fuel elements contain MTR-type fuel plates in curved sections rf various widths, with the fuel meat in the form of uranium silicides dispersed in an aluminum matrix. The enrichment is less than 20% in the V-235 isotope. The Licensing Conditions and Technical Specification changes needed to amend the facility license are included in the attachment to this Order. On the bases of the licensee's submittals and the requirements of 10 CFR 50.64, I have madr 2 determination that the public health and safety and the common defense and security require the licensee to convert from the use of HEV to LEU fuel pursuant to the modifications set forth in the attachment in accordance with the schedule set out below.
IV Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 51, 53, 57, 101, 104, 161b., 1611., and 1610. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and to the Comission's regulations in 10 CFR 2.204 and 50.64, IT IS HERE0Y ORDERED THAT:
On the later date of either receipt of low-enriched uranium fuel elements by the licensee or 30 days following the date of publication of this Order in the FEDERAL REGISTER Facility Operating License No. R-94 is modified by amending the License Conditions and Technical Specifications as stated in the Attachment to this Order.
V Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the licensee or any other person adversely affected by this Order may request a hearing within 30 days of the date of this Order. Any request for a hearing shall be submitted to
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s the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regul,ttion, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory e
Comission, Washington, D.C.
20555, with a copy to the Assistant General Counsel for Hearings and Enforcement at the same address.
If a person other than the licensee requests a hearing, that person shall set forth with particularity in accordance with 10 CFR 2.714 the manner in which the person's l
interest is adversely affected by this Order.
If a hearing is requested by the licensee or a person whose interest is adversely affected, the Commission shall issue an order designating the time i
l-I and place of any hearing.
If a hearing is held, the issue to be considered at such hearings is whether this Order should be sustained.
This Order shall become effective on the later date of either the re'eipt c
L of low-enriched uranium fuel elements by the licensee or 30 days following the l
date of publication of this Order in the FEDERAL REGISTER or, if a hearing is u
requested, en the date specified in an order following further proceedings on this Order.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGM.ATORY COMMISSION l
Th Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Rockyille, Maryland this 12 day of March 1990 Attachments:
'As stated l
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ATTACHMENT TO ORDER MODIFYING FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-94 A.
License Conditions Revised and Added By This Order
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No. 2.B.(2)
Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, " Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to receive, possess and use up to 3.8 kilograms of contained uranium 235 at enrichments equal to or less than 20% in connection with operation of the reactor and up to 16 grams of plutonium
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encapsulated as a plutonium-beryllium neutron source for use in reactor startup; No.2.B.(4)
Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, " Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to possess but not to use, a maximum of 3.2 kilograms of contained uranium at greater than 20% enrichment until the existing inventory of g
high-enriched uranium is removed from the facility.
No.2.C.(2)
-The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment 8, are hereby incorporated in the license. The licensee shall operate the reactor in accordance with these Technical Specifications.
.B.
Technical Specifications Revised By This Order Regarding HEU to LEU Conversion 2.1 Safety Limits
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2.1.3 Specifications The safety limit shall be on the temperature of the fuel element cladding, which shall be less than 1080'F.
2.1.4 Bases The melting temperature of the aluminum used as cladding on the L
fuel elem nts is 1080'F. Therefore, in order to maintain fuel element integrity, the cladding temperature must not exceed 1080'F. As reperted in Section 6.1.2 of " Analyses for Conversion.
of the.Nanhattan College Zero Power Reactor from HEU to LEU Fuei" by J. M5tos,)and K. Freese of Argonne National Laboratory (AHL)
(Reference 1. The maximum cladding temperature that can ever be reached is only 239'F (1H 'C) and reaches this level only during the Maximum Hypothetical Accident. The specification, therefore, provides assurance on the integrity of the fuel within the clariding.
2.2 Limiting Safety System Settbgs (LSSS)
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2-2.2.4 Bases since there is no forced circulation cooling, the reactor core is cooled by the water surrounding the reactor core. Therefore, the only parameter which could be used as a limit for the fuel cladding temperature is the reactor power. The analysis in Referenr.e 1 (see Section 2.1.4 cf TS) shows tht,t even for the Maximum Hypothetical Accident (a reactor power excursion of 183 kilowatts), the maximum cladding temperature reaches only 239'F.(115'C?. This temperature is much lower than the-temperature (1080'F) at which cladding damage could occur.
Therefore, a large safety margin exists between the safety system set point and the cladding safety limit.
5.0 Design Features 5.3.2 Reactor Fuel The fuel portion of the elements consists of six concentric-cylinders formed by mechanically joining and positioning eighteen curved fuel plates within grooves of three spacer webs. The cylindrical fuel plate consists of 0.020 inch-thick U, Si -- Al fuel meat containing uranium enriched to less than 20% ii U-235 and clad on both sides with 0.015 inch of aluminum, making the total fuel plate thickness 0.05 inch. The nominal U-235 content of each full fuel element is 235 grams.
The inner diameter of the innermost cylinder is about 1.25 inches-and the spacing between adjacent cylinders (water channel width) is 0.118 inch.
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