ML20042D436

Application for Amend to License R-103,increasing Matl Possession Limit to 60 Kg U-235.Criticality Aspects of Fuel Storage Not Changed by Requested Amend

ML20042D436
Person / Time
Site:	University of Missouri-Columbia
Issue date:	12/26/1989
From:	Mckibben J, Meyer W MISSOURI, UNIV. OF, COLUMBIA, MO
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 9001090140
Download: ML20042D436 (6)

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, /l[ UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA f Telepho 84 bX

December 26,~ 1989 4'

' Director ' f Nuclear' Reactor Regulation

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' y,: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissio'n ATTENTION: Document Control Desk 4

' MallnStation P1137

, Washington, DC = 20555' y

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REFERENCE:

' Docket 150186 L

" University'of Missouri Research. Reactor.

~

SUBJECT:

L. : Requested Change to University of Missouri Research 1

Reactor Facility L'::ense No R 103 H

Dear Sir:

0:

N The University of Missouri Rese

.eactor (MURR) requests approval of an amendment to lmake.the following revision;tc.

ility Operating License. Number R 103:

<21$.(2)

_s Pursuant to the' Acts

,FR Part 70," Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear

. Material,"1to' rece'

,ss, and use up to 60 kilograms of contained uranium 235, providing that are than 5 kilograms of this amount be unitradiated; up

- 10.80 grams of plutonium-berylliam' neutron source; up to 20 grams of plutonium 239 in the form of sheets enclosed in aluminum for use in connection l

with' operation of the reactor; and up to 40 grams of plutonium enriched to 90%

. plutonium-242 in the form of a rod sealed in a stainless steel can for use in i

1 connection'with operation of the reactor.-

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.This paragraph includes two changes to the present license:

1 ).

20.5 kilograms of unirradiated uranium 235 becomes 5 kilograms, which is l

~ : consistent with license paragraph 3.C., our Physical Security Plan requirement.

This is requested to be a permanent change to t5e license, ik,

'2 ) : 45 kilograms of possessed uranium 235 becomes 60 kilograms. This is requested

to be a temporary change in effect until January 1,1992. If spent fuel is shipped before this date, MURR will apply for a license amendment to retum the possession limit to ~ 45'. kilograms.

The reason for this request to increase the possession limit to 60 kilograms is the sudden

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withdrawal from service in October 1989 of the GE-700 spent fuel cask. We had arranged with

, General Electric in mid 1989 to use that cask for two spent fuel shipments in October. We are

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preparing an application to have the BMI 1 cask, owned by Cintichem, Inc., certified for m

shipment of MURR spent fuel. When this application wil! be approved is uncertain.

9001090140 891226

-9' PDR ADOCK 05000186 P

PDC COLUMBIA KANSAS CITY ROLLA ST. LOUIS fo2o an =* oppon.uy nne i

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- D'irector of Nuclear Reactor Regulation e

December 26, 1989

- page 2 n

The attached graphs show the past four year history of SNM U 235 possession, and two projections for 1990. The projected graph for 1990, assuming no increase in the 45 kg limit, o

- Fig.1(C), shows that in April, June, and October, we will be able to receive only two new fuel elements Instead of the. usual shipments of four. A planned shipment in August will have to be totally cancelled.

MURR cores are made at least each week, and consist of a mix of low and high burnup fuel elements. A typical core has 600 620 MWD (Megawatt Days) at startup and receives 60 65 4

- MWD during the week. By late summer or fall of 1990, the reduced receipt of new elements will make it difficult or impossible to make such weekly cores, and maintain the strong MURR operating record upon which a broad range of nationally significant research programs, ir.cluding neutron scattering, neutron activation analysis, and medical radioisotope production, depend.

The projected graph for 1990, assuming a temporary increase to the 45 kg limit, Fig. 2, shows l

that if we receive 24 new elements and do not ship spent fuel in 1990, our U 235 possession could reach 55 kg. Considering the uncertain time to got the BMI1 cask certified for MURR, we might not be able to ship spent fuel until 1991 We have sufficient fuel element storage positions to ieceive 24 elements in 1990 Beginning in 1991, we may have to arrange for temporsiy storage of spent fuel in our pool, perhaps 5000 grams of U 235, to continue receiving new elements. Therefore, we believe a 60 kg limit is necessary to assure mainialning our 150 hr/wk operation througi; the next 12 years, if we did not ship spent fuel until January,1992, the two elements with the longest decay time then (1050 days) would be self protecting with a dose rate of about 1400 R/hr at three feet from an element. In fact, such elements with 145 MWD of burnup are self protecting (> 100

. R/hr at 3 feet) for well over ten years.

These changes to the license will not require changes in the Physical Security Plan for MURR.

Criticality aspects of fuel storage at MURR are not changed by the requested amendment.

We respectfully request an expedient review of this application for relief from a situation not caused by MURR. If there are any questions, please call Roland Hultsch (314 882 5205) or me (314 882 5204).

Si corely, Walt A. Meyer, Jr.

Reactor Manager hl%

0 J. C. McKibben Associate Director

- Attachments State of iilssouri County of Boone )

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 26th day of December, 1989.

My Commission expires:

February 21, 1991, d___%2 Mra z

Notary Public - Sharon Wesselman

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2) 24._new elements received l

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3) No spent fuel shipments

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