ML20059J904
| ML20059J904 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Iowa |
| Issue date: | 09/12/1990 |
| From: | Murley T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | IOWA STATE UNIV., AMES, IA |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20059J902 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9009210020 | |
| Download: ML20059J904 (8) | |
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w :,. .i UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of )
) Docket No. 50-116 IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY ) Facility Operating License No. R-59 i
)
.(Iowa State University ) Amendment No. 8 Argonant-Type Training Reactor )
ORDER MODIFYING LICENSE I.
Iowe State University (the licensee) is the holder of Facility Operating- :
' i License No. R-59 (the' license) issued on October 16, 1959, and subsequently renewed on Oct0ber 21, 1983, by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commis? ion (the Commission).
The license authorizes operation of the Iowa State University Argonaut-Type
'Trairing Reactor (the facility) at a power level of up to 10 kilowatts (kw)
(theimal), The facility is a training reactor located in Ames, Iowa, a id'is contained in the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory, which is located on the west-2 edge of the main campus of Iowa State University. The mailing address is E Nuclear Engineering Department, Iowa State University, 261 Sweeney Hall, Ames, Iowa 50010.
II.
y On February 25, 1986, the Commission promulgated a final rule in Section 50.64 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) limiting -
the use of high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel in domestic research and test
~ reactors (non power reactors) (see 51 FR 6514). The rule, which became effec-
-tive on March 27,_1986, requires that each licensee of a non-power t eactor replace HEU-fuel _at its-facility with low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel acceptable 9009210o20 90o912 PDR ADOCK0500g6 P-
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.I to the Commission (1) unless the Commission has determined that the reactor has a unique purpose and (2) contingent upon Federal Governtrent funding for !
conversion-related costs. -l The rule is intended to promote the common defense .- I I
and security.by reducing the risk of theft and diversion of HEU fuel used in !
A non-power reactors and the adverse consequences to public health and safety and ;
tSe environment f rom such thef t or diversion.
Sections 50.64(b)(2)(i) and (ii) require that a licensee of a non power ~j 1
reactor (1) not initiate acquisition of additional HEU fuel, if LEU fuel that is I
' acceptable to the Commission for that reactor is available when the licensee
. proposes that acquisition, and (2) replace all HEU fuel'in its possession with available LEU fuel accepteble to the Commission for that reactor, in accordance with ( schedule determined pursuant to 10 CFR 50.64(c)(2).
Section 50.64(c)(2)(i) of the rule, among other things, requires each licensee of a non power reactor, authorized to possess and to use HEU fuel, to 1 develop and to submit to the rirector of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (Direct'or) by March 27, 1997, and at 12-month intervals thereafter, a written: proposal (proposal) for meeting the rule's -requirements.
Section 50.64(c)(2)(i) also requires the licensee-to include the following in its' proposal: (1) a certification that Federal Government funding for conversion is available through the U.S. Department of Energy l(DOE) or another i LappropriateFederal agency and (2) a schedule for. conversion, based upon '
availability of fuel l acceptable to the. Commission for that reactor and upon conside?ation of other factors such as the availability of shipping casks, i implementation of arrangements for the available financial support, and reactor usage.
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.Section 50.64(c)(2)(iii) requires the licensee to ir.clude in its proposal, 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 t
' changes hereafter called modifications). This paragraph also requires the licensee to provide supporting safety analyses so as to meet the schedule established for conversion.
Section 50.64(c)(2)(iii) also requires the director of the Commission's Office of' Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) to review the ' licensee's proposal, to conf'rm the status of Federal Government funding, and to determine a final schedule, if the licensee has submitted a schedule for conversion. *
.Section 50.64(:)(3) requires'the Director of NRR to review the licensee's !
supporting safety analyses and to issue an appropriate enforcement order directing both the conversion and, to the extent consistent with protecting i the public health and safety, any necessary modifications. In the statement.of considerations of the final rule, the Commission explained that in most cases, if not all, the enforcement order would be an order to modify the license under
-10 CFR 2.204 (see 51 FR 6514).
Section 2.204 prov' ides, among other things, that the Commission may modify ,
a licelise by . i>>uing 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 amendment will become effective on the expiration of. this 20-day-or-longer C
period. -If the licensee requests a hearing during this period, the amenament-will become effective on the date specified in an order made after the hearing. '
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y 4-Section 2.714 states the requirements for a person whose interest may be affected by any proceeding to initiate a hearing or to participate as a party. U III.
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On November 28, 1988, the : rector of NRR received the licet.see's proposal, j including-its proposed modifications, supporting safety analyses, and schedule for conversien. The conversion consists of replacement of high-enriched with .[
low-enriched uranium fuel elements. The fuel elements contain materials testing reactor (MTR)-type fuel plates, with the fuel meat in the form uf uranium silicides dispersed in an alueinum matrix, :These plates contain an R enrichment.of less than 20 percent with the.U-235 isotope. The Attachment to 3
, this Order includes the changes to the licensing ec.iditions and technical t
specifications that are needed to amend the facility license. Based on the ;
licensee's'submittals and the requirements of 10 CFR 50.64, I'have determined !
g that the public health and safety and the common defense and security require the licensee to convert the facility from the'use of HEU to LEU fuel pursuant j.
to the modifications stated-in the Attachment in accordance with the schedule- S included herein following.
i IV. i Accordingly, pursuant tc _ Sections 51, 53, 57, 101, 104, 161b., 1611., and' j 1610. of the Atomic Energy A - oi 1954, as amended, and to the Commissions j I . e . g On the later date of either receipt of low-enriched uranium fuel elements 4
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M-by the licensee or,30 days-following the date of publication of this Order in !
the' FEDERAL' REGISTER-Facility Operating License No. R-59 is modified:by amending the iicense conditions and technical specifications as stated in the '
-Attachment to this Order.
V.
Pursuant to the Atomic in'irgy Act of 1954, as amended, the licensee 'or any ;
other person adversely affectec 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 }
the' Director, Office of- Nucleer Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear. Regulatory 3 Commission,' Washington, D.C.
20555, with a copy to the Assistant General i
Counsel for Hearings and. Enforcement at the same address. If a person.other N
-than:the licensee requests a hearing, that person shall set forth with!
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particularity in accordance with 10 CFR 2.714 the manner in which the person's interest is adversely affected by this Order. '
E' If.a hearing is requested by _the 'icensee or a person whose interest is i Jedversely affected, the Commission shall issue an order designating the time and place of any hearing. If a' hearing is' held, the issue to be considered at- I 1
i such hearings is whether this Order should be sustained. l j
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i This Order shall become effective on the later date of either the 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 or, if a hearing is requested,'on the date specified in an order following further proceedings on this Order.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Thomas E. Murley, Direc _ _
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 12l day of September 1990 Attachments:
As stated- ,
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- 0 7 ATTACHMENT YO ORDER MODIFYING FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-59 A. License Conditions Revised and Added By This Order No. 2.B.2. Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, " Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to receive, possess, and use (a) up to 4.6 kilograms of contained uranium-235 enriched to less than 20% in the form of fuel elements, (b) 15 grams of uranium-235 in fission counters, (c)-16 grams of plutonium-and a Pu-Be neutron source, all for use in connection with
' operation of the reactor.
No. 2.B.3. Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 30, " Rules of General Applicability to Domestic Licensing of Byproduct Material,"
and Part 70 " Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material,"
to possess, but not to separate, such byproduct and special nuclear materials as may be produced by the operation of the facility.
No. 2.B.4. .Parsuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70,." Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to possess.but not to use, a maximum of 4.6 kilograms of contained uranium at greater than 20% enrichment until the existing inventory of 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 59 ifications Revised By This Order Regarding HEU to LEU Conversion
, t 1.0 DEFINITIONS DELAYED NEUTRON FRACTION - When converting between absolute-and dollar-value reactivity units,~ a_ beta of. 0.00763 is used.
2.1.4 Bases
... Even if boiling did occur, the maximum critical heat flux ratio (critical heat flux divided by the maximum heat flux in the core) is so large (on the order of 1000) that damage to the-cladding would be unlikely.
3.1.3. Specifications B. The minimum shutdown margin provided by control rods in the reference core condition shall not be less than 0.35% Ak/k.
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3.1.4 : Bases
... The safety system response is assumed to result in the minimun shutdown margin 0.35% Ak/k, being supplied.by rapidly inserted safety-type control rods, assuming the roa with the greatest worth is not available...
5.1 Site and Facility Description
... The reactor, a model.UTR-10, was installed and first operated-in 1959. It is fueled with uranium enriched to approximately 19.75% in the U-235 isotope, moderated and cooled with light water, reflected with grap:.ite, and operates at a maximum thermal power of 10 kilowatts...
- 5. 3 Reactor Core, Fuel and Safety System Fuel Reactor fuel is contained in aluminum-clad flat plates, similar to argonaut-type fuel. Fuel meat is U Si enriched to 19,75% in the.
U-235-isotope,dispersedinaluminu$tb,achieveauraniumdensity of 3.47 g/cc. The fuel meat,~0,51 mm thick, is clad with 0.38 mm aluminum. Each fuel plate contains 12.5 grams of U-235. The. core contains 12 assemblies each with approximately 24 fuel plates depending upon the measured critical configuration. Solid aluminum plates and assemblies with missing fuel plates, for experimental purposes, are used to adjust the core fuel loading for the licensed excess reactivity of 0.50% ok/k. (Ref: Drawing.
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