ML20070T402

Forwards Updated Proposal Submitted to NRC to Meet 10CFR50.64 Requirements for Updating Scheduling of Univ of Florida Test Reactor Conversion from High Enriched U to Low Enriched U

ML20070T402
Person / Time
Site:	05000083
Issue date:	03/26/1991
From:	Vernetson W FLORIDA, UNIV. OF, GAINESVILLE, FL
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 9104040160
Download: ML20070T402 (2)

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. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING SCIENCES DEPARTMENT Nuc' lear Reactor Facility University of Florida U.C.Vemetson,Dector - * ,

! NUCuAR reactor lulLDINo * .

-CoherbeJharido 3M11 em poe m.un t.wimm March 26, 1991 Updated Proposal To Meet Requirements of 10 CFR 50.64(c)(2)

Director Office of Nuclear Reactor _ Regulation

-Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington,_D.C. 20555

. Re t University of Florida Training Reactor (UFTR)

Facility License: R-56; Docket No. 50-83 Dear Siri Enclosed is - an -updated proposal ittended to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.64(c)(2). Except for scheduling, this proposal is essentially unchanged from that originally , submitted with a -cover letter dated March 26, 1987 and latar

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revised as to-its schedule pursuant to a request f rom the NRC Project Manager Theodore Michaels dated April 17, 1987. This revised schedule was submitted with cover letters dated May 14, 1987. It is also essentially unchanged from the updated proposals submitted with letters dated Ibech 22, 1988, _ March 27, 1989. and March 27, 1990 except for the revised schedule and the presence of substantive information ca . progress to date including- the decision not to use

.SPERT fuel for conversion.-

The updated written. proposal outlines haw the R-56 licensee intends to meet the requirements of - 10 CFR 50.64_ Paragraph (c)(2) to include certifIcaation that funding for conversion has been received through the Department of Energy for the- first~ phase of the project and a tentative schedule for conversion based upon availability of replacement fuel acceptenbic to the Commission and upon consideration of the availability- of additional funding, shipping casks, implementation.of arrangements.for the available financial support and allowing for commitments of reactor usage. The schedule had - slipped significantly in previous years due to delays in work _to qualify the SPERT. fuel and due to-delays in safety analysis as we awaited code implementation and availability of graduate students for the work. The delays in work with the SPERT fuel were most significant in11988 and 1989 as the SPERT fuel had to be moved, under the SNM-1050-license,-and then various license changes approved prior to initiation-of the qualification work .which was lengthy and subj ec t to several equipment (x-ray machine) failures. The non-destructive testing of the SPERT.

fuel was completed successfully by April, 1989; however, shielding and other structural changes necessitated by use of the SPERT fuel resulted in a decision in August,.1989 to utilize plate-type silicide fuel for the conversion. -With

-this decision made, -work was then- expected to progress more rapidly as the code methodoloogy for safety analyues was being implemented and tested in parallel.

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Letter to Director, NRC J

March 26, 1991 Unfortunately, the decision by the graduate s udent performing this work to leave the university to pursue his degree elsewho e in August, 1989 necessitated essentially restarting the saf ety analysis when a student began work on it for his thesis in early 1990. Although he spent a week at Argunne National Laboratory working with the RERTR group to receive training in the use of thecodes, it etill took time for the student to become proficient in the use of the codes. Unfortunately several flaws in the implemented codes used for the neutronics analysis have also slowed progress though these are now cleared up.

Currently, a student thesis proj ect has resulted in good progress in ausuring neutronica methodology is adequate and the modelling of the existing core is nearly complete lacking only several confirmatory es1culations and calculations to predict changes caused by temperature effects, llowever, only scoping calculations have been completed for the proposed LEU core with the number of fuel plates per bundle not yet set. It is expected that DOE-supplied funding support of this work will be extended beyond April 30, 1991 so this work can be concluded along with basic thermal hydraulic analysis to conclude the required HEU to LEU safety analysis. It is hoped that the individual working on the neutronics analysis will complete his thesio work by September. Atter the number of fuel plates per bundle is set, several thermal hydraulics calculations will be required before the entire package can be assembled for submission to NRC by January, 1992 with the project progressing as predicted in the attached updated proposal.

If further information is needed, please advise. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely.

O2 -

William G. Vernetson Director of Nuclear Facilities WGV/p 7 m Encl. ( L-cc: R. Piciullo Y+):.hs.

Notary Public (

c '.< /.1 Reactor Safety Review Subcommittee l

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