ML20085D769
| ML20085D769 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | MIT Nuclear Research Reactor |
| Issue date: | 10/11/1991 |
| From: | Bernard J MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CAMBRIDGE |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9110170134 | |
| Download: ML20085D769 (10) | |
Text
{{#Wiki_filter:_ __ _ _________-___ __ _____________________- _______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ . _ - _ _ _ - _ _ _ - e
. ,* ,.,a m s
/ ' ?, NUCLEAR REACTOR LABORATORY j AN INT ERDEPARTMENTAL CENTER OF MASSACHUSET1S INS 1l TUT E OF T ECHNOLOGY
$((
b O K HARLING 138 Alba"y Street Camtevige. Maa 02139 429f. J A Bf HNARD. J4 precto, Telef ai No 1017,2537DD Daector of Roactor Operations leier No 92 1473 MITCAM let No 3617) 25).4202/421t October 11,1991 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555 ATIN: Document Contml Desk
Subject:
SNM Possession Limit, License No. R 37, Docket No. 50-20 Gentlemen: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology hereby submits an application to amend its Facility Operating License No. R 37. The requested amendment is for a continuation of the temporary increase in the possession limit for uranium 235 in paragraph 2B(2) of the license from 29 kilograms to 41 kilograms that was approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as Amendment No. 25 dated 11 December 1989. The reason for this request is, as discussed in the enclosed analysis, the continued unavailability of a shipping cask for the transfer of spent fuel off site. Once a shipping cask is available and once we are able to ship out our inventory of spent fuel, the authorized possession limit will reven to 29 kilograms. This request has bet.n reviewed and approved by the MIT Reactor Safeguards Committee. Sincerely,
<% q b-John A. Bernard, Ph.D./
}
Director of Reactor Operations MIT Research Reactor JAB /gw
Enclosure:
Safety Review #0-91 18 cc: MITRSC (with enckwure) USNRC - Region 1 Chief, Reacta Projects Section No. 3A USNRC - Region 1 Reactor Engineer, Reactor Projects Sectk>n No. 3A USNRC - Screior Resident inspector, Pilgrirn Nuclear Station USNRC - Project Manager, Standardization and Non-Power Reactor Project Directorate USNRC - Regica 1 - Chief, ! Efnuents Radiation Protection Branch d n[S
- s. ~
0110170134 911011 ' l , DR ADOCK 0500 g 1 _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 1
Safety Review #-0-91 18 Description of Chance Amendment No.11 to Facility Operating License No. R 37 for the hiassachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (h11TR) was ap? roved and issued by the U.S. Nuclear 'tegulatory Commission on 17 November 1975 [1. . That amendment authorized the possession and use of 29 kg of U 235. In 1989, because of the unavailability of a cask for the shipment of spent fuel, the hi!TR Staff requested a temporary increase in the U 235 possession limit. In response to that request and after detailed review of the accompanying safety analysis, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued Amendment No. 25 to License No. R 37 on i1 December 1989 [2]. Dat amendment authorized a temporary increase in the U 235 possession limit to 41 kg subject to the proviso that the possession limit revert to the origmal 29 kg figure on 1 January 1992 At the time it was felt that the two years afforded by the amendment would be more than adequate for obtaining a cask and shipping sxnt hilTR fuel off-site. Ilowever, political factors that are beyond the control of hilt, the research reactor community as a whole, and the USNRC have continued to prevent any suitable shipping cask from bcing made available [31 Accordingly, a funher extension of the temporary in:rease to 41 kg in the hilTR's U 235 possessior limit is requested to 1 January 1994. Proposed Wordine of Chances Paragraph 2.B(2)(a) of License No. R 37 should be amended to resd: (a) The limit for possession, r:ccipt, and use of contained uranium 235 is temporarily increased to 41 kilograms of which not more than 1.6 kilograms may be in an unirradiated state until January 1,1994, for the purpose of l maintaining uninterrupted reactor operation pending the establishment of a capability for the off site shipment of spc-t fuel and the actual shipment of the spent fuel accumulated pnor to the establishment of that capability. All other provisions of paragraph 2.B(2) would remain unchanged. Safety Analysis The safety analysis that was submitted in support of the request for license amendment No. 25 remams valid and is included in its entuety as Appendix A to this safety review. Its reference number is SR #0-89-5. The following supplemental information is provided to update that safety analysis: (a) ne total inventory of U 235 on site is currently less than 41 kg and is projected, under current operating schedules, to remain les., than 41 kg through 1 January 1994. (b) The inventory of unirradiated U-235 is less than 1.6 kg. (hilTR policy is to maintain it at zero to the maximum extent practicable.) (c) here is more than enough space for the storage of the spent fuel that will be accumulated fmm now until 1 January 1994. (d) Spent fuel that is currently in storage has been verified by measurement to be above the criterion for self protection, hioreover, the rate of radioactive SR #-0-91-18 OCT 081991
. .t 2 i
decay of that fuel's fission products is such that it will remain self- l pmtecting at least through 1 January 1994. ) Given the findin;;s of the original safety analysis (MITR SR #0-89 5 dated 01/23/89; see Appendix A) anc the above supplemental infomtation, it is concluded that no unreviewed safety question is associated with this request. References [1] Amendment No.11 to Facility Operating License No. R 37 issued 17 November 1975. [2] Amendment No. 25 to Facility Operating License No. R-37 issued 11 December 1989. I 13] Letter from Victor Stello, Jr., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Facilities, , Defense Programs, Department of Energy to John A. Bernard, Chairman National Organization of Test, Research, and Training Reactors dated 17 September 1991. Copies of the above three references am provided in Appendix B to this safety review. SR #-0-91-18 OCT 081991
f Appendix A MITR Safety Review #0 89-5 3 0
- ._ , _ ._._m .- , , , , - . _ , _- _ _~ .. . - . . - y . - - . - ,o.
. ?
Pg. 1 of 6 Safety Review #0-89-5 SNM Possess!on Limit for License R-37 (Docket 50-20) The objective of this analysis is to provide inf ormat ion in sap-fort of the request by the Massachuse'ts Institute of Technology to amend its yacility Operating License IN, . R-37 no that the possession limit for uranium *235 f ts paragraph 2B(2) of the license is increased from 29 kilog r ams to 45 kilograms, as originally allowed. This requested change would be temporary and would remain in ef fect only until it has been possible to ship out our inventory of spent fuel.
Background
Amendment No. 10 to the Facility Operating License No. R-37 for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR) was approved and issued by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission on 23 July 1975 (1). That amendment, among other things, authorized the possession and use of 45 kilograms of uranium-235. The UJNRC requested by letter on 29 Aug. 1975 [2] that MIT voluntarily request a license amendment to reduce its possession limit for uranium-235 to the " lowest acceptable quantity" or LAQ. The LAQ was defined by the USNRC to be "the amount necessary to sustain current operations and thuse proj ect ed for the immediate future, i.e., 12 months". Given that the MITR had at that time recently completed a major modification and was beginning a new type of fuel cycle, it was very difficult to estimate the LAQ. Nevertheless, MIT did so and by its letter of 25 Sept. 1975 (3) requested that its SNH possession limit be reduced to 29 kilograms. This request, which was subsequently approved by the USNRC, was based on the following considerations: (a) Unirradiated fuel would be ordered in batches of about 27 fuel elements. This fuel would be stored off-site with only the minimum required to f acilitate refuelings being brought on-site. The amount on-site would always be less than a formula-quantity. (b) The r'Uctor core would operate with 26 elements. (c) The reactor's fuel management program would maximize burnup by cycling elements through each of the core's three rings. Hence, at any given time 25 partially-burned elements would probably be in storage awaiting reuse. (d) The burnup per element would average 251. (e) Shipments of spent fuel would consist of 28 elements each and be made whenever that many spant elements were accumu-lated. Using these assumptions, it was estimated in 1975 that the MITR's fuel inventory would peak at 35 kilograms in 1981. A possession limit of 29 kilograms was requested with the understanding that MIT would, once some operating experience was obtained with the new fuel cycle, "re-evaluate its requirements on the basis of operating exp.rience and SR #-0-89-5 J AN 23 1989 1
t
?
4 Pg. 2 of 6 ; subsequently request an increase above 29 kilograms if necessary". On 17 Nov. 1975, Amendment No. Il to the Facility Operating i license was issued. . As noted, it reduced the allowed inventory of ! contained U-235 to 29 Kg [4]. ! Operat ine Experience with Fuel Cycle The MITR's fuel management program has been extremely successful. The salient features ares i (a) Unitradiated fuel is ordered, inspected for cotapliance with quality assurance requirements, and installed in the core. MITR. policy is to keep the ir.ventory of f ree 4 fuel at zero to the maximum extent possible. Fresh fuel is ordered only l when needed. ' (b) The reactor core operates with 24 or 15 elements. (c) There are frequently as many as 27 partially-spent fuel ele-monts awaiting reuse. e (4) The burnup per element averaged 40-43% for the original 445 gram MITR' elements made by Gulf Atomic. It is averaging 35-371_for-the more heavily loaded 506 gram HITR elements that : are now in use. These were made by Al and more recently by l Babcock & Wilcox. i (e) Shipments of spent fuel have not been possible becauce of the lack of a suitable cask. Other relevant information is thats (f) The reactor normally generates 875 MVD of energy per operat-ing year. Assuming 1.25 grams of_U-235 per HVD, the reactor therefore consumes about 1100 grams of uranium-235 per year. This-is slightly more than the equivalent of two fresa 506 gram MITR fuel elements. (Note: In terms of actual fuel elements, this amounts to a - discharge rate of [(875 HVD) (1.25 gr/NWD)]/[(0.35)(506 gr/ element)] or 6.2 elements per year when at equilibrium.
.(g) The actual rate of addition of fresh fuel ' elements to the
. core is shown in Table One.
(h) The MITR's core is reactivity, not burnup-limited. . Fuel-Manatement Policy The MIT Research Reactor's-core is a hexagon consisting of three , rings which are labeled 'A', 'B', and 'C'. The 'A' ring is che center l one and contains three element positions. The 'B' ting is the inter- ' mediate one with nino positions. The 'C' ring is the outer one with fifteen positions. The standard fuel management plan calls fors , SR #-0-89-5 JAN 23 1989 l i
i Pg. 3 of 6 Table One Pate of f nt reduct ion of Fresh Element a to MITR Cora Year # Fresh Elements introduced 1918 8 1979 8 1980 4 1981 8 ! 1982 10 1983 9 1984 7 1985 3 1986 0 1987 3 1988 3 SR #-0-89-5 J AN 23 1989 . - - , . .._, ,-- . - - . ~
Pg. 4 of 6
~
i (a) Insertion of fresh fuel in the A or B-rir'gs where the power peaking is least. (b) Placement of partially spent fuel that has been removed from the A or B-rings in te".corary storage. (c) Once sufficient pattially-spent fuel has accumulated, it is placed in the C-ring where the peaking is more severe because of the surrcunJing heavy water reflector. Fuel depletion is maximized by rotating elements in place to negate radial gradient. and by inverting element a te negato axial ones. De-tails are given in [5,6). As noted, this policy has been extremely successful. In particular, average fuel burnups of 178-190 grams per element for all types of H1'lR fuel have been obtained wh!1e still observing the technical specification limit on fission density. In fact, this policy waa so successful that is was assumed that the 29 Kg limit would be acceptable and that the originally forecasted need to revise it upwards to 35 Kg or more would not be necessary. Of course, all this presupposed the capability to ship out spent fuel. As the Commission is aware, the U.S. Department of Energy sought to make the MH-1A shipping cask available to the research reactor com-munity for the shipment of s po r.t fuel. The HIT Research Reactor assumed that this cask would in fact be available and predicated its fuel management plans accordingly. Starting in 1985, the MH-1 A Lehed-ule began to slip. Accordingly, the MITR-II's fuel policy was adjust-ed. This is evident from Table One which shows a marked decrease in the number of f resh eleiuents received for that and subsequent years. Instead of relying on the insertion of fresh fuel to provide suffi-cient reactivity, the inventory of partially spent elements was drawn down. The U.S. Department of Energy repeatedly tried to obtain license approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the MH-1A. Each time additional questions were generated and each time there was a further delay. Accordingly, the HITR policy of acceler-ated reuse of partially spent fuel was continued. In retrospect, this was unwise but repeated assurances wtre given of the cask's ultimate availability. Late in 1988, MIT was informed that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission had again denied a license for the MH-1 A cask and that no further ef forts would be made to license it. The MIT Reeearch Reactor then initiated contact with General Electric for use of the GE-700 cask. I Current Situation Renardina yuel Supplies The HIT Research Reactor currently has about 27.7 kg of SNH on site. Therefore, under the present license limit of 29 Kg, only one additional element can be brought in. Also, the inventory of partial-ly spent fuel has been reduced to eight elements, four of which will be reinserted within the core during the next month. Accordingly, un-less additional fresh fuel can be brought in, it will not be possible to continue reactor operation for more than four-sir months. (The exact figure depends on experiment schedules and 16 difficult to determine precisely.) The earliest date for which use of the GE-700 cask can be expected is September 1987. Hence, the Massachusetts SR #-0-89-5 JAN 23 1989
Pg. 5 of 5 Institute of Technology is hereby requesting a temporary increase in 1 the SNH possession limit. Specifically, it is requested that the possession limit for uranium-235 in paragraph 2B(2) of racility Operating License No. R-37 be increased f rom 39 Kg to 45 Kg as was originally allowed under HITR License Amendment No. 10. MIT would, of course, strive to maintain its inventory as low as possible and would order fresh fuel only as needed to maintain uninterrupted reactor operation. Also, this request is temporary. The possession limit would revert to 29 Kg once the reactor's spent fuel was shipped. (Note: It is currently estimated that this will require three separate shipments in the CE-700 cask. The temporary increase would therefore probably have to remain in effect through the remainder of 1989 and possibly part of 1990.) A11uments Supportina a Temporary increase in the Possession Limit (a) HIT received a uran'.um-235 possession limit of 45 Kg on 23 July 1975 as part ol Amendment No. 10 to Facility Operating License No. R-37. (b) HIT voluntarily requested a reduction in its possession lim-it to 29 Kg on 25 Sept. 1975. No safety system er safety-related procedure or re2ulatory requirement was relaxed or eliminated as a result of this reduction. (c) Several safety improvements relative to the storage of fuct have been made at HIT since 1975. Physical security, never a problem, has been increased in accordance with revised NRC regulations. The criticality analyses of all fuel storage locations were redone using the latest calculational methods. The results which confirmed the safety aspects of the fuel's storage were . reported to the NRC in License Amendment No. 21 to Facility Operating License No. R-37. (d) Storage f acilities for spent fuel are well below capacity. Also, the fuel in those faci 11tles is well above the self-protection guideline. (e) The proposed increase will be temporary. (f) No changes will be needed or made to procedures for fuel receipt, Q/A, storage, handling, or security as a result of this request. (g) No unreviewed safety question exists because this limit (45 Kg) was previously in effect. Since receipt of that approv-al, only conservative changes have buen made that affent any facet of the handling of fresh fuel. In particular, (1) There is no increase in the probability of occurrence or the consequences of an accident that was previously evaluated. In particular, the requirements of HITR Technical Specification 3.10 concerning the security. l storage, and handling of unirraciated fuel remain un-changed. SR #-0-89-5 JAN 23 1989
Pg. 6 of 6 (11) No new type of accident is created. (iii) No margin of safety as defined in any technical spect-fication is decreased. A Proresed Verding of Change If approved, it is proposed that Facialty License No. R-37 be amended by revising in its entirety paragraph 2.B(2) thereof to read as follows: (2) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR tart 70, "Special Nuclear Haterial", to receive, possess, and use in connection with operation of the reactor up to 29 kilograms of contained uran turn-235 and 2 one-curie plut on turn-be ryllium neutron sources subject to the following exceptions (a) The limit for possession, receipt, and use of contain-ed uranium-235 may be exceeded on a temporary basis for the purpose of maintaining uninterrupted reactor operation pending the establishment of a capability for the off-site shipment of spent fuel and the actual shipment of the spent fuel accumulated prior to the establishment of that capability. In no case shall the possession li Att exceed 45 Kg. The Facility shall, as part of its annual re porting requirements, report the status of the establishment of the shipping capability and other activities relevant to the use of this temporary increase in the possession limit. References [1] Amendment No. 10 to Facility Operating License R-37. [2} USNRC letter to Mr. L. C1stk. Jr. dated 29 Aug. 1975. [3] HITR letter to USNRC dated 25 Sept. 1975. [4} Amendment No. 11 to Facility Operating License R-37. [5] Bernard, J.A., Lanning, D.D., and L. Clark, Jr., "Use of Element Rotation / Inversion to increase MITR-II Fuel Depletion," Transactions of the Amerteas Nuclear Society, Vol. 38, Suppl. 1 Aug. 1981, pp 17-18. [6] Bernard, J.A., Kwok, K.S., Lanning, D.D., and L. Clark, J r. ,
" Calculational Procedures Used to F.xtend HITR-II Fuel Burnup,"
Transactions of (he t.merican Nuclear Society, Vol. 44, Suppl. 1 Aug. 1983, pp 14-15. Copies of all references are attached. SR #-0-89-5 JAN 23 1989
l . I UNITED $f ATEs NUCLE AR REGULATORY cOMMIS$10N rv ASHINo T oN. o. C. 20566 ggL & 3 u0 Docket No. 50-20 Massachusetts Institute of Technology ATTN: Mr. Lincoln Clark, Jr. Director 138 Albany Street Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Gentlement i The Commission has issued Amendment No. 10 to Facility Operating License No. R 37 for the Masrachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR). The amendment revises the license in its entirety. The Technical Specifications which are incorporated in the license have also been revised in their entirety, and have been designated Change No.13 to the Technical Specifications. This action is in accordance with your application dated November 18, 1970 and supplements thereto. The significant changes in the amended license are to authorize (1) operation of the modified reactor, (2) the possession and use of an additional 27.5 kilograms of t.ranium 235, and (3) the possession and use of 2 one-curie plutonium-beryllium neutron sources. The Commission's staff has evaluated the potential for environmental impact associated with operation of the MITR in the proposed manner. From this evaluation, the staff has detemined that there will be no significant environmental impact attributable to the proposed action. Having made this determination, the Commission has further concluded, prusuant to 10 CFR Part 51, Section $1.5(c)(1) that no environmental impact statement need be prepared for this action. Copies of the related Negative Declaration,which is being filed with the Office of the Federal Register for publication, and the Environmental Impact Appraisal are enclosed. Also enclosed are ecpies of the Safety Evaluation and the Federal Register Notice of Issuance of Amended Facility License. Sincerely, Georg e LeaM& Chief Operating Reactors Branch #3
# *h Division of Reactor Licensing a
- g g ) a wR( y.
or ,,,p j -{q~ c < n3 - c h).-
Mr. 1.incoln clark -2 .VL 0 31975 i
Enclosures:
l
- 1. Amendment No. 10
- 2. Negative Declaration 3.. Environmental Impact' Appraisal :
- 4. Safety Evaluation
- 5. Federal Register Notice e
t I
?
9 f r 1 I t i 5 h t
~w--vm,__,,
UNif tD ST t.it t NUCLf AR RECULATO7Y C O'.'J.t $ $ l t> N W A $ M t O G i o *. o r l'.$tl UNITED STATES :.TCLEAR PlCUI.ATORY COMMISSION DOCKET No. 50-20 MASSACHUSEUS I::STITUTE OF TECIC:0 LOGY
. AMENDED TACILITY OPEPATII:C LICE:SE Amendment No. 10 License No. R-37
- 1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Coccission) hrs found that:
A. The application for license filed by by !!assachusetts Institute of Technology (the ifcensee) complies with the standards and requirenents of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Comission's rules and regulations set forth in 10 CTR Chapter I; B. Construction of the facility has been substantially completed with Construction Permits !:os. CPFI-$ and CPRR-118, and the applicar. ion, as amended, the provibiens of the. Act and the rules and regulations of the Commicsion; C. The facility will operate in conformity with the applica-tion, as amended, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission; D. There is reasonable assuranct (i) that the activitics authorized by this operating ifcense can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activitfes will be conducted in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Con: mission; E. The licensee is technically and financially qualified to engage in the activities authorized by this operating license in accordar.ce with the rules and regulations of the Conunission; F. The !!assachusetts Institute of Technology is a nonprofit educational institute and will use the facility for the conduct of educational research and development activities. The applicant is therefore except from the financial protection requirenent of subsection 170a of the Act;
#7' g q- , G$
G jkk e AG
\w.?ld
.# gp y 3(,
l
-2 C.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has executed an indemnity agreement which satisfies the requirements of 10 CFR Part 140; H. The issuance of this operating license will not be inimical to the com=on defense and security or to the health and safety of the publici and I. The receipt, possession, and use of byproduct and special nucicar material as authorized by this license will be in accordance with the Commission's regulations in 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70 (including Sections 30.33, 70.23 and 70.31). 2. Facility Operating License No. R-37 issued to the Massachusetts Institute read of Technology is hereby amended in its entirety to as follows: A. This license applies to the light-water cooled, heavy-water reficcted tank-type nuclear reactor (herein "the facility" or "the reactor") which is ovned by the Hassachusetts Institute of Technology (herein "MIT") and located on MIT's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and described in the application dated February 20, 1954, and subsequent amendments thereto, including the application dated November 18, 1970 and amendments thereto including the amendment dated June 2, 1975 (herein "the application"). B. Subject to the conditions and r: , the Commission hereby licenses b'.fi rements incorporated herein, (1) Pursuant to Sections 104a. and c. of the Act and 10 CFR Part 50, " Licensing of Production and Utiliza-tion Facilities", to possess, use and operate the reactor as a utilization facility at the designated location on the MIT's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in accordance with the procedures and limitations described in the application and in this license (2) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, "Special Nuclear Material", to receive, possess and use in connection with operation of the reactor up to 45 kilograms of contained uranium 235 and 2 one-curie plutonium-beryllium neutron' sources; (3) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 30, " Rules of General Applicability to Licensing of Byproduct Materials", to possess sud use a 150-curie antimony-beryllium sealed neutron source in connection with operation of the reactor; and
U . 4 g
)
3 1 1 (4) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70, to possess, but not separate, such byproduct material ' and special nuclear material as may be produced by operation of the reactor. .
-C. This lleense shall be-deemed to contai and is subject to the i conditions specified in the folleving Cc mission regulations !
in 10 CFR Chapter It . Part 20, Section-30.34 of.Part 30, ! Sections 50.54 t ui 50.59 of Part 50 and sectior. 70.32 of ' Part 70; is sub3 act to all applicable provisions of the Act and1to the rules regulations and orders of the Commission now or. hereaf ter in effect, and is subject to the additional-conditions specified or incorporated below t (1) . MIT _is authorized to operate the reactor at steady 5 atate power levels up to 5 megawatts (thermal). - (2) Technical Specifications Y The Technical Specif' stions contained in Appendix A (designated Change No.13) are hereby incorporated in the licenso. The-11censeo shall-operate the reactor in accordance with these Technical Specifications. !!o changes shall be made in the Technical Specificatior.s unicss authorized by the Commission as provided in Section 50.59 of 10 CTR Part 50. D. This amended license is effective as of'its date of issuance and shall expire at midnight, May 7,1996. - i FOR Tile NUCLEAR PIGULATORY COTIISSION , Karl R. Coller, Assistant Director for Operating Reactors Division of-Reactor Licer.2ing
' Attachment -
Technical Specifications
-(Change No. 13) s-
~
, Date of Issuanent JUL 3 3 '475
~
^
, w, n ,N,n , , s y , m,,:v- .-. &, ,,m.-,,. . , , r e v, y -,-emew,--,wn,.w-,v.--v.,,.n,,.w., :.,v. ne..w,. e , -,
~
~*
, i UNITED ST ATES 2 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMWS$10N W ASHINoToN, D c 20655
)
Docket No. 50-20 ' AUG t 81975 Massachusetts Institute of Technology ATIN: Mr. Lincoln Clark, Jr. Director 138 Albany Street Cambridge, Massa.:husetts 02139 Centlemen: RE: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH REACTOR Your utilization f acility license authorizes you to possess special nuclear material -(SNM) of a type and amount that exceeds the " threshold" quantity ' defined by 10 CFR Part- 73, 173.1(b) (copy enclosed). It is our objective th2t the' amount of SNM that facility licensees are authorized to possess I rnd the amount that they actually possess be consistent and furthermore , that these amounts be reduced to the " lowest acceptable quantity". This
" lowest acceptable quantity" is iefined as the amount necessary to sustain current operations and those projected for the immediate future, i.e.,
12 ronths. Therefore, we request that you review your requircecats for SNM and provide adequate justification for the " lowest acceptable quantity" for your facility as defined above, If the amount of SNM currently authorized by your license is greater than the " lowest acceptable cuantity" for your f acility, then you should submit a request for a license amendment to reduce the authorized > amount to that quantity. We ask that your response to this request, including an. application (or a_licanse amend %nt, if appropriate , be submitted within 30 days f rom the date of this letter. This request for generic information was approved by GAO under a blanket clearance number B-180225 (R0072); this clearance expires July 31, 1977. Sincerely, George Lear, Chief
/ Operating Reactors Branch #3 Division of Reactor Licensing 4
Enclosure:
Copy of 10 CFR Part 73 173.1(b)
~hm: .:. m ao SEP ( 1975 MTREACTOR 3x #'
n' J~ s- : ..:::c, Q[yy( '\ (
8 MASCACHUCETTS 1 g' INSTITUTE OF 3
./ 4QE %< q f
t . . .e. < TriCHMOLOGY
^
we MEDU A RCM M E ACTOR las wnv st .c..mbriage u .wcnv.eti,, 02 30 lit:lifill il 18111 0 filill! Int September 25, 1975 Docket No. 50-20 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Division of Reactor Licensing Attn.t Mr. George Lear, Chief Operating Keactors Brcnch #3 k'ashington, D.C. 24L
Subject:
Shh Possession Limit. License R-37 Gentlement In response to Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Division of Reactor Licensing letter of August 29, 1975 Massachusetts Institute of Technology hereby submite an application to amend its Facility Operating License No._R-37.
..The requested amendment consiets of reducing the possession limit for uranium-235 authorized in paragraph 2B(2) of the license from 45 kilograms to 29 kilograms.
The U-235_ possessed and used under License R-37 ' in the form of fuel elements and falls into chree categories:
.4) Unirradiated fuel b) Partially burned fuel c) Spent fuel.
.The unitradiated fuel is purchased periodically. Because we have made only one purchase of this-type of fuel in the past and-because it will be necessary to find a new fabricator for future procurements, we-do not have significant e.xperience on which to evaluate the effect.of purchase quantity on cost. . lt has been our expec.stion that a two-year supply (27 fuel elements)-
would be about the minimum econcmic quantity to fabricate in one batch. At 0.445 kg.U-235 per. element this amounts to 12 kg. U-235. In' order to remain below the " threshold" quantity defined by paragraph
- 73.1(b) ofl10 CFR 73, it will be necessary for us to tike delivery of only the number 'of elements needed for refuelling, plus a few' more standby elements
- which wocid be nort.d in an ecceptable vault at the MITR. The unitradiated
/
{ Of"ad';)J h
~
4 a 8 4 l' . S . Nuclear Regulatory Cermission S e p t er.b e r 25, 1975 Page 2 fuel stored in the vault together with rther special nuclear material at the site would be kept below the " threshold" quantity. The tamaining newly-purchased elements voeld be stored elsewhere, as is now being done with some of the elements from our last purchase. A core loading for the reactor is normally 25 elemente. In order to achieve maximum authorized burnup, a fuel management program has been developed, which calls for cycling some of the elments f rom the reactor to storage in the reactor pool and then back into the reactor before being dincharged as spent fuel. The amount of partially burned fuel being stored for re-use varies from year to year, but it never exceeds 25 standard elements ploe a few special elements used for reactor physics and other tests. Spent fuel will be discharged to a storage tank, probably in batches of 15 elements. It has been our practice in the past, for reasons of economy, to accumulate enough fuel (i.e. 56 elementa) so that we could make two consecutive shipments of 28 elements each. However, the savings over making periodic single shipments were not great, and so the above amended possession limit of 29 Kg U-235 is based on the single shipment schedule. It also assumes 25% burnup in the spent fuel. When the steady state condition has been reached for the
- MITR-11 spent fuel F.hipments will be made about every second year, assuming 28 elements per load.
Because we have recently shipped all of the spent fuel from operation of the MITR-1 and have on-site only 32 elements (or startup of the MITR-11, our current inventory under License R-37 is only 15.1 Kg U-23*. This includes 0.8 Kg U-235 in excess, unitradiated, special fuel elemen, for the MITR-1, which we bape to dispose of shortly. The MITR-11 inventory will itterease 4 Kg or 5 Kg each year until it reaches 27 KG in 1978. The schedule calls for 29 Kg '.a 1980 and then a peak of 35 Kg in 1981, followed by varying but lesser amour.ts thereafter. In recponse to your letter, we are requesting a possession limit of 29 Kg U-235 at this time, since it is clear that our inventory must increase after the reactor gets back into operation. k'e will than re-evaluate our requirements on the basis of operating experience and subsequently request an increase above 29 Kg if- necessary. Sincerely yours,
, ht A Lincoln Clark, JY Director LC/ce xc J.L. Cochrane D.D. Lanning MITRSC
4 uNif tD ST ATES NUCtE AR R[CUtATORY COMMIS$10N W ASHINotoN, o t' 20666 Docket No. 50 20 Nove.mber li, 19"I Massachusetts Institute of Technolog) l---,~_ r d. [ ,f , ] f ATTN: Mr. Lincoln Clark, Jr. Director 138 Albany Street bbY2} $ . Cambridge, Massachusetts 021.19 ,, n .", , . ,"p , }' Gentlemen: In accordarice with your application dated September 25, 1975, enclose; is Amendmer t No.11 to Facility License No. R-37 which reduces the maximum quantity of Uranium 735 which you may receive, possess, arJ use in connection with operation of the Massachusetts Institute r,f Technology Research Reacto't from 45 kilograms to 29 kilograms. A copy of our related Safety Evaluali.on is also enclosed. Sincerely, [~ George L , Chir,f Operating Reactors Branch #5 Division of Reactor Licensing
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 11
/. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls:
Henry Kolbo, M. D. Acting Comitsioner of Public Health Musachuse,tts Department of Public Health 600 Wsthington Street Botton, Massachusetts 02111 Honorable Walter Sullivan Mayor of the City of Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts 01401 Mr. John Corcoran, City Manager 795 Massachusetts Avenue g ambridge, Massachusetts 02139
,,tr ,
W, .m* k((y>l)l J
. . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - __ _ _ . _ _ _ _ . ~ . _ _ _ . . . - _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ _
4 UHTFD ST \'ir$ NUCLEAR Rt.4ULATORY "mtilSSION MASSACliUSETTS INSTITilTE OF TECMOLOGY DOCKET NO. 50 20 AMENDMENT 10 FACILITY OPERATEC LICENSJ Ar,endment 110. 11 Licente Nr, h.37
- 2. The Nuclear negulatory Comission (the Coratssion) hus found that:
A. The application for amendment by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (the licensee) dated September 25, 1975, complies with the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter 1; B. 1ho facility will operate in conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulttions of the Comraission; C. There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this operating license can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Ccunir.sion; D. The issuance of this ament' ment will not be istinient to the common dciense and security or to the health and safety of the public; E. The receipt, possession and use of the special nuclear material as authorized by this license, as amended, will be in accordance with 10 CFR Part 70, including Sntient 70.23 and 70.31; and F. Publication of Notice of this . amendment is not required since the amendment does not involve a significant harards consideration.
- 2. Accordingly, Facility Operating License No, R-37, as amended, is hereby farther amended by revising in its entirety paragraph 2.B.(2) thereof to read as follows:
d g.., .' g rf . V
e
"(2) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, "Special Nuclear Material", to receive, possess and use in connection with operation of the reactor up to 29 kilograms of contained Uranium 235 and 2 one-curie plutonium-berylliLm neutron scurces;"
- 3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COhNISSION George Le' Chief Operating Reactors Branch 83 Division of Reactor Licensing Date of issuance: November 17, 1975
- _ _ ~ _ - - _ . - _ _ _ _ . _ _ ._- _ _ - _ _ _ - - . _ _ _ _ - _ _ - _ - . _. . _ _ _ - _ _ _ - . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ - _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ - _ - - _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ - - _ - _ _ _ _ - a UNITEo STATES NUCLE AR 8tEGULATORY COYMtSSION W ASHINGToN, o, c. 20555
]
I SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENT NO 11 TO LICENSE NO. R-37 l MASSACHUSETTS INSTITtTTE OF TECHNOLOGY
'VX:EET NO. 50-20 Introduc 'or.
The Nuc1' ear Regulstory Commission requested, by letter dated August 29, 1975, that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) i review its requirements for :pecial nuclear material (SNM) and determine i the amount of SNM that constitutes the " lowest acceptable quantity" (LAQ)- ! of SNM necessary to :ustain current operation of the MIT Research Reactor (MITRR) . The letter furth.:t requested that if the amount of SNM currently i authorized by the MITRR Operating License is greater than the LAQ, that MIT should request that its authorization for possession of SNM be reduced to its !.AQ. By letter dated September 25,'1975, MIT requested that its possession limit for SNM be reduced from 45 kilograms to 29 kilograms
- of contained tiranium 235.
- Evaluation
- We have reviewed the analysis provided in support of MIT's September 25, 1975, requetted-. license amer *"'nt and have determined that the-licensee has accurately calculated s . Iowest acceptable quantity of SNM required to sustain current operstions. Furthermore, our evaluation of MIT's-September 25, 197S, submittal supports the conclusion that reduction of the authorized amount of SNM to 29 kilograms of contained Uranium 235 will allow sufficient operational freedom with respect to:- (1) the storage of new, unirradiated fuel elements, (~) the storage of irradiated fuel elements,-
and (3) the reactor core uranium inventory. The proposed reduction in the allowable quantity of special nuclear material authorized for receipt, possession and use at the MITRR is an administrative change only and- does - not affect the conduct of operations at the reactor. The reduction of the quantity of SNM is consistent with the Commission's objective of authorizing only the " lowest acceptable quantity" of SNM to licensees, and should-not affect the licensee's ability to su,tain current op_eration
- for the immediate future. On the basis of the above, we find the proposed change acceptable.
/
# Q?
cp43 qgi
. 9 -
. 2 .-
CONCLUSION We have concluded, based rn the considerations discussed above, that: (1) because the- change dois not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of accidents previously considered and does not involve a significant ha:ards consideration, (2) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and (3) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations and'the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security
- or to the health and safety of the public.
Dato: . November 17, 1975 d 9
-, v e -
nn e- a -- e -- -~~ ,-
5 I RANRAU 1 It ]NR OF THE AMERICAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY 10TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE , ON REACTOR OPERATING EXPERIENCE
" NUCLEAR OPERATION IN THE COMING DECADE" Supplement Number i to Volume 38 A ugust 16-19, 1981 TANSAO 38 (Suppl.1) 1-66 (1981)
Clesetand, Ohio ISSN: 0003 018X s me ii
m . . - _ _ .
., s .'
, Test, Reneerch, and Training Rwtors-l 17 6, use of Element . Rotation / Inversion to increase MITR.!! Fuel Depletion, J. Bernard, Jr., D. D i.anning, L, Clark, Jr. (MIT) '
This pu 2er desenbes the use of element rotation and inversson to increase fuel depletion at the modified Masse-chusetts institute of Technology (MIT) Research Reactor. The onginal core, which was cooled and moderated by heavy water, used widely separated 169 g elements. The fully moderated core had a low power density and achieved fuel bumups of 45%. The redesigned reactor, WITR il, uses 445$ elements and, while sunJunded by a heavy water renector,is light water cooled and moderatodi The core, a compact hemason -15 in, wide X 2 ft long, has a high metal 40 water ratio, its 27 rhombic shaped elements are arranged in rines. designated by the letters A, B,and C.They contam 3,9, and 15 elemer.ts, respectively. Six peripherally located shim blades and one regulatbg rod provide reactivity control.
' Soluble poisons are not used.
The redesign provided an improved nun for beam tube, trace analysis, and mstenals research. Its drawback was the potential for reduced element burnups due to num peaks. Figure i shows measured A. and C Ring axial copper wire scans.8 8 he A Ring, not being sagnificantly affected by absorbers, has peaks due to water at both ends. The C Ring, whose upper plates are adjacent to the shim blades, peaks at its base and drops substantially over its upper portion. (B Ring profiles resemble either the A. or C Ring, dependmg on the plata.) The normaliaed radial flus vanes from 1.25 m the A Ring to 0.90 in the med B-Ring to 1.54 at the outer C Ring. It was recognind that whpe these peaks only affected part of each element. it would be necessary to discharge the entire ef tment once that part attained the allowed nsanon tensity of 1.8 x 10a8 S:ssem 3, The solution was to design the - MITR il elements so thst they could be rotated 130 des and/or inverted. A calculational procedure, based on the' CliATION code 8was established to monitor fuel depletion 8 ' It consists of the following:
- 1. CITATION calculations to obtam a three<iimensional.
fulkort, fission power distnbution at the equdibnum shim bank hetsht to obtain a relative power for each element. 2.Mudification of the calculated flux peaks by using
' measured shapes. This corrects the diffusion theory CITATION calculation at in erface4 where matenal properties change abruptly.
3.Caledation of the fuel depletion using dedicated co@s. The MITMI recently completed its nrst C Ring fuel cycle. Each elemset was rotated twice and inverted once Rotations were peifonned whan the elements were at 25 to 30% and 75 to 30% of their useful life. The inversion was
4 L 18 Test, Research, end Training React:rs-1
- t 12,a ~
, :s . e
, Ltv. lam % %
II I " i C. Ring il 4 j , p s Nx (@ , , , _ N',w" yw.v" h" " x,. v a.a,, % ,,,, ; ,. c m , .,e,
-j 4
~
4'3 g _ n..n cue r4 . heiom f s \ u n-
; i 9
. ii.2 -
i 2 1
. . 4
- i g..,
s8 g, \ , 4 a.s .
/
# 3 h
% u! f e.ll (ip.yet a alDq Q p,,,,,C.4[ng $0*
5.s - l ! ' j i 2s I s t ,
- t. -
l og i t i "
",N i t
( i l
*....,, 0 0- 8 0. 9 1.0 1.1 1.2 t * *'unt t ren u.m exten, 0.0 i i i i L 0.5 1.0 4.5 2.0 2.5 mi,w % pg Fis 2. Axial 8"U distr bution. +
Ft 1. Aalal thermal flun shapet 0 40 x 445 a 178 s in MITR41. Thus, the MITR.ll design includms a rotationiinversion capabihty allows a factor of done at 50 to $5%.Similar stratesies esist for the other nnss. 2 3 fewer .lements in the fuel:ycle. less frequent spent fuel but the timms se complicated since fresh fuel n stadually shipments. and possibly less concem about the diversion of introduced and the entstms elements are removed for reuse. nuclear matenals, fisure 2 shows data trom C. Ring element 4M11. Its overall bumup =ss 40.4%. Had it not been invened. it is estimated i G. C ALLEN D D LANNING, J. W GOSNELL, and that its bumup would have been 30 6%. Inversion allowed a 32% mcrease m element lifetime. Without rotation, the over. L. CLARK. "The Reactor Enswerms of 9* ulTR Il Construction and Startup." MITNE.18(. Massachue tts all bumup would have been even lower.Manimum depletion Institute of Technology Department
- f Nuclear Ers-occurted at the midf ane, l with both ends having almost the neenns (1976).
inme density. The radial 8"U distnbution has eisentially no
- 2. J, A, BE RN ARD. "MITR41 Fuel Management. Core De.
otation is performed using standard tools. Inversion plett n and Analysis Code Developed for tne Diffusion
' requires a special tool to protect the fuel plates and takes Theory Program CITATION. NE Thesis. Massachusetts 5 min per element. Reactivity effects cauwd by these I n sy. panment of Nuckar Ensinun manipulations have been measured to be small (a few "$9f' 39 M
- cent l element). 3TB FOWLER et al . " Nuclear Reactor Core Analysis it should be noted that the 8dU bumup per fuel element Code CIT ATION." ORNL.TM.2496. Rev. 2, Oak Ridge has been extended from 0 45 x 169 = 76 s m MITR.I to - National Lab.(July 19711.
4 6 i 1ANSAU I It 1NS OFTHE A.\lERICAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY llTil BIENNIAL CONFERENCE ON REACTOR OPERATING EXPERIENCE
" PLANT STARTUP AND OPERATIONS IN THE '80s" Supplement Number 1 to Volume 44 Aug ist 1-3, 1983 TANSAO 44 (Suppl.1) 1 106 (1983)
Scottsdale, Arizona ISSN: 0003-018X I l r l 1
1,4 - Training.- Resecra, oisd Test Reactors-l .
.nd moderated by hght water, is beasy *ater renecte:1 Six i pir!phera!!) located sNm blades and one regulatmg . rod
' ' ptovide reactivity control. This design
- hich 4 25 telected for its many esperimental aJsantages. res'citt in se6ere dat paJients F:gure i shows & and C.Rms nial aus rMiles measured.using uranium foils. Ratal gradients aM nist *ith the dus a,rois some elements varying' M as mud as 1 '4.
Refuehngs occur at roughly sis week intenais - Fieth f uci n introduced to the B Ring where peaking, but not elemen= rower production, is lowest Partially spent f uel is acted ihtot.sh the A. and C.Rmgs. The equivalent of eight elementi are used per year 'ower distributions must be , accuratelz r snaracterized to demonstrate comphance *tth .I heat tran;fer hmits as well as to allow the use of :lement rotation ir version, thereby avoiding the premature discharge of fuel G ven the frequent changes in core connguration necesutatec by refuelings, a rehable rneans of theoretically predictmg threedimensional O D1 power distnbutions was needed. - Initial studies revealed two problems. Fint, the available codes, such as CITATION,8 were ca ed on diffusion theory and, hence, were inherently incapable of accurately predi ting Out shapes at interfaces where mater'ai properties - changed abruptly. This is discussed by Henry
- Second. most codes did not.. permit sufficient differentia ion of material densities to accumtely model the partially spent fuel.
I I I I I 1 24 - wen-ft ree. .
*.r 5hte peg It il Rtad tod .-
n
=
#s
, /% %
=
et l . h % A.Sta in g -
=
- 16 g \
e-stna
, gg g g,ni, g -- .
! 3 -
a e. .- _ 5 . , _
; . 7: ^1% 1 _
e n .- .
.t v ,,
j s 8 , _ e -} j - c . .u . -
-5. -
Ca!culational Procedures Used to Extend 3
-i f MITR il Fuel Bumup, J. Bernerd. K. Kwok. D. - -
Lanning, L. Clark (MIT) L ' * - This paper desenbes calcukoonal and - espenmental 1 - * -
' methods dersloped to extend fuel burnup at the Massachu- . _
setts institute of Technology i 5 MW(th) research reactor, o _. MITR il. This report complements an earlier one *hich discussed element rotation and Tnversion is a means of ',
" h '
meteasms fuel depletion.' ""
~
The MIT reactor was redesigned and rebuilt between
.j l l g j 1974 and 1976. The modified facility. MITR.ll, has a core that is a compact hexagon 15 in. wide < ' ft long *ith 05 'd 'S 3d 85 3d posa.lons for 27 rhombic-shaped elements 4415 g 3"D in e rmettsed thermet etu, nrigs designatt4 by the letters A. B. and C They contain 3.
I and 15 elements. respectively. The core, wtuch is cooled Fig 1 Asial tre mal Oux shapes.
Training, Research, and Test Reactors-l 15 The Crst proetem au sched S correlating theoretical a Modicar.on at the ;4i;Wated Gv .i pewer reax-rg , and measured po*er shapes and then asnt that correiat.on v n mg meassteJ eapes to modity wnequent theoretically gner ted a dares M e a- g (- wref"ents
- ere "t'ade usmg plate sians. copper *if e hans.
7 g, ,n or canium icil nans Th. c arreiations mr a gnen fuel S Repe'ition at st t at m sca nn aa. rwm *cm chanrel JiJ not sar) *ith core cont:gurat.on eut did harge neir t as a runs t1on 01 shim Sara he ght Ogsre shows the . . sorrelations cettned for tre & and C Reg {i.n profiles shown earlier he auantity piitteJ is meuured po* er '* s Jnidec by OrcJtc'ed po*er M a tunction ci height linit) f uel elements are roatinch Jeriettd to JJ to 24 ' Nr impues a perfect preji: tics As etrec.eJ. the car'elattons an average consurrption et I"4 to IM g element Pus are poo' at the encs 01 both elemerats and *orse overall for ,akulational met *.odolegy
- ould renent .i n y :aciLty *ith the C-Ring, unee tnat is where there are aerupt charges in sesere tM graJ.entt. Nrthermore. n noted in Ret ita matenal properties teAruque,
- hen soupled with the MITR ll Jeugn and the The second problem w as soi.ed 5 decouphng the capability to rotate insert elements, has allowed a tactor e:gensalue power profile and f uel depletion esku!at. ens of : 3 fewer elements in the fuel c)de than *n the case Separate cases w ers written tivit computed the f uel deple- *ith MITR l tien by first mNifymg the CIT ATION 3 D power shapes m accordance with the expenmentaW Je'ermi' led cor elations 1 1. BERNARD. D LANNING. and L CLARK. "ine o-and by then applying the modified shapes to a detailed core 1 Element Rotation Inveruon to inerene MITR il Fuot maaet in addition. CITATION Su moairied at MIT to Depletion? Tres Am % cl Soc . 38. Suppl 1.
atiow 500 mater,al desenttions. i Aug 19811t The overall procedure
- for reactor rhyucs and fuel a depletien calculations on the MITR it is : T. B FO% LER et al., " Nuclear Reactor Core \nal,us Code CITATION / ORNL TM 2496. rev. 2. editio, J.
1 Construction of a senon free euphcit core model Oak R.dge National lab. t Juif i971t with sham blades at the cold critsal position y p gg7 3 g, gf ,; g,; g i Horvogenitation of that model to be compatible with MIT Press Cambndge. Man. t 197 5 L CITATION. (Ref. 4 discunes cron section devutions i 4 J. BERN ARD "MITR il Fu:1 Management. Core Deple-1 CITATION calculations to obtain a 3 D. full core, tion, and Analysis- Codes Developed ior the Dif fuuon finion power distnbution. The 9 R Z mcore mesh is Theory Program CITATION / NE Theus. MIT. Deptrt-30
- 10 t 14 meat of Nuclear Engineenns (1979L
/ [ I I I F ! I I Y I [
~
/. ..=
re .
- n..
8
- i 4 -
s .
.) - "
M - 1s Plates ( - f, a -
"*"I 4 s- ..,t -
e ni .
?! o -
3: . JJ e [d - n ta. r....-. f
""""D*"4 -
t - fn - um - 4 ,
- f. f \ -
J s - < - E 9 -
; i .
r===N:C*'::h)/ y s - q - 3
- L F -
L N.J a
-..,y s i 1 e e i i 3 e i r i i i i ! ) .i s to .s
- m. r u r i i i t s e e; Fig.1 Aual power correlation factor
~ ... . . . .
.il
.. Apoendix B Copies of References for SR#0-9.1-18 l
l
\
I , UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION W ASHINo TON, D, C. 20s55 Docket No. 50-20 November 17, 1975 T . . . . -- - Massachusetts Institute of Technology ATTN: Mr. Lincoln Clark, Jr. h L. Ci j g. 3 f Director 138 Albany Street NOV 211975 Canbridge, Massachusetts 02139 ,_ 43.,E...'"s."" M '1 Gentlemen: In accordance with your application dated September 25, 1975, enclosed is Amendment No. 11 to Facility License No. R-37 which reduces the maximum quantity of Uranium 235 which you may receive, possess, and use in connection with operation of the Massachusetts Institute of Te M ology Research Reactor from 45 kilograms to 29 kilograms. A copy of our related Safety Evaluation is also enclosed. Sincerely, George L , Chief Operating Reactors Branch #3 Division of Reactor Licensing
Enclosures:
- 1. Amendment No. 11
- 2. Safety Evaluation cc w/encls:
Henry Kolbe, M. D. Acting Commissioner of Pnblic Health
. Massachusetts Department of Public Health 600 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02111 Honorable Walter Sullivan Mayor of the City of Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts 01401 Mr. John Corcoran, City Manager 795 Massachusetts Avenue 8ohambridge, Massachusetts 02139 u' ,
y' xxh 3
~i
\ ;
l il 1
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULA'iORY C05NISSION PASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF Tg11NOLOGY DOCKET NO. 50-20 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE Amendment No. 11 License No. R-37
- 1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) has found that:
A. 'Ihe application for amendment by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology -(the licensee) dated September 25, 1975, l complies with the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of l 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I' B. The facility will operate in conformity with the application, , the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of l the Commission; 1 C. There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this operating license can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Commission;
*D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; E. The receipt, possession and use of the special nuclear material as authorized by this license, as amended, will be in accordance with 10 CFR Part 70, including Sections 70.23 and 70.3); and F. Publication of Notice of this amendment is not required since the amendment does not involve a significant hazards consideration.
- 2. Accordingly, Facility Operating License No. R-37, as amended, is hereby further amended by revising in its entirety paragraph 2.B.(2) thereof to read as follows:
j.y,V/- (pyi,kd
- xyE
"(2) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, "Special Nuclear Material", to receive, possess and use in connection with operation of the reactor up to 29 Kilograms of contained Uranium 235 and 2 one-curie plutonium-beryllium r.cutron sources;"
- 3. This license amendment is effective as of the date of its issuance.
ion Tile NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0!c11SS10N George Le; Chief Operating Reactors Branch #3 Division of Reactor Licensing Date of Issuance: November 17, 1975 l 1
. - . .. . _ _ _ _ . . _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ _ . . ...m._._.-.___. ._m__
.- (
s_ UNITEo STATES
. NUCLEAR- REGULATORY COMMl!SION WASHINGTON, o. C. 20555 j
SAFETY EVALUATION BY Tile OFFICE OF-NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION i SUPPORTING AMENDMENT NO. 11 TO LICENSE NO. R-37 MASSACilUSE1TS- INSTITtfrE OF TECHNOLOGY DOCKET NO. 50-20 i
. Introduction The Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested, by letter dated -l August 29, 1975, that;the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) review its requirements for special nuclear material (SNM) and determine the amount-of SNM that constitutes the " lowest acceptable quantity" (LAQ) of SNM necessary to sustain current operation of the MIT 'tesearch Reactor
-(MITRR). - The letter further requested that if the amoun'. of SNM currently; authorized by the MITRR Operating-License is greater than the LAQ, that.
MIT should request; that-lts authorization for possession of SNM be EreducedztoLits LAQ. By letter dated September 25, 1975, MIT requested that > its possessf.on limit for SNM be reduced-from 45 kilograms to 29 kilokrams - of contained Uranium 235.-
. Evaluation We have reviewed the analysis provided in support of MIT's September 25, 1975, -
l requested license amendment and have determined that the licensee has h eurately' calculated 1 the-lowest acceptable quantity of SNM required to sustain current operations. Furthermore, our evaluation of MIT's September 25,;1975,-submittal supports the conclusion.that reduction of the authorized amount of SNM to 29 kilograms of contained Uranium 235 will allow sufficient operational freedom with respect to:: (1) the storage of new, unirradiated fuel elements, -(2) the' storage of irradiated fuel elements,
. and_ (3) the reactor core uranium inventory. The proposed reduction in the
. allowable quantity of special-nuclear material authorized for receipt, -
. possession and use atfthe MITRR is an administrative change only and does not affec the conduct of operations at the' reactor. The reduction of the-
~
quantit' C SNM is. consistent with the Commission's objective of authori 5 y only the " lowest acceptable-quantity" of SNM to licensees,
-and should not affect the licensee's ability to sustain current operation 1
for the immediate future. On the basis of the above, we find' the proposed change acceptable. W 41 trs , [ b u,
, ._ , ,a -
t
. . ;...; +
. 2 CONCLUSION We h' ave concluded, basedLon the considerations discussed above, that:
(1) because the- change does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of accidents previously considered and .does not involve- a significant hazards consideratica, (2) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered
- by operation in the proposed manner, and (3) such activities will be ,
conducted in compliance with the Commialon's: regulations und the issuance of-this amendment will- not be inimical to the common defense and security .; or- to the hea'tb and safety of the public. Date: Novembe.. 7, 1975
'- t
(* ?-tm---ew?.m-sw+- -r-v 37 t-.w---.?v3 ..-- d.T"i y , y w y9- y w , e-e- .w6 ,s, .w --y--.ny .g +.-- , y--.r- . r-w tw-w r-w--
.. .. s"y
.; D UNITED ST ATES :
,,_ 7- *-. ; (\-y
_ NUCL EAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
,4, _g wasecToN,o c.20sss
-% 4 f December -11.1989 Doctet No.__50-20 Dr.. John A.~ Bernard y Director of Reactor Operations Nuclear Reactor Laboratory _ ,
- Massachusetts-Institute of_ Technology 138 Albany Street -
Cambridge, Massachusetts 0?!39
Dear Dr. Bernard:
SUBJECT:
ISSLANCE OF AMENDMENT NO. 25 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE-NO.-R MASSACHLSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH REACTOR-- The Commission has. issued the enclosed Amendment No. 25 to Facility Operating License No.1R-?7 for the Massachusetts-Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR-II). The_ amendment consists-of changes to the-Technical Specifications
= in response-to your submittal dated February 14, 1989 as_ supplemented on August 24, 1989.-
The amendment allows a temporary increase in the possession limit for
~
.urenium-235.- In addition, we have updated the NRC addresses in the Technical Specifications _to which reports should be sent..
A copy of the related Safety Evaluation supporting Amendment No. 25 is enclosed. Sincerely,. As .. Alexander Adams, Jr'.,-Pr ect Manager Non-Power Reactor, Decomissioning and Environroental Project Directorate Division of Reactor Projects - III, . IV, Y and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
-1. Amendment No. 25 ,
- 2. Safety _ Evaluation S'
cc w/ enclosures: WpoR See next page
/
\ g \ 6gggg p
fnh3 - 4p h 4et
Nossachusetts Institute of Docket No. 50 20 Technology
-cc: City Manager-City Hall Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Assistant Secretary for Policy Executive Office of Energy Resources 100 Cambridge Street, Room 1500 Boston, Massachusetts .02202 Department of Environmental Quality Engineering 100 Cambridge Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 1
l l l l 6
L
'~
(a)- Tre. limit for pcssession, receipt, ar.d use of contained uranium-235 is temporarily increased to al kilograms of which not mere than l'.E kilogran.s m6y be in an unirrad1ateo state until January 1, 1992, for the purpose of raintaining uninterrupted
- reactor operation pending the establishment or a capab111tv for the off-site shipment of spent _ fuel &nc the actuel shipment et
-- the spent fuel ac:umulated prior to the establishrtnt of that capability.
(b) The licensee shall,_as pcrt of its annual reporting requirements, report the status of the establishment of the shipping capetility and other activities relevant to the use uf this temporary increase in the possession. limit. 3.. Acccrdingly, the, license is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the enclosure to this license amendment, and paragraph 2.C.(2) of License No. R-37 is hereby emended to read as follows: (2) Technical. Specifications The Technical: Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through-Amendment No. 25, are hereby incorporated in the license.- The licensee shall: operate the facility in accordance with the Technical Specifications.
- 4. This license amendment is-effective as of 'ts date of issuance.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY C06911SSION 8 / t t
' Seymour H. Weiss, Director Non-Power Reactor, Deconnissioning and Environmental Project Directorate Division of Reactor Projects-- III, IV, Y and Special Projects Office of' Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
Apnendix A Technical Specifications Changes Date of_ Issuance: December 11, 1989 l
--y e. e= w , , - - .
ENCLOSURE TO LICENSE AMENCliENT NO. 25 FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-37 DOCKET NO. 50-20 Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Specifications with l the enclosed pages. Tne revised pa9es are identified by Amendment number eind contain a vertical line indicating the area of change, r I Remove Pages Insert Pages
'7-28 7-28 7-29 7-29 7-30 7-30 l
l l l l I
.. . - . _ .. . -- . - . - - - - . . - - - ~ - _ - . . _ , ..
' ' 4.
i.
'7.13 Plart Peporting Feouirerents in addition to the requirements of applicable regulations, and in no way.
substituting therefore, reports shall be nace to the NRC as follows: 7.13.1' Within 24 hours, a report (by telephone or telegraph to the USNRC ; I Region I) of:
- a. Any accidental release of radioactivity to unrestricted areas above permissible limits, whether or not the release resulted in property damage, personal injury or exposure.
~
- b. ' Any significant variation of measured values from_a corre-sponding predicted or previously reasured value of safety-related operating-characteristics occurring during operation of-the reactor.
- c. Any reportable occurrences as defined in Paragraph 1.15 of
-these specifications.
- d. Any violation of a Safety Limit.
7.13.2 A written report within 10 days to the Document Control Desk, USNRC, Washington,_ D.C. ;with a copy to the Regional Administrator, USNRC Region l' of:
- a. Any accidental release of-radioactivity above perussible
. limits in unrestricted areas, whether or not the release resulted in preperty damage, personal injury, or exposure; the written report-(and,- to the extent possible, the preliminary telephone and telegraph report) shall describe, analyze and evaluate-safety implications,.and. outline the corrective measures taken or planned to prevent recurrence ;
of the event. 7-28 Amendment No. 25 g
'C-
.m. ~
- b. Any sicr ificani variation of reasureo values frorr. a corresponding fredicted cr previously neasured value of safety-related operating characteristics occurring during operatitati cf the reactor.
- c. Incioents or conditions relating to operation of the ,
facility which prevented or could have prevented the performance of engineered safety features as cescribed in these specifications,
- d. Any reportable occurrences as defined in Paragraph 1.15 of these specifications, e.- .Any violation of a Safety Limit.
7.13.3 A written report within 30 days to the Document Control Desk, 'JSNRC', Washington, D.C., with a copy to the Regional Administrator, USNRC, Region I of:
- a. Any substant al variance from performance specifica-tions contained in these specifications or in the Final Safety Analysis Report,
- b. Any significant change in the transient or accident analyses as ~ described in the FSAR.
- c. : Any-observed inadequacies in the-implementation of administrative or procedural controls which threaten to cause reduction in- the degree of redundancy provided in reactor protection systems or engineered safety feature systems.
7.13.4 A written report to the Document Control Desk, USNRC, Washington, D.C., with a copy to the Regional Administrator, USNRC, Region I within 60 days after comp Ntion of startup testing of the reactor upon receipt of a new facility license or an amendment to the license authorizing an increase in 7-29 Amendment No. 25
-s k
reactor power level, describing the measur ed valuu uf the opere. ting ccnaitions ur characteristics-of the reactor under the new conditiens, inclucing:
- a. An evaluation of facility perturmance to date in ccmparison with design predictions ene specifications; cnd
- b. A reassessment of the safety analysis submitted with the license application in light of measured operatir.g characteristics when such measurements indicate that there may be substantial variance from prior analysis.
?.13.5 An annual report shall be submitted in writing to the Occument Control Desk, USNRC, Washington, D.C. , with a copy to the Regional Administrator, USHRC, Region I within 60 days following the 30th of June of each year, providing the following information:
- a. A narrative summary of operating experience (including experiments performed) and of changes in facility design, performance characteristics and operating procedures related to reactor safety. occurring during the reporting perico, as well as results of surveillance tests and inspections' required by these Technical Specifications,
- b. Tabulation showing the energy generated by the reactor (in megawatt days), the nurber of hours the reactor was critical, and the cumulative total energy output since initial criticality.
- c. The number of emergency shutdowns and inadvertent scrams, l including the reasons therefore.
- d. Discussion of the major maint m nce operatiens performed during the period, including the effect,. if any, on the 7-30 Amendment No. 25 l
O
'gm *
\ UNITED ST ATEs
['.'c ' f/ j
- c NUCLE AR REGULATORY COMMISSION W ASHINGTON. D. C, 20$55 kg . >f/Yl ,p SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENT NO. 25 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-37 MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DOCKET NO. 50-20
1.0 INTRODUCTION
By letter dated February 14, 1989, as supplemented on August 24, 1989, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) requested a change to Facility Operating License No. R-37 for the MIT Research Reactor (MITR-II). The requested change would temporarily increase the license possession limit for uranium-235. In addition, the NRC mailing addresses in the Technical Specifications to which reports should be sent are updated to agree with 10 CFR 50.4. 2.0 EVALUATION 2.1 Temporary Increase in Uranium-235 Possession Limit The current uranium-235 (U-235) possession limit for the MITR-II is 29 kilograms (kg). There were two fuel shipping casks with the capability to transport MITR-Il spent fuel, the MH-1A and the GE-700. The Department of Energy sought to license the MH-1A cask but abandoned the effort in 1988 in light of continuing uncertainties concerning the licensability of the cask. Within the last several months, the General Electric Company has decided for economic reasons to remove the GE-700 cask from service. This means that MIT must retain spent fuel on site until a suitable shipping cask can be found. The Department of Energy and the cask user community are exploring several options, but resolution of the problem may take until 1992 or beyond. MIT originally requested that their U-235 possession limit be increased to 45 kg which was the license limit prior to September 1975. However, based on further analysis by the MIT reactor staff in response to a NRC request for additional information, MIT has modified their possession limit request to 41 kg. This will be the maximum U-235 allowed under the reactor license through January 1, 1992 assuming continued unavailability of a suitable shipping cask. This number was derived by considering projected operating schedules, enticipated experimental usage, operating experience with the fuel cycle, the need for excess reactivity, and Technical Specification constrains on fission density. MIT's practice is to keep the amount of U-235 on site to a minimum and to maximize fuel depletion by rotating and inverting fuel elements. The staff agrees with the licensee's estimates of the increase in possession limit. ngy' ff~ I ff
C N
.c.
This change to the license will not require changes % the " Physical Security Plan for the M.I.T. Research Proctor Facility." Existing storage facilitics for spent fuel have the capacity to hold the fuel discharged frw the reacter during the tirie period that this arendment will be in effect. Criticality aspects of fuel storage at MIT that were addressed by Amendment No. 71 issued on Fay 28, 1982 are not changed by this amendmer,t. T h i r. increase is temporary in rioture and will be in effect until January 1. 1992. If spent fuel is shipped before January 1,1992, MIT will apply for a license after.dment to return the possession limit to 29 kg. If unavailatility of shipping casks continue, MIT will perform a new analysis ard apply for e new license amendirent before the January 1,1992 expiration date. While this temporary possession increase is in effect, MIT will provide information cn the status of the establishment of shipping capability and other activities relevant to the arrendment as part of their required annual report to the NRC. The license condition on possession of U-235 is clarified with the addition of a clause to the license that limits total unirradiated fuel to '. i kg. The staff concludes that the temporary increase in the possession limit of U-235 and the clarification nf the license condition concerning unirradiated U-235 are acceptable. 2.2 Changes to NRC Mailing Addresses in a telephone conversation between the MITR-Il Superintendent and the NRC Froject Manager for the MITR-II on October 16, 1989, it was agreed to update the NRC addresses in the Technical Specifications to which reports should be sert. These changes bring the Technical Specifications into agreement with 10 CFR 50.4, " Written Comunications." These changes are editorial in nature and do not affect the operation of the reactor.
3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION
l 3.1 Temporary Increase in Uranium-235 Possession Limit This portion of the amendment involves changes in the installation or use of facility components located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20 and changes in inspection and surveillance requirements. The staff has determined that this portion of the amendment involves no significant increase in the amounts, and no significant change in the types, of any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. Accordingly, this portion of the amendment ineets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of this portion of the amendment. i
O S
. 3 3,2 Changes to NRC Maiiing Addresses This portion of the amendrent involves changes in the category cf recordkeeping, reporting, and act.inistrative procedures and requirac.ents. Accordingly, this portion of the arner9 ment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusien tet forth in 10'CFF fl.22(c)(10). Pursutot to 10 CFP 51.22(b), no environmer.tal impact statement or environmental assessrent need be prepared in connection with the issuance of this portion of the amendn.ent.
4.0 y gljSION C The staff has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) because the smendment does not irwolve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of accidents previously evaluated, or create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident ;;reviously evaluated, and does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety, the amendnient does not involve a significant hazards consideration, (2) there is reasonable assurance that the health and rafety of the public will not be endangered by the proposed activities, and (3) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Cemission's regulations and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or the health and safety of the public. Principal Contributor: Alexander Adams, Jr. Dated: December 11, 1989 l 1 i l
. .y 3 gg -k + ;,i spW%
# ___ 4 Department of Energy
- Washington, DC 20585
')
Ti .. September 17, 1991 1 Dr. John A. Bernard,-Chairman Director of Reactor _ Operations ' Nuclear Reactor 1.aboratory Massachusettt Institute of Technology 138: Albany Street Cambridge, MA' 02139
Dear Dr. Bernard:
This is in response to your August 29, 1991, letter regarding licensed shipping containers for nonpower reactor spent fuel. The operator of the Cintichem research reactor, who owns the BMI-l cask needed by the university research reactors,-is currently in discussion with the Department of Energy (DOE)fover-the' return of the Cintichem spent fuel. The decision by DOE to receive Cintichem's spent fuel must be made after careful consideration of many factors involving the Office of Defense Programs and other DOE elements. We understand the need of.-the university reactors to make shipments, and a decision by DOE to receive the Cintichem spent fuel will be made as expeditiously as possible.
.lf you have any questions, please-contact 1.ynne Wade (301/353-6828) of my staff.
Sincerely,
/ ,
Victor Stallo, Jr.' Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Facilities Defense Programs e= - - + - _w a-W+ e=- e- -dM9vva' r-'-~-w -T T- Nw 't 'r- - * * **-MW 'W'}}