ML20114E106
| ML20114E106 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oregon State University |
| Issue date: | 09/17/2020 |
| From: | Michael Balazik NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| To: | |
| Balazik M, NRR/DANU/UNPL, 301-415-2856 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML20114E106 (4) | |
Text
September 17, 2020 LICENSEE:
Oregon State University
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MARCH 18, 2020, PUBLIC MEETING WITH OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY TRIGA REACTOR On March 18, 2020, a Category 1 public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of Oregon State University (OSU) via teleconference. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the OSUs anticipated license amendment request (LAR) to remove the requirement for an instrumented fuel element (IFE) from technical specification (TS) for the Oregon State TRIGA (Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics) Reactor (OSTR). The meeting notice and agenda, dated March 9, 2020, are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML20069A020. OSUs presentation used in the meeting is also available in ADAMS at Accession No. ML20114E061. A list of attendees is provided as an enclosure to this summary.
The OSTR is located on the OSU campus in Corvallis, Oregon. The OSTR is a natural convection, water-cooled, Mark-II TRIGA pool-type reactor built by General Atomics. The OSTR can be operated at a maximum steady-state thermal power level of 1.1 megawatt thermal (MW(t)), pulsed up to a peak power of about 2,500 MW(t), or operated in a square-wave mode.
The OSTR experienced a significant increase in its measured IFE temperature that occurred after a pulse was conducted in May 2018. OSU plans to submit a LAR to remove the IFE requirements in the OSTR TSs. A previous public meeting related to the planned removal of the IFE from TSs was conducted with OSU on January 8, 2020.
During the meeting, OSU presented information on fuel element peak temperature as a function of pulse reactivity insertion for the OSTR. OSU then discussed information on the uncertainty analysis related to the pulsing information. OSU presented data on several pulse reactivity insertions of $1.75 and concluded that the variance of fuel temperature, as measured by the IFE, is minimal. The NRC staff questioned whether the IFE indicates the maximum fuel temperature of the core. OSU stated that the IFE is required by TSs to be positioned in the B-ring of the core but may not necessarily be the fuel element with the maximum temperature.
OSU concluded the presentation by stating that TS 3.1.4, Pulse Mode Operation, that limits fuel temperatures to 830 degrees Celsius should be rewritten to be based upon a reactivity limit of $2.30. Further, OSU stated that the thermal hydraulic analysis is conservative to show that maintaining pulse reactivity insertions below the $2.30 limit will ensure safe operation of the OSTR. OSU anticipates submitting the LAR within the next few months.
Please direct any inquiries to me at 301-415-2856, or by electronic mail at Michael.Balazik@nrc.gov.
/RA/
Michael F. Balazik, Project Manager Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-243
Enclosure:
As stated
ML20069A020 Mtg. Notice ML20114E106 Mtg. Summary ML20114E061 Presentation
- via e-mail NRC-001 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM* NRR/DANU/UNPL/LA*
NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC*
NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM*
NAME MBalazik NParker GCasto MBalazik DATE 4/24/2020 4/24/2020 9/16/2020 9/17/2020
Enclosure LIST OF ATTENDEES MARCH 18, 2020, MEETING WITH OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.
Name Organization Steven Reese Oregon State University Robert Schickler Oregon State University Celia Oney Oregon State University Wade Marcum Oregon State University Linh Tran U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Molly-Kate Gavello U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Patrick Boyle U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Greg Casto U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission William Kennedy U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Travis Tate U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Duane Hardesty U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Edward Helvenston U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Jeremy Wachutka U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Brian Smith U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Geoffrey Wertz U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Michael Balazik U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Joseph Staudenmeier U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Kevin Roche U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission