ML20127P207

Application for Amend to License R-97,converting Reactor, Gtrr,From High to low-enriched Uranium,To Improve Upon Margins of Safety & to Maintain TSs & Operating Procedures to Present HEU Core

ML20127P207
Person / Time
Site:	Neely Research Reactor
Issue date:	01/21/1993
From:	Karam R Neely Research Reactor, ATLANTA, GA
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM), Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Shared Package
ML20127P210	List: ML20127P207 ML20127P263 ML20128A148
References
NUDOCS 9302010213
Download: ML20127P207 (2)

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Georgia Institute'of Technology 1 j, p- NEELY NUCLEAR RESEARCH CENTER

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA . 30332-0425 gg4__ uo4) es4-asco g January 21, 1993 Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulations U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D. C. 20555 Ret Docket No.-50-160, License No. R-97 Attention: Document Control Desk Gentlemen:-

Pursuant to 10CFR 50.64 Paragraph C(2)(iii), the z Georgial

. Institute of Technology is . submicting an ' application for the -

conversion of its ' reactor, .the GORR, _ from highitoflow-enriched.

uranium. Attached 'to this letter are the following - supporting documents:

1. Analyses . for the conversion' of the Georgia Tech Research -

Reactor from HEU to LEU fuel, by Ji-E. Matos, S. C.EMo:

and W. L. Woodruf f, L National ; Laboratory, ' Sept. 1992; Attachment 1.

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2. Changes in Technical Specifications . mandated by 'the -

conversion; Attachment 2. .

3. . Changes Lin the SAR- mandated- 'by the conversion;-

Attachment 3.-

4. . Copies of all changed;pages of the SAR and the Technibal

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d Specifications;-Attachment 4.

-Only changes that impact the SAR and the Technical Specifications -

, _due to-the conversion from highly enriched uranium-aluminum alloy.

c- fuel =to low enrichment uranium silicide fuel.are requested, p

, In addition:to"the application to convert to LEU, the Georgia.

! Institute of ' Technology requests an amendment to License = R-97 allowing -to~ possess and use up' to - 5. 6 3. Kg ' _of U as in' LEU fuel 2

(19;75.% enrichment):and to continue to. possess but:not use, up to

- 5.1 Kg of HEU (93% enrichment)',' until we are able to remove the HEU--

L ~ fuel from the. facility and ship'it back to DOE. The LEU fuel.will' L

'be stored'_upon. arrival-in our fuel vault'with capacity to store 32:

L fuel elements _(7.2 Eg) in approved storage racks.

The used HEU fuel assemblies will'be stored in aluminum ~ racks-f astened to the side walls _ of the storage pool in the high bay. area ,

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l . A Unit of the University System of Georgia - _ An Equa! Education and Em#oyment Opportunity institution

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Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulations U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission January 21, 1993 Page 2 of the laboratory building. - There are two racks, one along each of the two long walls of the pool. Each rack accommodates up to 10 fuel elements in a linear array. There are 17 HEU fuel elements in the core now.

The approach-to criticality with LEU fuel'will be conducted with approved procedures already in existence. The experimental-program for measuring operating parameters =such as rod calibration, power calibration, temperature coefficient, reactivity- ef fects, flux distribution, shutdown margin, excess reactivity, and void coef ficient will be made in accordance with procedures approved by -

the Nuclear Safeguards Committee.

There are no-changes to the-physical security, emergency or the requalification plans required for LEU conversion. Retraining

-of the staff with regard to operation with LEU fuels will start a few months prior to receiving such fuel.

Should~you have any questions, please let me know.

Sinceroly, b h_ --

R.A. Karam, Ph.D., Director Neely Nuclear Research Center RAK/ccg Subscribed and sworn to me this J1 4 day of January, 1993.

O ns & $- t]//of nw' Clara C. Galleshaw,-Notary Public

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pc: Mr. A. Adams, NRC Headquarters pc: Mr. Craig Bassett, NRC, Region II