ML20148L638

Confirms Commitments Made in Telcon Discussions to Determine Void Coefficient in Low Enriched U (LEU) Core,Installed & Tested at Univ of Ma Lowell,Research Reactor

ML20148L638
Person / Time
Site:	University of Lowell
Issue date:	06/06/1997
From:	Bettenhausen L MASSACHUSETTS, UNIV. OF, LOWELL, MA (FORMERLY LOWELL
To:	Michaels T NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
References
NUDOCS 9706190321
Download: ML20148L638 (3)

Text

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g UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL ONE UNIVERSITY AVE.

LOWELL, M A 01854-2881 June 6,1997 Theodore S. Michaels, Senior Project Manager PDND/DRPM/NRR Mail Stop 11B20 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Docket No. 50-223 License No. R-125

Dear Mr. Michaels,

l This letter confirms commitments made in telephone discussions to j

determine void coefficient in the Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) core when it is being installed and tested at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Research Reactor. A revised LEU Conversion Plan is attached. The methodology will be to introduce a void of known volume in the central flux trap and measure the reactivity change. This will then be related to the analytical determination of void coefficient of reactivity 1

\\

Lee H. Bettenhausen f

Reactor Supervisor

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Enclosures:

As Stated cc w/ enclosures:

See Nsxt Page i =.hllh fllf 9706190321 970606 ie -

PDR ADOCK 05000223.

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_. _...... _. _ _. _ _ _ _ _ ~ _ _. _ _.. _ _ _ _ _ _.. _ _ _ - _

7 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Docket No. 50-223 cc:

. Desk Copy

.U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop llB20

. Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Mayor of Lowell City Hall Lowell, Massachusetts 08152 Office of Attorney General Environmental Protection Division 19th Floor One Ashburton Place l

Boston, M A 02108 l

l REACTOR SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS University of Massachusetts Lowell:

John White Warren Church Mary Montesalvo George Chabot Gunter Kegel Lee Bettenhausen Kanti Prasad David R. Medich i

i i

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CONVERSION FROM HEU FUEL TO LEU FUEL i

' UNIVERSITY OF M ASSACHUSETTS LOWELL RESEARCH REACTOR y

Table 12.6.1 LEU CONVERSION PL AN PROPOSED SEQUENCE OF WORK LEU NORMAL 1.

REGULATING BLADE FINAL CONSTRUCTION AND APPROVAL X

2.

PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL X

i 3.

SAFETY AND DECON EQUIPMENT X

4.

SCHEDULE FOR FINAL REACTOR SHUTDOWN X

5.

HEU FUEL C00LDOWN REVIEW X

6.

HEU FUEL STORAGE SEQUENCE X

4 7.

M AKE-UP DEMINERALIZER CAPACITY CHECK /

RESIN CHANGE X

8.

CLEAN-UP DEMINERALIZER CAPACITY CHECK /

RESIN CH ANGE X

9.

RECEIPT 0F GRAPHITE REFLECTORS X

10.

STORAGE SEQUENCE FOR GRAPHITE REFLECTORS X

11.

RECEIPT 0F LEU FUEL X

12.

STORAGE OF LEU FUEL X

! 3.

GRAPHITE TEST FIT X,

14.

LEU FUEL TEST FIT X

15.

POOL GATE INSTALLATION X

16.

POOL DRAIN X

17, GRID BOX RADI ATION SURVEY X

18.

GRID BOX INSPECTION X

19.

REGULATING BLADE REMOVAL AND STORAGE X

20.

NEW REGULATING BLADE INSTALLATION X

21.

NEW REGULATING BLADE TESTING X

22.

GATE REMOVAL AND POOL REFILL X

23.

GRAPHITE LOADING X

24.

SAFETY BLADE WITHDRAW AL CHECKS X

j 25.

RESET ALARM AND SCRAM SETPOINTS X

26.

LEU FUEL LOAD AND CRITICALITY DETERMINATION X

27.

PRIM ARY SYSTEM FLOW CHECK WITH FULL CORE X

28.

BLADE WORTH DETERMINATIONS X

29.

EXCESS REACTIVITY DETERMINATION X

30.

VOID COEFFICIENT DETERMINATION X

31.

NEG ATIVE TEMPERATURE COEF. DETERMINATION X

32.

THERM AL FLUX M APPING X

33.

LOW POWER CALIBRATION-CALORIMETRIC X

34.

N-16 MONITOR CALIBRATION X

35.

HIGH POWER CALIBRATION - CALORIMETRIC X

36.

RADI ATION MONITORING LEVELS CHECK X

37.

PHYSICS BEAMPORT PARAMETERS CHECK X

38.

XENON MEASUREMENTS X

39.

NRC AND DOE FINAL REPORTS X

REV 1 6/6/97