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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l 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 l

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 t

Enclosures:

As Stated i {l cc w/ enclosures: See Nsxt Page i = .hllh fllf 9706190321 970606 ie -

, PDR ADOCK 05000223.

P i 13UU31

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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 y

, ' UNIVERSITY OF M ASSACHUSETTS LOWELL RESEARCH REACTOR

. 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 1

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 / l RESIN CHANGE X l

8. CLEAN-UP DEMINERALIZER CAPACITY CHECK / l 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