ML20149E516

Amend 4 to License R-113,authorizing Postponement of Certain Tech Spec Surveillance Requirements When Reactor Defueled

ML20149E516
Person / Time
Site:	U.S. Geological Survey
Issue date:	01/04/1988
From:	Rubenstein L Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Shared Package
ML20149E502	List: ML20149E499 ML20149E516 ML20149E558
References
R-113-A-004, R-113-A-4, NUDOCS 8801130371
Download: ML20149E516 (8)

Text

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^q UNITED STATES

! o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g ,E W ASHINGTON, D. C. 205S5

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U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (USGS)

DOCKET N0. 50-274 AMENDMENT TO FACILITY LICENSE Amendment No. 4 License No. R-113

1. The Nuclear Regulatory Comission (the Comission) has found that: -

A. The application for amendment filed by the United States Geological Survey (the licensee), dated October 21, 1987, complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Comission's regulations as set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; B. The facility will o)erate in conformity with the application, the provisions of t1e Act, and the regulations of the Comission; C. There is reasonable assurance: (i) that the activities authorized by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Comission's regulations set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the comon defense and security or to the health and safety of the public; E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Comission's regulations and all applicable requirements have been satisfied; and F. Publication of notice of this amendment is not required since it does not involve a significant hazards consideration nor amendment of a license of the type described in 10 CFR Section 2.106(a)(2).

8801130371 880104 PDR ADOCK 05000274 P PDR

2. Accordingly, paragraph 3. A. of License No. R-113 is hereby amended to read as follows:

A. Maximum Power Level The 1 4ensee may operate the reactor at steady-state power levels not '.1 excess of 1000 Kilowatts (thermal) and, in ';Se pulse mode, with reactivity insections not to exceed 2.1% delta k/k.

4 Accordingly, the liceise is amended by changes to the Technical Specifications as indicated in the enclosure to this license amendment, and paragraph 3.B. of License No. R-113 is hereby amended to read as follows:

B. Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised through Amendment No. 4, 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 its date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCalISSION ya b (Ab Lester-S. Rubenstein, Director Standardization and Non-Power Reactor Project Directorate Division of Reactor Projects III, IV, Y and Special Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Enclosure:

Appendix A Technical Specifiestions Changes Date of I.csuance: January 4, 1988 )

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ENCLOSURE TO LICENSE AMENDMENT NO 4 __

FACILITY 'ICENSE NO. R-113 1

DOCKET NO. 50-274 f i

l Replace the following pages of the Appendix A Technical Soecifications with ,

the enclosed pages. The revised pages are identified by Amendment number and  ;

contain a vertical line indicating the area of change. l

, i Remove Pagos Insert Pages  ;

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APPENDIX A TECHNICAL SPECIFICATl'NS FOR THE V.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TRIGA REACTOR D0CKET NO. 50-274  !

The d3;ensions, measurements, and other numerical values given in these specifications I.,ay differ from measured values owing to normal construction and manufacturing tolerances, or normal accuracy of instrumentation.

A. Definitionc

1. Shutdown The retetor, with fixed 2xperiments in place, shall be considered to be shutdown (not in operation) whenever all of the following conditions have been met: a) the console key switch is in the

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"off" po:ition and the key is removed from the console and under the control of a licensed operator (o: 4'ored in a lacked storage  :

area); b) sufficient control rods art inserted se as to assure the reactor is suberitical by a margin greater than 0.7% delta k/k cold, without xenon; c) no work is in progress involving fuel handling or refueling operations or maintenance of the coi: trol mechanisms.

2. Steady State Mode (SS}

Steady state mode shall mean operation of the reactor at power levels not to exceed 1 megawatt utilizing the scrains in Tabic I and the interlocks in Table II.

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Amendment No. 4

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. 3. Pulse Mode Pulse mode shall mean operation requiring the use of the scrams in Tabic I and the interlocks in Table II to assure that no more than one rod is pneumatically withdrawn to produce power pulses.

4. Square Wave Mo_de (SW)

Square wave mode shall mean operation of the reactor with the mode selector switch in the square-wave position requiring use of the scrams in Table I and the interlocks in Table II.

5. Operable A system or component shall be considered operable when it is

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capable of performin, its intended functions.

6. Exoeriment Experiment shall means: (a) any apparatus, device, or material installed in the core or experimental facilities (except for underwater lights, fuel element storage racks and the like) which is not a normal part of these facilities or (b) an.y operation to measure reactor parameters or characteristics.

7. Experimental Facilities Experimental facilities shall mean the rotary specimen rack, vertical tubes, pneumatic transfer system, c-atral thimb e, and in-pool irradiation facilitier.

Amendnr.t No. 4 M

2. The pool water shall be sampled for conductivity at least weekly.

Conductivity averaged over a month shall not exceed 5 micrombos per 2

cm . This item is not applicable if the reactor is completely defueled and the pool level is below the water treatment system intake.

D. Reactor Core

1. The core shall be an assembly of TRIGA Mark III stainless steel clad fuel-moderator elements arranged in a close-packed array except for (1) replacement of single individual elements with incore irradiation facilities or control rods; (2) two separatt.d experiment positions in ,

the D through E rings, each occupying a maximum of three fuel element positions. The reflector (excluding experiments and experimental facilities) shall be water or a combination of graphite and water.

2. The excess reactivity above cold critical, without xenon, shall not exceed 4.9% delta k/k sith experiments in place.

3. Fuel temperatures near the core midplane in either the B or C ri19 of elements shall be continuously recordei during tht pulse mode of operation using a standard I

thermocouple fuel element. The reactor shall not be -

operated in a manner which would cause the measured fuel temperd ure to exceed 800*C.

4. Power levels during pulse mode operation that exceed 2J00 mega-watts, shall be cause for the reactor to be shut down pending an investigatien by the reactor supervisor to determine the reason l

Amendent No. 4

9. The reactor instrumentation channels and safety systems for the intended modes of operation as listed in Table I shall be verified to be operable at least once each day the reactor is operated unless the operation extends continuously beyond one day, in which case the operability need only be verified prior to beginning the extended operation.

10. A licensed reactor operator shall be present during maintenance of the reactor control and safety systems.

11. Following maintenance or modification of the control or safety systems, the associated system shall be verifieo to be operable before the reactor is placed in operation. ,

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12. The conditions listed below shall be verified at least once semi-annually, with the exception that if the reactor is operating continueusly, the conditions shall be verified after the first shutdown that occurs more than six months after the previous tests.

Those items marked with an

• are not applicable if the reactor is completely defueled, but they must be verified upon startup if more than six months have passed after the previous tests.

a.

• All reactor interlocks are operable,

b.

• Control element drop times are less than one second (two seconds for pulse rod). If drop time is found to be greater than this, the rod shall not be concidered operable. I

c.

• Power level safety circuits are operable. The circuits will be tested by the introduction of an electrical signal into the circuit at a point between the detector and the control system.

Amendment No. 4

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d. Ventilation system interlocks are op6rable. l

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• The linear pcwer channel indicates the actu31 power level as determined by a thermal power measurdment.

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13. On each day that-pulse mode operation of the reactor is planned, a functional performance check of the transir.nt (pulse) rod rysten shall be performed.

Semi-annually, at intervals not to exceed eight months, the transient (pulse) rod drive cylinder and the associated air supply system shall be inspectec, cleaned and lub?'cated as necessary. ,

liendment No. 4

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