ML20197J710

Responds to Recent Telcon in Which NRC Requested Clarification of Few Items Re Request for Amend to TS for Univ of Ca,Irvine Triga Reactor

ML20197J710
Person / Time
Site:	University of California - Irvine
Issue date:	12/07/1998
From:	Geoffrey Miller CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, IRVINE, CA
To:	Mendonca M NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9812150191
Download: ML20197J710 (1)

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIIORNIA,IRVINE mannstav . navs . mviEs . ms euaum . museum . su mmoo . se niawn s w asres4:4.sm4m2 Dr. George E. Miller iRVINE, CA 92697 2025 1 Senior Lecturer Emeritus (949) 824-6649 Department of Chemistry and ' FAX: (949) 824-2210 or (949) 824-7621 Supervisor, Nuclear Reactor Facility internet: GEMILLER@uci.cdu Director Science Education Programs, School of Physical Sciences Home(Tel AND FAX):(949)854-1525 WEB: http://www. chem.uci.cdu/research/ faculty /gemiller.html December 7,1998 1

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission l Document Contml Desk  !

Washington DC 20555 Attention: Marvin Mendonca Docket 50-326 License R-116 Re: Recent Reauest for Amendment to Technical Snecifications for the UCI TRIGA Reactor in reference to our recent telephone conversation in which you requested clarification of a few items, I am pleased to respond as follows: i

1) TS 1. 27: We agree to specify that reactor operation surveill.ce items that are delayed must be l completed within 30 days of reactor operation restart. The last sentence of 1.27 would be

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modified to read:

However, they must be completed prior to reactor start-up except for 4.2 (a),4.3 (d), and 4.3 (f) which require reactor operation in order to be accomplished and must be completed within 30 4 days of restarting reactor operation.  !

2)TS 6.2 (c): The proposed change in committee specifications acknowledges the broad range of independent expertise available within the School of Physical Sciences in the Departments of '

Chemistry, Physics, and Earth System Science to supervise reactor operations. A single extemal member (at a minimum) is sufficient to validate decisions.

3) TS 3.3 and TS _4.5: Fuel integrity is monitored by the Radiation Monitoring systems required in section 3.3 and maintained by the surveillance of these required by section 4.5. As noted in the SAR Section 4.7.1, page 4-15, there was evidence at the University of Illinois reactor that damaged fuel integrity leading to fission product leakage would rapidly be detected by the /

Particulate Continuous Air Monitor (CAM). More recent experience at Reed College Reactor d facility has confirmed this eadier conclusion. Our facility is currently purchasing (using DOE University Reactor Instrumentation funds) an upgraded instrument to replace the original system. lodine and Noble Gas detection will be added to particulate detection capability to increase the probability of early detection of fuel element claddmg damage or deterioration. 2 7

I hope that these answers will assist in bringing this revision to full closure.

Yours sincerely y b.

G$orge E. Miller ,- 4, p cc: Executive Vice Chancellor William J. Lillyman Associate Executive Vice Chancellor William H. Parker Dean of Physical Sciences, Ron J. Stern 9812150191 981207  ?

, PDR ADOCK 05000324.

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