ML20281A288
| ML20281A288 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07105797 |
| Issue date: | 10/08/2020 |
| From: | John Mckirgan Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch |
| To: | Shuler J US Dept of Energy (DOE) |
| PSaverot NMSS/DFM/STL 301.415.7505 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20281A287 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2020-LLA-0203 | |
| Download: ML20281A288 (5) | |
Text
T. Tate UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 October 8, 2020 Dr. James M. Shuler Manager, DOE Packaging Certification Program U.S. Department of Energy Office of Packaging and Transportation EM-4.24, 270CC - Rm 3113 Washington, DC 20585
SUBJECT:
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE NO. 5797, REVISION NO. 22, FOR THE MODEL NO. INNER HFIR UNIRRADIATED FUEL ELEMENT SHIPPING CONTAINER, AND OUTER HFIR UNIRRADIATED FUEL ELEMENT SHIPPING CONTAINER
Dear Dr. Shuler:
As requested by your application dated September 15, 2020, enclosed is Certificate of Compliance No. 5797, Revision No. 22, for the Model No. Inner HFIR (High Flux Isotope Reactor) unirradiated fuel element shipping container and outer HFIR unirradiated fuel element shipping container package. Changes made to the enclosed certificate are indicated by vertical lines in the margin. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staffs safety evaluation report is also enclosed.
The approval constitutes authority to use the package for shipment of radioactive material and for the package to be shipped in accordance with the provisions of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 173.471.
If you have any questions regarding this certificate, please contact Pierre Saverot of my staff at 301-415-7505.
Sincerely, John McKirgan, Chief Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 71-5797 EPID - L-2020-LLA-0203 Enclosures 1: Safety Evaluation Report 2: Certificate of Compliance cc w/encl:
R. Boyle, Department of Transportation John B. McKirgan Digitally signed by John B. McKirgan Date: 2020.10.08 12:40:10 -04'00'
ML20281A287 - ML20281A288 (SER) - ML20281A289 (CoC)
OFFICE NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NAME:
PSaverot SFigueroa JMcKirgan DATE:
09/29/2020 10/06/2020 10/08/2020
Enclosure UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Safety Evaluation Report U.S. Department of Energy Docket No. 71-5797 Model No. Inner HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container, and Outer HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container BACKGROUND The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container is a Type B(U)F package, with contents described as U3O8-Al cermet, enriched up to 95% in U235, and clad in aluminum.
The Department of Energy (DOE) requested, by letter dated September 15, 2020, an amendment to the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 5797, Rev. 21 (Docket 71-5797) to replace the Specification HFIR Fuel Elements, RRD-FE-3 in the CoC content definition, with two simplified fuel drawings, still showing all fuel attributes relevant to the technical analyses required to demonstrate regulatory compliance.
DOE requested these changes to improve both the fuel fabrication and inspection processes while minimizing any unnecessary changes to the CoC.
Based on the statements and representations in the application, the staff finds that these changes do not affect the ability of the Model No. Inner HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container, and Outer HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container package to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 71.
EVALUATION Changes made to Chapter 1 of the SAR, Revision No. 13, include editorial corrections, the replacement of several detailed fuel fabrication drawings with two main drawings, and clarifications to the contents. The change of drawings is consistent with NUREG/CR 5502, Engineering Drawings for 10 CFR Part 71 Package Approvals. The specification for High, Flux Isotope Reactor Fuel Elements RRD-FE-3, ORNL/RRD/INT-37-V3, Revision 4, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Drawing Nos.: E-42118, Rev. R; E-42112, Rev. H; D-42113, Rev. G; D-42114, Rev. K; and E-42117, Rev. H, (for shipment in the inner HFIR packaging) and E-42126, Rev. N; E-42120, Rev. H; D-42121, Rev. H; D-42122, Rev K; and E-42125, Rev. J (for shipment in the outer HFIR packaging) were removed because they provide excessive details that are neither appropriate nor necessary as a condition of approval. This specification and the drawings were replaced with two simplified fuel drawings: HFIR Fuel Unirradiated Inner Element Certification DrawingM-11524-OH-106 (Rev. 4) & HFIR Fuel Unirradiated Outer Element Certification DrawingM-11524-OH-107 (Rev. 4). These drawings provide sufficient details to identify the package contents accurately and to provide an adequate basis for its safety evaluation. Notes were added to clarify (i) the role of burnable poisons and of the polyethylene wrapping in which the fuel elements are shipped, (ii) the listed weights of the inner and outer fuel elements from 104 lb to 103.5 lb (inner) and from 202 lb to 205 lb (outer), (iii) the average fuel cladding thickness of at least 0.010 in. thick, and (iv) the fact that the boron content listed for the inner fuel element (2.8 g) is a nominal amount.
Chapter 2, Structural Evaluation, incorporates, in the structural model, key fuel element dimensions that are shown on the simplified drawings; the container designs have not changed and are not affected by the removal of the fuel fabrication drawings or the Fuel Specification.
The applicant clarified that the inner and outer fuel element weights are 103.5 lbs. and 205 lbs.,
respectively, to be consistent with what is assumed in the analyses. Other editorial changes were made.
The features of the fuel which could affect the thermal evaluation, such as fuel dimensions and configuration (e.g., cladding and side plate thicknesses), materials of construction, and amount and type of nuclear material, have not been changed and are shown on the simplified drawings included in Chapter 1.
The containment boundary (i.e., the cladding and fuel matrix) has not changed. Editorial and clarification changes were made regarding the current fuel plate production processes or the frequency and sample size of a destructive testing.
The shielding and criticality evaluations are not affected by the removal of the Fuel Specification or detailed fuel fabrication drawings. In particular, the controlled container drawings are not altered nor changed and the key features of the fuel elements, including dimensions, form and composition of the fissile material, have not changed.
Chapter 7, Operating Procedures, is not impacted by the changes: an additional step is included in Section 7.1, Procedures for Loading Packages, to place the fuel element in a protective polyethylene wrapping to protect it from dust and moisture.
Chapter 8, Acceptance Tests and Maintenance Programs, is also unaffected since the packaging has not changed and maintenance tests do not address the maintenance of the HFIR fuel, as the fuel material is enclosed in an aluminum matrix and cladding.
Changes to Chapter 9, Quality Assurance, focus on the removal of the fuel fabrication drawings from Chapter 1 and the removal of the Fuel Specification from Chapter 4, Appendix C. Editorial changes have been also made.
Based on these findings listed above, the staff has reasonable assurance that that these changes do not affect the ability of the Model No. Inner HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container, and Outer HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container package to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 71.
CONDITIONS The following changes were made to the CoC:
Condition No. 5(b)(1) was modified to add that only intact assemblies comprised of whole fuel plates with no known or suspected cladding defects are authorized, and that contents are now described in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Drawing Nos.: M11524-OH-106, Rev. 4, and M11524-OH-107, Rev. 4, respectively.
Condition No. 7(c) on fuel elements meeting the fabrication requirements of the Specification for High Flux Isotope Reactor Fuel Elements, RRD-FE-3, was deleted.
Condition No. 11 was updated to extend the use of Revision No. 21 of the CoC by approximately one more year.
The References section of the certificate was updated to include the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging the ORNL HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container, ORNL/TM-11656, Volumes 1 and 2, Revision 13 (page-changes), dated September 2020.
CONCLUSION Based on the statements and representations in the application, the staff finds that these changes do not affect the ability of the Model No. Inner HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container, and Outer HFIR Unirradiated Fuel Element Shipping Container package to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 71.
Issued with CoC No. 5797, Revision No. 22.