ML23132A126

License Condition Change Request in Support of the License Amendment Request Regarding Fueled Experiments for the Pulstar Research Reactor (EPID L-2022-NFA-0004) (ML23075A056 Submittal Dated 13 March 2023) License R-120; Docket No. 50-297

ML23132A126
Person / Time
Site:	North Carolina State University
Issue date:	05/12/2023
From:	Hawari A North Carolina State University
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Document Control Desk
References
(EPID L-2022-NFA-0004
Download: ML23132A126 (1)

Text

Nuclear Reactor Program Campus Box 7909 Department of Nuclear Engineering 2500 Stinson Drive www.ne.ncsu.edu/nrp Raleigh, NC 27695-7909 919.515.7294 (voice) 919.513.1276 (fax) 12 May 2023 Document Control Desk US Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11545 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Re: License Condition Change Request in Support of the License Amendment Request Regarding Fueled Experiments for the PULSTAR Research Reactor (EPID L-2022-NFA-0004) (ML23075A056 submittal dated 13 March 2023)

License R-120 Docket No. 50-297 Enclosed please find a change request for license condition 2.B.(2) to our facility license regarding possession and use of special nuclear material. This license change request is made in support of the License Amendment Request Regarding Fueled Experiments for the PULSTAR Research Reactor submittal dated 13 March 2023 (ML23075A056). Proposed wording for license condition 2.B.(2) and justifications for the changes are enclosed.

If you have any questions regarding this correspondence or require additional information, please contact Gerald Wicks at 919-515-4601 or wicks@ncsu.edu.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the forgoing is true and correct. Executed on 12 May 2023.

Sincerely, Ayman I. Hawari, Ph. D.,

Director, Nuclear Reactor Program North Carolina State University : License Condition 2.B.(2) Change Request and Justifications

License Condition 2.B.(2) Change Request and Justifications In the license amendment request for fueled experiments submittal dated 13 March 2023 (ML23075A056), the following change to license condition, 2.B.(2) is proposed:

Special Nuclear receive, possess, and use in connection with operation of the reactor up to 25 kilograms of contained uranium-235 enriched to less than 20 percent in the isotope uranium-235 in the form of reactor fuel; up to 20 grams of contained uranium-235 of any enrichment in the form of fission chambers; up to 20 grams of plutonium in the form of fission chambers; up to 35 grams of contained uranium-235 of any enrichment in the form of foils or for fueled experiments; up to 5 grams of plutonium for fueled experiments; up to 200 grams of plutonium-239 in the form of plutonium-beryllium neutron sources; and to possess, but not separate, such special nuclear material as may The license condition 2.B.(2) as stated above will expand the capabilities to conduct and monitor experiments at the PULSTAR reactor and enhance its utilization. The justification for this license condition is as follows:

1. The up to 20 grams of contained uranium-235 of any enrichment in the form of is unchanged and allows for possession and use of fission chambers for reactor operation, e.g., for reactor startup and monitoring of reactor power. The 20 gram mass of uranium-235 accounts for fission chambers in use and spares in storage.

2. The statement allows for possession and use of fission chambers with plutonium rather than uranium-235. Plutonium has different fission characteristics(e.g., the fission cross section) from uranium, which can support different measurement needs and experiments. The 20 gram mass of plutonium accounts for fission chambers in use and spares in storage.

3. The following statements allow for possession and use of uranium-235 and plutonium in fueled experiments:

a. up to 35 grams of contained uranium-235 of any enrichment in the form of foils or for fueled experiments

b. up to 5 grams of plutonium for fueled experiments The mass limits given above for uranium-235 and plutonium cover the the limits expected in various experiments (including fueled experiments), which may arise at the PULSTAR reactor.

In all experiments, mass and neutron flux are controlled to meet the Technical Specification fission rate limit.