ML20087N631
| ML20087N631 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000142 |
| Issue date: | 03/30/1984 |
| From: | Cormier W CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, LOS ANGELES, CA |
| To: | Bright G, Frye J, Luebke E Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8404040115 | |
| Download: ML20087N631 (2) | |
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'84 APR -3 A10 :26 OFFICE OF Tile CH ANCELLOH LFf li[ Of ao,c - LOS ANCELES, CALIFORNIA 91024 000.40 mG a SEi(Vn
- BRANCH flarch 30, 1984 John H. Frye, III, Chairman Dr. Emneth A. Luebke Administrative Judge Administrative Judge '
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Cormission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Uashington, D.C. 20555 Glenn 0. Bright i Administrative Judge Atenic Safety and Licensing Board r U.S. Nuclear oegulatory Connission '
Uashington, D.C. 20555 In the Matter of THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UCLA Research Reactor)
Docket No. 50-142 (Proposed Renewal of Facility License)
Dear Administrative Judges:
In the Board's Menorandum and Order of March 22, 1984, UCLA was directed to inform the Board and parties concerning the schedule for maintenance and restart of the reactor, the exact nature of the naintenance to be performed, and UCLA's views on the opportunity which this maintenance may present to gather significant data relevant to the issues involved in this phase of the hearing. The following information is provided in response to the Board's request.
A schedule for the required maintenance and restart of the UCLA reacter has not been established. Such a schedule will not be considered until at least after the conclusion of the summer Olvnpic Games. The maintenance to be performed will consist of lubricating or replacing the bearings in which the rod drive shafts rotate, replacing plunbing gaskets, and improving the nitrogen distribution system by adding a manifold. Other preventative maintenance will be perfarned as insoection of the core indicates is necessary. The maintenance effort will require unstacking the lead and graphite blocks in the reactor core and removing all core plumbing including the fuel boxes. The maintenance will be performed by the Nuclear Energy Laboratory (NEL) staff. Because there are only five members of the UEL staff available for the maintenance effort. it is expected that some
. additional assistance will be needed to complete the work. Arrangements 8404040115 840330
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John H. Frye, III v' ' Glenn 0. Bright Dr. Emmeth A. Luebke March 30,-1934 Page 2 have not been made for this additional assistance. The maintenance effort will be paced to occur over a number of months to limit the occupational radiation doses to those who will be involved in the maintenance.
Because a schedule for the naintenance will not even be considered for several months there will be no opportunity to gather additional data relevant to the issues being considered in this phase of the proceedings. When the maintenance does eventually take place the core will be exposed and the opportunity will then exist to nake some observations and take some neasurements which may "shed light" on the shutdown mechanism and Wigner energy issues. However, UCLA does not believe that the opportunity to gather "significant data" will exist.
On-site inspection of the voiding space for the water noderator by the Board and parties at the time the core is first exposed, as proposed in Mr.
Bay's letter of March 14, 1984, would probably be precluded for health physics reasons. In any case, an inspection at the tire the reactor core is first exoosed would be inconclusive since the precise voiding spaces of interest to the Board and parties would be those that exist at the time the reactor is reassembled. In connection with the basic naintenance to be performed the UCLA staff will also have the opportunity to better define the water escaoe paths at the time the core is reassembled. In addition, although UCLA analyses demonstrate that stored energy is not a problem in Argonaut reactors, presented with the opportunity the UCLA staff does plan to take samples of the graphite from the core center to attempt to measure by differential scanning calorimetry the stored Wigner energy prior to reassenbly of the reactor. Because handling the irradiated fuel during reloading operations raises health physics concerns UCLA will not attempt to re-measure the void coefficient. The UCLA staff has confidence in the data that already exists concerning the void coefficient. Of course, the UCLA staff will inspect the fuel assemblies and the core prior to reloading the fuel in the core and will document the maintenance performed.
Very truly yours, William H. Cormier Representing UCLA cc: Service List
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