B12565, Provides Info Re Design of New Rod Cluster Control Assemblies.Assemblies Will Be Placed Into Core During end- of-cycle 14 Refueling Outage.Mechanical Changes Listed

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Provides Info Re Design of New Rod Cluster Control Assemblies.Assemblies Will Be Placed Into Core During end- of-cycle 14 Refueling Outage.Mechanical Changes Listed
ML20234D992
Person / Time
Site: Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date: 06/30/1987
From: Mroczka E
CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER CO.
To:
NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM)
References
B12565, NUDOCS 8707070415
Download: ML20234D992 (2)


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l CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATO MIC POWER COMPANY B E R L I N, CONNECTICUT P.o Box 270 e HARTFORD. CONNECTICUT 00141-0270 TELEPHONE 203 4654000 June 30,1987 Docket No. 50-213 B12565 Re: 10CFR50.34 .I i

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission  !

Attn: Document Control Desk l Washington, D.C. 20555 j Gentlemen:

Haddam Neck Plant <

Informational Letter on the Mechanical Design of Rod Cluster Control Assemblies (RCCAs)

During a telephone discussion with the NRC regarding licensing requirements for startup from the upcoming refueling outage, an informational letter was requested on the mechanical design of the new rod cluster control assemblies.

These assemblies will be placed into the core during the end-of-cycle 14 refueling outage. The purpose of this letter is to provide the NRC with this l information.

Af ter anomalies were discovered at several other plants, the RCCAs at the  ;

Haddam Neck Plant were inspected during the end-of-cycle 13 refueling outage j for wear and clad cracking as recommended by Westinghouse. Forty-seven a (47) control rods, a full set plus two spares, were examined by utilizind eddy current profilometry. Significant wear and cracking was identified leading to the decision to replace the entire core of RCCAs during the end-of-cycle 14 refueling outage. Five rodlets, one in each of five RCCAs, were shown to have flow induced vibration wear which exceeded the clad wall thickness. Another RCCA was found to have longitudinal cracks near the tips of 13 of the 20 i rodlets. 4 In order to achieve extended RCCA lifetimes, several mechanical design changes were incorporated. These include:

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a welded and brazed spider replaced by a cast spider, o absorber material diameter reduced to .005 inches over the lower 12 inches of the rod o stainless steel 304 clad material replaced with the low silicon and j phosphorus loconel 625 and o rodlet prepressurization to 465 psig with helium, i 8707oyo4 , G70630 PDR hi P ADOCg 050002 lL,f 3

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c U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission B12565/Page 2 June 30,1987 It is intended that each change should minimize or curb the effects of the established life limiting phenomenon. The cast spider will provide a more stable configuration to alleviate joint failure between the vane and hub. The reduced diameter Ag-In-Cd absorber in conjunction with rodlet prepressurization will provide a larger gap to accommodate higher silver swelling and reduce clad stresses. Low impurity (silicon and phosphorous) concentration in the Inconel is designed to improve the susceptibility of the clad to intergranular stress corrosion cracking. In addition, the higher hardness exhibited by the inconel is intended to reduce flow induced vibration wear.

The remainder of the Inconel RCCA design can be classified as equivalent to the original steel design. The mechanical aspects are comparable. As a result, the design changes do not alter or modify the current Haddam Neck Plant basis or require any changes to the Technical Specifications.

Very truly yours, CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY l

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l EW/;Mrodzka ,//

Serdor Vice Pre!fident  !

cc: W. T. Russell, Region 1 Administrator F. M. Akstulewicz, NRC Project Manager, Haddam Neck Plant P. D. Swetland, Resident inspector, Haddam fleck Plant l

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