ML16138A423

Notification of 791220 Meeting W/B&W & B&W Licensees in Bethesda,Md to Discuss Control Rod Guide Tube Wear

ML16138A423
Person / Time
Site:	Davis Besse, Oconee, Arkansas Nuclear, Crystal River, Rancho Seco, Crane
Issue date:	12/17/1979
From:	Conner E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Reid R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8001230034
Download: ML16138A423 (6)

Text

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7 DECEMBER.1 7 1979 I OM~d FOf Rfhat &

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Opentai eactorl EVmachA L' Coner, ProJct Amer Opeante Rectors 4rach W4 Aristev P1(flte*p ATEL 00E UR-4di Timt 4 inte 93~ *.i: FMi$ s Ediflr lDecei*er 20, 1979 Location:

Setesei Ar5la?1, Room P-500 To sea*st results of nprelirtry impactt aW peamsse tspect"i plns to rtszolv the teactosed sta!f concerss, III

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NRC FORM 31P D-iQR 5G Vm e rciNnING OPPICE: 1979-289-3659

MEETING NOTICE DISTRIBUTION ORB#4 Docket File W. Gammill NRC PDR L. Shao L PDR J. Miller ORB#4 Rdq AEOD NRR Rdg P. T. Kuo (seismic reviews only)

H. Denton H. Gaut, State Programs E. G. Case D. Eisenhut R. Vollmer W. Russell B. Grimes T. J. Carter A. Schwencer D. Ziemann T. Ippolito R. Reid V. Noonan P. Check G. Lainas G. Knighton Project Manager OELD OI&E(3)

OSD S. Showe, I&E (PWR)

R. Ingram Receptionist, Bethesda R. Fraley, ACRS (16)

Program Support Branch TERA J. R. Buchanan Meeting Notice File NRC Participants S. Weiss F. Coffman R. Riggs E. Conner M. Fairtile G. Vissing D. Garner D. Dilanni

p~ REGUI R

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 4z to WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 December 17, 1979 Dockets Nos. 50-269, 270, 287, 289, 302, 312, 313, and 346 MEMORANDUM FOR:

Robert W. Reid, Chief Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Operating Reactors FROM:

E. L. Conner, Project Manager Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Operating Reactors

SUBJECT:

FORTHCOMING MEETING.WITH B&W AND B&W LICENSEES ON CONTROL ROD GUIDE TUBE WEAR Time, Date!&

9:.30 a.m., Phillips Building, December 20, 1979 Location:

Bethesda, Maryland, Room P-500

Purpose:

To discuss the results of preliminary inspection and proposed inspection planned to resolve the enclosed staff concerns.

Participants:

NRC S. Weiss, F. Coffman, R. Riggs, E. Conner, M. Fairtile, G. Vissing, D. Garner, and D. Dilanni B&W R. Pjrekh and K. Stein DPC B. Gill, K. Wilson, B..McCallum, P. Guill, and D. Frech SMUD AP&L R. Dieterich E. Grant MET ED W. Wilkerson, R. Pensak, and G. Bond FPC TECO B. Simpson and R. Bright T. Meyers E. L. Conner, Project Manager Operating Reactors Branch #4 Division of Operating Reactors

Enclosuirz NRC CONCERNS ON CONTROL ROD GUIDE TUBE 'WEAR IN FACILITIES DESIGNED BY B&4 The B&W surveillance experience on worn control rod guide tubes, as described in their January 12, 1979 letter, consists.of (a) air testing of sixteen guide tubes from an Oconee-1 15x15 fuel assembly that had experienced one cycle of operation under a control rod assembly and (b) clam-shell sectioning of two guide tubes from a 17x17 fuel assembly that had undergone a 1000-hour flow test under a control rod assembly. As documented in our letter of August 22, 1979, we find that this experience is not sufficient to support the B&W con clusion that there is strong evidence for the absence of wear in B&W-designed plants. In fact, to the contrary, worn guide tubes have been observed in Crystal River, Unit 3 spent fuel (see BAW-1490 Rev. 1, July 1978).

Our position is further, based on observations made by other NSSS vendors who have found a "plant-specific" and "core-position" dependence in the observed wear.

Furthermore, out-of pile flow tests have demonstrated that the wear rate is a function of several design and operating variables.

1. Propose a post-irradiation examination (PIE) program with a schedule for its imolementation and a cormmitment to execute the prcgram for NRC'review.

This data-gathering program should be completed expeditiously considering the availability of irradiated assemblies in all B&W-designed plants.

Details of the surveillance plan should include the following:

a. Methodfs e exarr4na tion ( e.gc.,

de stru :vE, eddy Current coe boroscope, mechar-cal gace) accompanied by aualification of those methods.

1Characterization of the examined cuice tubes, includin: the.r in-core locations, EEPHs, flow rates. flence. and wear t--

under rods (control, instrument, axial-oower shaming, burnatle poison, startup source, and crifice).

c.

Exaination of those rods (control, i-nsrument, axial-:ower sr~.a~i':. riatle -:;s.cn. s-tartu:s:.7E arnc o' c)

-2 crackinc, wear, dentin:, or an. other :o :2:ions that car.

decrade their desicn f.unction, reduce : e-cas4gn lifetze, or im-ede their movement.

d. Analysis of results includirng ouantific;at n of gu de tube wail wear death and distribution.

This 7E Drcram may be satisfied in part of totality by reference to data taken from another B&.' desioned plant(s) that.uses the same type of fuel assemblies. In such case, justification must be given that wear in the referenced plant adecuately represents that of the plant desicn in question.

Provide all correlations supported by your tests and discuss how these correlarions are used to predict guide tube wear during reactor operations over the fuel lifetime.

2. Provide an evaluation on the predicted cuide tube wear on the stress analyses contained in the FSAR.

he evaluation should address loadincs associated with Condition-1 throu:h -4 events inclucino fuel handlinc accidents, control roc scra=s, and seismic and LO.- transients.

The discussion should describe t state o stress in the worn auide tubes and how the wear 7fects the loadbearinc characteristics of the worn tubes.

(Note that nonuniform wear results in a shift of the neutral tube axis which then induces not only direct stresses but also bending stresses.)

Show that the loadbearing capacity of the worn guide tubes satisfies the acceotance criteria for these loading events.

Provide or reference all material property correlations that are used in the guide tube stress analyses.

These correlations should accommodate the effects of hydrogen absorption and the propensity for hydrogen uptake in the Zircaloy cuide tubes as a function of accumlua-ve wea-.

Address The consequences of hole fc-mation in wor.

d tubes.

Consider the extent and distributic of wear i

.ole formation is possible.

If the potential for he q:mio can not be discounted, evaluate the imrpac: oT Sich n=

as o ne Cuide tube integrity, control rod motior End local th6r

"-raulic performance.

This evaluation should accounz for jow-induced vibration resulting in crack propagation and pcss i e fitigue frac ture in locally thinned areas of tr.e tube wall.

nis ciscussion should also address the entire core residence time, both during periods of wear (under rods; i.e., control, instrument, axial-power shaping, burnable poison, startup source, and orifice) and when the tubes are not rodded.