NL-18-0026, NEDO-33884, Revision 0, Gnf Fecrai Atf Lead Test Assembly for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 1.

NEDO-33884, Revision 0, Gnf Fecrai Atf Lead Test Assembly for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 1.

ML18012A058
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	10/31/2017
From:	Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas, Southern Nuclear Operating Co
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NEDC-33884, Rev 0, NL-18-0026 NEDO-33884, Rev 0
Download: ML18012A058 (16)

Text

Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant -Unit 1 Information Reports for Lead Test Assemblies Enclosure 2 Non-Proprietary Report NEDC-33884, Revision O GNF FeCrAI ATF Lead Test Assembly Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:14 PM EDT -r Global Nuclear Fuel Global Nuclear Fuel Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) GNF FeCrAl ATP Lead Test Assembly for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 Copyright 2017 Global Nuclear Fuel -Americas, LLC All Rights Reserved NED0-33884 Revision 0 October 2017 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:-J4 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) INFORMATION NOTICE This is a non-proprietary version of the document NEDC-33884P Revision 0, which has the proprietary information removed. Portions of the document that have been removed are indicated by an open and closed bracket as shown here [[ ]] . IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING CONTENTS OF THIS REPORT Please Read Carefully This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy [National Nuclear Security Administration]

under Award Number DE-NE0008221.

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government.

Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any age~cy thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof. The design, engineering, and other information contained in this document is furnished for the

• purpose contained in the contract between Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC) and GNF, and nothing contained in this document shall be construed as changing the contract.

The use of this information by anyone for any purpose other than that for which it is intended is not authorized; and with respect to any unauthorized use, GNF makes no representation or warranty, and assumes no liability as to the completeness, accuracy, or usefulness of the information contained in this document.

ii Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 20*17 5:03:*14 PM EDT Revision Date 0 10/2017 NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information-Class I (Public) REVISION HISTORY .. Descr~ption.of Cha11ge Initial Release iii ,,, "'

Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information-Class I (Public) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction

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1 2.0 GNF FeCrAl and ATF LTA Description

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2 2.1 GNF FeCrAl ..................................................................................................................

2 2.2 Lead Test Assembly Description

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2 3.0 Licensing Analyses ...................................................................................................................

7 4.0 LTA Program Objectives and Planned Inspections

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8 5.0 References

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9 LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1 Nominal GNF FeCrAl Alloy Composition

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3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2-1 Rod Segment Schematic for Fueled Segments ..........................................................

.4 Figure 2-2 Segmented Rod Axial Arrangement (Fueled) .............................................................

5 Figure 2-3 Allowable Lead Test Rod Locations

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6 iv Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:14 PM EDT Term . *; > ATP COLR DOE GE GNF HNP-1 LTA LTR NRC OLMCPR PLR SAFDL SNC SRLR TMOL NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) ACRONYMS Definition

• * .. ,, Accident Tolerant Fuel Core Operating Limits Report United States Department of Energy General Electric Global Nuclear Fuel -Americas, LLC Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 Lead Test Assembly Lead Test Rod United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operating Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Part Length Rod Specified Acceptable Fuel Design Limit Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. Supplemental Reload Licensing Report Thermal Mechanical Operating Limit V '"!

Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:*14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) Abstract Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. (SNC) plans to load four (4) Lead Test Assemblies (LTAs) as part of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 (HNP-1) Reload 28 Cycle 29 during the 2018 refueling outage. These bundles, also referred to as Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) LTAs, are conventional GNF2 assemblies in which a limited number of fuel rods are replaced with GNF FeCrAl clad Lead Test Rods (LTRs). These LT As are planned to be in operation as part of a joint program with Global Nuclear Fuel -Americas, LLC (GNF) on behalf of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE's) ATF program. This report contains information that is to be provided to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Included in this report are a description of GNF FeCrAl and the ATF LT As, a discussion of the licensing analyses, a description of the LTA program objectives, and measurements planned for the assemblies.

VI Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev; 0 Security/IP:

Class i Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 20H 5:03:14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information-Class I (Public) 1.0 Introduction SNC plans to load four (4) LTAs as part of the HNP-1 Reload 28 Cycle 29 during the 2018 refueling outage. These bundles, also referred to as ATF LTAs, are planned to be in operation as part of a joint program with GNF on behalf of the DOE. This report contains information that is to be provided to the NRC to comply with Reference 1, which provides guidelines to be followed to license LT As. Included in this report are a description of the ATF LTAs, a discussion of the licensing analyses, a description of the program objectives, and any applicable measurements planned for the L TAs. The LTA design is described in Section 2 along with the GNF FeCrAl cladding material that is the aspect to be tested. The subject LTAs are GNF2 bundles with less than eight Zircaloy clad rods replaced with segmented FeCrAl clad rods. No other aspects of the bundle are modified.

LTR segments may be fueled or empty. The fuel material in fueled segments is conventional U02. Section 3 describes the licensing analyses that will be performed.

Section 4 states the objectives of the L TA program and describes the measurements planned. 1 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) 2.0 GNF FeCrAl and ATF LTA Description As part of the DOE's ATF program, GNF and collaborating partners are developing a ferrous metallic FeCrAl alloy with a ferritic structure as an alternative fuel rod cladding material to contemporary zirconium based alloys. Model alloys with substantially improved resistance to the metal-water reaction under accident conditions have been under investigation since the Great Earthquake of Eastern Japan that occurred on March 11, 2011. 2.1 GNF FeCrAI GNF FeCrAl encompasses a broad range of alloying elements, the principal being iron, chrome, aluminum and molybdenum as described in Table 2-1. GNF FeCrAl is a ferrous alloy with a chrome concentration in the stainless steel range and containing aluminum.

GNF FeCrAl has demonstrable resistance to corrosion at normal reactor operating conditions (i.e., 30*0°c water) as well as at normal conditions, including accident conditions (i.e., very high temperature steam approaching the material melting temperature).

GNF FeCrAl has a body-centered-cubic ferritic structure that promotes resistance to stress corrosion cracking at high temperature.

In addition to its oxidation resistance, GNF FeCrAl exhibits good thermal and mechanical properties that are important for fuel rod function and is suitable for conventional manufacturing processes.

2.2 Lead Test Assembly Description The LTA is essentially a standard production GNF2 fuel assembly as described in Reference 2 in which several normal full length fuel rods are replaced with full length rods comprised of segments that may be partially fueled segments clad with GNF FeCrAl as depicted in Figures 2-1 and 2-2 or unfueled segments.

The fuel pellet material for fueled segments is conventional U02. The outside diameter is the same as a normal GNF2 fuel rod. As such, the thermal hydraulic characteristics in the active region of the assembly can be treated as normal fuel. As illustrated in Figure 2-3, the L TRs are restricted to interior positions in the bundle that operate at lower power than peripheral locations.

For fueled segments, this provides inherent margin relative to the limiting rods within the bundle which accommodates uncertainties in irradiated material properties.

The L TAs may contain reference Zircaloy clad segmented rods to serve as the comparison basis for relative measurements.

2 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03: 14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) Table 2-1 Nominal GNF FeCrAl Alloy Composition

,. Alloy Iron Chrome* Aluminum Molybdenum

• . (Fe). (Cr) '(~l) . , (Mo) . " GNF FeCrAl Bal 10 -22 4-6 1.75 -3.5 3 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03: 14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information-Class I (Public) Figure 2-1 Rod Segment Schematic for Fueled Segments 4

Type: NED Report Spec Name: MED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 20'17 5:03:14 PM EDT [[ NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) ]] Figure 2-2 Segmented Rod Axial Arrangement (Fueled) 5 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:14 PM EDT [[ NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) Figure 2-3 Allowable Lead Test Rod Locations 6 ]]

Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 2017 5:03:*14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information-Class I (Public) 3.0 Licensing Analyses For specified engineering evaluations (e.g., fuel rod thermal mechanical), the ATF LTAs have been, or will be, analyzed using the NRC approved methods described in Reference

3. These methods ( e.g., PRIME) are capable of analyzing the GNF FeCrAl clad L TRs and LTA performance; however, irradiated material properties data is incomplete, which is the motivation for installing the LT As. As such, these methods cannot be considered qualified, or approved for this application.

To adequately conform to standard Specified Acceptable Fuel Design Limits (SAFDLs), the following conservatisms are introduced:

• Fuel rod engineering evaluations to establish the LTR Thermal Mechanical Operating Limits (TMOLs) will apply appropriately conservative treatments in response to uncertainties in irradiated material properties.

• The L TRs shall be limited in number to eight (8), or less, within an LT A. The L TRs are restricted to interior locations within the bundle resulting in inherent power suppression.

o The L TAs shall be installed in core locations that are not limiting with respect to thermal limits. The L TRs have the same fuel rod outside diameter as a normal fuel rod in the active region of the assembly, and the effect of the mechanical interface between segments has been evaluated as not significantly affecting the liquid film. Therefore, GEXL 17 is applicable to the analysis and monitoring of the L TAs. While the axial heat flux distribution is not continuous due to the presence of non-fueled portions of the segments, this results in a reduction in film evaporation and increased margin to boiling transition for the L TRs. The Operating Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio (OLM CPR) established for the reload fuel will be confirmed to be applicable to the L TAs as GEXL 17 is applied to the prediction of boiling transition (i.e., critical power ratio). Additionally, as stated above, the L TAs shall be installed in non-limiting core locations resulting in increased margin. Normal reload licensing analyses will be performed for the L TAs for each cycle of their operation.

Preliminary evaluations confirm that the presence of the L TAs containing a small number of GNF FeCrAI clad segmented rods is inconsequential to the characteristics of the core. Plant-dependent, cycle-independent evaluations (e.g., control rod drop accident, fuel handling accident, loss-of-coolant accident, and fuel storage) shall be performed to assure conformance to established regulatory requirements.

It is recognized that the aforementioned regulatory requirements are, to some extent, specific to Zircaloy cladding; however, they are considered adequate and appropriate for this purpose. SNC intends to insert the subject L TAs into HNP-1 and to operate Cycle 29 under the provisions of Technical Specification 4.2.1 and in concert with 10 CFR 50.59, where applicable, and in conjunction with the LTA requirements stipulated in Reference 3 (GEST AR II); however, cycle-specific analyses to establish fuel operating limits are not yet complete.

When cycle-specific analyses are complete, GNF and SNC will document the results in each respective Supplemental Reload Licensing Report (SRLR). SNC will update the HNP-1 Core Operating Limits Report (COLR) accordingly.

7 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 20*17 5:03:14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information-Class I (Public) 4.0 LTA Program Objectives and Planned Inspections The purpose of this LTA program is to prepare specimens for post-irradiation examination and testing to characterize material properties and performance and support alloy optimization and fuel rod design for potential reload application.

Poolside surveillance is planned throughout the irradiation period and selected harvesting of segments for laboratory examination is expected.

The frequency and extent of these surveillances and rod removal evolutions will necessarily depend upon the operational constraints at the station as determined by SNC and the evolving goals of the DOE's ATF program. 8 Type: NED Report Spec Name: NED0-33884 Rev: 0 Security/IP:

Class 1 Document Status: Verified Date Printed: Oct 4, 20*17 5:03:14 PM EDT NED0-33884 Revision 0 Non-Proprietary Information

-Class I (Public) 5.0 References I. Letter, T. A. Ippolito (NRC) to R. E. Engel (GE), "Lead Test Assembly Licensing," MFN-182-81, September 23, 1981. 2. Global Nuclear Fuel, "GNF2 Advantage Generic Compliance with NEDE-24011-P-A (GESTAR II)," NEDC-33270P, Revision 8, April 2017. 3. Global Nuclear Fuel, "General Electric Standard Application for Reactor Fuel (GESTAR II)," NEDE-24011-P-A-25, August 2017. 9