ML18032A372

Proposed Tech Specs Imposing Limit on Reactor Operation When Nitrogen Not Being Used to Supply Pneumatic Control Sys Inside Containment

ML18032A372
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	06/04/1987
From:	TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:
Shared Package
ML18032A371	List: ML18032A369 ML18032A372
References
TAC-R00098, TAC-R00099, TAC-R00100, TAC-R100, TAC-R98, TAC-R99, NUDOCS 8706180247
Download: ML18032A372 (12)

Text

ENCLOSURE 1 PROPOSED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS REVISIONS BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 (TVA BFN TS 233) 8706180247 870604 PDR ADOCK 05000259

'~ l PDR

3.7/4.7 CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.7.A PRIMARY CONTAINMENT 4.7.A PRIMARY CONTAINMENT

3. Pressure Su ression Chamber- 3. Pressure Su ression Chamber-Reactor Buildin Vacuum Breakers Reactor Buildin Vacuum Breakers

a. Except as specified in a. The pressure suppression 3.7.A.3.b below, two pressure chamber-reactor building suppression chamber-reactor vacuum breakers shall be building vacuum breakers shall exercised and the associated be OPERABLE at all times when instrumentation including primary containment integrity setpoint shall be functionally is required. The setpoint tested for proper operation of the differential pressure each three months.

instrumentation which actuates the pressure suppression chamber-reactor building vacuum breakers shall be 0.5 psid.

b. From and after the date b. A visual examination and that one of the pressure determination that the suppression chamber-reactor force required to open each building vacuum breakers is vacuum breaker (check valve) made or found to be INOPERABLE does not exceed 0.5 psid for any reason, reactor will be made each refueling operation is permissible only outage.

during the succeeding seven days, provided that the repair procedure does not violate primary containment integrity.

4. Dr ell-Pressure Su ression 4. Dr well-Pressure Su ression Chamber Vacuum Breakers Chamber Vacuum Breakers

a. When primary containment is a. Each drywell-suppression required, all drywell- chamber vacuum breaker suppression chamber vacuum shall be exercised through breakers shall be OPERABLE an opening-closing cycle and positioned in the fully every month.

closed position (except during testing) except as b. When it is determined that specified in 3.7.A.4.b and two vacuum breakers are 3 '.A.4.c., below. INOPERABLE for opening at a time when operability is

b. One drywell-suppression required, all other vacuum chamber vacuum breaker may breaker valves shall be be nonfully closed so long exercised immediately and as it is determined to be not 3'pen as indicated every 15 days thereafter until the INOPERABLE valve has been more than by the position lights. returned to normal service.

BFN 3.7/4.7-'10 Unit 1

3.7/4.7 CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.7.A Primar Containment 4.7.A Primar Containment 3.7.A.4 (Cont'd) 4.7.A.4 (Cont'd)

c. Two drywell-suppression c ~ Once each operating cycle chamber vacuum breakers each vacuum breaker valve may be determined to be shall be inspected for INOPERABLE for opening. proper operation of the valve and limit switches.

d. If Specifications 3.7.A.4.a, 3.7.A.4.b, or 3.7.A.4.c.

d. A leak test of the drywell to suppression chamber cannot be met, the structure shall be conducted unit shall be placed in a during each operating cycle.

Cold Shutdown condition in Acceptable leak rate is an orderly manner within 0.14 lb/sec of primary 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />. containment atmosphere with 1 psi differential.

5. Ox en Concentration 5. Ox en Concentration

a. Containment atmosphere shall be a. The primary containment reduced to less than 4'L oxygen oxygen concentration shall with nitrogen gas during reactor be measured and recorded power operation with reactor daily. The oxygen coolant pressure above 100 psig, measurement shall be adjusted except as specified in 3.7.A.5.b. to account for the uncertainty of the, method used by adding a predetermined error function.

b. Within the 24-hour period b. The methods used to measure subsequent to placing the reactor the primary containment in the RUN mode following a shut- oxygen concentration shall down, the containment atmosphere be calibrated once every oxygen concentration shall be refueling cycle.

reduced to less than 4V. by volume and maintained in this condition.

Deinerting may commence 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> prior to a shutdown.

c. If plant control air is being used c. The control air supply valve for the pneumatic control to supply the pneumatic control system inside primary containment, system inside the primary the reactor shall not be started, containment shall be verified or if at power, the reactor shall closed prior to reactor startup be brought to a Cold Shutdown and monthly thereafter.

condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.

d. If Specification 3.7.A.S.b cannot 3.7.A.5.a be met, an and orderly shutdown shall be initiated and the reactor shall be in a Cold Shutdown condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />. 3.7/4.7-11 BFN Unit 1

O.

"3.714.7 CONTAINMENT SYSTEM LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.7.A Primar Containment 4.7.A Primar Containment

3. Pressure Su ression Chamber- 3. Pressure Su ression Chamber-Reactor Buildin Vacuum Breakers Reactor Buildin Vacuum Breakers

a. Except as specified in a. The pressure suppression 3.7.A.3.b below, two pressure chamber-reactor building suppression chamber-reactor vacuum breakers shall be building vacuum breakers shall exercised and the associated be OPERABLE at all times when instrumentation including primary containment integrity setpoint shall be functionally is required. The setpoint tested for proper operation of the differential pressure each three months.

instrumentation which actuates the pressure suppression chamber-reactor building vacuum breakers shall be 0.5 psid.

b. From and after the date b. A visual examination and that one of the pressure determination that the suppression chamber-reactor force required to open each building vacuum breakers is vacuum breaker (check valve) made or found to be INOPERABLE does not exceed 0.5 psid for any reason, reactor will be made each refueling operation is permissible only outage.

during the succeeding seven days, provided that the repair procedure does not violate primary containment integrity.

4. Dr well-Pressure Su ression 4. Dr ell-Pressure Su ression Chamber Vacuum Breakers Chamber Vacuum Breakers

a. When primary containment is a. Each drywell-suppression required, all drywell- chamber vacuum breaker suppression chamber vacuum shall be exercised through breakers shall be OPERABLE an opening-closing cycle and positioned in the fully every month.

closed position (except during testing) except as b. When it is determined that specified in 3.7.A.4.b and two vacuum breakers are 3.7.A.4.c., below. INOPERABLE for opening at a time when operability is

b. One drywell-suppression required, all other vacuum chamber vacuum breaker may breaker valves shall be be nonfully closed so long exercised immediately and as it is determined to be not 3'pen every 15 days thereafter until more than as indicated the INOPERABLE valve has been by the position lights. returned to normal service.

BFN 3.7/4.7-10 Unit 2

3.7/4.7 CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.7.A Primar Containment 4.7.A Primar Containment 3.7.A.4 (Cont'd) 4.7.A.4 (Cont'd)

c. Two drywell-suppression co Once each operating cycle chamber vacuum breakers each vacuum breaker valve may be determined to be shall be inspected for INOPERABLE for opening. proper operation of the valve and limit switches.

d. If Specifications 3.7.A.4.a, d. A leak test of the drywell

.b, or .c cannot be met, the to suppression chamber unit shall be placed in a structure shall be conducted Cold Shutdown condition in during each operating cycle.

an orderly manner within Acceptable leak rate is 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />. 0.14 lb/sec of primary containment atmosphere with 1 psi differential.

5. Ox en Concentration 5. Ox en Concentration

a. Containment atmosphere shall be The primary containment reduced to less than 4V. oxygen oxygen concentration shall with nitrogen gas during reactor be measured and recorded power operation with reactor daily. The oxygen 3.7.A.5.b.'.

coolant pressure above 100/psig, except as specified in measurement shall be adjusted to account for the uncertainty of the method used by adding a predetermined error function.

b. Within the 24-hour period b. The methods used to measure subsequent to placing the reactor the primary containment in the RUN mode following a shut- oxygen concentration shall down, the containment atmosphere be calibrated once every oxygen concentration shall be refueling cycle.

reduced to less than 4T. by volume and maintained in this condition.

Deinerting may commence 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> prior to a shutdown.

c. If plant control air is being used c. The control air supply valve to supply the pneumatic control for the pneumatic control system inside primary containment, system inside the primary the reactor shall not be started, containment shall be verified or if at power, the reactor shall closed prior to reactor startup be brought to a Cold Shutdown and monthly thereafter.

condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.

d. If Specification 3.7.A.5.b cannot 3.7.A.S.a be met, an and orderly shutdown shall be initiated and the reactor shall be in a Cold Shutdown condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />, BFN 3.7/4.7-11 Unit 2

3.7/4.7 CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.7.A PRIMARY CONTAINMENT 4.7.A PRIMARY CONTAINMENT

3. Pressure Su ression Chamber- 3. Pressure Su ression Chamber-Reactor Buildin Vacuum Breakers Reactor Buildin Vacuum Breakers

a. Except as specified in a. The pressure suppression 3.7.A.3.b below, two pressure chamber-reactor building suppression chamber-reactor vacuum breakers shall be building vacuum breakers shall exercised and the associated be OPERABLE at all times when instrumentation including primary containment integrity setpoint shall be checked is required. The setpoint for proper operation of the differential pressure each three months.

instrumentation which actuates the pressure suppression chamber-reactor building vacuum breakers shall be 0.5 psid.

b. From and after the date b. A visual examination and that one of the pressure determination that the suppression chamber-reactor force required to open each building vacuum breakers is vacuum breaker (check valve) made or found to be INOPERABLE does not exceed 0.5 psid for any reason, reactor will be made each refueling operation is permissible only outage.

during the succeeding seven days, provided that the repair procedure does not violate primary containment integrity.

4. Dr e11-Prossura Su rossion 4. Dr well-Pressure Su ression Chamber Vacuum Breakers Chamber Vacuum Breakers

a. When primary containment is a. Each drywell-suppression required, all drywell- chamber vacuum breaker suppression chamber vacuum shall be exercised through breakers shall be OPERABLE an opening-closing cycle and positioned in the fully every month.

closed position (except during tasting,) except as b. When it is determined that specified in 3.7.A.4.b and two vacuum breakers are 3.7.A.4.c below. INOPERABLE for opening at a time when operability is

b. One drywell-suppression required, al1 other vacuum chamber vacuum breaker may breaker valves shall be be nonfully closed so long exercised immediately and as it is determined to be not 3'pen as indicated every 15 days thereafter until more than the INOPERABLE va].ve hag been by the position lights. returned to, norma servxce.

BFN 3.7/4.7-10 Unit 3

3.7/4.7 CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR OPERATION SURVEILLANCE REQUIREMENTS 3.7.A Primar Containment 4.7.A Primar Containment 3.7.A.4 (Cont'd) 4.7.A.4 (Cont'd)

c. Two drywell-suppression c. Once each operating cycle, chamber vacuum breakers each vacuum breaker valve may be determined to be shall be inspected for INOPERABLE for opening. proper operation of the valve and limit switches.

d. If Specifications 3.7.A.4 ', d. A leak test of the drywell 3.7.A.4.b, or 3.7.A.4.c, to suppression chamber cannot be met, the structure shall be conducted unit shall be placed during each operating cycle.

in a Cold Shutdown Acceptable leak rate is condition in an orderly 0.14 lb/sec of primary manner within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />. containment atmosphere with 1 psi differential.

5. Ox en Concentration 5. Ox en Concentration

a. Containment atmosphere shall be a. The primary containment reduced to less than 4'L oxygen oxygen concentration shall with nitrogen gas during reactor be measured and recorded power operation with reactor daily. The oxygen coolant pressure above 100/psig, measurement shall be adjusted except as specified in 3.7.A.5.b. to account for the uncertainty of the method used by adding a predetermined error function.

b. Within the 24-hour period b. The methods used to measure subsequent to placing the reactor the primary containment in the RUN mode following a shut- oxygen concentration shall down, the containment atmosphere be calibrated once every oxygen concentration shall be refueling cycle.

reduced to less than 4V. by volume and maintained in this condition, Deinerting may commence 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> prior to a shutdown.

c. If plant control air is being used c. The control air supply valve for the pneumatic control to supply the pneumatic control system inside primary containment, system inside the primary the reactor shall not be started, containment shall be verified or if at power, the reactor shall closed prior to reactor startup and monthly thereafter.

be brought to a Cold Shutdown condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.

d. If the specifications of 3.7.A.S.a through 3.7.A.5.b cannot be met, an orderly shutdown shall be initiated and the reactor shall be in a Cold Shutdown condition within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />.

P 3.7/4.7-11 BFN Unit 3

ENCLOSURE 2 DESCRIPTION AND JUSTIFICATION BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT (BFN)

Descri tion of Chan e Page 3.7/4.7-11 of the BFN technical specifications for units 1, 2, and 3 is changed as follows.

(1) Technical specification 3.7.A.5.a is revised to delete the first phrase which is obsolete. The specification currently reads, After completion of the fire-related startup retesting program, containment atmosphere shall be.

(2) Technical specification 3.7.A.5.c is renumbered to be technical specification 3.7.A.5.d.

(3) A new specification, technical specification 3.7.A.5.c, is added to limit reactor operation when air, instead of nitrogen, is being used to supply the pneumatic control systems inside the primary containment.

(4) A new surveillance requirement is added as technical specification 4.7,A.5.c to verify that the air supply valve for the pneumatic control system inside the drywell and torus is closed prior to startup and during reactor power operation.

Page 3.7/4.7-10 of the technical specification is only changed by moving words from page 3.7/4.7-11 to provide more space for the changes listed above.

Reason for Chan e These new technical specification requirements are being added in response to Generic Letter 84-09, Hydrogen Recombiner Capability. The purpose of these technical specifications is to limit the possibility of the pneumatic control system being an oxygen source inside primary containment during reactor power operation.

Justification for Chan e The change that will delete the first phrase of technical specification 3.7.A.5.a is purely administrative and is not related to the other changes except that it is in the same technical specification section. The deleted phrase makes this requirement effective after the completion of the fire-related startup retesting, program. Since this program has been completed, the requirement is effective and deleting this phrase will only remove extraneous information. No technical specification requirements are changed.

The relatively small containment volume inherent in the GE-BWR pressure suppression containment and the large amount of zirconium in the core are such that the occurrence of a limited reaction of the zirconium and steam during a

Justification for Chan e (Cont'd) loss-of-coolant accident could result in a flammable concentration of hydrogen in the containment. If a sufficient amount of hydrogen is generated and oxygen is available in stoichiometric quantities, the subsequent uncontrolled recombination could lead to failure of the containment. Maintaining the oxygen concentration at less than 4 percent eliminates the possibility of hydrogen combustion following a loss-of-coolant accident. This limit is imposed by technical specification 3.7.A.5.a. In order to maintain this limit, nitrogen is used to operate the pneumatically controlled equipment inside the containment.

The primary pneumatic supply to the containment. is provided by compressors which take suction from the containment atmosphere itself. The system is also provided with a backup supply of compressed air from the plant control air system and in the future will have an external supply of compressed nitrogen from the Containment Atmospheric Dilution System. The air supply is normally isolated by a manual control valve which is closed during times when the containment is inerted. However, the air supply is available to supply motive power to important equipment inside the drywell, such as drywell coolers and main steam relief valves during abnormal situations.

This proposed change will limit operation of the reactor with the air supply valves open, but will not prohibit its use in an exigent situation. It will reduce the possibility of the containment becoming deinerted in a postaccident situation while at the same time allowing for a more orderly shutdown on loss of normal pneumatic supply.

This proposed change produces additional technical specification requirements that are consistent with the current technical specification regarding oxygen limitations. Therefore, TVA has concluded that the proposed technical specification changes will not reduce the margin of nuclear safety.

ENCLOSURE 3 DETERMINATION OF NO SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONSIDERATION BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT (BFN)

UNITS 1, 2, AND 3 Descri tion of Amendment Re uest The proposed amendment would change the BFN Technical Specifications for units 1, 2, and 3 by adding new requirements that restrict reactor power operation when air, instead of nitrogen, is being used in the pneumatic control system inside primary containment and by deleting an obsolete reference to the fire-related startup retesting program.

Basis for Pro osed No Si nificant Hazards Consideration Determination The Commission has provided standards for determining whether a significant hazards consideration exists as stated in 10 CFR 50.92 (c). A proposed amendment to an operating license for a facility involves no significant hazards consideration if operation of the facility in accordance with a proposed amendment would not (1) involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated, or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated, or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of

safety,

1. The proposed amendment does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated. This amendment will not affect the probability of an accident since it does not change any operational conditions or normal valve alignment and does not affect any equipment that could cause an accident. The consequences of an accident could be reduced since the amendment would decrease the likelihood of having oxygen concentration exceed four percent in the containment atmosphere after an accident.

2. The proposed amendment does not create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any previously analyzed, since it does not eliminate or modify any protective functions nor permit any new operational conditions.

3. The margin of safety will not be reduced since the requirements of TS have been increased and the liklihood of reaching a combustible hydrogen and oxygen mixture in containment has been reduced. No other safety margins are affected.

Since the application for amendment involves a proposed change that is encompassed by the criteria for which no significant hazards consideration exists, TVA proposes to determine that the proposed amendment does not involve a significant hazards consideration.