ML19253B302

Amended Contentions 33 & 19.Vendor GE Reliance on Experimental Data for Mitigating transient-caused Overpower of Reactivity Control Sys Contrasts W/Applicant Reliance on Doppler Effect.W/Certificate of Svc

ML19253B302
Person / Time
Site:	Allens Creek File:Houston Lighting and Power Company icon.png
Issue date:	08/10/1979
From:	Doherty J DOHERTY, J.F.
To:
Shared Package
ML19253B301	List: ML19253B300 ML19253B302
References
NUDOCS 7910100683
Download: ML19253B302 (2)

Text

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UNITED STATES UUCLEAR REGULATORT COMMISSION J,l 8/10/79 HEFORE THE ATCMIC 3AFETf AND LICENSUG 3OARD In the Matter of:

l Houston Lighting & Power, D ket c.,50 46o.

! ( Allens Creek Nuclear Generating j Station, Un't #1)

I JOHN F. 1,OHERTT' AMENDED C d . a..:.ONS #33, 19 John F. Doherty, Intsrvenor in the above Constructics License Proceeding, new files the below amended contentions 5

to the Boari. Fard es should have previous'7 received anend-ments to Contentions numbered:12, 22,23,2e..rs,28,29,34, and 38, these being filed following a 3 card order sugge ting amendments would be received.

Amended Contention 533, Applicant's reactivit7 control systes relies excessively on the Doppler effect to nitigate the effects of transient cau-sed overpower of the system. Applicant's reactor sanufacturer General Electric, relies on experimental data that does not support this reliance as will be shown below. Applicant's referenced publiction, NEDO-20,964 " Generation of 7eid and Doppler Reactivity ?sedback for Application to 3WR design (July,1975) states, "The basic sathe=atical sedel in calcu-

. lating void reactivity and reactivity coefficiant for 3WRs has been the sa=e since 1961, (Pg 15). Ihis nathmatical model has been relied upon because it produced data sisilar to the experimental data produced from experiments using the SFERT-I arai SPERT-III reactors. But the experiments from SPERT-I cited. in NEDO-20,964, cannot be applied because that reactor

used a powderered oxide of uranius which dispersed into the i molant during excursi:n testing, creating the appearance that Doppler-feedback had decreased the reactivity when it was actually the dispersal of the powder through the failed cladiing to the

! coolant which sitigated the transient effects. SPIR:l'-III, ref-

, erenced in NEDO-20,964 was an "... experimental progrss {1} inited  ;

to non-destructire reactivity accident tests," (C O-172S1, March, i 1969, P. 79), which did not include investigation into the nech-anical behavior of the fuel (pellats of uranium dioxide). The  ;

National Reactor Testing Station planned and sought support for j

, for investigations with SPERT-III which would not be limited to '

non-destructive reactivity accident test in an internal repo,rt, f PTR-815 (Se: pp 17-9, and 3c), but the tests were not perfor=ed. l Intervenor centends that since ACNGS is the most powerful i BWR attempted (and has a higher power core: density than an7 l licensed 3WE) that 21scalenlation of the Doppler reactivit7  !

feedback eff*et will produce greater consequences to his health and safety interests. Inter enor seeks as a result:

(a) Delay of the construction license until excursien testing can be done (on a 238 inch core with irradiated oxide fuel in pellatized form in an 8 x 8 configuration,) as sought by the National Regetor Testing Station, 79101oo 6Fr3 1124 306

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(b) Cancelllation of the AC2;GS project.

t Amended Contention d14

! Intervenor contends Applicant's control r[d drive systen (CRDS) is susceptible to cracking in collet

-l' retainer tubes which will prevent operation of two or nore control rod drives durin; an accident se-I quence, =aking safe shutdown impossible thus endandangering Intervecor's health and safety. ?denty-four (2n) of sixty-five (65) inspected CH3s were found cracked in 1975 at the Montieello nuclear plant. :IUREG-0479 reports

, that 10% of m inspected collet retainer tubes in 11 Boiling fater Reactors had such cracks. This in-tervenor contends that: - r' .4. i.

collet retainer tubes are one of the, {p]rincihal ...engi.neer-ini; griteria for the design...for the protection of the health

,- and safety of the public" and hence sust be cured of cracking proble=s before a construction license say be tendered.

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• See 10 CFR 50.35 (a) (1).

C.~1T!?ICATE OF SERCE Copies of "JCEN F. DCET!'S A2CCC CONTENDICNS #33,19",

2 wers served on parties listed below via first class sail on August /d th, 1979 Respectfdln wohn F. Dohert7 pro so)

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S N CN J. WOLFE, ESQ. (NRC) CARRO EINDERSTEIN, ESC.

i DR. E. LEONARD CEEATUM, NRC 3RENDA MCCORELE, ESQ.

GUSTAVE A. LINZHRERGER, NRC WAYNE RENTIRO l J. GREGORT COPELA2D, ESQ. (A??.) DCCIETING AND SER7!OE(NRC)

, RICHARD A LOWERRE, ESQ. (TEILS) i JAMES M. SCCTT (TEIFIRG)

. R. cOCON GCCCH, ESQ. (A??

[ STE7E SCEINZI, ESQ. (STAF?

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1124 307 .