ML20002C961

Forwards Requests for Proposed Change 14 to Tech Specs of License of DPR-6,to Insert Reload E Fuel Into Reactor During June 1968 Refueling Outage

ML20002C961
Person / Time
Site:	Big Rock Point File:Consumers Energy icon.png
Issue date:	05/10/1968
From:	Walke G CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.)
To:	Morris P, Skovholt D US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 8101150456
Download: ML20002C961 (9)

Text

n==wts. n...-...

Wy.'y -.7 (v3

~

w s

000SumBIS g\\ $ 17 A, I9o

'l N

power

^

W r~,.. c n.

~

C0mpany e

'~

~

3..

.,..,.cc i

J' y

l*-

General Offices: 212 West M.cnegan Avenue Jackson Mef.tugan 49201. Area Code S17 7Ha oa;50 May 10, 1968

,m.,~.

.p Re: Docket 50-155 Dr. P. A. Morris, Director Division of Reactor Licensing E

'"^r./ Cupp! Fils Cy.

'US Atomic Energy Commission Washington, DC 20545

Dear Dr. Morr.is:

Attention:

Mr. D. J. Skovholt Transmitted herewith are three (3) executed and thirty-seven (37) conformed copies of an Addendum to our proposed Change No 14, sent to you on February 6, 1968. This request ir for a change to the Tech-nical Specifications of License DPR-6, Docket No 50-155, issued to Consumers Power Company on May 1,196'4 for the Big Rock Point Nuclear Plant.

Subsequent to our submittal of proposed Change No 14, a number of failures have occurred in the Reload "C" Zircaloy-clad powder fuel assemblies. Careful consideration of this experience has prompted usThis to change the design of the Reload "E" fuel from powder to pellet.

change in design has delayed the manufacturing and shipment of the Re-load "E" fuel as well as necessitating a whols new set of safety studies.

As the information in the Addendum shows, the only changes in the mechani-cal, nuclear and themal-hydraulic aspects of the Reload "E" design are minor and are related to the change in uranium oxide density going from

[

powder to pellet. Therefore, the hazards considerations and conclusions discussed in our original submittal remain the same.

f f

It is our intent to insert Reload "E" fuel into the Big Rock Point reactor during our June 1968 refueling outage. Because ve vill be out of fuel ac that time, it is important that we receive license approval to use the Reload "E" fuel by June 1,-1968.

Yours very truly, 1

<\\*

O>

i C

Gerald J. Walke GJW/ map,9 b'S B

Supervisory Engineer 4QY]

-11

's g'"$r $^*,S a,1 t

e y

&p Od[7 q

J J C M S G* Y<. Q ',

o

~

n

. jp

(,

)

'=

• ~

t-(O.

\\

S

(.

ADDENDUM TO PROPOSED CHANGE NO 14 gg{ 13 gp.

g.t.g'[D"?

//

CONSUMERS POWER COMPANY' V'

s.n W S'"

p Docket No 50-155 g

/

Request for Change to Technical Specifications M ense N DPR-

'r

~"'

.c1 F b Cy.

~ ~ '

Subsequent to our proposed Change.No lh submitted to you on February 6, 1968, a number of failures have occurred in the Reload "C" Zircaloy-clad powder fuel assemblies. Careful consideration of this experience has prompted us to change the design of Reload "E" fuel from powder to pellet.

It is requested, therefore, that the accompanying Addendum amend our original proposed Change No 14 sub-mittal to reflect the design change from powder to pellet. Also included are corrections for a number of errors which appeared in our original submittal.

The changes to our original proposed Change No 14 submittal are as follows:

I.

Section 5 In Section 5 1 5, on the table:

1.

Column under " Reload E," row designated "UO2 Density," replace "87 powdered" by "90-95 pellet."

2.

Columns under "Centermelt Intermediate" and "Centermelt Advanced," row designated " Standard Rod," change "66-67-3" and "65-66-3" to "66-67 3" and "65-66 3" respectively.

3.

In footnotes designated "**" and "***,"

"F" should be changed to "E."

4.

In the footnote designated f, the sentence "In addition, d. byx < +

two of the interior bundle fuel rods are removable."

-s g

4 1

should be included in the footnote designated ***. The b

8 sign should appear in front of the last sentence of

/,,Jf.,,,, '..'. '

4 3"

l;j the footnotes, thus:

"fSpecial rods have depleted f

}2 uranium."

0 Q'

N(&w, 2 9:

?

1,,,

v "M.n:W nw.

,n.

- ~. _ _., - - _ ~..:~ n,...,,. +, n

~ ~

.n

..n g.

s.

f.

i

[

Y 1e 2

t II.

Discussion '- Reload "E" Fuel 1.

On Page.4 of our proposed Change No 14 submittal, first paragraph, delete the sentence:

"As in Reload "C" fuel, vibratory compacted UG p vder will be used."

2 2.

In Section B.

Fuel. Thermal Data, Page 4 of submittel,

. delete entire section; replace with the following:

The T.eload "E" fuel contains three types of pellets:

1..High density, 95% theoretical, without dish (all middle enrichment rods on Figure 5 7).

2.

High density, 95% theoretical, with 3-1/2% dish (all high enrichment rods on Figure 5 7)'.

3 Lowdensity,approximately90-92% theoretical,with-out dish (all low enrichment rods on' Figure 5 7).

For the high density pellets, the normal th. cal conductivity for Uo Pellets applies:

2 2805 C kdT = 93 w/cm o C 3

or K = 69

+ T + 6.0263 x lo- (T + 460)3 i

where K = Btu /hr-ft - F/ft T.=

F

Reference:

"Uo Thermal Conductivity for Irradiation with 2

Central Melting," GEAP-4624, M. F. Lyons, et al, July 1964.

For the low density pellets, the thermal conductivity integral has been reduced, reflecting the effect of pellet density on thermal conductivity. The corrected integral and equation are:

2805 C kdT=855w/cm oC or 9

K = 60

+ T + 6 380 x lo-12(T + 460)3 Same units as before.

i

,4 s

i k;

.)

3

References:

s

'l.

Lyons, M. F.,et al, "UO Powder and Pellet Themal 2

Conductivity During Irradiation," GEAP-5100-1, March 1966.

2.

Baily, W. E.,' et al, "Themal Conductivity of Uranium-Plutonium Oxide Fuels," Paper prepared for Nuclear Metallurgy _

Symposium - American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, October 4-6,1%7, Camelback Inn, Phoenix, Arizona.

3 Thermal Conductivity of Uranium Dioxide, Report of the Panel on Themal Conductivity of Uranium Dioxide held in Vienna, April 26-30, 1965 A comparison of the two themal conductivity curves is shown in Figure 6.

The fuel center line temperature for the high density pellets is below the UO melting temperature throughout at the pro-2 posed maximum heat flux (500,000 Btu /hr-ft ) at 122% over-power. For the low density pellets, a small amount of melting may occur at the proposed maximum heat flux.

Calculations show that at the peak heat flux of 500,000 Btu /hr-ft the area fraction of fuel molten is.040.

The molten volume fraction '

in the entire rod is less than.005 Available porosity in the fuel vill accommodate the fuel volume expansion due to the phase change on melting. The integrity of the fuel clad-ding vill not be compromised. The limiting condition occurs at the end of the fuel's second operating cycle. For the low density pellets, the heat flux for incipient melting is 477,000 Btu /hr-ft. Using the design power distributions that are shown in the themal-hudraulic data, the maximum expected overpower heat flux is 465,000 Btu /hr-ft and is below the heat flux for incipient melting."

3 In Section E.

Operational Safety Aspects, Page 7 of submittal, delete entire section.

_.4,.-__._.__._._

a._ __ _ _

, _. ~ _. -, _..

.i

,+

k)

V 4

1 III. Conclusions i

..On Page 15 of our submittal, replace the conclusion numbered

~

3. with:

"3 The proposed license limit of a maximum fuel rod heat flux of 500,000 Btu /hr-ft at 122% overpower yields a molten fuel. rod volume fraction of less than 0.005 for the rods with low density pellets. This molten volume fraction can be accommodated by the Reload "E" design without compromising the integrity of the cladding."

IV.. Figures and Tables 1.

Add Figure 6, attached.

2.

Replace Table I with a new Table I, attached.

3 Replace Table II with a new Table II, attached.

4.

Delete Table V.

Discussion The characteristics of Reload "E" fuel are basically the same 7

'as noted in proposed Change No 14 submitted February 6, 1968 with the exception that the fuel vill be pellet rather than powder. The uranium oxide powder on hand origi?t 7" was merely pressed into pellets and sin-tered for use in the Reload "E" fuel. The only changes in the mechanical, nuclear and themal-hydraulic aspects of the fuel design are minor and are related to the change in uranium oxide density going from powder to pellet.

The conclusions reached and noted in the proposed Change No 14 submittal of February 6, 1968 remain essentially the same. We have concluded that the use of pellet Reload "E" fuel in the Big Rock Point reactor does not present a significant change in the hazards considerations described or implicit in the Final Hazards Su= mary Report.

CON. ERS POWER COMPANY By 5enior Vice President Sworn and subscribed to before me this loth day of May 1968.

Notary Public, Jackson County, Michigan My commission expires January 15, 1972

~

u.

,~ r-

,. =

4 g"

, ; i.

~'

.;m.

.. THERMAL CONDUCTIVrry

.....-.1...,,..

.......r.

, -r ;.,:.i.. r OF UOa.. IN REACTO R u

..t.

..t,... ; ;...

l

. ' E Mg '..i '

-Fisun e 6

s 4.

I,

,,..t

.i.*

.s,..

,.:, y :,.,. :

1.L-.

5

~

l

.t 1

4-r t G.0 4

ed i

s

...~

• w j

g'

.:. : d i t'?.

.; p '...'i,". :.. i.., _

l...._

s 5. 0.

2-3 -

~........

1

x. -

3 t'.

,g

-~

r m

a.

y 2 s.o.

t, InmAu.y 95 % T.D.

a

.... g.

t".

e O

=

o I

1 cy

.x.

.c 3.0 a.

i.

-4 1

2 y

a p 2.0

-i C"3 O

INITIAL.LY 91'l..T.D. ',-

1.0 C"3

rc.

eoo~c moo'c isco*C esost I

CTO o

I f

. -g;

-o

. 1o0o 2000 3000 4000 5000 g====

. TEt4PERATURE

• F 3

m

.v

')

s

.j TABLE I RELOAD "E" FUEL DATA Fuel Rods Cobalt Rods Fuel Pellet Diameter O.h71 Rod Pitch, Inches 0 707 0 707 Claddin6 Thickness, Inches 0.040 0.0h0 Clad Outside Diameter, Inches 0 5625 0 5625 Active Fuel Length, Inches 69 75; Central Rod, 64.62 Fuel 1hterial UO 2

Fuel Density, % of Theoretical 90-95 Cladding 1hterial Zr-2 Zr-2 Number of Rods per Bundle 77 4

Enrichment (See Figure 5 7)

Low

- 2 35%

Middle - 2 93%

High

- 3 55%

Fill Gas IIelium Fuel Bundle Fuel Rod Array 9x9 K'eight UO per Bundle, Pounds 341.4 2

Moderator-to-Fuel Volume Ratio 2 33 Number of Spacers 3

)

e.___~-..-_.

4_

]

7)

TABLE II THERMAL PERF0FF.ANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF RELOAD "E" FUEL Fuel Pellet Diameter, Inches O.471 Cladding Thickness, Inches 0.Oh0 Cladding Outside Diameter, Inches 0.5d5 Incipient Melting Temperature of UO, F 5080 2

Fuel Density, % Theoretical 95 90-92 Fuel Center' Line Tegperature at

-500,000 Btu /Hr-Ft, F 5040 5000 Fuel Center Line Tepperature at 410,0,00 Btu /Hr-Ft, '

h250 4400 im" HeatF2,uxfgrInc cat, Melting, i Btu /yr-Ft

>500,000 477,000 Ar'en Friretion Molten at Peak Heat Flux 0

0.04

[

W as w w. 7.-

n nr-.

.G.^. r,,q% _ ;_g *a

• ** * >'? ?gwu

=

Y,

-9 q

--ef Q f g

' & " M e m eans s usesu nor m w.snm.a m ak, &.

. _. _ s

~

g engg gy m mg g eBoMs

• ' ad - --

C-asuneres P w r G,e s.tn.an' t it an L767-Jaehe-e, Mich.

orna traa mi m ateoer.

Cera1d J, t'alhe g

fo' ORIGd CCa oTMan.

O rria 1

37 c.af'd ers

• ^ ' ' ^ " ' * ' ' ' * '

Acnow weCESsAny CoNCUttENCE O

wo Acnow necessaarg co mixt av.

ctAssis.

post o,,ica ena code.

n

'80. Noi 50 155 DisCRIPilON. takes to Unda HmJ) atFlaaED TO Daft RfCilVED sv DATE Ltr trees the fullwing & requeettag g gg 4g cpyr, val by 4-1-64 s_,,e D _. _. _ _,.,,_,

"'*' ? M "E ;

nnetosuans.

,_y 1 "'

' ' ' - V#'

ACDEIOW( TO PROPOSED GAECT # E$ 14 Cittag a susaber si failures Uvt

..ccurred in the re t.ed "C Zircaley-

.a-

""' ~ ~

elad peuder fast assemblisse skovbolt Debs /Lovies r..,,,,

,y.,. 1 6 c ;;

emAnus. DEST: 1-Femeal y,

• e e

- suppt stas file

1. AaC mm 2-Complianos 1- 00C

u. s. Arom tuttov cousso" MAIL CONTROL FORM rom ^=

M

• v.s.oovsenusur enintime orries seer-ere4ea

?0DR OR8!NAL

._ _