ML20107B605
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UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
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we>uscros, o c. nous April 3, 1973 Docket No. 50-219 4
Jersey Central Ibwer & Light Company ATDh Mr. R. H. Sims, Vice President Madison Avenue at Ptnch Bowl Road Forristown, New Jersey 07960 Gentlemn:
m the course _ of our review of your submittals dated January 18,-
22, 1973, which describe the Cycle 3 co m loading 1973, and February for the Oyster Cmek reactor, we find that we mquire additional infor-During a meeting in our offices on Farch 21, 1973, your staff mation.
and the fuel supplier, EXXON Nuclear, made a presentation conceming fuel densification and its effects on nomal operation and the loss of coolant accident analysis, the XN-1 critical heat flux correlation, and At this meeting it was agreed that the the Quality Assurance Program.
infomation discussed at the meeting would be submitted romally for Attachment A to this letter identifies this -information.
our evaluation.
Attachment B contains additional questions that have msulted from our continuing myiew of your Pacility Change Request No. 4 and the documents referred to.in that-submittal. Attachment C is a copy of the letter and questions which we sent to General Electric Company in regards' to their generic report on fuel densification NETr-10735 and is for your infor-In your respcnses to our questions, please include infomation mation.
for all the fuel in the Cycle 3 core;that is,both the GE fuel and the EXXON fuel.
Your response to this request for additional infomation should be pro-vided to us for myiew by April 16, 1973 Otherwise, we may not be able to cortplete our myiew to authorize operation by completion of your mfueling outage.
Sincerely, kMIUCbd Robert J." Schemel, Chief Operating Beactors Branch #1 Directorate of Licensing thclosums: see next page
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f Jersey Central Ibwer & Light -
Conpany ~ April-3,1973-thclosures:
1.
Attachment A 2.
Attachnent B 3.
Attachment.C 1
cc w/ enclosures:
GPU Service Corporation
' ATIN: Mr. 'Ihomas M. Crinmins, Jr.
Safety & Licensing Manager 260 Cherry Hill Road Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 George F. Trowbridge, Esquire
- Shaw, Pittman, _ Potts, Trowbridge
& Madden 910 - 17th Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
20006 I
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pe na ATTACMMENT A ADDITTONAT, INFOMATION ltEQUIRED i,
nc :ubulc Fi::. 9 of Facility Change Request No. 4 5 E'ut credit for gue: pre.,st.re build up.
P 2.
S ubrai c for tbc record the input data for creep collapse calculations
..,r each fuel type (types I, II, and III-E).
& ta:.~.h. il.c results of the >j scan measurements on Oyster Creek n,n a t
.uv..
4.
The details regarding the Exxon power spike model are to be provided.
Special attention will be given to the following two questions:
(a)
Can the results af out-of-pile scans be used without penalty for the predictiot. of gap under operating conditions?
(b) Waat interpretation is needed to apply the results of measure-opent Oyster Creek GE fuel, to other fuel,
..:c.i t s tar.de ca like dxxon fuel!
5.
t.nalys.. cod data on : ap closure ef fects due to pellet crackic; are co be pcovided.
T1.c response should include answers to the following two o..n.tio.n:
(1) how rc.aay data points are available which are v i tt..
.hs raa:;e of the Oyster Creek fuel design and operating
,on d i c.i u a s ; (2) how this information is used to predict the stored neat content of the fuel at operatic.g conditions?
A desailed description of the core average sire-water reactioc.
calculation performed for the postulated LOCA.
7.
A p.ac..;ctrie :.tudy of peak claddiag compcrature following a postu-lats d LOCA with various gap conductance valgtes. The gap conductance
,h..uid be varica f rcm 200 to 1000 Stu/hr-f t
-F.
3.
For the quality ra ge where the XN-1 correlation predicts nighcr C..:
th.nch-Levy limit lines, a comparisoa of the 7.X-1 corre'ation i
than i.n o aad d.:ta available in the open literature will be provided.
9.
- n :t i il c a;.. o; C.
..;c o f t... y,N-1 correlatio. for aundics with non-
......i....; i... ;,..w :
4-4 a ;us: :,howa a ii.e.. arch 21 meeting ine'.. ing these at C. > d :,., i too QA ne t. t i.e..
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2-(e) Surface finishing (centerless grinding, none or what)?
1 (f)
Properties measurements:
1 (1). Density technique and statistical distribution for batches.
4 1:
(2) Microstructure - macro or micro (3)
Diameter measurements - statistical distribution for batches.
(4) O/M values for sintered product (5) List chemical impurity specifications for fuel
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(g)
How are individual enrichments kept separate during processing?
2 6.
Standard Fuci Loading Process. Please provide the following infor-l mation for all types of fuel including GE fuel as well as Exxon fuel.
(a) is pellet stack laid out and checked prior to loading?
(b) Nature of spacers and holddown springs?
(c)
Nature of checking first end plug and second end plug welds for porosity and leak tightness?
(d) Time and pressure if an autoclave process is used?
(e) Orientation check of the hydride formation in Zircaloy.
1-(f)
Coding system for finished rods - does it reflect enrichment i
level?
7.
Resintering Tests for Fuel (CE and Exxon) 2 (a) ave resintering trials been performed and what are the j
results for time at temperature?
8.
Irradiation Results (CE and t:xxon)
(a) Are there density measurements on irradiated fuel to give the upperbound for densification?
(b)
Is there data showing fuel column lengths variatLons with initial density, burnup, or linear heat rate?
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J ATTACINENT B QUESTIONS TO JERSEY CENTRAL ON FUEL Dr.NSIFICATION i
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1-1.
Provide either an analytical model 'for calculating gap conductance or a conservative value of gap conductance for beginning of cycle 1,0CA calculations. Your model should assume that the fuel densifies immediately upon startup of power range operation and should be verified using experimental data.
If the value of gap conductance is based solely on experimental results, submit detailed information describing the experiments and an error analysis indicating the uncertainty inherent in the data and indicating the confidence level i
of the selected gap coefficient. If the data was obtained on fuel, different from the Oyster Creek fuel, (for example due to differences in pellet manufacturing processes), indicate all differences and justify the interpretation of the data for this application.
1 2.
Provide detailed information derived from analytical or experimental analyses on the exposure and linear heat rate dependence of gap conductance.
Estimate the exposure when gap conductance attains its minimum value.
i 3.
Provide the following information for each fuel type:
(a) sorbed gas content in cc (STP) / gm of fuel (b) gas plenum volume (c) fuel and cladding surface roughness (d) heat transfer coefficient from coolant to clad
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4.
Some of the fuel rods contain Cadolinium Oxide as a burnable poison.
Imperibe the ef fects of Cadolinimu 0xide (a) on flux depression within a fuel pin; (b) on thermal properties of the fuel; and (c) on densification of the fuel. How did you account for these effects in the safety evaluation of the Oyster Creek fuel?
f 5.
What is the standard fuel fabrication procedure for Oyster Creek fuel? Please provide this information for all types of fuel in-cluding both, the GE fuel and the Exxon fuel.
(a) Type of powder prepared [ ADU)?
(hi Sterotex or other binder additions, what kind and how much?
4 (c). Pressing parameters, either psi or green densitiest (d) Sintering parameters - time, temperature, atmosphere.
b a
s 1 ;
9.
Please describe all of the differences between your MOXXY code and th MOXY code as it is described in IN-139' 10.
Perform a study of peak cladding temperature following LOCA as a function of core power level. The power range should vary from 70 pe rcen t to 100 percent of nominag power. This study should use a gap coefficient of 400 Btu /hr-ft F.
11.
NEDM-10735 indicates that U-235 deficiency in initially low denrity pellets offsets the increase in heat generation rate due to the increased densification effect of a low density pellet. Justify this assumption for the Oyster Creek fuel.
12.
Describe the thermal expansion model discussed on page 38 of NEDM-10735 and present the experimental data used to verify the model.
13.
Provide power spike sensitivity calculations including the case where the maximum theoretical gap size is calculated from the nominal initial density and an assumed final density of 96.5%
theoretical. An appropriate increase in the maximum gap size must he made to account for irradiation induced growth of the fuel rod cladding.
14.
Perform an error analysis on the uncertainty involved in the measurement and reduction of the data given in Tables 6, 9, and 10 of NEDM-10735.
15.
How many fuel rods were examined for creep collapse and at what burnup?
Did you measure at various elevations the diameter of your exposed fuel rods in the vicinity of observed large gaps?
If so, pl ease submit the results of such measurements and your interpretation of these data.
16.
Describe in more detail the instability criteria, i.e.,
1 (a) What is the significance of your present specific ovality limit?
Is there experimental data to support such a limit?
(b)
Present information comparing the relative importance of using for a failure criterion,
- i. Ovality Limit 1
11.
Plastic !:inge Formation iii. Strain Limit iv.
Elastic Instability (Buckling)
(c) Was numerical instability encountered after the ovality limit, or did you fail to obtain an infinite slope in the ovality vs.
time curve?
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- 17.
Pr.vice e:sampics of c uantitative computer results (Colapx) for cases i.
- 4. i.s mpe ra t ure gradien ac oss the cladding, and when.
i,,,
. ci-I: ne.... clent in order that the sensitivity to a grauleat Provide experimental verification as ave.11able i. i t.
r c...
v.
u :s ; a. > c aue...
18.
Discuss i.' detail the selection of a specific time as the transition to gap for.r.atio,
19.
Discuss the geometrical paccmeters used in the examples ir. report JN-72-23.
(a) Why was an initial ovality of.003 inch used?
If this was a rau.:sured vc.lue, provide the sample population mean, utandard ceviation and confidence level.
(b)
Sirailarly provide the mean value, standard deviation and con-fide.;ce level for the cl:.d thickness and outside diameter, i
20.
Pcovide the followir.g sensitivity studies on cladding collapse i
using,the Colapx Code:
1 (a)
J nitial Ovality (,; specially for when ovality is initially zero).
(u, Clad Thickness (c) 31fferential pressurc (d)
Clad ecmporature (et
':' lux 4
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- >. ov ide a dete.iicd detteription of the calculation method and example i
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o:..,> u t e.- re..ults for the variation of internel pressure.
1-d.
.. w r..;. i xit.1 claddia: racchetia:. was cited.
Dir. cuss the cal-cui..t;ca o.
.mial strai in detail and show how the rer, ult is i.ncoc orac.u lato the overall stress and strain a,ummary (i.e.,
e
...c :., che.specified strain limit).
23.
. h: 2.- d.y ;he o /al ity vc. ci.ac curve in.N-72-23 for the Gi:..a expected, acuevcc the Yankce Roue L:.c
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24.
Demonstrate that as a. limiting case when' there is no creep, the Colapx results agree with Timoshenko's elestic solution.
25.
Provide the results of any controlled experimental data which -
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verifies Colapx predictions.
0-26.
provide any experimental data that'may be.used to confirm ~the i
Oyster Creek' calculations indicating integrity up to the time-3 stated.
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l 27.
Give a comparison of 'Colapx with N. Hoff's results.
REF:
- Hoff, N. T... Jahsman, W. F.,- and Nachbar W., "A Study of Creep Collapse of a Long Circular Cylindrical Shell Under Ur.ifonm External Pressure."
i Journal of the Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 26, No.10, pp. 663-674.
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