ML20134E686
| ML20134E686 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/04/1997 |
| From: | Martin T NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Sohinki S ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20134B474 | List: |
| References | |
| PROJECT-697 NUDOCS 9702060424 | |
| Download: ML20134E686 (3) | |
Text
February 4, 1997 Stephen M. Schinki, Director Office of Commercial Light Water Reactor Production Defense Programs Department of Energy Washington, DC 20585
SUBJECT:
BENCHMARKING THE VIPRE CODE TO VALIDATE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND USER APPLICATION OF CHANGES TO ACCOMMODATE THE USE OF LITHIUM BURNABLE POIS0N RODS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRITIUM
Dear Mr. Sohinki:
In the January 22, 1997, public meeting at NRC headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, the staff informed DOE that the VIPRE code needed to be benchmarked for its specific use. The ::taff also committed to determine whether examples of the benchmarking of the VIPRE code and/or other requirements for the use of the VIPRE code were readily available. DOE and has proposed using a modified version of the NRC-approved core design metnodology, PHOENIX-P, to perform the reload core analysis with tritium producing turnable poison rod lead test assemblies. This version will be called PHOENIX-L. During discussions at the meeting, the staff indicated that the differences betueen the NRC-approved code, PH0ENIX-P, and the modified code, PH0ENIX-L, will need to be documented by the vendor, Westinghouse.
Enclosure 1 contains the summary and conclusions of the staff's original safety evaluation of "VIPRE-01: A Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Code for Reactor Cores, EPRI NP-2511-CCM," transmitted by letter dated May 31, 1986. Enclosure 2 contains the staff'-s subsequent safety evaluation of VIPRE-01, EPRI NP-2511-CCM, Revision 3, dated October 30, 1993. These safety evaluations provide the conditions for acceptable use of the VIPRE-01 computer code for PWR licensing calculations. Guidance on benchmarking methodologies is also included.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact the project manager, J. H. Wilson, at (301) 415-1108.
Sincerely, Original signed by:
h*o d f." N f &, 6 Fe'ttor Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 697
Enclosures:
as stated DISTRIBUTION: j h CentraLEile' PGEB R/F AThadani ACRS FGillespie Glainas /g PUBLIC FMiraglia BSheron JMitchell RMartin KRapp, RII DOCUMENT NAME: P:\TRTVIaPRE /k d s
()3 0FFICE PM:PGEB:DRPM s C:SRXRf/ C:PGEB N /(
D:DRPM I F/l NAME JHWilson: A , JLyon( DMatt. hews TMartin J /,
DATE 2/ //97 P' 2/4/97 2/4/97 2/' /97 f 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
[ M1
_ . ,, n e M"
697
- ET " *[. EniBRE MB09PV s
., f y -t UNITED STATES j
Ij f
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D.C. 30666-4001
\ ..... # February 4, 1997 Stephen M. Sohinki, Director Office of Commercial Light Water Reactor Production Defense Programs Department of Energy Washington, DC 20585
SUBJECT:
BENCHMARKING THE VIPRE CODE TO VALIDATE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND USER APPLICATION OF CHANGES TO ACCOMMODATE THE USE OF LITHIUM BURNABLE POIS0N RODS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRITIUM
Dear Mr. Schinki:
In the January 22, 1997, public meeting at NRC headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, the staff informed DOE that the VIPRE code needed to be benchmarked fcr its specific use. The staff also committed to determine whether examples of the benchmarking of the VIPRE code and/or other requirements for the use of the VIPRE code were readily available. DOE and has proposed using a modified version of the NRC-approved core design methodology, PH0ENIX-P, to perform the reload core analysis with tritium producing burnable poison rod lead test assemblies. This version will be called PH0ENIX-L. During discussions at the meeting, the staff indicated that the differences between the NRC-approved code, PHOENIX-P, and the modified code, PH0ENIX-L, will need to be documented by the vendor, Westinghouse.
Enclosure 1 contains the summary and conclusions of the staff's original safety evaluation of "VIPRE-01: A Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Code for Reactor Cores, EPRI NP-2511-CCM," transmitted by letter dated May 31, 1986. Enclosure 2 contains the staff's safety evaluation of VIPRE-01, EPRI NP-2511-CCM, Revision 3, dated October 30, 1993. These safety evaluations provide the conditions for acceptable use of the VIPRE-01 computer code for PWR licensing calculations.
Guidance on benchmarking methodologies is also included.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact the project manager, J. H. Wilson, at (301) 415-1108.
Sincerely, Thomas T. Martin, Director Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 697
Enclosures:
as stated cc: see next page
l 1.
Project No. 697 DOE Tritium Program a
cc:
2 Max Clausen Office of Commercial Light-Water
- Reactor Production Tritium Project Office U.S. Department of Energy 4 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 DP-60 Records Management
! Office of Commercial Light-Water l
Reactor Production Tritium Project Office U.S. Department of Energy
- 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 Jerry L. Ethridge, Sr. Progra:n Manager Environmental Technology Division Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Battelle Blvd. P.O. Box 999 Richland, WA 99352 i I
1