ML20246H717

Forwards Request for Addl Info,Within 60 Days,Re Use of FROSSTEY-2 Fuel Performance Code for LOCA Analysis,Per

ML20246H717
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	05/02/1989
From:	Fairtile M Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Capstick R VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER CORP.
References
TAC-68216, NUDOCS 8905160176
Download: ML20246H717 (6)

Text

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? Docket No. 50-271 HAY 0 21989 Mr. R.':Wi Capstick l

Licensing Engineer Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power i

Corporation j

580 Main Street D

Bolton, Massachusetts 01740-1398 1

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SUBJECT:

REQUEST.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - FROSSTEY-2 FUEL PERFORMANCE CODE (TAC N0.68216)

Re:

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station We are reviewing your use of the Frosstey Computer Code for LOCA analysis as

~ described in your letter dated December 16, 1987. We find that we need additional information as described in the enclosed request for-additional

-information to complete our review. We request that you provide a response to

.the enclosed. request within 60 days of receipt of this letter.

The reporting and/or record keeping requirements contained in.this letter affect fewer than ten respondents; therefore, OMB clearance is not required under P.L.96-511.

Sincerely, Is Morton B. Fairtile, Project Manager Project Directorate I-3 Division of Reactor Projects I/II

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ enclosure:

See next page

!O DISTRIBUTION: Docket File, NRC& Local PDRs, 0GC, SLWU, WHodges, MRushbrook, ACRS(10), PDI-3 r/f, RWessman, MFairtile i

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1

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MAY 0 21989 Docket No.-50-271 Mr. R. W. Capstick Licensing. Engineer Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation 580 Main Street Bolton, Massachusetts 01740-1398

'i

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - FROSSTEY-2 FUEL PERFORMANCE CODE (TAC N0.68216)

Re: Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station We are reviewing your use of the Frosstey Computer Code for LOCA analysis as described in your letter dated December 16, 1987. We find that we need additional information as described in the enclosed request for additional information to complete our review. We request that you provide a response to i

the-enclosed request within 60 days of receipt of this letter.

The reporting and/or record keeping requirements contained in this letter affect fewer than ten respondents; therefore, OMB clearance is not required under P.L.96-511.

1 Sincerely, l

bdr b b

^

Morton B. Fairtile, Project Manager Project Directorate I-3 i

Division of Reactor Projects I/II i

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ enclosure:

See next page i

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L_____--_-__-___-

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Mr.~R. W. Capstick Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station

'CC:

Mr. J. Gary Weigand -

W. P. Murphy,'Vice President President & Chief Executive Officer

.and Manager of Operations Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.

R.D. 5, Box 169 R.D. 5, Box 169 Ferry Road Ferry Road Brattleboro, Vermont 05301 Drattleboro, Vermont 05301 Mr. John DeVincentis, Vice President Mr. George lSterzinger, Commissioner Yankee Atomic Electric Company Vermont Department of Public Service 580 Main Street 120 State Street, 3rd Floor Bolton, Massachusetts 01740-1398 Montpelier, Vermont 05602

.New England Coalition on Nuclear.'

Public Service Board Pollution State of Vermont Hill and Dale Farm 120 State Street R.D. 2, Box 223 Montpelier, Vermont 05602 Putney, Vermont 05346 Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Inc.

G. Dean Weyman 43 State Street Chairman, Board of Selectman Montpelier, Vermont. 05602 Post Office Box 116 Vernon, Vermont 05354 William Russell, Regional Administrator Raymond N. McCandless Region I Office Vermont Division of-Occupational U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Radiological Health 475 Allendale Road Administration Building King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Montpelier, Vermont 05602 Mr. R. W. Capstick Honorable John J. Easton Vermont Yankee Nuclear Attorney General Power Corporation State of Vermont

.580 Main St.

109 State Street Bolton, Massachusetts 01740-1398 Montpelier, Vermont 05602 R. K. Gad III I

Ropes & Gray Conner & Wetterhahn, P.C.

225 Franklin Street Suite 1050 Boston, Massachusetts 02110 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20006

_--- - _ a

4 Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station Corporation cc:

Diane Curran, Esq.

Resident Inspector-Harmon, Curran & Tousley U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission 2001 S Street, N.W., Suite 430 P.O. Box 176 Washington, D.C.

20009 Vernon, Vermont 05354 David J. Mullett, Esq.-

John Traficonte, Esq.

- Special Assistant Attorney General Chief Safety Unit Vermont Depart. of Public Service Office of the Attorney General 120 State Street One Ashburton Place, 19th Floor Montpelier, VT 05602 Boston, MA 02108 Jay Gutierrez Geoffrey M. Huntington, Esquire Regional Counsel Office of the Attorney General USNRC, Region I Environmental Protection Bureau

- 475 Allendale Road.

State House Annex King of Prussia, PA 19406 25 Capitol Street Concord, NH 03301-6397 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.

Charles Bechhoefer, Esq.

Office of the Attorney General Administrative Judge.

Environmental Protection Bureau Atomic Safety and Licensing Board-State House Annex U.S. ' Nuclear Regulatory Comission.

25 Capitol Street Wasnington, DC 20555 Concord, NH 03301-6397 Dr. James H. Carpenter.

Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, DC' 20555 Washington, DC 20555 Mr. Gustave A. Linenberger, Jr.

Adjudicatory File (2)

Administrative Judge Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Docket U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, DC-20555 Washington, D.C. 20555

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b 00ESTIONS FOR VERMONT YANKEE LOCA ANALYSIS METHOD:

FROSSTEY FUEL PERFORMANCE CODE (FROSSTEY2) 1.

Please provide examples of FROSSTEY2 licensing calculations for LOCA initialization, end-of-life rod pressures, fuel-to-cladding gap conductance, fuel centerline melt, and cladding strain. Also, provide sufficient input and output infomation to allow independent audit calculations with an NRC audit code. For example, the LOCA output.

should include predicted centerline and volume average temperatures of the peak node, cladding oxide thickness and rod average fission gas release versus rod average burnup; the internal rod pressure. calculation should include predicted centerline temperatures of peak node, cladding oxide ~ thickness, rod average fission gas release, and internal rod pressures versus rod average burnup. A discussion should also be provided along with each example licensing calculation describing how the input and code application methodology provide assurances that each of these analyses are conservative and bounding for a particular core reload.

Please quantify these conservatism where it is pc,ssible to do so.

1 2.

What impact does the lower assumed fuel conductivity and subsequent j

increase in fuel relocation in FROSSTEY2 have on LOCA and other licensing analyses? If there is a decrease in calculated volume average j

temperatureforLOCA(andthuslowerpeakcladdingtemperaturesfor LOCA),.then 1) supporting data for this assumed decrease in fuel thermal conductivity needs to be presented, and 2) the uncertainties in this data accounted for in the licensing analyses. Therefore, the impact of the thermal conductivity decrease on licensing analyses needs to be addressed, and, where appropriate, uncertainties accounted for to assure that these licensing analyses are conservative and bounding.

3.

Please provide the relationship used to correct the as-measured thermocouple data for decalibration.

4.

Examination of the FROSSTEY2 predictions of fission gas release data in Figures B.5 and B.9 indicates that the code underpredicts fission gas release above measured percent release values of approximately 12%.

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This underprediction is most noticeable on the transient (power ramped) fission gas release data where 27 of 29 data are underpredictad; however, the steady-state fission gas release data from pressurized rods is also underpredicted. This nonconservatism on fission gas release can effect rod pressures, gap conductances, and fuel temperatures when a fuel rod has a release value greater than 12%. Please discuss how this 1ack of conservatism will be addressed in the application of FROSSTEY2 licensing analyses in order to assure that these analyses are conservative and bounding. Also, provide the measured release values for the fission gas release data in Table B.6.

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