ML090330363

Loading Bleu Fuel in Browns Ferry, Unit 1 - Slides/Handouts - TVA

ML090330363
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	03/23/2009
From:	AREVA, Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Brown E, NRR/DORL, 415-2315
Shared Package
ML090780746	List: ML090330363 ML090330464 ML090780181
References
TAC ME0438
Download: ML090330363 (15)

Text

R VAn 161

• In 1997, the Tennessee Valley Authority agreed to take from the Department of Energy over 30 metric tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to be converted to blended, low enriched uranium (BLEU) for use as fuel.

AREVA and TVA entered into an agreement for AREVA to provide this BLEU material in ATRIUMTM-10* BWR fuel assemblies for Browns Ferry Units 2 and 3.

4AREVA and TVA modified the agreement in 2008, adding Browns Ferry Unit 1 as another unit loading BLEU fuel.

• In April 2005, TVA reached a key milestone by loading its first reload of BLEU fuel into Browns Ferry Unit 2.

" AREVA has manufactured 1238 BLEU ATRIUM-10 assemblies that have been loaded and operated at Browns Ferry Units 2 and 3.

4 The Unit 1 transition will benefit from the experience already gained transitioning at Units 2 and 3.

" A dominant characteristic of BLEU is a high U234 and, U236 content compared to commercial grade uranium (CGU).

ATRIUM is a trademark of AREVA NP

• Material Process HEU is downblended to low-enriched aqueous uranyl nitrate, then converted to uranium oxide powder.

AREVA processes this into into BWR fuel assemblies. U0 2 pellets and loads them Off-Spec HEU Irradiate in TVA Reactors Type I Ap Solutions Irradiated Fuel Type II

~

Unirradiated Fuel Type II Ingots Type III Metal I. MIN&

Savannah River H Canyon (Purify and down blend to LEU)

I Fuel Assemblies I

LEUN BLEU BLEU Conversion Oxide Fuel Fabrication Complex Facility (AREVA)

(AREVA)

NFS BLEU Preparation Facility I

(Purify and down blend to LEUN)

Richland, WA Highly Enriched Uranium Erwin, TN HEU oxides

• Material Process HEU is downblended to low-enriched aqueous uranyl nitrate, then converted to uranium oxide powder.

AREVA processes this into into BWR fuel assemblies.

17 Tons 16 Tons NFS Processing Facility Arei

" Solutions Store, Downblend NEU OxlC

• Fuel Sto U0 2 pellets and loads them Savannah River H Canyon Ecirwin, TN

e Conversion F e EUN

~chland, WA d

!Pelletize

• e, Pelletize UO, Irradiated in TVA Reactors

4Material Characteristics BLEU material meets the CGU specification with the exception of the isotopes U232, U 2 3 4, and U236.

Characteristics of Blended, Low-Enriched Uranium (BLEU)

Commercial

Blended, Parameter Grade Low-Enriched CoIInUnt Uranium Uranium (CGU)

(BLEU)

Within fuel fabrication Chemically Same as CGU process isotopes are inseparable from BLEU feed.

U235 Enrichment Effective Limit, wtU235 4.95 4.95 Fuel Fabrication plant limit.

U 2 3 4 wt%

0.05 (ASTM 0.07

-1.4 times the ASTM (in 4.95 wt% U235 BLEU) limit) limit U2 36 wt%

0.025 (ASTM 1.5

-60 times the ASTM limit (in 4.95 wt% U235 BLEU) limit)

The impact of the U234, and U236 isotopes is to decrease reactivity due primarily to the absorption of neutrons by the U236.

In CGU at fuel burnups beyond 25 GWd/MTU there is a buildup of U236 concentrations of about one-third of those expected in BLEU.

a.

BLEU Lattice 4.24 wt% U235 Average Enrichment 1.20 -----------------------------------------------

Equivalent CGU Lattice 3.95 wt% U235 Average Enrichment 1.15 1.10 1.05 411.00o 0.95 N,\\,

ATRIUM-10 Lattice with BLEU (4.24 wt%)

ATRIUM-10 Lattice with CGU (3.95 wt%)

ATRIUM-10 Lattice with CGU (4.24 wt%)

I N

N Ný N

14.24 wt% Lattice with no BLEU I j

i

'GU 0.90 0.85 0.80 0.75 -----------------------------------------------.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Lattice Exposure, GWd/MTU CGU and BLEU ATRIUM-10 Fuel Hot Operating, Uncontrolled, 40% Voids, k-infinity versus Exposure

• AREVA analytical methods employ the NRC-approved CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 3-D core simulator and lattice code.

4Parallel Unit 2 Cycle 14 calculations were utilizing CGU material and one with BLEU performed - one material.

When explicitly accounting for the higher U234/U236 content, a comparison of key core reactivity characteristics shows that core response will not be significantly different between BLEU and CGU cores.

Kinetic Parameters Comparison Br w

er 2Cce1 Caclae Cor Avrg Paaee TRUM1 ATIU

-1 wi e

G wtBE E OC Doppler Reactivity Coefficient, Ak/k/0 F

-1.3 x 10-

-1.4x i0-BOG Delayed Neutron Friction, 0.2 eff 0.0053 0.0052 EOC Control Rod SCRAM Worth, Ak/k

-0.22

-0.22 BOG Void Reactivity Coefficient,

-0 Ak'V l__l-0.10 A: /k/i<

VO.

F

Browns Ferry Units 213 Transitioned to AREVA ATRIUM-10 BWR Fuel Design Key Core Design Parameters Reactor-Browns Ferry BWR/4, D-Lattice, Planned 120% uprates Reactr-Brwns erry 764 Assemblies 2/3 345 AmWi, 1to 3952 MWt, 58.5 kW/1 3458 MWt, 51 kW/1 Fuel type/co-resident ATRIUM-10 BLEU fuel GE-13/-14 Loading Strategy Scatter load Cycle Length, months 24 Browns Ferry Unit I to Transition to AREVA ATRIUM-10 BWR Fuel Design Key Core Design Parameters Reactor-Browns Ferry BWR/4, D-Lattice, Same as planned uprates Unit 1 at Units 2 and 3 3952 MWt, 58.5 kW/l Fuel type/co-resident ATRIUM-10 BLEU Same as Units 2/3 fuel GE-13/-14 experience Same as Units 2/3 Loading Strategy Scatter load experience experience Same as Units 2/3 Cycle Length, months 24 experience experience

LI BLEU Operating Experience-- Cycles Completed Unt3Uit2Ui Paramete Cycle Length, EFPD (GWd) 699 (2,417) 669 (2,312) 694 (2,400)

Reload Fuel Type ATRIUM-10 ATRIUM-10 ATRIUM-10 Fuel Material Type CGU BLEU BLEU Batch Average 3.82 3.92 4.17 Enrichment, % U-235 Reload Batch Size 300 (39%)

280 (37%)

296 (39%)

Predicted BOC Cold Shutdown Margin, %Ak/k Measured BOC Cold Shutdown Margin, %Ak/k BLEU Operating Experience - Currently Operating Unit 2Unit Cycle Length, EFPD (GWd) 779 (2,693) 652 (2,254)

Reload Fuel Type ATRIUM-10 ATRIUM-10 Fuel Material Type BLEU BLEU Batch Average 4.13 4.22 Enrichment, % U-235 Reload Batch Size 374 (49%)

288 (38%)

Predicted BOC Cold Shutdown Margin, %Ak/k Measured BOC Cold Shutdown Margin, %Ak/k

cm.6-0 ALI 1.010 1.005 1.000 0.995 0.990

+Uni2 Cycle 14-BLEU XUnit3 Cycle 13-BLEUt

+ Unit 2 Cycle 15-BLEU

-Unit3 Cycle 14-BLEU Range ofCASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 calculated k-effective experience 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0 18.0 20.0 Cycle Exposure (GWd/MTU)

Comparison of Calculated Browns Ferry 2/3 BLEU k-effectives with Other CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 Experience

0006song.

,qMMPw -011111P AAMILL.

Few AdmlhL Twý-OW04MMOOMM Pre-BLEU (Cycle 13)

Browns Ferry Unit 2 Cycle 13 1076 MWd/MTU

-Measured Calculated 2.0 1

1.5

-1.0 0.5 0.0 1

3 5

7 9

11 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top Browns Ferry Unit 2 Cycle 13 14605 MWd/MTU

-Measured Calculated 2.0 0 1.5 1.0 0.5 z

0.0 1

3 5

7 9

11 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top Browns Ferry Unit 2 Cycle 13 17276.98 MWd/MTU Measured - - - Calculated I BLEU (Cycle 14)

Browns Ferry Unit 2 Cycle 14 213 MWd/MTU Measured -

- Calculated 2.0 1.5 0.5 0.0--------------

1 3

5 7

9 II 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top Browns Ferry Unit 2 Cycle 14 8804 MWd/MTU

-Measured--

Calculated 2.0 150 0 5 0.0 1

3 5

7 9

I1 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top Browss Ferry Unit 2 Cycle 14 11590 MWd/MTU Measured - -

Calculated 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 z

0.0 2.0 1.5 0.5 j0.5 3

5 7

9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top 0.0 1

3 5

7 9

11 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top

an IMLAW B

AmKlhb

'w omnem BLEU (Cycle 15)

B.F.,U 2 Cy*e 15 74,AVDAST

--~~

~ ~ -- - -- - -- - -

1.4-1.0.

1'i o

1,2 14

i.

2 41 i

1.4 2

4 0

a 12 12 14 10 10 20 22 24 B~*O Fen~ UM0 2 Cjo 1 16713.25 MWVMW 2-M, 1.t 1.2

'U OA ao~

4.0 9

Op 4

0 1

CS**0" C-~I..W11d1 tfýIll A-".hW31

Pre-BLEU (Cycle 12)

Browns Ferry Unit 3 Cycle 12 879 MWd/MTU

-Measured Calculated BLEU (Cycle 13)

Browns Ferry Unit3 Cycle 13 153MWd/MTU

-Measured Calculated 2.0 I-1.0 0.5 0.0 1

3 5

7 9

I1 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top 2.0 S1.5 1-1.0 0.5 z

0.0 I

3 5

7 9

II 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top Browns Ferry Unit 3 Cycle 12 9026 MWd/MTTU

-Measured Calculated 2.0 S1.5 1-1.0 0.5 0.0 Browns Ferry Unit 3 Cycle 13 2672 MWd/MTU Measured Calculated 2.0 I

4 1.5 1-1.0 0.5 0.0 3

5 7

9 I1 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top I

3 5

7 9

II 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top i....P.FentlJa S 0I010 lhO1 4fleav*GdT Browns Ferry Unit 3 Cycle 12 15583 MWd/MTU

-Measured

- - - Calculated 2.0 1.5 1.0

.1 0.5 0.0 1.4 o.e

• 4 3

5 7

9 I1 13 15 17 19 21 23 Bottom Axial Node Top

BLEU (Cycle 14)

A rw-iu lyU n l3 Cydb 14 ZA&41 MW D /rM "

CoMA84AWrAV BIwIIs Fe"y ArM 3 C" 14 58447 MWDAIT 2.01 f:-Mmd 1.I.

1.8.

1.4.

1.2.

S0.6-0.2.

2 4 8

8 10 12 14 18 is 2

22 bo~m Nod.

Can AAd Avelug 24 wo

• BLEU fuel has been successfully loaded and operated in TVA's Browns Ferry Units 2 and 3.

> Each unit has completed one complete cycle of operation with BLEU fuel and is currently in the second cycle.

The transition at Unit 1 will be similar to what has already been successfully done at Units 2 and 3.

• AREVA CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 neutronic modeling methodology very accurately models fuel behavior of BLEU fuel

> No significant differences are seen between BLEU and non-BLEU core designs.

> Initial reactor measured data are very good and consistent with prior cycle results.

--A