15
R VAn 161
R VAn
161
*In 1997, the Tennessee Valley Authority agreed to takefrom the Department of Energy over 30 metric tons ofhighly enriched uranium (HEU) to be converted toblended, low enriched uranium (BLEU) for use as fuel.
AREVA and TVA entered into an agreement for AREVAto provide this BLEU material in ATRIUMTM-10* BWRfuel assemblies for Browns Ferry Units 2 and 3.
4AREVA and TVA modified the agreement in 2008,adding Browns Ferry Unit 1 as another unit loadingBLEU fuel.
*In April 2005, TVA reached a key milestone by loadingits first reload of BLEU fuel into Browns Ferry Unit 2.
" AREVA has manufactured 1238 BLEU ATRIUM-10assemblies that have been loaded and operated atBrowns Ferry Units 2 and 3.
4 The Unit 1 transition will benefit from the experiencealready 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 uranylnitrate, then converted to uranium oxide powder.
AREVA processes this intointo BWR fuel assemblies.
U0 2 pellets and loads them
Off-Spec HEUIrradiate in
TVA ReactorsType I
Ap Solutions
IrradiatedFuel
Type II
~ UnirradiatedFuel
Type II
% Ingots
Type III
• Metal
I. MIN&Savannah River
H Canyon(Purify and downblend to LEU)
IFuel
AssembliesI
LEUN BLEUBLEU Conversion Oxide Fuel Fabrication
Complex Facility(AREVA) , (AREVA)
NFSBLEU Preparation
Facility I
(Purify and downblend to LEUN)
Richland, WA
HighlyEnrichedUranium Erwin, TN
HEU oxides
*Material Process
HEU is downblended to low-enriched aqueous uranylnitrate, then converted to uranium oxide powder.
AREVA processes this intointo 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 RiverH Canyon
Ecirwin, TN
::e Conversion F
e EUN
~chland, WA
d
!Pelletize*e, Pelletize UO,
Irradiated inTVA Reactors
4Material Characteristics
BLEU material meets the CGU specification with the exception ofthe isotopes U232, U 2 3 4 , and U236.
Characteristics of Blended, Low-EnrichedUranium (BLEU)
Commercial Blended,Parameter Grade Low-Enriched CoIInUnt
Uranium Uranium
(CGU) (BLEU)
Within fuel fabrication
Chemically Same as CGU process isotopes areinseparable from BLEU
feed.
U235 Enrichment EffectiveLimit, 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 reactivitydue primarily to the absorption of neutrons by the U236.
In CGU at fuel burnups beyond 25 GWd/MTU there is a buildup ofU236 concentrations of about one-third of those expected in BLEU.
a.
BLEU Lattice4.24 wt% U235 Average Enrichment
1.20 -----------------------------------------------
Equivalent CGU Lattice3.95 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%)
IN
N
NýN 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-approvedCASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2 3-D core simulator and latticecode.
4Parallel Unit 2 Cycle 14 calculations wereutilizing CGU material and one with BLEU
performed - onematerial.
* When explicitly accounting for the higher U234/U236 content,a comparison of key core reactivity characteristics showsthat core response will not be significantly differentbetween BLEU and CGU cores.
Kinetic Parameters Comparison
Br w er 2Cce1
Caclae Cor Avrg Paaee TRUM1 ATIU -1
wi - e G wtBEE 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, -0Ak'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% upratesReactr-Brwns erry 764 Assemblies2/3 345 AmWi, 1to 3952 MWt, 58.5 kW/13458 MWt, 51 kW/1
Fuel type/co-resident ATRIUM- 10 BLEUfuel 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 upratesUnit 1 at Units 2 and 33952 MWt, 58.5 kW/l
Fuel type/co-resident ATRIUM-10 BLEU Same as Units 2/3fuel GE- 13/-14 experience
Same as Units 2/3Loading Strategy Scatter load experience
experience
Same as Units 2/3Cycle 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 4.17Enrichment, % U-235
Reload Batch Size 300 (39%) 280 (37%) 296 (39%)
Predicted BOC ColdShutdown Margin, %Ak/k
Measured BOC ColdShutdown 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 4.22Enrichment, % U-235
Reload Batch Size 374 (49%) 288 (38%)
Predicted BOC ColdShutdown Margin, %Ak/k
Measured BOC ColdShutdown Margin, %Ak/k
cm.6-0 ALI
1.010
1.005
1.000
0.995
0.990
+Uni2 Cycle 14- BLEUXUnit3 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.
FewAdmlhL
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
z0.0
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
z0.0
2.0
1.5
0.5j0.5
3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
Bottom Axial Node Top
0.01 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
Bottom Axial Node Top
an IMLAWB 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 1CS**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
z0.0
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
I4 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•GdTBrowns Ferry Unit 3 Cycle 12 15583 MWd/MTU
-Measured - - - Calculated
2.0
1.5
.- 1.0.10.5
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 22bo~m Nod.
Can AAd Avelug
24wo
*BLEU fuel has been successfully loadedand operated in TVA's Browns FerryUnits 2 and 3.> Each unit has completed one complete cycle
of operation with BLEU fuel and is currently inthe second cycle.
The transition at Unit 1 will be similar towhat has already been successfully doneat Units 2 and 3.
*AREVA CASMO-4/MICROBURN-B2neutronic modeling methodology veryaccurately models fuel behavior of BLEUfuel
> No significant differences are seen betweenBLEU and non-BLEU core designs.
> Initial reactor measured data are very goodand consistent with prior cycle results.
--A
