Implementation of the Westinghouse WRB-2 CHF correlation in VIPRE

As part of the reload transient and thermal-hydraulic methods development effort within Commonwealth Edison Company (CECo), the WRB-2 critical heat flux (CHF) correlation has been implemented into the VIPRE-01 thermal-hydraulic analysis code to support Westinghouse 17X17 Vantage 5 fuel. CECo is in the process of switching from Westinghouse optimized fuel assembly (OFA) fuel to Vantage 5 fuel at CECo's six pressurized water reactors. CECo performs the neutronic portion of the reload analysis using Westinghouse's ANC/PHOENIX. The transient and thermal-hydraulic analysis will be performed using the RETRAN and VIPRE codes once the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has completed their review of CECo methodology. Previously, CECo had implemented and received NRC approval to use the Westinghouse WRB-1 CHF correlation in the VIPRE-01 code to support 15X15 and 17X17 OFA fuel designs. Since the WRB-1 CHF correlation is not applicable for 17X17 Vantage 5 fuel, it was necessary to implement the WRB-2 CHF correlation in the VIPRE code. The WRB-2 correlation was developed by Westinghouse using a database applicable to 17X17 OFA and Vantage 5 fuel and the THINC thermal-hydraulic analysis code. At CECo, the WRB-2 correlation had been implemented into VIPRE-01/MOD-02. The results produced at CECo have been statistically compared to those produced by Westinghouse. Owen's method was used to determine the VIPRE/WRB-02 thermal limit. The thermal limit for 17X17 OFA and Vantage 5 fuel use in VIPRE/WRB-2 is in excellent agreement with the value calculated by Westinghouse using THINC/WRB-2