Information Notice 1987-32, Deficiencies in the Testing of Nuclear-Grade Activated Charcoal

Deficiencies in the Testing of Nuclear-Grade Activated Charcoal

ML031130553
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date:	07/10/1987
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-87-032, NUDOCS 8707070003
Download: ML031130553 (7)

SSINS No.: 6835 IN 87-32 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 July 10, 1987 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 87-32: DEFICIENCIES IN THE TESTING OF NUCLEAR-

GRADE ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

Addressees

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license or a con- struction permit.

Purpose

This information notice is provided to call attention to deficiencies found in

the testing of nuclear-grade activated charcoal used for accident mitigation in

nuclear facilities. It is expected that recipients will review the information

for applicability to their facilities and consider action, if appropriate, to

preclude a similar problem at their facilities. However, suggestions contained

in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no

specific action or written response is required.

Background:

The ASME Committee on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment (CONAGT) first identified

a problem with testing nuclear-grade activated charcoal when the committee

conducted an interlaboratory comparison and found that seven U.S. and eight

foreign testing companies obtained vastly differing results from testing

samples of the same charcoal. After efforts to resolve the differences failed, the NRC contracted with the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (EG&G) to

investigate the problem. The contractor has conducted independent laboratory

studies and has worked with the testing companies to identify the principal

problems. Serious problems were found with the capabilities of the testing

companies and with the testing standard (ASTM Standard D-3803-1979, "Standard

Methods for Radioiodine Testing of Nuclear-Grade Gas-Phase Adsorbents"".

Specific suggestions were made to improve the capabilities of the testing

companies; a new testing protocol was developed to correct shortcomings ound

in the standard; and a final interlaboratory comparison was conducted.

The results, which were received in November 1986, indicate a substantial

improvement over the original CONAGT results, but some companies still did

not report acceptably accurate results. The contractor's technical evaluation

report, EGG-CS-7653, "Final Technical Evaluation Report for the NRC/INEL

Activated Carbon Testing Program," has been published and has been placed in

the NRC Public Document Room.

\ J v - :

IN 87-3?

July 10, 1987 Discussion

Engineered safety features, Including charcoal, are provided at nuclear power

plants to protect employees and the public from accidentally released radio- active materials. It has been recognized that only certain charcoals would

meet the special needs of nuclear plants (see NUREG/CR-3990, "Charcoal Perform- ance Under Accident Conditions'). ASTM Standard D-3803-1979 was developed to

specify the requirements for testing charcoal and was accepted by the NRC

(Regulatory Guide 1.52, 1979). The NRC investigation, which followed the

CONAGT interlaboratory comparison, identified serious shortcomings in the

standard and found that it had never been verified. The standard is currently

being revised. However, until it is available the protocol developed by EG&G

is one possibility for consideration by-testing companies.

Although shortcomings in testing capabilities were identified by EG&G, defi- ciencies can be corrected only by the individual companies. The failure to

upgrade equipment so the test parameters can be adequately controlled is the

principal reason for the unacceptable results in the recent tests.

Additional information on test accuracies and changes made to improve the

accuracy of test results may be sought by direct contact with the individual

testing companies.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

harles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Charles A. Willis, NRR

(301) 492-8340

Charles R. Nichols, NRR

(301) 492-9416 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment 1 IN 87-32 July 10, 19S7 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

INFORMATION NOTICES 1987 Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

87-31 Blocking, Bracing, and 7/10/87 All NRC licensees.

Securing of Radioactive

Materials Packages in

Transportation.

87-30 Cracking of Surge Ring 7/2/87 All nuclear power

Brackets in Large General reactor facilities

Electric Company Electric holding an OL or CP.

Motors

87-29 Recent Safety-Related 6/26/87 All NRC licensees

Incidents at Large authorized to possess

Irradiators. and use sealed sources

in large irradiators.

87-28 Air Systems Problems at 6/22/87 All nuclear power

U.S. Light Water Reactors reactor facilities

holding an OL or CP.

87-27 Iranian Official Implies 6/10/87 All nuclear power

Vague Threat to U.S. reactor facilities

Resources holding an OL or CP,

research and nonpower

reactor facilities, and fuel fabrication

and processing

facilities using or

possessing formula

quantities of special

nuclear material.

87-26 Cracks In Stiffening Rings 6/11/87 All uranium Ouel

on 48-Inch Diameter UF6 fabrication and

Cylinders. conversion facilities.

87-25 Potentially Significant 6/11/87 All nuclear power

Problems Resulting from reactor facilities

Human Error Involving holding an OL or CP.

Wrong Unit, Wrong Train, or Wrong Component Events.

87-24 Operational Experience 6/4/87 All nuclear power

Involving Losses of reactor facilities

Electrical Inverters. holding an OL or CP.

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 87-32 July 10, 1987 Discussion

Engineered safety features, including charcoal, are provided at nuclear power

plants to protect employees and the public from accidentally released radio- active materials. It has been recognized that only certain charcoals would

meet the special needs of nuclear plants (see NUREG/CR-3990, "Charcoal Perform- ance Under Accident Conditions"). ASTM Standard D-3803-1979 was developed to

specify the requirements for testing charcoal and was accepted by the NRC

(Regulatory Guide 1.52, 1979). The NRC investigation, which followed the

CONAGT interlaboratory comparison, identified serious shortcomings in the

standard and found that it had never been verified. The standard is currently

being revised. However, until it is available the protocol developed by EG&G

is one possibility for consideration by testing companies.

Although shortcomings in testing capabilities were identified by EG&G, defi- ciencies can be corrected only by the individual companies. The failure to

upgrade equipment so the test parameters can be adequately controlled is the

principal reason for the unacceptable results in the recent tests.

Additional information on test accuracies and changes made to improve the

accuracy of test results may be sought by direct contact with the Individual

testing companies.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Charles A. Willis, NRR

(301) 492-8340

Charles R. Nichols, NRR

(301) 492-9416 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

E

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES

RR *C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR *PPMB:ARM *SAD:DEST:NRR*AC/SPLB:DEST:NRR

CHBerlinger TechEd AThadani JWCraig

07/1/87 06/26/87 06/30/87 06/26/87

• OGCB:DOEA:NRR *PRPB:DREP:NRR *C/PPRB:DREP:NRR*D/DREP:NRR *SPLB:DEST:NRR

RJKiessel CAWillis LJCunningham FCongel CRNichols

06/25/87 06/26/87 06/26/87 06/26/87 06/26/87

IN 87-XX

June, 1987 Discussion

Engineered safety features, including charcoal, are provided at nuclear power

plants to protect employees and the public from accidentally released radioac- tive materials. It has been recognized that only certain charcoals would meet

the special needs of nuclear plants (see NUREG/CR-3990, "Charcoal Performance

Under Accident Conditions"). ASTM Standard D-3803-1979, was developed to

specify the requirements for testing charcoal, which was published and accepted

by the NRC (Regulatory Guide 1.52, 1979). The NRC investigation, which fol- lowed the CONAGT interlaboratory comparison, identified serious shortcomings in

the standard and found that it had never been verified. The standard is

currently being revised. However, until it is available the protocol developed

by EG&G is one possibility for consideration by testing companies.

Although shortcomings in testing capabilities were identified by EG&G, equip- ment deficiencies can be corrected only by the individual companies. The

failure to upgrade equipment so the test parameters can be adequately con- trolled is the principal reason for the unacceptable results in the recent

tests.

Additional information on test accuracies and changes made to improve the

accuracy of test results may be sought by direct contact with the individual

testing companies.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Charles A. Willis, NRR

(301) 492-8340

Charles R. Nichols, NRR

(301) 492-9416 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• SEE PREVIOUS CONC EES

D/DOEA:NRR C/0G EA:NRR *PPMB:ARM *SAD:DEST:NRR*AC/SPLB:DEST:NRR

CERossi CHberlinger TechEd AThadani JWCraig

06/ /87 O/l /87 06/26/87 06/30/87 06/26/87

• OGCB:DOEA:NRR *PRPB:DREP:NRR *C/PPRB:DREP:NRR*D/DREP:NRR *SPLB:DEST:NRR

RJKiessel CAWillis LJCunningham FCongel CRNichols

06/25/87 06/26/87 06/26/87 06/26/87 06/26/87

IN 87-XX

June, 1987 Discussion

Engineered safety features, including charcoal, are a part of the licensing

bases (Final Safety Analysis Report and Technical Specifications) for nuclear

power plants. It has also been recognized that only certain charcoals would

meet the special needs of nuclear plants (for example, see NUREG/CR-3990,

"Charcoal Performance Under Accident Conditions"). ASTM Standard D-3803-1979, was developed to specify the requirements for testing charcoal. The standard

was developed, published and accepted by the NRC (Regulatory Guide 1.52, in

1979). The NRC investigation which followed the CONAGT interlaboratory com- parison identified serious shortcomings in the standard, found that it had

never been verified and showed that it was not being rigorously followed. The

standard is currently being revised. However, until it is available the

protocol developed by EG&G could be used by testing companies.

Shortcomings in testing capabilities were identified by EG&G but equipment

deficiencies can be corrected only by the individual companies. One company

that made the improvements reported the cost to be more than $70,000. The cost

could be higher for some other companies. It is believed that the failure to

upgrade equipment so the test parameters could be adequately controlled is the

principal reason for the unacceptable results in the recent tests.

Additional information on test accuracies and changes made to improve the

accuracy of test results may be sought by direct contact with the individual

testing companies.

Licensees are responsible for maintenance of their filtration systems and

should review the above information to ensure that the quality of accident

mitigating systems are maintained.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Charles A. Willis, NRR

(301) 492-8340

Charles R. Nichols, NRR

(301) 492-9416 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

D/DOEA:NRR C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR PPMB:AR, M :DEST:NRRt Ž) :DEST:NRR

CERossi CHBerlinger TechEdj?> ~ha ni KJWCraig

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