Information Notice 1989-23, Environmental Qualification of Litton-Veam Cir Series Electrical Connectors

Environmental Qualification of Litton-Veam Cir Series Electrical Connectors

ML031180545
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, 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
Issue date:	03/03/1989
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-89-023, NUDOCS 8902280104
Download: ML031180545 (6)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 March 3, 1989 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 89-23: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALIFICATION OF LITTON-VEAM

CIR SERIES ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

This information notice is being provided to alert addressees to a potentially

generic safety problem involving CIR series electrical connectors manufactured

by the Yeam Division of Litton Industries. These connectors have been supplied

to numerous commercial nuclear plants by Combustion Engineering, Inc. (CE), and

have been obtained by at least three plants through other channels.

It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability

to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar

problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not

constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response

is required.

Description of Circumstances

Litton-Veam CIR series multi-pin electrical connectors are used in core exit

thermocouple (CET) and reactor vessel level monitoring (RVLM) systems supplied

to numerous plants by Combustion Engineering, Inc., and are used in other ap- plications in at least three additional plants. A proprietary qualification

test report (CE NPSD-230-P) has been used to document environmental qualifi- cation of the connectors for loss of coolant accident (LOCA) conditions in the

CE-supplied systems. During LOCA testing, the connector face seal gasket was

completely degraded and elastomeric inserts interacted with simulated contain- ment spray solution which leaked into the connector. Insulation resistances

near 1,000 ohms were measured. CE has performed analyses to show that resultant

errors are acceptable in CE-supplied CET and RYLM system thermocouple circuits.

However, the moisture ingress and resultant low insulation resistances are not

acceptable for heater circuits in the RVLM. For that application, CE developed

two remedies; one is a clamp, and the other is a new connector design. CE has

advised that one of these remedies has been used for all of the RYLM heater

circuits. Unmodified CIR connectors are believed to be still in use in other

applications. I1\~

+9i I-

IN 89-23 March 3, 1989 Details of this concern, including a list of plants believed

to be affected, are contained in NRC Inspection Report 99900401/88-01, dated January

10, 1989.

Discussion:

CE LOCA-tested the Litton-Yeam connectors only in thermocouple

circuits, which

tolerate relatively poor electrical characteristics. In other applications

such as transmitter and solenoid valve circuits, licensees are cautioned

CE's testing (1) does not establish qualification and (2) strongly that

qualification problems. Connector failures could result in the loss suggests

functions of connected qualified equipment. of the

No specific action or written response is required by this information

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

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate

office. regional

rdar e~sE. iri , Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Richard C. Wilson, NRR

--- (301) 492-0997- Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

l

Attachment

IN 89-23 March 3, 1989 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

89-22 Questionable Certification 3/3/89 All holders of OLs

of Fasteners or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

89-21 Changes in Performance 2/27/89 All holders of OLs

Characteristics of Molded- or CPs for nuclear

Case Circuit Breakers power reactors.

88-73, Direction-Dependent Leak 2/27/89 All holders of OLs

Supplement 1 Characteristics of Contain- or CPs for nuclear

ment Purge Valves power reactors.

89-20 Weld Failures in a Pump 2/24/89 All holders of OLs

of Byron-Jackson Design or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

89-19 Health Physics Network 2/23/89 All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors, and

the following fuel

facilities: Nuclear

Fuel Services of Erwin, General Atomic, UNC

Montville, B&W LRC

Lynchburg, and B&W

Lynchburg.

89-18 Criminal Prosecution of 2/22/89 All holders of OLs

Wrongdoing Committed by or CPs for nuclear

Suppliers of Nuclear power reactors.

Products or Services

89-17 Contamination and Degra- 2/22/89 All holders of OLs

dation of Safbty-Related or CPs for nuclear

Battery Cells power reactors.

89-'16 Excessive Voltage Drop 2/16/89 All holders of OLs

in dc Systems or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 89-23 March 3, 1989 Details of this concern, including a list of plants believed to be affected, are contained in NRC Inspection Report 99900401/88-01, dated January 10, 1989.

Discussion:

CE LOCA-tested the Litton-Veam connectors only in thermocouple circuits, which

tolerate relatively poor electrical characteristics. In other applications

such as transmitter and solenoid valve circuits, licensees are cautioned that

CE's testing (1) does not establish qualification and (2) strongly suggests

qualification problems. Connector failures could result in the loss of the

functions of connected qualified equipment.

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

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

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Richard C. Wilson, NRR

(301) 492-0997 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PAGE

VIB:DRIS* SC:VIB:DRIS* TECH EDITOR* BC:SPLB:DES*

RCWilson:jh UPotapovs EWBrach BKGrimes JCraig

02/17/89 02/21/89 02/17/89 02/21/89 02/22/89 02/23/89 BC:GCB*

CBerlinger

02/27/89 O2/j4/89

IN 89-XX

February XX, 1989 Discussion:

CE LOCA-tested the Litton-Yeam connectors only in thermocouple circuits, which

tolerate relatively poor electrical characteristics. In other applications

such as transmitter and solenoid valve circuits, licensees are cautioned that

CE's testing (1) does not establish qualification and (2) strongly suggests

qualification problems. Connector failures could result in the loss of the

functions of connected qualified equipment.

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

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

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Richard C. Wilson, NRR

(301) 492-0997 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE PAGE

VIB:DRIS* SC:VIB:DRIS* TECH EDITOR* B MIS BC:SPLB:DES

RCWilson:jh UPotapovs E r ch K /Craig

02/17/89 02/21/89 02/17/89 02 /89 u 2/Z3/89 BC:GCB 0 W D:DOEA

CBerlinger CERossi

01/21/89 03/ /89

IN 89-XX

February XX, 1989 Discussion:

CE LOCA-tested the Litton-Veam connectors only in thermocouple circuits, which

tolerate relatively poor electrical characteristics. Even in theriocouple

eircuits, licensees may-wish to consider changing te conncetorz thatt dt nt

uffer damage and1 moisture ingress during LOCA conditineg. In other appli- cations such as transmitter and solenoid valve circuits, licensees are cau- tioned that CE's testing (1) does not establish qualification and (2) strongly

suggests qualification problems. Connector failures could result in the loss

of the functions of connected qualified equipment.

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

If you have any questions about this mlatter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Richard C. Wilson, NRR

(301) 492-0997 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

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SCAwE

'(I

T ECEDOR

VIB: A SC:V B:DRIS BC:VIB:DRIS D:DRIS BC:GCB

RCWilson:jh UPotapovs EWBrach BKGrimes CBerlinger

02/17/89 02/21/89 02/17/89 03/ /89 03/ /89 03/ /89 D: DOEA

CERossi

03/ /89