Information Notice 1989-44, Hydrogen Storage on the Roof of the Control Room

Hydrogen Storage on the Roof of the Control Room

ML031180843
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
Issue date:	04/27/1989
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-89-044, NUDOCS 8904260247
Download: ML031180843 (6)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 April 27, 1989 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 89-44: HYDROGEN STORAGE ON THE ROOF OF THE

CONTROL ROOM

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

This information notice is provided to alert recipients to potential generic

problems pertaining to the storage of hydrogen in the vicinity of safety- related structures and air pathways into safety-related structures. 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

During the Region V Chemistry Team Inspection at the Trojan Nuclear Plant

the week of April 17, 1989, the inspectors identified a potential safety

problem concerning the location of the hydrogen storage facility. Hydrogen

is used on pressurized water reactor (PWR) plants for (1) providing a cover

gas in the volume control tank, and (2) for cooling the main turbine generator.

At boiling water reactor (BWR) plants, hydrogen is also used for cooling the

main turbine generator and for injection into the feed system for plants which

have implemented hydrogen water chemistry. The Trojan hydrogen storage facility

is located on the control room roof which is 30-inch-thick reinforced concrete.

The following potential safety problems were identified during the Region V

Chemistry Team Inspection:

1. Leakage of hydrogen gas from the storage facility in proximity to the air

intakes to the control room ventilation and emergency pressurization system

may introduce a flammable or explosive gas mixture into the control room.

Because the hydrogen storage facility, containing four 8,000-scf hydrogen

tanks at up to 2450 psig, is Seismic Category II, a seismic event may

result in a hydrogen leak. Furthermore, the pressure relief valves in

the hydrogen facility exhaust downward to within 6 inches of the control

room roof in the vicinity of the control room ventilation system air in- takes. It was also noted that six 8,000-scf nitrogen tanks were located

RETURN TO REGULATaRY CENTRAL FILES

ROOM 016

IN 89-44 April 27, 1989 in the vicinity of the control room air intakes. Nitrogen leakage and

dispersion into the air intakes may lead to incapacitation of the control

room operators.

2. A detonation of a hydrogen storage tank (energy equivalent to 217 pounds

of TNT) may structurally damage and affect performance of safety-related

equipment on the control room roof such as the ventilation system intake

and exhaust structure, the emergency pressurization system, and equipment

in the control room itself.

3. An explosion of the hydrogen delivery truck that provides hydrogen to the

facility through a fill line located at ground level on the wall of the

auxiliary building may structurally damage safety-related component cooling

water pumps and radwaste storage tanks located inside the auxiliary building

and in the vicinity of the hydrogen fill line.

Discussion:

The topical report "Guidelines for Permanent BWR Hydrogen Water Chemistry

Installations," 1987 Revision, EPRI NP-5283-SR-A was reviewed and accepted

by NRC. NRC's approval letter, dated July 13, 1987, states that this topical

report may be useful in providing industry guidance for the design, operation, maintenance, surveillance, and testing of hydrogen systems for (1) providing

a cover gas in the PWR volume control tank and (2) for cooling the main turbine

generator. In addition, NRC Information Notice No. 87-20, 'Hydrogen Leak In

Auxiliary Building," dated April 20, 1987, indicated that the NRC was then

reviewing the EPRI/BVIROG topical report (EPRI NP-5283-SR-A). The Trojan plant

hydrogen facility does not meet these guidelines from the standpoint of (1) the

separation distance needed between a hydrogen pipe break and the control room

ventilation intake to prevent buildup of a flammable or explosive gas mixture

inside the control room, and (2) the separation distance needed to prevent

damage to safety-related structures resulting from the explosion of an 8,000-scf

hydrogen tank.

Related Generic Communications:

NRC Information Notice No. 87-20, "Hydrogen Leak In Auxiliary Building," dated

April 20, 1987, discusses leakage of hydrogen from a volume control tank globe

valve in the auxiliary building.

NUREG/CR-3551, ORNL/NOAC-214 "Safety Implications Associated With In-Plant

Pressurized Gas Storage and Distribution Systems in Nuclear Power Plants,"

dated May 1985, provides information useful in considering hazards and methods

to ensure the safe handling of pressurized gases, including hydrogen.

EPRI NP-5283-SR-A, "Guidelines For Permanent BWR Hydrogen Water Chemistry

Installations" - 1987 Revision, dated September 1987, is a topical report

approved by the NRC that provides industry guidance for the design, operation, maintenance, surveillance, and testing of hydrogen systems. It was also recom- mended by the NRC for use on hydrogen systems for (1) providing a cover gas in

the PWR volume control tank, and (2) for cooling the main turbine generator.

IN 89-44 April 27, 1989 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.

c'tC 6 614 Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Frank J. Witt, NRR

(301) 492-0823 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment

IN 89-44 April 27, 1989 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Informatiorn Date of

Subject Issuance Issued to

Notice No.

Torus Shells with Corrosion 5/2/89 All holders of OLs

88-82, or CPs fov BWRs.

Supp. 1 and Degraded Coatings in

BWR Containments

Permanent Deformation of 5/1/89 All holders of OLs

89-43 or CPs for nuclear

Torque Switch Helical power reactors.

Springs in L1mitorque

SMA-Type Motor Operators

Potentially Substandard 4/28/89 All holders of OLs

88-97, or CPs for nuclear

Supp. 1 Valve Replacement Parts

power reactors.

4/21/89 All holders of OLs

89-42 Failure of Rosemount or CPs for nuclear

Models 1153 and 1154 power reactors.

Transmitters

4/20/89 All holders of OLs

89-41 Operator Response to

Pressurization of Low- or CPs for nuclear

Pressure Interfacing power reactors.

Systems

Disabling of Diesel 4/17/89 All holders of OLs

88-75, or CPs for nuclear

Supplement 1 Generator Output Circuit power reactors.

Breakers by Anti-Pump

Circuitry

4/14/89 All holders of OLs

89-40 Unsatisfactory Operator Test or CPs for nuclear

Results and Their Effect on power reactors.

the Requalification Program

List of Parties Excluded 4/5/89 All holders of OLs

89-39 or CPs for nuclear

from Federal Procurement

or Non-Procurement Programs power reactors.

Atmospheric Dump Valve 4/5/89 All holders of OLs

89-38 or CPs for nuclear

Failures at Palo Verde

Units 1, 2, and 3 power reactors.

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

Regional Administrators -2- by NRC in 1986 provides acceptance criteria for hydrogen storage. This report

is titled "Guidelines for Permanent BWR Hydrogen Water Chemistry Installations" -

1987 Revision, EPRI NP-5283-SR-A, dated September 1987.

Original signed by

Xhomas E. murley

Thomas E. Murley, Director

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment:

Information Notice No. 89-44, April 27, 1989 cc: T. Murley

F. Miraglia

L. Shao

C. Rossi

G. Holahan

J. Richardson

C. McCracken

F. Witt

DISTRIBUTION

Gentral Fill1e

ECEB R/F

ECEB S/F

AD/NRR/DRSP*

GHolahan

04/26/89

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OFC :ECEB:DEST* :ECEB:DEST* :EAD:DEST* :DIR:DEST* :ADT:DEST*  : j R  :

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DATE :04/26/89 :04/26/89 :04/26/89 :04/26/89 :04/26/89  : /89  :

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Regional Administrators -2- by NRC in 1986 provides acceptance criteria for hydrogen storage. This report

is titled "Guidelines for Permanent BWR Hydrogen Water Chemistry Installations"-

1987 Revision, EPRI NP-5283-SR-A, dated September 1987.

Thomas E. Murley, Director

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Attachment: Information Notice No. 89-XX

cc: F. Miraglia

L. Shao

C. Rossi

G. Holahan

J. Richardson

C. McCracken

F. Witt

DISTRIBUTION

Central File

ECEB R/F

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lahan

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OFFICIAL RECORD COPY