Information Notice 1993-34, Potential for Loss of Emergency Cooling Function Due to a Combination of Operational and Post-LOCA Debris in Containment

Potential for Loss of Emergency Cooling Function Due to a Combination of Operational and Post-LOCA Debris in Containment

ML031210149
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, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	05/06/1993
From:	Grimes B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-93-034, Suppl 1, NUDOCS 9305050002
Download: ML031210149 (6)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 May 6, 1993 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 93-34, SUPPLEMENT 1: POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF EMERGENCY

COOLING FUNCTION DUE TO A

COMBINATION OF OPERATIONAL AND

POST-LOCA DEBRIS IN CONTAINMENT

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Information Notice

(IN)93-34 because of the possible problems that could'occur with operational

and post-accident debris blocking emergency core cooling pump strainers in a

boiling-water reactor (BWR) or containment sump screens in a pressurized-water

reactor (PWR). The IN was based, in part, on an event that occurred at the

Perry Nuclear Plant. The NRC is issuing this supplement to IN 93-34 to alert

addressees to additional information relating to that event. 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 are not NRC

requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

IN 93-34 described clogging of emergency core cooling (ECC) pump suction

strainers at the Perry Nuclear Plant, a BWR-6. The latest strainer clogging

event occurred in March 1993, 2 months after the licensee had replaced the

strainers and thoroughly cleaned the suppression pool. After the IN was

issued, the licensee chemically analyzed the debris on the strainer. The

debris consisted of fibers from air filter material that had been

inadvertently introduced into the suppression pool and corrosion products that

had been filtered from the pool by the fibers adhering to the surface of the

strainer. A small amount of the fibrous filter material also was found in the

suppression pool near the weir wall.

The licensee uses the fibrous material in the drywell in three air filters

that each have a surface area of about 5.57 square meters C60 square feet].

In addition, there are six similar air filters in containment. The purpose of

the filters is to provide filtered air in containment and the drywell during

reactor outages. It has been the licensee's practice to replace the filter

material at the end of each outage and to leave the material in the drywell

and containment during operation of the.plant at power. As a result of the

9305050002 PIDR IVcE4,ce. 3 (,,6 t .rer c< <

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IN 93-34, Supplement 1 May 6, 1993 March 1993 event, the licensee intends to remove the filter material

drywell before startup to eliminate this source of fibrous material from the

from the

drywell.

Discussion

NUREG-0897, Rev. 1, "Containment Emergency Sump Performance," which

was

written in conjunction with resolution of Unresolved Safety Issue (USI)

addresses transport of fibrous thermal insulation from the containment A-43, strainers during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). Resolution of USI to the

in part, was based on strainer head loss tests with fibrous thermal A-43, obstructing flow. USI A-43 did not address the consequences on head insulation

the filtering action of the fibrous material on the strainer. The Perry loss of

showed that filtering corrosion products, dust, and other debris from event

the

drywell during a LOCA may cause an unexpectedly rapid loss of net positive

suction head for the ECC pumps when they are needed to perform their

intended

function.

Related Generic Communications

° NRC Information Notice 92-71: "Partial Plugging of Suppression

Pool Strainers at a Foreign BWR"

o NRC Information Notice 88-28: "Potenttalfor-to-s-of 1-os-t-10DC

Recirculation Capability Due to Insulation Debris Blockage'

This information notice requires no specific action or written response.

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please If

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclearcontact

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: Roger W. Woodruff, NRR

(301) 504-2917 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

i .- I

Attachment

IN 93-34, Supplement 1 May 6, 1993 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

93-34 Potential for Loss of 04/26/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

Emergency Cooling for nuclear power reactors.

Function Due to A

Combination of

Operational and Post- Loca Debris in Contain- ment

93-33 Potential Deficiency 04/28/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

of Certain Class IE for nuclear power reactors.

Instrumentation and

Control Cables

93-32 Nonconservative Inputs 04/21/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

for Boron Dtlution ->forpressurized water

Event Analysis reactors (PWRs).

93-31 Training of Nurses 04/13/93 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Responsible for the Commission medical

Care of Patients with licensees.

Brachytherapy Implants

93-30 NRC Requirements for 04/12/93 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Evaluation of Wipe Commission medical

Test Results; Cali- licensees.

bration of Count Rate

Survey Instruments

93-29 Problems with the Use 04/12/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

of Unshielded Test Leads for nuclear power reactors.

in Reactor Protection

System Circuitry

93-28 Failure to Consider 04/09/93 All holders of OLs or CPs

Loss of DC Bus in the for nuclear power reactors.

Emergency Core Cooling

System Evaluation May

Lead to Nonconservative

Analysis

OL - Operating License

CP - Construction Permit

IN 9%,J4, Supplement 1 May 6, 1993 March 1993 event, the licensee intends to remove the filter material from the

drywell before startup to eliminate this source of fibrous material from the

drywell.

Discussion

NUREG-0897, Rev. 1, "Containment Emergency Sump Performance,' which was

written in conjunction with resolution of Unresolved Safety Issue (USI) A-43, addresses transport of fibrous thermal insulation from the containment to the

strainers during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). Resolution of USI A-43, in part, was based on strainer head loss tests with fibrous thermal insulation

obstructing flow. USI A-43 did not address the consequences on head loss of

the filtering action of the fibrous material on the strainer. The Perry event

showed that filtering corrosion products, dust, and other debris from the

drywell during a LOCA may cause an unexpectedly rapid loss of net positive

suction head for the ECC pumps when they are needed to perform their intended

function.

Related Generic Communications

• NRC Information Notice 92-71: "Partial Plugging of Suppression

Pool Strainers at a Foreign BWR"

• NRC Information Notice 88-28: 'Potential for Loss of Post LOCA

Recirculation Capability Due to Insulation Debris Blockage'

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: Roger W. Woodruff, NRR

(301) 504-2917 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

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IN "_.34, Supplement 1 May 6, 1993 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: Roger W. Woodruff, NRR

(301) 504-2917 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

• SCSB:DSSA *OGCB:DORS *BC:SCSB:DSSA *D:DSSA TECH ED. *PDIII-3 RWWoodruff PCWen/vsb RJBarrett ACThadani - JNHannon

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IN 93-34, Supplement 1 May XX, 1993 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: Roger W. Woodruff, NRR

(301) 504-2917 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

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