L-87-355, Responds to NRC 870609 Request for Addl Info Re Use of Boraflex in Spent Fuel Storage Racks.Results of Blackness Testing of Boraflex Panels Did Not Indicate Existence of Gaps,Voids or Other Spatial Distribution Anomalies
| ML17342A882 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Turkey Point  |
| Issue date: | 08/25/1987 |
| From: | Woody C FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (ARM) |
| References | |
| L-87-355, NUDOCS 8709020055 | |
| Download: ML17342A882 (10) | |
Text
ACCESSION NBR FACIL: 50-250 50-251 AUTH. NAME WOODYi C. O.
RECIP. NAME REGULATORY FORMATION DISTRIBUTION SY EM (RIDS) 8709020055 DOC. DATE: 87/08/25 NOTARIZED:
NO DOCKET 4 Turkey Point Plant>
Unit 3i Florida Power and Light C 05000250 Turkey Point Planti Unit 4i Florida Power and Light C 05000251 AUTHOR AFFILIATION Florida Power 5 Lig ht Co.
RECIPIENT AFFILIATION Document Control Branch (Document Control Desk)
SUBJECT:
Responds to NRC 87060'P request for addi info re use of Boraflex in spent fuel storage racks. Results of blackness testing of Horaflex panels did not indicate existence of gapsi voids or other spatial distribution anomalies.
DISTRIBUTION CODE:
AOOID COPIES RECEIVED: LTR i
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OR Submittal:
General Distribution NOTES:
REC IP IENT ID CODE/NAME PD2-2 LA McDON*LDI9 COPIES LTTR ENCL 1
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1 REC IP IENT ID CODE/NAME PD2-2 PD COPIES LTTR ENCL 5
5 INTERNAL: ARM/DAF/LFMB NRR/DEBT/CEB NRR/DEBT/RSB ILRB REQ FILE 01 EXTERNAL:
EQ&Q HRUSKEz S NRC PDR 1
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NRR/DEBT/ADS NRR/DEBT/MTB NRR/DOEA/TSH OQC/HDS2 RES/DE/EIB LPDR NSIC 1
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1 TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED:
LTTR 21 ENCL 18
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P. O. BO 000, JUNO BEACH, FL 33408.0420
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AUGUST 2 5 1987 L-87-355 10 CFR 50.73 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555 Gentlemen:
Re:
Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 Docket Nos. 50-250 amd 50-25 I Request for Additional Information Boraflex Usa e at Turke Point On June 9,
1987, NRC requested additonal information from Florida Power &
Light Company (FPL) regarding the use of Boraflex in the spent fuel storage racks at Turkey Point, including justification for the continued use of Boraflex in light of the experience at Quad Cities.
FPL responded to this request on July IO, l987, explaining that there are differences between the storage racks of Quad Cities and Turkey Point and that the experience of Quad Cities may not be relevant to Turkey Point.
The purpose of this letter is to provide additional information regarding the fabrication of the Quad Cities storage racks based upon the enclosed information recently provided to FPL by letter dated August l2, l987 from Joseph Oat Corporation, the manufacturer of the storage racks for Quad Cities.
In our letter dated July IO, l987, FPL stated that the Boraflex panels at Quad Cities were not constructed from a single sheet of Boraflex, resulting in pre-existing breaks in the Boraflex panels.
This statement was based upon information provided to FPL.
It is our understanding that the Boraflex in the Quad Cities racks is sandwiched between two rack cell walls, and that the Boraflex was installed by (I) applying Dow Silicone No. 999 in a strip approximately 2 to 3 inches wide along the full length of one cell wall, (2) placing the Boraflex on the cell wall and allowing the Dow Silicone No. 999 to dry without using clamps, and (3) placing this element in a fixture with the other cell wall for subsequent welding of the assembly.
Dow has informed FPL that Dow Silicone No. 999 can be used as either a sealant or an adhesive.
Joseph Oat has informed FPL that Dow Silicone No. 999 was used for the Quad Cities racks as a sealant to hold the Boraflex in. place during the subsequent assembly operations, and that Dow Silicone No. 999 was not intended to be used as a permanent attachment or glue.
Joseph Oat has informed FPL that the Quad Cities racks contain only one full length sheet of Boraflex per wall per cell and that splicing of the Boraflex was not used in any of the cells.
B709020055 870825 PDR ADOCN, 05000250 p
RG3/053/ I an FPL Group company
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U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission L-87-355 Page two FPL is not in a position to resolve this apparent inconsistency.
Nevertheless, FPL continues to believe that there are significant differences in the fabrication and design of the Quad Cities and Turkey Point racks, and that the experiences of the racks at Quad Cities is not applicable to Turkey Point.
These differences include:
(I) the Boraflex at Quad Cities was placed between two cell walls, whereas the Boraflex at Turkey Point was placed in a wrapper with a several mil clearance between the Boraflex and the cell wall; (2) the adhesive or sealant was applied to the length of the cell wall at Quad Cities, whereas at Turkey Point the adhesive was applied to a Boraflex panel in short lengths (up to 2-I/2 inches long) at a maximum of l6 places (8 per side). Furthermore, unlike the Boraflex at Quad Cities, the results of Blackness Testing of Boraflex panels at Turkey Point did not indicate the existence of gaps, voids, or other spatial distribution anomolies.
Should there be further questions, please contact us.
Very truly yours,
. O. Woody Group Vice President Nuc Iear Energy COW/RG/gp Attachment cc:
Dr. J. Nelson Grace, Regional Administrator, Region II, USNRC Senior Resident Inspector, USNRC, Turkey Point Plant RG3/053/2
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ESTABLISHED 178S JOSEPH OAT CORPORATION CHEMICAL ENGINEERS 8
FABRICATORS August 12, 1987 Florida Power Er Light Co ~
P'0.
Box 14000 700 Universe Blvd.
.juno Beach, FL 33408 Attention:
Hr. 3.A. DeHastry
Reference:
Letter 'dated 8/3/87 FPL f3NL-87-372 3 ~ 0.C.
P3-2483
Dear Hr. DeHastry:
In response to your letter referenced above and its attachment we are submitting the following:
There are several areas in the HRC letter dated 7/8/87 and the FP&L letter L-87-279 dated 7/10/87 which are, not correct.
All racks that were ever fabricated contained only one full length sheet of Boraflex per wall per cell ~
There has never been splicing used in any cells at any time.
joseph Oat procures the Boraflex from Bisco to the joseph Oat drawings and Bills of Haterial requirements-These documents specify the full length of each piece.
Each piece supplied to Oat by Bisco is cut to its required length by Bisco
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joseph Oat QC verifies the poison length as being correct as ordered.
At the onset of initial fabrication of the very first racks fabricated by joseph Oat, it was recognized that tom or damaged Boraflex was not acceptable for use and therefore never was.
Each piece was treated as unacceptable if it was not of its required size or it was damaged in any manner.
During the application of the Boraflex to the subassemblies the installer uses one roll of full length per location.
Quality Control monitors this activity to assure that the Boraflex is inst alled properly and that no tom or damaged Boraflex is used
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2500 Broadway/ Drawer 10/ Camden, New Jersey 08104/(609) 541-2900
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J OSEPH OAT CORPORATfON CHEMICALENGINEERS d FABRICATORS NUCLEAR POWER COMPONENTS EBTABLISIIEOIl&B Hr. 3.A. DeHastry Florida Power 4 Light August 12, 1987 Page Two In the event that damaged or tom Boraflex is detected by the installer or QC, it is placed on hold, removed from the assembly area and stored in Quality Control
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When Quality Control detects possible damage to Boraflex, a Deviation Notice
- is generated, the item affected placed on hold and the evaluation and disposition is perf ormed by Oat Engineering.
There has never been one occasion where t.he use of tom or spliced Boraflex has been permitted.
During the installation of the Boraflex to the individual cell walls or subassemblies, 3oseph Oat employed the practice of applying several small dabs of silicone sealant to the subassem-bly.
This sealant was then smeared with a putty knife type tool to a thin tacky film and the Boraflex was then applied.
The use of clamping was never employed
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The purpose. of this practice was not to permanently attach or "glue" the Boraflex to the assembly, but rather a
method of holding it in place during subsequent assembly operations.
3oseph Oat design racks contained a self enclosure for the Bora-flex.
In all design racks the cell walls acted as the enclos-ure.
On the outer boundary of the rack there were doubler plates over the poison.
In no areas is poison exposed on assembled racks.
Attached is a
summary of. the instructions given to the shop per-sonnel that were employed on assembly of the racks.
If there are any further questions, please contact either Gay Hurphy or the undersigned.
Very truly
- ours, I
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,3ohn Benckert QC Hanager 38: cd
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