ML17139C178

Discusses Potentially Generic Issue Re Comsip,Inc Gas Analyzer Catalyst Bed Qualification Life.Vendor Recommends Replacement of Std Configuration Catalyst Beds.Region I Awaiting IE & AEOD Reply

ML17139C178
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna, Limerick, 05000000
Issue date:	01/30/1984
From:	Starostecki R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Jordan E NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
References
REF-PT21-84 NUDOCS 8402070389
Download: ML17139C178 (6)

Text

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tUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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AN 3 0 1984 Docket Nos. 50-387;50-388; 50-352; 50-353 MEMORANDUM FOR:

E.

L. Jordan, Director, Division of Engineering and Quality Assurance, HQ FROM:

SUBJECT:

R.

W. Starostecki, Director, Division of Project and Resident

Programs, Region I POTENTIALLY GENERIC ISSUE CONCERNING COMSIP INC.

GAS ANALYZER CATALYST BED QUALIFICATION LIFE Recent 10 CFR 50.55(e) Construction Deficiency Reports for Limerick and Susque-hanna sites have described the potential for a degraded qualification life of COMSIP, Inc. catalyst beds used to monitor post-accident hydrogen and oxygen concentrations.

Affected are COMSIP Models K-III and IV, used in Containment Gas Monitoring Systems, which were shipped prior to April 1983.

Bed configura-tion (path length, catalyst volume) is such that saturation with post-accident radioiodines could result in lower-than-actual indication of the containment gas concentrations.

COMSIP has recommended replacement of all standard configuration catalyst beds since their useful life and survivability is in question; PP&L and PECO have indicated that they will change to the new bed configuration.

COMSIP had previously notified IE of this deficiency in an April 13, 1983 Part 21 Report; the same letter was provided to Region IV on that date.

However, Region I became aware of this problem approximately eight months following the Part 21 notification; further, this was via licensee reporting mechanisms.

As of this date, the only known Region I operating plant affected is Susquehanna Unit 1; this as a result of a Part 50.72 notification made on January 5,

1984.

The Part 21 Report to IE, the May 10 and October 20, 1983 COMSIP letters to

Bechtel, and a December 7,

1983 PECO 50.55(e)

Report are enclosed.

We have previously described this issue in daily reports; however, this notification is being provided to IE with a copy to AEOD.

Region I awaits a reply regarding IE and AEOD acceptance and/or guidance on the manner in which this generic issue should be handled by the regional offices.

Enclosures:

As Stated R.

W. Starosteck

, Director Division of Project and Resident Programs cc w/encls:

DPRP Directors, Region II-V C. Heltemes, AEOD 8402070389 840i30 PDR ADOCK 05000352 8

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2 uh-C~CClr r, MAY 19>>B

.Hay 10, 1983

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s. F cp 6'echtel Power C'orporatfon Post Qfffce Box 3965 '

San F'rancfsco, Gal ffornfa'4119 Attentf on:

Refer ence:

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Subject:

Gentlemen:

gualfty 'Assurance Hanager/

Quality Assurance Department r

Philadelphia E1ectrfc Company Lfmerfck, Unfts 1

and 2

Comsfp, Inc. Sales Order Number 80224 10CFRZl Hotfffcatfon Ca1culatfons have been made by 'several groups as to the effect on the catalyst used fn the analyzer cell of'he Comsfp', Inc; Hodals K-III and K-IV Post-LOCA Containment Gas Honf tor fng Systems by ffssfon-fragmant iodine whfch may be present fn the contafnment atmosphere after LOCA Mfth core meltdown.

Because these calculatfons are. dependent on several assumptf ops',

the results have been 1nconsfstant and Corns fp, Inc.

has therefore fnftfatad tostfng to gather empfr1cal 'data.

n Based on the most recant calculations provided by a leading A k K f1rm,.ft 1 s now assumed that an fod inc concentratfon.could reach 0.02 millimeters of mercury partial pressure under uorsh case conditions.

Using this figure,

Comsip, inc. is in thi pro-cess of testfng

~ 2 catalyst bed conff guratfons:,

The standard

. conf fguratfon whfchs fs fn all systems and spare analyzer calls shipped prior to April 1, 1983; and a

new conffgurat1on which sf gnf f 1 cant' fncreasis the path length and catalyst volume wf th the same oJts',de dfraensfons as the orfgfnal.

May 10, 1983 Bechtel Power Corporatfon Page 2

155428 ACSa7Oe Results'f these tests fndfcate that while the standard con-figuration catalyst beds may give satfsfac'tory performance fn mos

nts, Comsfp, Inc. fee1s that al1 standard catalyst beds should be replaced usin catalyst beds of'he new conf 1 guratfon c

ave sn gr adat1on af ter 5 months of conti n'uous test 1ng.

Comsfp, Inc.

wf11 sell to you modfficatfon kits consfstfpg of (1) a modified. catalyst bed

assembly, and (2) fnstal 1 ation pro-cedures at our actual cast of

$ 114.00 per kft.

Me recommend that you purchase from Comsfp, Inc.

one modfffcat1on kft. per analyzer cell unit

{ including spar~s) fn order that this recom-mended modiffcatfon will be performed properly.

This modffica-tfon equfpeent will be governed'y a one year warranty frou the date of purchase under the same

terms, condf tfons, and 1 fmfta-tfons as the orfgfnal warranty on the analyzer cell units fncluded fn your system.

To purchase one or more of these modfficatfon kits, complete and include wf th your order the en'closed Order Data Sheet Form.

Me anticipate that these kits will'e available vhthfn 8 seeks after receipt of your order.

, Comsfp, Inc. fs p1eased to assist you 1n thfs modfffcatfon pro-cess so as to br1ng 'your system up the highest state of the art.

S fncerel y, COHS IP, INC.

Oelphf Systems Gfvfsfon

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0, C. queller equal 1 ty Assur ance Manager Enclosure

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3~1AH'83 }re'3 '"~0'19711b V I October 20, 1983 ., ~.-,...~ Td.,<-i'y Bechtel Power Corporation Post Office Box 3965 San Prancisco, California 94119 Attention:, Mr; E. B. Poser Project Number 8856 Project Engineer (.

Reference:

Your Letter Dated October 5, 1983

Subject:

Susquehanna Steam Electric Station "Units 1 and.2 Job Number 8856 Hydrogen and Oxygen Analyzer ~ 10CPR21 Notification Comsip, Inc. Sales Order Number 80193 Gentlemen: The statement "Catalyst beds ~ma give satisfactory performance in most plants '. .". in the letter of notification issued by Comsip, Inc., was based on the following: In the test conducted, an Iodine concentration of.02 mm Hg par-. tial pressure was maintained to determine the useful life of the standard catalyst bed. This value was provided by a leading A and E as that which could be expected under worst case conditions; maximum credible accident in a large core (3,000 MW) in the co'ntainment volume of a BWR plant. The test results indicated that in plants which have smaller cores and/or larger containment

volumes, the standard catalyst bed would survive for 100 days.

Specifically, based on the test conducted, the standa d catalyst be~ is calculated to have a life of greater than 100 days if the lode.ae concentration is less than .002 mm Hg partial pressure.

v ~ October 20, 1983 Mr. E. B. Poser Bechtel Power Corporation Page 2

Comsip, Znc.

recommends replacement of.all catalyst beds regardless of plant type because even in PWR plants with con-tainment volumes approximately 10 times greater than the volume assumed in testing, the useful life of the standard catalyst bed is calculated to be only slightly greater than 100 days. Best regards, COMSXP, INC. Delphi Systems Division D. C. Mueller Quality Assurance Manager DCM/kp}}