ML19262C226

Forwards Fire Protection Review of Safety Evaluation Items 3.1.12 & 3.2.5.Util Verification of Fire Detector Location Adequate.Util Personnel Qualified to Locate Detectors

ML19262C226
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	02/01/1980
From:	Randy Hall BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY
To:	Ferguson R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC-11079, TAC-11080, NUDOCS 8002080412
Download: ML19262C226 (3)

Text

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BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC.

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• 073 Ceccrtrrent of Nuctect Energy (Sie) 345-2144 February 1, 1980 Mr. Robert L. Ferguson Plant Systems Branch U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, D.C.

20555 RE: Point Beach, Fire Protection Review, Items 3.1.12 and 3.2.5

Dear Bob:

Attached are Brookhaven National Laboratory's evaluation of Item 3.1.2, Fire Detectors, and 3.2.5, Smoke Detection system qualification.

Respectfully yours,

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Robert E. Hall, Group Leader Reactor Engineering Analysis REH:EAM:sd attachment cc.:

R. Cerbone wo/att.

W. Kato E. MacDougall V. Panciera wo/att.

E. Sylvester 1944 177 Y9 \\

8002 80 8-0

POINT BEACH Fire Protection Review Fire Detectors 3.1.12 and 3.2.5 Item 3.1.12 of the Point Beach SER deals with the utility's proposal to provide additional detectors in areas that are presently unprotected or inadequately covered. Section 4.2 of the SER lists these areas as:

Location 1.

Containment, Units 1 and 2 2.

Diesel generator rooms 3.

Cable spreading room 4.

Battery rooms 5.

Auxiliary building, all elevations 6.

Control building, elevation 60 feet 7.

Control room 8.

Electric switchgear room, elevation 8 feet 9.

Auxiliary feed pump area

10. Pipeways; Units 1 and 2

11. Facade areas, Units 1 and 2

12. Auxiliary feed pump local control station

13. Auxiliary boiler day tank rooms

14. Service building corridor

15. Turbine building lube oil area, Units 1 and 2 Item 3.2.5 of the SER indicates the requirement of the utility to verify the adequacy of the detectors used at the Point Beach Nuclear Plant and the loca-tions at which the detectors are installed.

During the initial stages of the fire protection review, Point Beach rejected the review teams recommendation that bench tests and insitu tests be conducted to demonstrate the adequacy of their conclusion that there does not exist an effective procedure for testing fire detectors in the insitu condition which has industry acceptance in general and NRC acceptance specifically. Therefore, in response to the requirements of the SER, the utility developed their own plan for locating fire detectors. This plan was submitted to the Nuclear Reg-ulatory Comission with their letter dated December 20, 1979. The development of the plan included input from fire detection system installers as well as gu. dance from Draft Reg. Guide 1.120, and standards published by Underwriter Laboratories and the National Fire Protection Association.

The Point Beach plan consists of a fire detector location sheet which lists various physical and operating characteristics of the area with space for a drawing of the area. Based on the data assembled on the sheet along with site observations, the locations of the fire detectors can be determined using the knowledge and judgement of a qualified person. The sheet requires the 194/

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signature of the person who engineers the evaluation, the person who perfoms the survey and the person approving the work. The same plan is applicable for detennining the placement of new detectors and evaluating the adequacy of ex-isting detector locations.

The material supporting the utility's plan for detector location includes a decision tree flow chart which identifies conditions affecting the type of detector best suited for the area. Also included is a detector spacing graph which plots ceiling height in feet against the recommended area coverage in square feet per detector. Noted as background material reviewed in prepara-tion for developing this plan included: Sandia Laboratories NUREG/CR-0488, Nuclear Power Plant Fire Protection Fire Detection and National Bureau of Standards Publication, " Environments of Fire Detectors."

Based on our evaluation of the Point Beach submittal is is our opinion that this method of determining the spacing of fire detectors is adequate.

It should be noted, however, that the effectiveness of the results of applying this method depends heavily upon the experience and competency of the persons using it.

For this reason blanket acceptance of the method should not be given.

In the case of Point Beach we feel their personnel have the qualifications necessary to utilize this plan and to adequately determine the location of the detectors called for in the SER.

Current research is now going on in the field of detector location and, at the staffs request, a new detector locating criteria will be established in the reasonable near future. Therefore, we recommend that the staff reevaluate the adequacy of the plant fire detection system at the appropriate time.

1944 1/9