ML19281B173
| ML19281B173 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Farley, 07000364  |
| Issue date: | 03/28/1979 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Dziewisz J BABCOCK & WILCOX CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7905010080 | |
| Download: ML19281B173 (1) | |
Text
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- "'%c, UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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s, xisc or paussia. PEnnsvevania is4os March 28, 1979 Docket No.70-364 Babcock and Wilcox Company Nuclear Materials Division ATTN: Mr. J. S. Dziewisz Vice President P. O. Box 1260 Lynchburg, Virginia 24505 Gentlemen:
This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is requested at this time.
If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE Circular, Bulletin or NRR Generic Letter will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions.
If you have questions regarding the matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely, 7h
/R -
oyce H. Grier irector
Enclosures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 79-C8 2.
List of Information Notices Issued in 1979 cc w/encls:
W. F. Heer, Manager, Pennsylvania Operations
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 IE Information..cice No. 79-08 Date: March 28, 1979 Page 1 of 2 INTERCONNECTION OF CONTAMINATED SYSTEMS WITH SERVICE AIR SYSTEMS USED AS THE SOURCE OF BREATHING AIR Description of Circumstances:
This Information Notice describes an event which cccurred at the Peach Bottom Nuclear Power station; however, the generic implications may be applicable to other power reactors and selected fuel cycle facilities.
On October 4,1978, the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) reported that, on two occasions at Unit 2, contamination had leaked from the radwaste system to a system used to provide the plant source of breathing air.
The leakage occurred through an interconnection of the radwaste system with the plant breathing air source.
PECO established that no personnel were subjected to contaminated breathing air as a result of this leakage.
One of the functions of the service air system at Peach Bottom is to provide a source of breathing air for personnel using supplied air respiratory protective equipment.
By means of an interconnection to the radwaste system, the facility also uses the service air system to pro-vide a source of compressed air during the backwash cycle of the demineralizer filter element.
The compressed air provides the motive force for reverse water flow through the filter element and was being used to perform this function when the two incidents occurred.
Liquid from the radwaste system leaked past a check valve and a process valve.
PEC0 determined by analysis of liquid samples that contamination had leaked into the service air system.
Valves in the leakage path were subsequently dismantled and examined.
The examinations revealed the presence of dirt deposits in the check valve and air operated ball valve.
PECO attributes the specific cause of the leakage to these dirt deposits which prevented the proper seating of the valves.
NRC contacts with other operating power reactors have indicated that other facilities also use service air as a source of breathing air.
In several cases, the service air system is physically interconnected to other systems which carry radioactive material and relies on valves or other barriers to prevent contamination of the ple.
source of breathing air.
7904300481
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IE Information Notice No. 79-08 Date:
March 28, 1979 Page 2 of 2 NUREG-0041, " Manual of Respiratory Protection Against Airborne Radioactive Materials," which supplements the stipulations of Regulatory Guide 8.15, states in Section 9.8, "A separate breathing air supply and distribution system shall be used.
The ordinary plant supply of compressed air in any building shall not be used for breathing purposes...unless it has been specifically modified and properly adapted for such use and specifi-cally approved for this purpose by the qualified person supervising the respiratory protective equipment program."
At those facilities where service air is used as a source of breathing air, certain precautions can be taken to minimize the potential of a problem similar to the one described.
By review of the service air system and as-built (or design) drawings, interconnections between con-taminated systems and the source of breathing air can be identified.
Where interconnections are identified, the design should assure that adequate separation is provided.
In addition, operating procedures should provide for controls to prevent contamination of the breathing air source.
No specific action or written response to this Information Notice is required.
If you desire additional information regarding this matter, contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Enclosure:
List of IE Information Notices Issued in 1979
IE Information Notice No. 79-08 Date: March 28, 1979 Page 1 of 1 LIST OF IE INFORMATION NOTICES ISSUED IN 1979 Information Subject Date Issued To Notice No.
Issued 79-01 Bergen-Paterson Hydraulic 2/2/79 All power reactor Shock and Sway Arrestor facilities with an Operating License
.(OL) or a Construction Permit (CP) 79-02 Attempted Extortion -
2/2/79 All Fuel Facilities Low Enriched Uranium 79-03 Limitorque Valve Geared 2/9/79 All power reactor Limit Switch Lubricant facilities with an OL or a CP 79-04 Degradation of 2/16/79 All power reactor Engineered facilities with an Safety Features OL or a CP 79-05 Use of Improper Materials 3/21/79 All power reactor in Safety-Related Components facilities with an OL or CP 79-06 Stress Analysis of 3/23/79 All power reactor Safety-Related Piping facilities with an OL or CP 79-07 Rupture of Radwaste Tanks 3/26/79 All power reactor facilities with an OL or CP