ML19309E995
| ML19309E995 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/10/1980 |
| From: | Murley T NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES) |
| To: | Snyder W SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8004280285 | |
| Download: ML19309E995 (1) | |
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMtsSION 3
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APR 10 480 Mr. W. Snyder Sandia Laboratories Post Office Box 5800 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115
Dear Mr. Snyder:
Subject:
Commission Directed Connector Test The enclosed letter, from the responsible NRC Division Directors to the Director of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, reflects the agreement to proceed with the next series of tests using connectors from the McGuire penetration assemblies.
In accordance with this agreement, please proceed with the preparations for these tests and prepare the detailed test plan for NRC staff review i
as discussed in the letter.
If you have any questions with regard to this request, please contact Mr. Ron Feit of rny staff.
Sincerely,
/
Thomas E. Murl irector Division of Reactor Safety Research
Enclosure:
Ltr from Division Directors to R. J. Budnitz, dated April 2,1980 cc w/ encl:
QTE Members 8004280.2 D
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i MEMORANDUM FOR: Robert J. Budnitz, Director Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research l
FROM:
Thomas E. Marley, Director l
Division of Reactor Safety Research I
Darrell G. Eisenhut, Acting Director Division of Operating Reactors Roger J. Mattson, Director j
Division of Systems Safety Harold D. Thornburg, Director Division of Reactor Construction Inspection
SUBJECT:
APPROYAL OF THE COOHISSION-DIRECTED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR i
TESTS j
i On February 14, 1980, members of our staffs met in conjunction with the Qualification Testing Evaluation Review Group to discuss the subject test (Enclosure 1). These tests were requested by the Commission following hearings conducted on the Union of Concerned Scientists Petition, dated November 4,1977, with regard to defective safety connectors in use in operating power plants. The Commission directive to RES was as follows:
' Additional tests of connectors in a simulated LOCA environment be conducted by Sandia Laboratories using connectors qualified according to the IEEE-323 standard d en a suitable test facility is availcble."
The first serk. of tests on connectors in use in Browns Ferry Unit 3 was completed in November 1979, with all units tested perfoming as required. The meeting on February 14, 1980, was to reach agreement on the next and last series of connector tests.
During the meeting it was agreed that the electrical connectors, which are a part of the McGuire penetration assemblies, should be used for the next series of tests. It as further agreed that Sandia should be requested to prepare a detailed test plan, as outlined in the enclosed minutes, to t w review group meeting.
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NRC Form 318 (2-76) NRCM 02040 o u.s. o o v s aN.acNT *alN flNG OF FIC E: t 76-s34_tsa E00 4 2 4o I ef);
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- 1980 gpp Robert J. Budnitz !
i It should be pointed out that we are requesting Sandia to include thermal aging and radiation testing in their test plan even though the McGuire connectors were not tested in this manner. MRC current practice is to l
require that LOCA qualification be demonstrated by thermal aging and radiation testing in addition to steam testing.
In previous years, some applicants chose to demonstrate the aging and radiation portions of the l
LOCA qualification by analysis or comparison to test data for similar i
materials.
It was on this basis that the McGuire penetration assembly qualification was approved. Our current licensing requirement is to denonstrate by test that the component will survive the full LOCA after L
an aging cycle equitalent to the operational life of the component.
Although this change means that the Sandia tests will not duplicate the exact test run by the applicant and, therefore, is not a repeat of an industry test, we feel that our approach will meet the intent of the Conslission directive.
We expect that the detailed test plan will be approved in writing by I
members of our staffs before the actual test is run.
/
i DISTRIBUTION Thooms E. Murley, Director Division of Reactor Safety Research SUBJ CIRC CHRON BRANCH RF RFeit RF i
RFeit Darrell G. Eisenhut, Acting Director WSFarmer Division of Operating Reactors CEJohnson LSTong i
TEMurley j
DGEisenhut RJMattson Roger J. Mattson, Director HDThornburg Division of Systans Safety j
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Harold D. Thornburg Director Division of Reactor Construction j
Inspection
Enclosure:
Minutes of the QTE Review Group Meeting held on February 14, 1980 n
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QUALIFICATION TESTING EVALUATION (QTE) REVIEW GROUP MEETING Name: Ronald Feit Date and place: February 14,1980; Bethesda, MD
Purpose:
To discuss 1) Connission-directed connector test QTE research, and 2) future QTE research work.
Discussion 1.
In accordance with a previous Connission directive, RSR initiated a project to conduct confirmatory LOCA qualification tests on electrical connectors identical to those in use in operating power plants. The first test series on Browns Ferry Unit 3 connectors was completed in November 1979. The currant program plan calls for conducting one more series of tests. IE has identified connectors from the McGuire plant manufactured by the D.G. O'Brien Company (as part of their containment penetrations) to be used in the next series of tests. Detailed review of the LOCA qualification data showed that a seal material change was made during the sequential test series after the thermal aging and radiation portions of the test were complete. However, the thennal aging and radiation part of the test was not rerun and qualification was established by analysis of the material and comparison to other radiation data on similar material. Although this approach is allowed by the IEEE standard, current regulatory practice is to require that aging and radiation qualification be demonstrated by test. Accordingly, the Chairman reconnended to the Review Group that the McGuire test be conducted including both thennal aging and radiation. The remainder of the test sequence would be identicsl to that used by Duke Power. A letter of agreement will be prepared to be cosigned by the responsible Division Directors from IE, NRR and RES.
Sandia will be requested to prepare a test plan for review by the QTE Review Group as was done for the Browns Ferry Unit 3 test series. This test plan will cover the following issues which will have to be agreed to by NRR and IE in writing prior to initiation of the tests:
a.
the specific test sequence and profiles, b.
the design of the test specimen (specifically, how much of the pene-tration face plate will be duplicated),
procurement and fabrication details, and c.
d.
acceptance criteria.
Test procedures will be prepared and sent to the Review Group after the test plan is agreed to.
2.
The status of the LOCA facility upgrade and initial plans were discussed.
The facility will be operational about April 1,1980. The initial plans include the following.
Synergistic testing of pressure transmitters is planned for generic
.a.
designs in connon use today. This testing will be a continuation of the previous synergistic testing conducted in the old facility.
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i Evaluation of LOCA post-test acceleration methods is planned using b.
Current testing is usually for a 30-day typical LOCA profiles.It is questionable whether this period is sufficient.. Also, period.if an acceptable way of accelerating the end part of the test (where the pressures and temperatures are low and at saturated conditions) 1 can be found, it would enable LOCA tests to be run on more components.
As discussed previously, this would help the qualification reviews of operating plants.
Thermal aging sensitivity tests are planned to study the sensitivity of the LOCA test to the current extremes of acceptable thermal aging.
c.
Also, it is important for the reviews of the LOCA qualification for operating plants to determine the significance of not including aging at all in the LOCA qualification test.
Oxygen depletion studies are planned to determine if the qualification d.
tests currently conducted are less severe than a real LOCA where more oxygen is present during the test.
t The status of the new materials aging study which has been discussed previously, This addition to the current materials aging effort was given by the Chairman.
would consist of a complete review of the data for all non-metal materialsThe results would currently used in plants as part of safety related eqiupment.
be used initially by IE inspectors to screen items for further review by the headquarters staff and ultimately for more detailed review and to identify $50K FY 1980 supplemental funds of materials that require further aging study.
have been requested and work could start as soon as funds are available.
t E. Butcher (NRR) indicated that a user's request should be sent to RES shortly.
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ATTENDEES Ronald Feit RES
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Herb Conrad DSS Jim Stone IE E. Butcher DOR W. R. Rutherford IE A. R. Ungaro PSB l
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