ML20004F823
| ML20004F823 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek, Cooper, Arkansas Nuclear, River Bend, Waterford, South Texas, Comanche Peak, Fort Calhoun, Fort Saint Vrain  |
| Issue date: | 03/17/1981 |
| From: | Madsen G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8106220476 | |
| Download: ML20004F823 (1) | |
Text
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION y
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REGION IV
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March 17, 1981
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Those Listed Below FROM:
G. L. Madsen, Chief, Reactor Projects Branch, IE:RIV
SUBJECT:
IE INFOR'4ATIOfi NOTICE NO. 81-07 Subject IE Infonnation Notice has been sent to the following listed licensees.
A copy of the letter sent to each licensee and the IE Infonnation Notice are attached for your information.
Arkansas Power & Light Company Gulf States Utilities ANO-1 & 2 (50-313; 50-368)
River Bend (50-458; 50-459)
Nebraska Public Power District Houston Lighting & Power Company Cooper Nuclear S'.ation (50-298)
South Texas (50-498; 50-499)
Omaha Public Power District Kansas Gas & Electric Company Ft. Calhoun (50 285)
Wolf Creek (STN 50-482)
Public Service Company of Colorado Louisiana Power & Light Company Fort St. Vrain' (50-257)
Waterford-3 (50-302)
Texas Utilities Generating Company Ccmanche Peak (50-445; 50-446) j
- kb G. L. Madsen, Chief, Reactor Projects Branch Attachments:
As stated DISTRIBUTION:
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IE/DMS g' <,D MPA/LOEB 03 g p' IE/RPRIB p
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APP,'O 81981. Y- )
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.c SSINS No.: 6835 Accession No.:
8011040267 IN 81-07 UNITED STATES
-NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 IE Information Notice No. 81-07 March 16, 1981 Page 1 of 2 POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH WATER-SOLUBLE PURGE DAM MATERIALS USED OURING INERT GAS WELDING Descriotion of Circumstances:
Recent experiences with water-soluble purge dam materials at several nuclear construction sites have shown the need to develop welding procedures that address the potential for thermally decomposing the purge dam material during inert gas welding or post-weld heat treatment cperations.
Specifically, polyvinyl alcohol f'im manufactured by Chris-Craft Industries was the purge dam material used at these construction sites.
The decomposition of this p ege dam material at elevated temperatures causes the material to lose its solubility in water.
As a result, the purge dam material cannot be completely dissolved during subsequent piping system flushing and cleaning cperations.
The failure of this material to completely dissolve could cause significant problems during reactor plant operation.
Specimens of polyvinyl alcohol film were recently obtained from the Mono-Sol Division of Chris-Craft Industries and tested at Franklin Research Center (FRC) to determine, among other things, the threshold temperature at which the material becomes insoluble in water.
The results of this test program indicate that (1) the solubility of the purge dam material in water rapidly approaghes zero if the material is heated and held at temperatures in excess of 300 F; (2) the purge dam material hardens agd becomeg difficult to break if subject to tegperatures in the range of 300 F to 100 F, and becomes brittic if heated to 450 F; and (3) purge dam material heated above its threshold temperature is not soluble in commonly used laboratory solvents.
The inde-pendent testing laboratory (FRC) therefore concludes that the Mono-sol poly-vinylalconolfilmwillnotdissolveduringaqueousflushingofgnesystem if the material has been heated to temperatures in excess of 300 F.
Recommended Actions for Holders of Ooeratino Licenses and Construction Permits:
It is recommended that all welding operations involving polyvinyl alcohol purge dam materials be governed by procedures that require the material to be located in areas that are sufficiently remov,ed from heat so that the temperature of the material does not reach 300 F.
.s g IN 81-07 March 16, 1981 Page 2 of 2 No written response to this information notice is required.
If you require aeditional information with regard to this subject, please contact the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
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4 IE Information Notice No. 81-07 March 16, 1981 LISTING OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Subject Date Issued To Notice No.
Issued 80-44 Actuation of ECCS in the 12/16/80 All power reactor Recirculation Mode While facilities with an 4
in Hot Shutdown Operating License (0L) or Cqnstruction Permit (CP) 80-45 Potential Failure of 12/17/80 All pressurized water BWR Backup Manual Scram reactor facilitie with Capability an Operating License (OL)
Construction Permit (CP) 81-01 Poss'ble Failures of 1/16/81 All power reactor facilities General Elactric Type with an Operating License HfA Relays (OL) Construction Permit (CP) 81-02 Trecsportation of 1/23/81 All Radiography licensees Radiography Devices 81-03 Checklist for Licensees 2/12/81 ~ All power reactor Making Notifications of facilities with an Significant Events in Operating License (OL) and Accordance with Near-term Applicants 10 CFR Part 50.72 81-04 Cracking in Main Steam 2/27/81 All pcwer reactor facilities Lines with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP) 81-06 Failure of ITE Model 3/11/81 All power reactor facilities K-600 Circuit Breaker with an Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP) 81-05 Degraded DC System at 3/13/81 All power reactor f acilities Palisades with an Coerating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP)
Enclosure 4
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