ML20074A222

Part 21 Rept Re Failure of post-LOCA Hydrogen Recombiner Component During IEEE-323 Qualification Program.Circuit Breaker Not Properly Selected for Specific Application.Plant Operators Notified of Deviation

ML20074A222
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch, Nine Mile Point, Palo Verde, Fermi, Byron, Clinton, LaSalle, 05000000, Shoreham, Hartsville, Phipps Bend
Issue date:	03/11/1983
From:	Empey D ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To:	Jay Collins NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
Shared Package
ML20074A205	List: ML20074A204 ML20074A222
References
REF-PT21-84-190-000 83ESG-1483, PT21-84-190, PT21-84-190-000, NUDOCS 8305120404
Download: ML20074A222 (5)

Text

-

- =

Energy systems Gree >

9900 D. Soto Aenus .b C"** '** C'" ' Rockwell Toisphor* (213) s4* ioco TWX. 91N94-1237 International Teess: 181017 Harch 11, 1983 In reply refer to 83ESG-1483 U.S.,NuciedSRe ft <, s .u , . , m .. 3 . t M[Isd,

~.t

, [l W- i j, f+ ,.3 7 " Region 1Y W " gu a ory 'Concission

' ~' '

' l-c

, 611.Ryan Plaza-Drive-

-Arlington,' Tekas 76012 -

Attention:- Mr. . John Collins, Akin 4trator

. Region IV ,,

.  : .. ,: . . - -1

References:

~'ll) I.SG Letter 81ESG-7725 dated Dctcher 21, 1982 ~

- D. C. Espey to John Collins (2) ESG Letter 82ESG-8085 dated November 3,1982 D. C. Empey to John Collins (3) ESG Letter 82ESG-7948 dated November 3,1982 D. C. Empey to John Collins

-(4) ESG Letter 82ESG-8933 dated December 14, 1982 D. C. Empey to John Collins (5) ESG Letter 82ESG-8998 dated December 17, 1982 D. C. Empey to John Collins l

Gentlemen: ,

Subject:

Report of Deviation (10 CFR 21)

During ESG's IEEE-323 qualification program as described in the refer-ences, the post-LOCA hydrogen recombiner component noted below failed to function properly at elevated tecperature. It is concluded from the test results and recent discussions with the manufacturer that the circuit breaker, which was initially selected by an ESG subcontractor who performed the design and fabrication of the BWR power cabinet in 1975-1976, was not properly selected for the specific application.

4 8305120404 830426 PDR ADOCK 05000410

• S PDR

L: : .

d sh 83ESG-1483 Rockwell k rch 11, 1983 Page 2 International

~

l

".ComponentDescription ITE Gould circuit breaker, 3 pole, 600 Y ac, fully enclosed,' thermal 4

magnetic P/N EF3-B015, IEEE No. 79. This component was originally selected in 1975-1976 by Timetrol, the vendor to ESG. The specifica-tion from ESG called for 50'F to 148'F environment. The ITE catalog at that time gave derating data from 40*C (104*F) to 60*C (140*F) and

- extrapolation would indicate that operation at 150'F could be expected C g., . edwith;properdderating. Subsequent reviews'upon.transferrirg fabrica- '

MWA!P @tfoifto'.ESGT.in'.the~ post-1976 time ~ period asszned that the cor4onent

' Q; , c~Q was{sstisfactory.-

A '

' 7 7. .c _ '

.. . Test Results: -

. u ~ . . 3,. ,s. . .,

. Under:the IEEE-323 Envfronmental Quelification Testing, the circuit

braakerifailed to reset (class) the circuit at 165'F (ILG'F design '

L

( temperature plus 15'F s.argin) and post-test at ambient temperature.

during the post-LOCA Er.vironmental Testing. The circuit breakers i

provide 480 V ac power to various recombiner components and control devices. The failure of the circuit breaker would prevent the opera-tion of these circuits and' cause the recombiner to shut down.

An attempt was made on January 28, 1983, to repeat the test conditions i

during w11ch the circuit breaker had failed. This test was conducted on a new EF3-8015 circuit breaker. The test which was completed on January 31, 1983,- demonstrated that in post-LOCA environmental condi-tions, i.e., a high relative humidity and 169'F the circuit breaker will automatically trip without any current load. The 169'F tempera-ture was the circuit breaker case temperature during a transient to 212*F. An additional no load test conducted on March 9,1983, on the same breaker showed that the breaker would trip at 147'F. The discrepancy in the trip temperature measured is due to the heating ramp rate and indicates that although the exterior of the case was at 169'F the internals were still at a lower temperature.

l Further testing was performed to establish the temperature where the.

EF3-8015 circuit breaker would carry the required load without trip .

ping. The tests were conducted at 3.5 amperes simulating the worst case load of the two operating BWR plants (Hatch and LaSalle). The other BWR plant requirements are enveloped by this test. The circuit breaker failed by tripping after 13 minutes at 140'F while carrying 3.5 amperes. At 130*F the breaker had not tripped after several days while carrying the 3.5 ampere load. Based on engineering judgment l

e9*

_ _ _ _ - - - - _ _ _ _ _ _ - -.. ,._--.., .-..._ _ .__,_. - - - _ . . - - _ _ - + - - . _ . - - -

46 832SG-1483 Rockwell r March 11, 1983 Page 3 International this time period is believed to be sufficient to h ue achieved

" temperature stabilization and indicates that this load can be carried l continuously for the specified 60-day recombiner post-LOCA operating l duration.

Corrective Action / Comments The results of the tests conducted from January-March 1983 on the EF3-B015, and discussion with ITE Geutd personnel, indicates thst this i

problem may be comon to several lines of ITE thermal magnetic.cfreuit breakers when applied at temperatures >120'F. This includes EF2-B.

EF3-B HE3-B, and JL3-B, all of which hue been used in recombinar i apolications.

ESG is currently conducting a review and some further testing to  :

investigate the behavior of the EF-tB. EF3-3, HE3.B. and JL3-B circuit breakers. A further report and recomended corrective actions will be

,e - made If the testing veriffes that these other circuit breakers are not operable in the required environment.

l BWR Recombine. s (Hatch 2, taSalle 1 and 2, Femi-2, Shoreham 1,iMne ~ '

Mile Point-2) ,

As an interim fix, the circuit breaker should be bypassed. Another alternative is to relocate the power cabinet or to provide supplemen-tal cooling of the power cabinet to reduce the temperature to less than 140*F nonoperating (this number includes a 7'F margin). The maximum power cabinet ambient during operation must be determined by measuring the temperature rise in the individual power cabinets under startup conditions and subtracting this value from the 130'F maximum breaker operating temperature. It is expected that the temperature rise in the cabinet is approximately 20'F. Installation of properly sized magnetic breakers is currently considered the permanent correc-tive action.

• i PWR Recombiners (Hartsville & Phipps Bend, Clinton 1 and 2, Byron,;

Palo Verde 1, 2, and 3) ,

l The maximum specified ambient temperature for PWR power and control cabinets is 122*F. The worst case load on the EF3-B015 breaker in PWR  :

, applications is the cooling fan motor. A test was conducted to deter-i mine the maximum operating temperature for this breaker in the PWR application. The test condition was 33 amperes applied for 5 seconds to simulate the motor in rush (locked rotor current) imediately followed by 5.6 amperes continuous (full-load running current). Under these conditions the breaker will trip at 130*F. At 120*F local l breaker ambient, the load was carried for several days.

I u_ - - _ _ _ _ - _ __ _ __ _ - __

[,.

Mb-83ESG-1483 Rockwell Harch 11, 1983 Page 4 International The temperatureIrise in PWR power and control cabinets has been

] seasured at a cabinet ambient of 72*F and was found to be 20*F.

As an interim fix, the circuit breaker should be bypassed. Another

, alternative is to relocate the power and control caninet or to provide supplemental cooling of the power and control cabinet to reduce the ambient to <100'F. Replacement of the thermal magnetic breakers with magnetic only breakers is being considered as the permanent fix.

Affected Plants .

WRC Licensed ~

Customer Name Facility / Activity M Dete Shipped Detroit Edison Feral 2 ES 6 08 76(2)

Long Island Lighting Company Shorehac 1 NPS 6 02-22-77(2)

I Georgia Power Company Hatch 2 MPS 6 06-14-77(l)

Niagara Mohawk Power Nine Mile 6 02-23-73(2) '

Corporation . Point 2 NFS ,

! Cocnonwealth Edison LaSalle County 1 4 08-29-78'il .2) and 2 NPS l

Tennessee Valley Authority Hartsville & 8 02-23-79(3)

Phipps Bend HPS Illinois Power Clinton 1 and 2 10 02-08-80(3)

NPS Comonwealth Edison Company Bryon NPS 22 09-09-80(3)

Arizona Public Service Palo Verde 1, 2 12 02-22-79(3)

Company and 3 HPS (1) Operating plant (2) BWR Mark 1 or 2 plants. The recombiner power cabinet for BWR Mark 1 and 2 plants has a maximum post-LOCA ambient operating l temperature requirement of 150*F.

l (3) The recombiner power and control cabinets for PWR and BWR Mark 3 l plants have a maximum post-LOCA ambient temperature requirements of 122'F. The cabinet temperature rise mutt be considered to determine the icipact of PWR* systems. At an ambient temperature of 72*F. the measured value of cabinet temperature rise is 20'F.

l l..:~- '

s.

83ESG-1483 Rockwell March 11, 1983 Page 5 International l - Notifications ~

l .

l Concurrent with this report, each listed plant operator is being notified of our test results and will receive our continuing test results as well. We will further request each plant operator to

. review the actual ambient temperature requirements for his particular I facility in order to more positively define the magnitude of the problem. .

Additional components which failed to function preperly as a' result of our qualification program are given in the references.

If you require further information or clarification, please call me at (213) 700-3326.

Very truly yours. .

N g lI.

J D. C. Empe Dir or ,

Quality Assurance Energy Systems Group 6891A/cp cc: Director, Office of Inspection and Enforcement (3)

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission .

Washington, DC 20555 ,

e e

s

---

w