ML20083Q113

Ro:On 721206,while Recirculating Floor Drain Sample Tank a Prior to Sampling,Recirculation Line Failed.Caused by Corrosion & Erosion in Elbow on Carbon Steel Recirculation Line Tank A.Leak Welded

ML20083Q113
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	12/19/1972
From:	Ross D JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	Giambusso A US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 8302230671
Download: ML20083Q113 (2)

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-3 il Jersey Central Pow e/ r & Light Company MADISON AVENUE AT PUNCH BOWL Ro AD e MoRRISTOWN. N.J. 07960 e 539-6118 December 19, 1972 l,~ e~DW) (ng Mr. A. Giambusso "::t Deputy Director for Reactor Proj,ects M DEC221972 ~

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Directorate of Licensing United States Atomic Energy Commission

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Subject:

Oyster Creek Station -

Docket No. 50-219 Floor Drain Sample Tank -- Recycle Line Failure The purpose of this letter is to advise you of a violation of the Technical Specifications Paragraph 3.6.B -- Unmonitored release to the environment due to a failure of the recycle line to floor drain sample tank "A" external to the radioactive waste treatment building.

This is considered to be an abnormal occurrence as defined in the Technical Spccifications Paragraph 1.15.B and D.

On December 6, 1972, while recirculating floor drain sample tank "A" prior to sampling, a failure occurred in the recirculation line allowing floor drain sample tank water with an activity of 2.05 x 10-2 uci/cc to spray into and beyond a curbed area surrounding both floor drain sample tanks and both waste sample tanks located external to the radioactive waste treatment facility. The water drained from the curbed area through a two-way valve lined up to direct rainwater drainage to the discharge canal via the service

' water overboard line, resulting in an unmonitored release to the environs. Water was also ev"ident in a small area just outside of the curbed section.

The cause of the failure was corrosion and errosion in an . j 7 elbow on the carbon steel recirculation line to floor drain sample y tank "A".

.l{[ Tank recirculation was stopped immediately upon discovering the failed line. The total time involved was apppeximately 20 minutes.

Measures were taken to decontaminate the area outside the curbed section.

b Blotter paper was used to absorb the exces,s j<ater. Smears taken in this area showed a maximum contamination leve1Lof 800 d/m. The two-way valve which had been aligned so that rainwater would be directed to the dis-

' charge canal was realigned to direct water collected inside the curbed arca to the 1-9 sump in,the radwaste facility. The Icak was repaired ,

by welding and the floor drain recirculation line returned to service. '

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Page II December 19, 1972 Based on the chart recorder indication, the maximum amount of water released was 50 gallons. This release occurred duri~ng a 20-minute period at a release rate of 2-1/2 gpm.

Concurrently, waste sample tank "B" was being released via the identical path to the discharge canal at 17.5 gpm. To evaluate whether _ or not the limits of 10CFR20 were exceeded, the weighted average concentration was determined to be 3.13 x 10-3 uci/cc for the combined release. The total curies released during the 20-minute period were 4.73 x 10-3 curies excluding tritium and 6.93 x 10-3 curies of tritium. 'Of this , 4.0 x 10-3 curies excluding tritium and 1.89 x 10-4 curies of tritium were due to water from the leak. --

On an identified isotopic basis, the permissible release rate would be 341 gpm. As the combination of the two releases only totaled 20 gpm, the limits of 10CFR20 were not exceeded and, therefore, the significance of this event was minimal. .,

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• Tc prevent a recurrence of this event, the drains from ,_

this curbed area will be directed to the 1-9 radwaste sump. In .V/ ) <a ' '

addition, we will verify that the surge tank curbed area drains are directed into a radwaste sump. ( . , '/! ' /J

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We are enclosing forty copies of this report. u 1cr s

Very truly yours, e

Donald A. Ross Manager, Nuclear Generating Stations DAR/pk 7 I L Enclosures cc: Mr. J. P. O'Reilly, Director Directorate of Regulatory Operations, Region 1 4

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UNITED STATES O

ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION g ,

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• 970 BRO AD STREET

[ NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07 8 02 i

%no R0 Inquiry Report No. 50-219/72-32Q Licensee: Jersey Central Power & Light Company Madison Avenue at Punch Bowl Road Morristown, New Jersey 07960 License No.: DPR-16 Facility: Oyster Creek - BWR c Forked River, New Jersey Descriptiv

Title:

Equipment Failure - Floor Drain Sample Tank Recirculation Line Prepared by: 4. Y > -

F. S. Cantrell, Reactor Inspector Date A. Date and Manner AEC was Informed:

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l. On December 7,1972, during an inspection at the site.

B. Description of Particular Event or Circumstance:  !

When the operator started the recirculation pump for the "A" floor drain sample tank, at about 8:00 a.m. , December 6,1972, he noted

.a slight decrease in tank level. He immediately went to the sample tank area (which is outside the radwaste building) and observed water  !

spraying against the building and running down into the curbed area around the tanks, and spraying on the sidewalk outside the curbing.

lie immediately went back'inside_ and stopped the pump. A tank inven-tory showed that 50 gallons of water was lost from the tank. An t inspection in the area showed that the drain line inside the curbing '

was valved to go to the discharge canal rather than to return to the radwaste building. As a result, only approximately 1 gallon of water ;l was recovered. ,

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C. Actio'n by Licensee: 2 c :f -

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A sample of water was obtained from the tank and was analyzed, with the following results: f'fy.fb Isotopes W4

_ Activity (uCi/cc) Ratio (Activity /MPC)  %.1 Gross Activity d*@j 2.05 x 10-2 _

Cobolt-60 5.89 x 10-3 117.8 W:yp Cesium-144 4.08 x 10-3 Mj" 453.3 aV; ,h Cesium-137 5.99 x 10- 299.5

.f; Manganes,e-$4 -3 3.55 x 10 35.5 ,

2. F' The~ pipe that failed was on the discharge side of the pump and -.- @g' was located just outside of the building between the building {y and the tank. This pipe is 3" carbon steel pipe and was re- .

paired by welding a patch over the failed area. According to f,#

the maintenance foreman, he has ordered stainless steel pipe to replace this line and the comparable line to the "B" floor {h[F r

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drain sample tank.

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3. The water that landed on the sidewalk outside of the curb was soaked up with a blotter, however, before the area was sur-sg..<

veyed for contamination, it started raining. The sidewalk was j.Q not smeared for contamination until December 7,1972. At that f Jr.

t' time, the sidewalk was clear of contamination, however, the 4?A area inside the curb was contaminated up to 5000 cpm. The 1

sand next to the sidewalk was also contaminated. The upper layer of sand was removed with the contamination. The licensee issued instructions for the drain from the curbed area'to be either valved closed, or to the radwaste building sumps.

4. The licensee plans to survey other equipment to determine the potential for this type of corrosion-errosion failure as part of his general study of the operation of the radwaste facility.

5. The licensee will submit a written report to the Directorate of Licensing wfthin 10 days as required by the Technical Specifica-tions.

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RO INQUIRY REPORT No. 50-219/72-32Q J C KcPP ler, cars JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIG11T CO.

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OYSTER CREEK To (N a-. e4 or.o imne u ... s The subject inouiry report is forwarded for cc: XXXRXXRuXXX1M(X:E RO:HQ

- (5) your infomation. Distribution will be made gDR Central Files ','E Reg. Standards (30 n < ,- . n f r i c ,.,, 9,l t i p by this office to the PDR. LPDR, NSIC. DTIE To (n am. .ao ...o im um umans j and State representatives after revieu by the

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licensee for proprietary infomation.

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4 D. L. Caphton, RO:I I

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