ML20090A070

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Responds to Request for Info Re Westinghouse DS-416 Breaker Moving Secondary Contact Mounting Frame Welds.Separated Bracket Welds Not Indicative of Generic Issue
ML20090A070
Person / Time
Site: Comanche Peak  Luminant icon.png
Issue date: 06/14/1984
From: Rahe E
WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, DIV OF CBS CORP.
To: Baer R
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
References
NS-EPR-2932, NUDOCS 8407110212
Download: ML20090A070 (2)


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o Westinghouse Water Reactor Ba355 PittsburghPennsy!vania15230 Electric Corporation Divisions NS-EPR-2932 June 14^,1984 (7 Mr. Robert L. Baer, Chief 6h Office of Inspection and Enforcement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Phfilips Building 7920 Norfolk Avenue .

Bethesda, f4aryland 20014 Attention: Mr. W. Anderson

Dear fir. Baer:

The purpose of this letter is to respond to your request for information concerning the Comancho Peak DS-416 breaker moving secondary contact mounting frame welds. This issue was initiated when two frame welds in a Comanche Peak breaker were found to have separated. In the ensuing investigation a number of frames were selected to be returned to Westinghouse for purposes of the investigation.

The Westinghouse investigation began by assuming a worst case operating load in order to establish testing parameters. The nominal load is 65 lbs. maximum but for purposes of this investigation 150 lbs. was assumed as a worst case operational load. The normal operating load per switch assembly is 4 lbs.,

and the maximum this value can be is 9 lbs. For a set of 16 switches in the bracket, the total maximum service load possiole is thus (9x16) 144 lbs.,

which was rounded off to 150 lbs for the purposes of investigating in the worst-mode condition.

The first phase of testing loaded half of the sample welds to 450 lbs. in order to establish a minimum factor of three times the worst case operating load. All welds sustained the 450 lb. load without yielding. The second phase of testing was to establish the maximum load carrying capability of the frame welds. The other half of the welds were loaded until yielding occurco.

In these tests the minimum force necessary to fail the welds was over 900 lbs., six times the assumed worst case operational load.

8407110212 840614 PDR ADOCK 03000445 s pon ,q ,4) . $;.0 A hed,,

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NS-EPR-2932 Jun2 14, 1984 Westinghouse conducted a metallurgical investigation of the separated welds which showed that the weld separation is the result of lack of fusion at the weld metal to base metal interface due to the presence of slag inclusions.

Metr 11ographic e.samination of two welds from the field confirmed tht lack of fusi;a does exist in these welds varying from 30% to 70%. However, as noted above, the as-welded condition of the brackets can sustain at least six (6) times the maximum service load.

It is the Westinghouse position th'at the separated bracket welds are not indicative of a generic issue. Their occurrence is attributed to the statistical probability of random failures in any Quality Assurance system.

The mounting frame design is very conservative as demonstrated by the above, i

Very truly yours, i E. P. Rahe, M., Manager Nuclear Safety Department JTC/ KEG I

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