ML20096F169

Interim Deficiency Rept 55-83-08 Re Const Damage to Guard Pipe Bellows Assemblies.Initially Reported on 830627. Corrective Action Included Testing of Prototype Bellows Assembly & Repair of Presently Installed Bellows

ML20096F169
Person / Time
Site:	Clinton
Issue date:	08/22/1984
From:	Hall D ILLINOIS POWER CO.
To:	James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
References
55-83-08, 55-83-8, U-10199, NUDOCS 8409070312
Download: ML20096F169 (3)

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U-10199 fil/NOl8 POWER COMPANY 1605-L CLINTON P@ER $TATION, P.O. 80x 678. CLINTON. ILLINOIS 61727 August 22, 1984 Docket No. 50-461 Mr. James G. Keppler Regional Administrator Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137

Subject:

Potential Deficiency 55-83-08 10CFR50.55(e)

Damage to Guard Pipe Bellows Assemblies

Dear Mr. Keppler:

On June 27, 1983, Illinois Power notified Mr. F. Jablonski, NRC Region III (Reft IP Memorcndum Y-17131, 1605-L~, dated June 29, 1983) of a potentially reportable deficiency per 10CFR50.55(e) concerning construction damage to guard pipe bellows assemblies. This initial notification was followed by three (3) interim reports (Ref IP letter U-10077, D. P. Hall to J. G. Keppler dated August 16, 1983: IP letter U-10113, D. P.

Hall to J. G. Keppler dated December 15, 1983: and IP letter U-10141, D. P. Hall to J. G. Keppler dated April 12, 1984). Our investigation of this matter is continuing, and this letter represents an interim report per 10CFR50.55(c).

Statement of Potentially Reportable Deficiency Ten (10) guard pipe bellows assemblies used at Clinton Power Station (CPS) were damaged during installation and construction activities. This damage consists of small dents, nicks, scratches, and arc strikes, with one (1) assembly exhibiting a small hole in one (1) of the two (2) bellow plys. An evaluation of this issue is being performed to determine the consequences of this damage and necessary actions to make the bellows acceptable.

Background

During installation of the guard pipes and associated bellows assemblies, eleven (11) Nonconformance Reports (NCRs) were written * , document cases of damage to ten (10) of eleven (11) bellows assemblies. These bellows assemblics, anchored to the drywell wall and welded to the guard pipe, act as a seal isolating the drywell environment while allowing free axial fD b O k o gg21 h zuz

Mr/ Jcmes Gr;K:pplcr' '. Paga ' 2l August 22', 1984

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Lthermal'and seismic movement.of the guard pipe. The bellows assemblies are not pressure retaining parts of either!the reactor or the primary containment. The bellows assemblies were.

-fabricated,- tested, and certified in accordance with the ASME

Code,.Section III' Subsection NE (Class MC), to takeladvantagelof

,available code specifications. The original. supplier.of the o bellows assemblies is no longersin this type of business.

Investination Result / Corrective Action-  ;

An evaluation of this problem was performed to determine the i remedial. actions necessary to establish the acceptability of the' L damaged bellows. Several methods were pursued, whichiincluded i testing of a prototype bellows assembly and repair of the .

_ presently installed bellows. Pathway Bellows, Inc., was awarded-  :

j -the contract to perform testing of the prototype bellows  ;

assemblies and to supervise repairs, if required. The '

classification of the, bellows. assemblies was revised from ASME tc' .

.L ANSI B31.1 to facilitate any repairs: however, the bellows

assemblies have retained their safety related, seismic Category I.

j classification.

i Since our last interim report, a three (3) convolution t j prototype bellows assembly has been manufactured by Metal. Bellows j_ Corporation per Sargent & Lundy (S&L) Specification K-2871 and i t delivered to Pathway Bellows, Inc. for testing in accordance with ,

! S&L Specification K-2871A. ,

f .

I The prototype bellows has been damaged in a manner to '

duplicate the damage existing on the bellows assemblies installed i

at-CPS. The prototype bellows has also been welded in a manner i that simulates the repair that will be made to bellows assembly 1FWO4MB due to a hole.in the outer ply of the bellows caused by l an are burn. r i

The prototype assembly was tested by imposing greater than l L 10,000 cycles of calculated movement. Leak detection monitors j located between the plys of the pressurized assembly indicated no i loss of pressure integrity. This test was in accordance with the j Code case N-315 (which was used as a guideline) and proves the j' method of repair welding to be valid, i-I 1 The patch material that will be utilized to repair the

installed assembly must be SA240 type 321 stainless steel. The  ;

i material used by Pathway Bellows to patch the prototype hole had  !

t a Certified Material Test Report (CM R), but the'C m was not provided from an ASME qualified supplier, therefore'this material j will be'requalified.

I Upon racertification of the repair material as SA 240 Type 321 stainless steel, the required repair to the installed bellows assembly will be performed by Pathway Bellows, Inc.

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.; . ' Mr.: Jame31 G_. ' K;pplcr . ~ Peg 2 3. August 22, 1984 To prevent.further damage,'th'e installed bellows assemblies have been covered.with protective / coverings.  !

Safety Implications / Significance

~The' evaluation of the. significance to safety of the dented / damaged. bellows'has been pending the results of the

. prototype test program. The results of.the test'are now available and S&L is~being formally requested to evaluate the safety significance of this issue.- Approximately sixty (60) days

.will be required to complete the investigation, determine reportability,-and file a final report on this potentially reportable. deficiency.

We trust that this interim report provides sufficient information to perform a general assessment of this potential deficiency and adequately describes our overall approach to

• resolve this' problem.

Sincerely yours, t

D. P. Hall Vice President RLC/cch (NRC2) cc: NRC Resident Office Director - Office of I&E, USNRC, Washington, DC 20555. I Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety INPO Records Center c j