ML19338F594

Submits Comments on Class 9 Subcommittee 800828 Meeting Re Hydrogen Problem.Convenience Should Not Be Only Criteria for Igniter Location

ML19338F594
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	09/02/1980
From:	Seale R AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Quittschreiber Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards
References
ACRS-CT-1280, NUDOCS 8010200659
Download: ML19338F594 (1)

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n Wh2fd 4 5 ' Septesber 2,1980

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%Cg br. Gary: Quitschreiber

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= Advisory Comunittee on Reactor Safeguards y ,,

U.1 S., Nuclear.Ragulatory/ Commission'

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i., '1717:H Street, ' ' .

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L Washington; D.C. 20555 -

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Dear Sir:

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i-I'.am writing;to confirm several comments made at -the recent Class 9 subcom--

i- z mittee meeting which dealt;with the -hydrogen problem held ~on August 28. I continue to' believe that disposal of hydrogen in the containment.b'uilding

' atmosphere: as -it reaches: combustible levels by burning -is the ' appropriate-i- -course.of. action. I agree with the proposal made by TVA for.the Sequoya l Station with a couple of reservations as noted below. -

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I continue to"believe 'thac the appropriate location for such i: ignitors would not be' necessarily. at the' location of existing lighting fixtures.

The' criteria for such placement should be more than just.the convenience in

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providing appropriate. power. -Indeed, some further cossment on what the appro-priate criteria:for-location should be. requested, taking into consideration L the likely sources; of- injection .of hydrogen into the containment . atmosphere.

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2 Such sources include coolant' r,ystem' vent lines, the rupture disc on pressurizer-

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surge tanks, the: housings' around primary coolant' pumps, etc. '

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i Certainly the approach taken in identifying diesel engine glowplugs as the ,l 4

likely ignitor was .very direct and generally convincing. There are some -

• remaining, questions, however, regarding.the long term operability c'f the glowplug in'the primary. containnunt system environment; and indeed I have-

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some, concern as to whether or not it would be a suitable ignitor after exposure

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to the' environment. Possible. corrosion of the' surface is the particular problem. Als'ol in . view of our concerns about common mode failure, it might '

be~ appropriate to have other types of ignitors present.

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, Finally, it is assumed thatLan appropriate in-service testing program would-j be'a designed partfof any implementation of.theLuse of ignitors. While it is  :

j^: recognized that these tests. do not imply the injection of hydrogen.into the l

' system to.see if the ignitors will do their thing, it does appear appropriate m to monitor..the temperature of the'ignitor while energized in such tes'ts.

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$- . Finally let me'~ comment that it is quite. impressive-to see the positive cattitude inDattacking-the solution to-this. problem. .'The initiative;shown

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fis. laudable.

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.1 Very truly yours, ,  ;

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Robert L.'Seale

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