ML17264A857

Submits Relief Request Re Class 1 ASME Section Xi Category B-J to Address Cast Stainless Base Metal Ultrasonic Weld Exams

ML17264A857
Person / Time
Site:	Ginna
Issue date:	04/09/1997
From:	MECREDY R C ROCHESTER GAS & ELECTRIC CORP.
To:	VISSING G NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned), NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9704160269
Download: ML17264A857 (9)

Text

CATEGORYREGULAZINFORMATION DZSTRZBUTZO YSTEM(RIDE)

SUBJECT:

Submitsreliefrequestreclass1ASMESectionXICategoryB-Jtoaddresscaststainless basemetalultrasonic weldexams.DISTRIBUTION CODE:A047DCOPIESRECEIVED:LTR 1ENCLiSIZE:TITLE:ORSubmittal:

Inservice/Testing/Relief fromASMECode-GL-8-04T05000244ENOTES:License Expdateinaccordance with10CFR2,2.109(9/19/72).

ACCFSSION NBR:9704160269 DOC.DATE:

97/04/09NOTARIZED:

NODOCKETFATTI'5~-244 RobertEmmetGinnaNuclearPlant,Unit1,Rochester G05000244AU~TH'<NAMEAUTHORAFFILIATION MECREDY,R.C.

Rochester Gas6ElectricCorp.RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION VISSING,G.

RECIPIENT IDCODE/NAME PDl-1LAVISSING,G.

INTERNAL:

AEOD/SPD/RAB NRR/DE/EMEB OGC/HDS3RES/DET/EMMEB EXTERNAL:

LITCOANDERSONNRCPDRCOPlESLTTRENCL1111111110111111RECIPIENT IDCODE/NAME PD1-1PDFILECENTERINUDOCS-A'BBTRACT RES/DET/EIB NOACCOPIESLTTRENCL1111111111DOiUENOTETOALL"RIDS"RECIPIENTS:

PLEASEHELPUSTOREDUCEWASTE.TOHAVEYOURNAMEORORGANIZATION REMOVEDFROMDISTRIBUTION LISTSORREDUCETHENUMBEROFCOPIESRECEIVEDBY.,YOUORYOURORGANIZATION, CONTACTTHEDOCUMENTCONTROLDESK(DCD)ONEXTENSION 415-2083TOTALNUMBEROFCOPIESREQUIRED:

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ANDROCHESTER GASANDELECTRICCORPORATION

~89FASTAVENLIE,ROCHESTER, N.YId&9-0001 IARFACODE716Sf6-2700ROBERTC.MECREDYVicePresident NudearOperations April9,1997U.S.NuclearRegulatory Commission DocumentControlDeskAttn:GuyVissingProjectDirectorate I-1Washington, D.C.20555

Subject:

ReliefRequestNo.17GinnaNuclearPowerPlantInservice Inspection ASMESectionXIRequiredExaminations R.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlantDocketNo.50-244

DearMr.Vissing:

Thepurposeofthisletteristoseekapprovalofareliefrequestconcerning Class1,ASMESectionXICategoryB-J,toaddressCastStainless BaseMetalUltrasonic WeldExaminations.

Justification andproposedalternatives areincludedintheattachments tothisletter.Itisrequested thatthisreliefrequestbeapprovedbyJune16,1997inordertobeutilizedfortheupcoming1997OutageatR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlant.Thisreliefrequestdealswiththeemployment ofbesteffortultrasonic examination techniques onweldsassociated withcaststainless components.

Duetothenatureofcaststainless andassociated welds,attenuation variables adversely impacttheperformance ofultrasonic examinations.

Theperformance ofothervolumetric techniques, suchasradiography, onassociated castcomponents willprovidelittleincreased quantitative benefitduetothehighlevelsofbackground radiation thatexistfortheitemsaddressed.

Notethatthisreliefrequestusesthesamerationale aswasusedtoconformwithCodeCaseN-481aspartofthecurrentISIintervalprogram.ThatcodecasewasappliedtoRCPbowlsmadeofcaststainless steelandwasgrantedbasedontheinability ofUTmeasurestobeeffective.

Rochester GasandElectricwillcontinuetoevaluatenewemerginginspection technology astheybecomeavailable forthisindustryproblemofperforming ultrasonic examinations oncaststainless components.

Verytrulyyours,j9704i6026'7,970409 PDRADOCK,05000244 8s.-PDRRobertC.Mec-edy'IIIIIII']glllllllllilllilllllll'Illillllllll

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>Attachment REJE448xc:Mr.GuyVissing(MailStop14B2)ProjectDirectorate I-1Washington, D.C.20555U.S.NuclearRegulatory Commission RegionI475Allendale RoadKingofPrussia,PA19406GinnaSeniorResidentInspector l

ReliefRequestNo.17CategoryB-J,CastStainless BaseMetalUltrasonic Examination I.Components forWhichReliefisRequested:

1.Class1,CategoryB-J,ReactorCoolantCastPumpTerminalEndtoCastElbowCircumferential WeldsandAssociated Longitudinal SeamWelds.WeldID~TePL-FW-XIII PL-FW-XII-LR (XIII)PL-FW-XVPL-FW-XI-LR (XV)Elbow-to-Pump Longitudinal Elbow-to-Pump Longitudinal 2.Class1,CategoryB-J,ReactorCoolantInlet/Outlet CastElbowtoNozzleSafeEnd/PipeCircumferential Welds.WeldID~TePL-FW-I-ASW PL-FW-IX-ASW PL-FW-III PL-FW-XPL-FW-IXPL-FW-X-BSW Elbow-to-Safe EndSafeEnd-to-Elbow Elbow-to-Safe EndSafeEnd-to-Elbow Elbow-to-Pipe Elbow-to-Pipe II.,ASMERequirements forWhichReliefisRequested:

CategoryB-JwithinTableIWB-2500-1, specifies volumetric examination requirements thataretobeperformed onTerminalEnds,Longitudinal welds,aswellasotherweldsassociated withrequiredCircumferential Welds.2.CodeCaseN-460specifies thatareduction inexamination coverageonanyClass1orClass2weldmaybeacceptedprovidedthereduction incoverageforthatweldislessthan10%.III.Basis:Supplement 4(b)(4)ofAppendixIIIidentifies ultrasonic scanningrequirements onAustenitic andDissimilar MetalWelds.Thisparagraph furtheridentifies thatCastitemssuchasfittings, valvebodies,andpumpcasingsmayprecludemeaningful examinations becauseofgeometryandattenuation variables.

AtR.E.GinnaNuclearPowerPlant,theReactorCoolantPump,Westinghouse Model93,iscaststainless (A-351GrCF8M).Theassociated fittings(elbows)arealsocaststainless (ASTMA-

~.'51GrCF8M)andcontainlongitudinal seamwelds.TheReactorCoolantInlet/Outlet WroughtSafeEnd/Pipeto"Elbowcircumferential weldsconsistsoffittings(elbows)thatarecaststainless (ASTMA-351GrCF8M).Whenemploying optimized ultrasonic techniques onthesecast/wrought welds,thetechniques maydetectlargeflaws(254orgreaterthroughwall)'utarerelatively ineffective indetecting smallerflaws.Therefore, thesensitivity islessthanthatrequiredbythecode.CastStainless basemetalandassociated weldscontainlargegrainstructures, attenuation variables impactonperformance ofultrasonic examinations.

Experience hasshownthatthesematerials arenotalwaysamenabletoultrasonic examination anddoesnotproducereliableandmeaningful results.Currently, theindustrysPerformance Demonstration Initiative (PDI)isnotaddressing CastStainless Ultrasonic Examinations.

Duetothehighlyattenuative characteristics oftheaustenitic grainstructure, ultrasonic examination coveragetotheextentthatisspecified withinCodeCaseN-460maynotalwaysbeachievable.

Radiography isanimpractical technique touseand,ifapplied,thealternative volumetric examinations arenotexpectedtoprovideanymeaningful increaseinbenefitbeyondthealternative presented duetothehighlevelsofbackground radiation emittingfromtheseareas.IV.ProposedAlternate Method:None.Applicable code-required volumetric examination willbecompleted tothemaximumextentpractical (abesteffortultrasonic examination ofthecaststainless weldsbasedonstate-of-the-art techniques andassociated achievable examination coverage).

Ultrasonic examinations shallbeperformed fromthewroughtsideofapplicable components.

Wewillcontinuetoevaluatenewemerginginspection technology astheybecomeavailable.

Thecoderequiredsurfaceexaminations andsystemleakagetestswillbeperformed.

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