Aging, condition monitoring, and loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) tests of Class 1E electrical cables: Summary of results
This paper summarizes the results of aging, condition monitoring, and accident testing of Class 1E cables used in nuclear power generating stations. Three sets of cables were aged for up to 9 months under simultaneous thermal ({approx equal} 100{degrees}C) and radiation ({approx equal}0.10 kGy/hr) conditions. After the aging, the cables were exposed to a simulated accident consisting of high dose rate irradiation ({approx equal}6 kGy/hr) followed by a high temperature steam exposure. A fourth set of cables, which were unaged, were also exposed to the accident conditions. The cables that were aged for 3 months and then accident tested were subsequently exposed to a high temperature steam fragility test (up to 400{degrees}C), while the cables that were aged for 6 months and then accident tested were subsequently exposed to a 1000-hour submergence test in a chemical solution. The results of the tests indicate that the feasibility of life extension of many popular nuclear power plant cable products is promising and that mechanical measurements (primarily elongation, modulus, and density) were more effective than electrical measurements for monitoring age-related degradation. In the high temperature steam test, ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) cable materials generally survived to higher temperatures than crosslinked polyolefin (XLPO) cable materials. In dielectric testing after the submergence testing, the XLPO materials performed better than the EPR materials. This paper presents some recent experimental data that are not yet available elsewhere and a summary of findings from the entire experimental program.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USNRC; Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6075570
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-91-1397C; CONF-911079-12; ON: DE92003615
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 19. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) water reactor safety information meeting, Bethesda, MD (United States), 28-30 Oct 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Aging assessment of cables
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Related Subjects
ELECTRIC CABLES
AGING
RADIATION EFFECTS
THERMAL DEGRADATION
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
LOSS OF COOLANT
RADIATION DOSES
REACTOR SAFETY
THERMAL CYCLING
ACCIDENTS
CABLES
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
DOSES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POWER PLANTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
SAFETY
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220200 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Components & Accessories