RMvaon1M1I1U.S.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONREGULATORYGUIDEOFFICEOFNUCLEARREGULATORYRESEARCHREGULATORYGUIDE1.133LOOSE-PARTDETECTIONPROGRAM1FORTHEPRIMARYSYSTEMOFLIGHT-WATER-COOLEDREACTORSA.INTRODUCTIONCriterion1,QualityStandardsandRecords,ofAppendixA,GeneralDesignCritieraforNuclearPowerPlants,to10CFRPart50,DomesticLicensingofProductionandUtilizationFacilities,requiresthatstructures,systems,andcomponentsimportanttosafetybedesigned,fabricated,erected,andtestedtoqualitystandardscommensuratewiththeimportanceofthesafetyfunctionstobeperformedandthataqualityassuranceprogrambeestablishedandimplementedinordertoprovideadequateassurancethatthesestructures,systems,andcomponentswillsatisfactorilyperformtheirsafetyfunctions.Criterion13,InstrumentationandControl,requires,inpart,thatinstrumentationbeprovidedtomonitorvariablesandsystemsovertheiranticipatedrangesfornormaloperation,foranticipatedoperationaloccurrences,andforaccidentconditionstoensureadequatesafety,-includingthosevariablesandsystemsthatcanaffectthefisionprocess,theintegrityofthecore,andthereactorcoolantpressureboundary.Section50.36,TechnicSpecifications,of10CFRPart50requiresanapplicant.)rafacilityoperatinglicensetoprovideproposedtechnicalspecifications.Paragraph(cX2),LimitingConditionsforOperation,identifiesaproposedtechnicalspecificationrelatingtothelowestfunctionalcapabilityorperformancelevelsofequipmentrequiredforsafeoperationofthefacility.Paragraph(cX3),SurveillanceRequirements,identifiesaproposedtechnicalspecificationrelatingtotest,calibration,orinspectiontoensurethatthenecessaryqualityofsystemsandcomponentsismaintained,thatfacilityoperationwillbewithinthesafetylimits,andthatthelimitingconditionsofoperationwillbemet.Paragraph(cX5),AdministratiVrControls,requiresanapplicantforafa.ilityoperatinglicensetoprovideprolInthisguidethephraseloose-partdetectionprogramencompssesrecommendationsforsystemhardwareandpropammaticandreportingprocedures.Loose-partdetectionsystemrefersonlytosystemhardware.posedtechnicalspecificationsrelatingtoreportingnecessarytoensureoperationofthefacilityinasafemanner.Paragraph20.1(c)of10CFRPart20,StandardsforProtectionAgainstRadiation,statesthat,inadditiontocomplyingwiththerequirementsthereinlicenseesshouldmakeeveryreasonableefforttomaintainexposurestoradiationasfarbelowthelimitsspecifiedinPart20asisreasonablyachievable.ThisguidedescribesamethodacceptabletotheNRCstaffforimplementingtheaboveregulatoryrequirementswithrespecttodetectingapotentiallysafety-relatedloonpartinlight-water-cooledreactorsduringnormaloperation.ThisguidealsooutlinesaprogramthatcanhelplicenseestomeetthePart20criterionthatexposuresofstationpersonneltoradiationduringroutineoperationofthestationwillbeaslowasisreasonablyachievable(ALARA).TheAdvisoryCommitteeonReactorSafeguardshas.beenconsultedconcerningthisguideandhasconcurredinjtheregulatoryposition.B.DISCUSSIONThepresenceofaloose(i.e.,disengagedanddrifting)partintheprimarycoolantsystemcanbeindicativeofdegradedreactorsafetyresultingfromfailureorweakeningofasafety-relatedcomponent.Aloosepart,whetheritbefromafailedorweakenedcomponentorfromaniteminadvertentlyleftintheprimarysystemduringconstruction,refueling,ormaintenanceprocedures,cancontributetocomponentdamageandmaterialwearbyfrequentimpactingwithotherpartsinthesystem.Aloosepartcanposeaseriousthreatofpartialflowblockagewithattendantdeparturefromnucleateboiling(DNB)whichinturncouldresultinfailureoffuelcladding.Inaddition,aloosepartincreasesthepotentialforcontrol-rodjammingandforaccumulationofincreasedlevelsofradioactivecrudintheprimarysystem.LinesindicatesubstantivechangesfromSeptember1977issue.USNRCREGULATORYGUIDESCommentsshouldbesenttotheSecretaryoftheCommission,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,D.C.20555,RegulatoryGuidesareIssuedtodescribeandmakeavailabletotheAttention:DocketingandServiceBranch.publicmethodsacceptabletotheNRCstaffofImplementingspecificpartsoftheCommission'sregulations,todelineatetech-TheguidesareissuedInthefollowingtenbroaddivisions:naquesusedbythestaffinevaluatingspecificproblemsorpostulatedaccidents,ortoprovideguidancetoappicknts.Regulatory1.PowerReactors6.ProductsGuidesarenotsubstitutesforregulations,andcompliancewith2.ResearchandTestReactors7.Transportationthemisnotrequired.Methodsandsolutionsdifferentfromthoseset3.FuelsandMaterialsFacilities8.OccupationalHealthoutIntheguideswillbeacceptableiftheyprovideabasisforthe4.EnvironmentalandSiting9.AntitrustandFinancialReviewfindingsrequistetotheissuanceorcontinuanceofapermitor5.MaterialsandPlantProtection10.GeneralCopiesofissuedguidesmaybepurchasedatthecurrentGovernmentThisguidewasissuedafterconsiderationofcommentsreceivedfromPrintingOfficeprice.AsubscriptionserviceforfutureguidesInspathepublic.CommentsandsuggestionsforImprovementsinthesecificdivisionsisavailablethroughtheGovernmentPrintingOffice.guidesareencouragedatalltimes,andguideswillberevised,asInformationonthesubscriptionserviceandcurrentGPOpricesmayappropriate,toaccommodatecommentsandtoreflectnewinforma-beobtainedbywritingtheU.S.NuclearRegula