- Author
-
Bajwa, C. S.
|
West, K. S.
- Title
- Fire Barrier Penetration Seals in Nuclear Power Plants.
- Coporate
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
- Report
-
Technical Report
July 1996
52 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
nuclear power plants
|
fire barriers
|
seals
- Identifiers
- fire barrier penetration seals
- Abstract
- Nuclear power plants are divided into separate fire areas by fire-rated structural barriers. Fire-rated penetration seals are installed to seal certain openings in these barriers. The seals maintain the fire-resistive integrity of the barriers and provide reasonable assurance that a fire will be confined to the area in which it started. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission conducted a comprehensive technical assessment of penetration seals to address reports of potential problems, to determine if there were any problems of safety significance, and to determine if NRC requirements, review guidance, and inspection procedures are adequate. The staff did not find plant-specific problems of safety significance or concersn with generic implications. The staff concluded that the general condition of penetration seal programs in industry is satisfactory. The staff also concluded that actions it had taken in 1988 and 1994 to address potential penetration seal problems increased industry awareness of such problems and resulted in more thorough surveilliances, maintenance, and corrective actions. these previous staff actions, together with continued licensee upkeep of existing penetration seal programs and continued NRC inspections, are adequate to maintain public health and safety.