Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 52, December 27, 2024
Repairs and alterations of non-ISI boilers and pressure
vessels, and repairs of pressure relief valves associated with non-ISI boilers
and pressure vessels, except boilers and pressure vessels and those pressure
relief valves associated with boilers and pressure vessels that are exempt
under Section
505.50(a),
shall be made in accordance with this Section. The requirements of this Section
are subject to the limitations of Section
505.20(c).
a) Non-ISI boilers and pressure vessels that
are repaired or altered shall be repaired or altered in accordance with the
National Board Inspection Code or this subsection (a). The requirements of this
subsection (a) are limited to welded repairs and welded and non-welded
alterations of non-ISI boilers and pressure vessels. When requirements for a
repair or alteration are not given, it is intended that, subject to approval of
the Authorized Inspector, details of design and construction, insofar as
practical, will be consistent with the ASME Code for boilers and pressure
vessels constructed to the ASME Code, or the code to which the item was
originally constructed for boilers and pressure vessels not constructed to the
ASME Code or the repair or alteration rules of the National Board Inspection
Code.
1) All non-ISI boilers and pressure
vessels covered by the Act that are repaired shall be repaired by one of the
following organizations:
A) An owner and those
organizations under contract to the owner, provided that:
i) the repairs are made in accordance with a
Quality Assurance Program that meets the requirements of 10 CFR 50 Appendix B
(2007) and has been approved by the NRC;
ii) all portions of the owner's 10 CFR 50
Appendix B Quality Assurance Program, referenced in subsection (a)(1)(A)(i),
that are applicable to a repair activity are applied to the repair;
and
iii) the owner notifies the
Agency of its intention to apply 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Quality Assurance
Program, referenced in subsection (a)(1)(A)(i), to the repair of boilers and
pressure vessels. This notification only needs to be given once for all repairs
of boilers and pressure vessels performed under the owner's 10 CFR 50 Appendix
B Quality Assurance Program at the nuclear facility.
B) An organization in possession of a valid
"R" Certificate of Authorization issued by the National Board.
C) An organization authorized by the Division
of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal, to
repair boilers and pressure vessels.
2) Repairs shall be initiated only after they
have been authorized by the Authorized Inspector who has reviewed and accepted
the weld procedures, welders and welding operators' qualifications and repair
methods. The Authorized Inspector may give prior approval for repairs of a
routine nature. In every case the Authorized Inspector shall be advised of each
repair under prior agreement.
3)
All non-ISI boilers and pressure vessels covered by the Act that are altered
shall be altered by one of the following organizations:
A) An owner and those organizations under
contract to the owner, provided that:
i) the
alterations are made in accordance with a Quality Assurance Program that meets
the requirements of 10 CFR 50 Appendix B and has been approved by the
NRC;
ii) all portions of the
owner's 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Quality Assurance Program, referenced in
subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), that are applicable to an alteration activity are
applied to the alteration; and
iii)
the owner notifies the Agency of its intention to apply 10 CFR 50 Appendix B
Quality Assurance Program, referenced in subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), to the
alteration of boilers and pressure vessels. This notification only needs to be
given once for all alterations of boilers and pressure vessels performed under
the owner's 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Quality Assurance Program at the nuclear
facility.
B) An
organization in possession of a valid "R" Certificate of Authorization issued
by the National Board, provided the alterations are within the scope of that
authorization.
4)
Alterations shall be initiated only after they have been authorized by the
Authorized Inspector who has reviewed and accepted the alteration methods and
calculations. If considered necessary, the Authorized Inspector shall make an
inspection of the object before granting authorization.
5) Reports documenting repairs and
alterations shall be sent to the Agency in addition to the distribution
required by the National Board Inspection Code.
6) Documentation of repairs and alterations
shall be in accordance with the National Board Inspection Code, except that, in
lieu of a form R-1 or R-2, an alternative form containing equivalent
information may be used. All alternative forms shall be signed by the
Authorized Inspector. All alternative forms shall be approved by the Agency
prior to use. The Authorized Inspector shall determine whether the completion
of the form R-1, R-2, or an alternative form is required for routine
repairs.
7) Repairs and alterations
shall be accepted by either an Authorized Inspector employed by the Authorized
Inspection Agency responsible for the boiler or pressure vessel or by an
Authorized Inspector employed by the Authorized Inspection Agency of record for
the organization making the repair or alteration. It shall be the
responsibility of the organization making the repair or alteration to
coordinate the acceptance inspection of the repair or alteration.
8) For pressure parts, the rules of Part 3,
Section 3 of the National Board Inspection Code shall apply.
9) Pressure Testing
A) The Authorized Inspector may require a
pressure test after completing a repair to a boiler or pressure vessel when in
the Authorized Inspector's judgment one should be conducted.
B) A pressure test in accordance with the
National Board Inspection Code shall be applied to the boiler or pressure
vessel on the completion of an alteration.
10) For repair methods, the rules of Part 3
of the National Board Inspection Code shall apply.
11) Alteration methods shall comply with the
general requirements of this subsection (a), and with the appropriate ASME Code
Section or Part 3 of the National Board Inspection Code, as applicable,
including any service restrictions.
12) Major replacement of pressure parts,
including drums and shells, that are fabricated by welding and for which a
Manufacturers Data Report is required by the applicable ASME Code Section shall
be fabricated by a manufacturer having an ASME Certificate of Authorization and
the appropriate Certification Mark with appropriate designator. The item shall
be inspected, stamped with the applicable Certification Mark with appropriate
designator and the word "PART", and reported on the appropriate Manufacturers
Partial Data Report.
13) When a
repair or alteration requires removal of that part of a non-ISI boiler or
pressure vessel containing the Code stamping, the Authorized Inspector shall,
subject to the approval of the Agency, witness the making of a facsimile of the
stamping, the obliteration of the old stamping and the transfer of the stamping
to the new part. When the stamping is on a nameplate, the Authorized Inspector
is to witness the transfer of the nameplate to the new part. The Certification
Mark with appropriate designator is not to be restamped.
14) For rerating, the rules of this
subsection (a) and Part 3 of the National Board Inspection Code shall apply.
Additionally, the following shall apply:
A)
All requirements in Part 3 of the National Board Inspection Code and this
subsection (a) shall be met to the satisfaction of the Authorized Inspection
Agency at the location of the installation.
B) Revised calculations verifying the new
service conditions shall be required from the original manufacturer or, when
the calculations cannot be obtained from this source, they may be prepared by
an engineer in accordance with Part 3 of the National Board Inspection
Code.
C) The boiler or pressure
vessel shall be pressure tested for the rerated condition as required by
subsection (a)(9)(B).
15) Nameplates and Stamping for Repair and
Alteration
A) The rules of Part 3, Section 5
of the National Board Inspection Code shall apply. The exceptions and
clarifications of this subsection (a)(15) shall also apply.
B) For owners that act as the repair
organization under the provisions of subsection (a)(1)(A) for repairs or under
subsection (a)(3)(A) for alterations who are not in possession of a valid "R"
Certificate of Authorization issued by the National Board, the requirements for
nameplates and stamping in Part 3, Section 5 of the National Board Inspection
Code shall not apply. All other requirements shall be met.
b) Pressure relief valves
associated with non-ISI boilers and pressure vessels shall be repaired in
accordance with the National Board Inspection Code or with this subsection (b).
1) All pressure relief valves covered by this
subsection (b) that are repaired shall be repaired by one of the following
organizations:
A) An owner and those
organizations under contract to the owner, provided that:
i) the repairs are made in accordance with a
Quality Assurance Program that meets the requirements of 10 CFR 50 Appendix B
and has been approved by the NRC;
ii) all portions of the owner's 10 CFR 50
Appendix B Quality Assurance Program, referenced in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i),
that are applicable to a repair activity are applied to the repair;
and
iii) the owner notifies the
Agency of its intention to apply 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Quality Assurance
Program, referenced in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i), to the repair of these pressure
relief valves. This notification only needs to be given once for all repairs of
pressure relief valves performed under the owner's 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Quality
Assurance Program at the nuclear facility.
B) The manufacturer of the valve who is in
possession of a valid ASME "V", "NV" or "UV" Certificate of Authorization,
provided repairs are within the scope of the organization's Certificate of
Authorization and are performed under the organization's Quality Control System
or Quality Assurance System, as applicable.
C) An organization in possession of a valid
"VR" Certificate of Authorization issued by the National Board, provided
repairs are within the scope of the organization's Certificate of Authorization
and are performed under the organization's Quality Control System.
D) An organization in possession of a valid
Certificate of Authorization issued by the Division of Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal, to repair pressure relief
valves provided repairs are within the scope of the organization's Certificate
of Authorization and performed under the organization's accepted Quality
Control System.
2)
Repair of a pressure relief valve is considered to be the replacement or
machining of any critical part, lapping of seat and disc or any other operation
that may affect the flow passage, capacity, function or pressure retaining
integrity. Disassembly and reassembly or adjustments that affect the pressure
relief valve function are not considered a repair, but a test confirming the
valve's set pressure shall be performed. The initial installation, testing and
adjustments of a new pressure relief valve on a non-ISI boiler or pressure
vessel are not considered a repair.
3) Nameplates and Stamping
A) The rules of Part 4, Section 4 of the
National Board Inspection Code shall apply. The exceptions and clarifications
of this subsection (b)(3) shall also apply.
B) Individuals authorized by the Division of
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal, who are
properly trained and qualified employees of the owner may make adjustments to
the set pressure provided the adjusted settings and the date of the adjustment
are recorded on a metal tag secured to the seal wire. All external adjustments
shall be resealed showing the identification of the organization making the
adjustments.
C) For owners that act
as the valve repair organization under the provisions of subsection (b)(1)(A)
who are not in possession of a valid "VR" Certificate of Authorization issued
by the National Board, the requirements for stamping and nameplates in Part 4,
Section 4 of the National Board Inspection Code shall not apply. All other
requirements shall be met.
4) Performance Testing
A) The rules of Part 4, Section 4 of the
National Board Inspection Code shall apply, regardless of whether the "VR"
stamp will be or has been applied. The exceptions and clarifications of this
subsection (b)(4) shall also apply.
B) For owners that act as the valve repair
organization under the provisions of subsection (b)(1)(A) who are not in
possession of a valid "VR" Certificate of Authorization issued by the National
Board, performance testing equipment qualified by the owner under Part 4,
Section 4 of the National Board Inspection Code shall be done by the owner. The
Authorized Inspector shall witness the qualification of test equipment and
review the documentation of the qualification.
5) Organizations that repair pressure relief
valves under subsections (b)(1)(B) through (b)(1)(D) may perform field repairs
in accordance with the following requirements.
A) Qualified technicians in the employ of the
repair organization perform the repairs.
B) Procedures that address field repairs are
contained in the Quality Control System or Quality Assurance System, as
applicable, and are maintained.
C)
All functions affecting the quality of the repaired pressure relief valves are
controlled from the location for which the appropriate authorization was
issued.
D) Periodic audits of work
carried out in the field are made by quality control personnel of the repair
organization to ensure that the requirements of the Quality Control System or
Quality Assurance System, as applicable, are met. This audit may include
witnessing the test of the field repaired pressure relief valve.
AGENCY NOTE: The application of the owner's 10 CFR 50
Appendix B Quality Assurance Program, referenced in subsections (b)(1)(A)(i),
(ii) and (iii), is subject to review by the Authorized
Inspector.