PNNL

Abstract

Electrical cables are integral to nuclear power plant operation and control during power generation, during planned outages, and during design basis events. Polymeric insulation and jacketing used in cable construction does age over time as a function of environmental stresses including heat, moisture, and radiation. Degradation of polymer mechanical properties can lead to breaks in the insulation and consequent electrical shorting. In this work we consider the thermal aging behavior of one of the two most common insulation polymer classes in nuclear power plants, ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR), both as an independent material and within a cable in which the EPR is bonded to a chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) jacket. Understanding the changes in these two materials with aging, both independently and in concert, will allow the establishment of aging lifetime curves and enable the development of effective non-destructive methods for tracking the condition of installed cables composed of similar material systems. Additional and more effective methods for monitoring the condition of installed cables are needed as a technical basis for continued safe use of aging cables in long term operation and to minimize operating costs for cable aging management through better informed retain/repair/replace decisions.