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TubeTurnsDivision:Me vE*RCN C CaplerC e

Bcx 32160. Louisde. <emucky 4C232Telephone 502 774-5011

July 13, 1979

Fuclear Regulatory C&4ssienAttention: Mr. Uldais PotapovsOffice of Inspection and Enforcement611 Ryan Plasa Suite 1000Arlingten, Texas 76012

Gentlemen:

Mr. Oller of NRC suggested, during his Msy 15-13, 1979, investigation of ourrecall progran en l+" elbcus and 2" tees, that we obtain frca U. S. Steel theirSpark Testing Precedure and q alificatiens of the persennel doirq the testing.

Erclosed is the Spark Testing Precedure provided by U. S. Steel and dated7/5/79 by Tube Tur.s. Also enclosed is a letter fron U. S. Steel providing

infor::ation en the qualificatiens of the two =en currently assigned to sprktesting the fittings involved in this recall progran.

Evidence of the capability er qualifications of the spark testing precedu eto differentiate the materials inrolved in this progran is provided by thetest data of Mr. Pegacni%. Cn nina tests where he estinated the carben cententby observation of the scark the greatest difference between actual and estinatewas .031 The difference in the carben of the two materials involved in therecall preg an is .221 The current material of A106 che=istry has a carbencentent of .22 and the incorrect API material has a carbon content of .I,4

It is regaested that the procedure and qualificaticas of the procedurebe reviewed by I:20 and an indication given that spark testing is an acceptablemethod for identificatica under the ccnditions that exist with the recallprogram of welding fittings identified as 46719.

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hH. H. George [Vice PresidentErgineerirg

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UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATIONLorain-Cuyahoga Works

Pipe Mills Metallurgical

SPARK TESTING PROCEDURE

The Spark Test is a method for classification and identification of steelsaccording to their chenical analysis, by visual exaaination of the sparkswhich are thrown off when the steels are held against a high-speed grindingwheel.

THEORY:

When a piece of steci is held in contact with a moving e=ery wheel, smallparticles of the metal are torn icose, a tearing process so rapid that thete=perature of the particles is raised to incandescence. As they are hurledthrough the air, the trajectory is quita easily followed; particularlyagainst a dark background. This trajectory is called a " carrier" line.

While a spark is incadescent, and in contact with the oxygen in the air, thecarbon present in the particle is burned to carbon dioxide. The transitionof solid carbon to gaseous carbon dioxide is acco=panied by an increase involu=e. Although the particle of hot steel is plastic, it offers resistanceto this volu=e increase, thus building up an internal pressure that is re-'lieved only by an explosion of the particle. The relation of carbon contentto the frequency of " bursts" = arks carbon as the ele =ent responsible for theforking of carrier lines. A 0.20% carbon steel exhibits a slight forkingeffect, a 0.40 carbon steel a much more pronounced " burst".

The co=ponents which are observed during the spark test are carrier lines,the spark " bursts" and characteristic sparks of varying alloying elements.

The spark burst, or the " carbon" spark is tne most useful characteristic ofthe spark stream, since the variations in the nt=ber and intensity of thebursts indicate very vividly the difference in carbon content. Also, one ofthe most easily recognized of all the characteristic sparks is that of molyb-denus, which appears as an orange-colored spear point at the end of everycarrier line.

Also, the spear points are detached from the carrier lines and are alwayspresent, regardless of the length of the lines.

continued

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PROCEDURI.

I. Equip =ent

A. Grinding Wheel

Carborundum - A36 PBFCW - 3-1/8" X 3/8"

Du= ore - 774-0046 - 2-1/8" X 3/8"

3. Grinder

Electric or air operated portable.No load speed - app.18000 RPMLoad speed - app. 9000 REM

C. Safety glasses - clear non-tinted lenses or shield.

II. Standards

A. A sa=ple of the correct chemistry =aterial of a si:e suitable forgenerating a spark stream for co=parison is required.The sa=ple shall be stenciled to identify it to the che=istry orspecification that it is known to =eet.

3. When testing is perfor=ed to locate =aterial of a known che=1stry,different from standard A, a sa=ple of the known =aterial shall beavailable in a size suitable for generating a spark stream forco=parison. The sa=ple shall be stenciled to identify it to thechemistry or specification it =eets.

III. Operating Procedure

A. Cleanliness - The product =ay be painted, rusty, coated or have amill scale. Nor=al practice is for the spark tester to preparethe surface by grinding until " clean" =etal is exposed. Theoperator deter =ines when the surface contamination has been pene-trated and a true spark stream is being observed.

3. Lighting - A darkened area is desired for spark testing particu-larly when the color of the spark is the pri=ary deter =1 nation beingused and when the test is being perfor=ed on a volu=e of naterial.The spark stream can be observed in brighter light when the sparkshape is a determining factor.

C. Testing

1. Prfor to start of testing at a job site, the spark testerwill grind the standards to fa=iliarize hi=self with sparkstrea=s of correct and incorrect chemistry.

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C. Testing (continued) ,

2. Af ter familiarizing hi=self with the standards, the sparktester will coc=ence testing and periodically spark thestandards to remain familiar with them.

3. The sample to be tested is ground with enough pressure toproduce a steady stream of sparks about 12 to 18 inches inlength and at a right angle to the spark tester's line ofvision. Experience will dictate to the certified sparktester the correct pressure required to caintain a streamof 17." to 18" without reducing the speed for cost efficientperfor=ance of the wheel.

IV. Personnel Training

A. Apprentice sparx testers are trained in a four day program at theMetallurgical Laboratory for proficiency in identifying the ele-ments, carbon and molybdenum. The training program includes safety,review of literature e.g. "The Art of Spark Testing" by E. Bishopincluding characteristic drawings of carbon and =olybdenum sparks,and extensive practice with known che=ical standards.

B. The apprentice spark tester is given a written test and a test withknown standards. The apprentice must be able to differentiate be-tween a carbon content percentage of .05% before certification anddetect the element molybdenum.

C. Af ter passing a test and qualifying to do spark testing, a do:u~,

ment is prepared and signed by the supervisor giving the type ofmaterials he is qualified to identify.

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LOW cAaSON PotX loch cA2SOM STAE

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The density- This feature of the spark stream isobserved at the center portion of the spark stream.As the carbon content increases, the density increasesbecause of the increase in nu=ber of carrier linesand bursts which are not only more numerous but also

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more co= plex. Again correct pressure on the wheel isextremely important in judging density.

Alloying elements and variations in deoxidationpractice effect density in direct proportion to thedeoxidizing characteristic of the elements or furnacepractice. Low carbon streams are sparse where ashigh carbon streams are very dense. The followingdrawings show this feature.

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EASTERN STEEL DIVISION,

LOR AIN.C uY ANCG A WORMS180T E A ST 2 S T M STREETLOR AIN. OMio 44055

July 6, 1979

Mr. 9. H. GeorgoVice President - EngineeringTube Turns

Su'dect: Gestificatiens of Storkt=*ters

Currently two sparktosters, Mr. E. E. Knipper and Mr. V.Pogeenik, are testing fittings in the field en two mixed

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steel cases with Tube Turns. Mr. V. Pegacnik has been asparktester for five years end copies of his sparktestingexaminations and certification are attached. He has beenemployed previously en sparktesting essignments in thefield as well as in-ple.,t.

Mr. E. E. Knipper has been a starktester for 20 yests.His training was received at USS Cuyahogs Works. He hasbean employed previcusly on sparktesting essignments inthe field end is used as a sparktest trainer at USS-LorainWorks. He is qualified to detect differences in corben of.05% and to detect molybdenun.

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Chier MetallurgistMotallurgical DivisionLorain-Cuyahogs Works

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