Abstract
ABSTRACT A three-phase AC low-voltage cable insulated with flame-retardant ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (FR-EPDM), laid in a nuclear power plant (NPP) for 23 years, was removed. Several pieces of tubular insulation samples were obtained by removing the conductors out of the cable. For comparison, similar insulation samples were also prepared using a similar unaged cable and those aged artificially in different manners by the irradiation with gamma rays. In addition, the irradiation with gamma rays and exposure to steam, which simulated a plausible environment during a severe accident, were also given to some of those tubular samples. Tensile tests were performed to measure the elongation-at-break and tensile strength of those aged and unaged samples. As a result, it has become clear that the cable removed from the NPP did not severely deteriorate. In addition, it was found that the subsequent steam exposure can alleviate the mechanical degradation of FR-EPDM caused by the gamma-ray irradiation. The validity of the method to simulate the aging suffered in the NPP is discussed.
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