Information Notice 1985-35, Failure of Air Check Valves to Seat

Failure of Air Check Valves to Seat

ML031180267
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Skagit, Marble Hill
Issue date:	04/30/1985
From:	Jordan E NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-85-035, NUDOCS 8504250455
Download: ML031180267 (5)

SSINS No.: 6835 IN 85-35 UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 April 30, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-35: FAILURE OF AIR CHECK VALVES TO SEAT

Addressees

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or a

construction permit (CP).

Purpose

This information notice is being provided as a notification of a potentially

significant problem pertaining to Parker-Hannifin Corporation check valves, supplied by Anchor/Darling Valve Company, that may degrade the capability for

closing main steam isolation valves (MSIVs) or feed water isolation valves

(FWIVs) or may inhibit other safety functions. It is expected that recipients

will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider

actions, if appropriate, to preclude a similar problem occurring at their

facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not

constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response

is required.

Description of Circumstances

On March 14, 1985, at Byron Unit 1, two MSIVs failed to close on a main steam

line isolation signal as required. The cause was determined to be failure of

instrument air check valves to seat in response to gradually decreasing air

pressure.

At the time of the isolation signal, the unit was cooling down following the

startup test for loss of offsite power. The removal of offsite power had

deenergized the station air compressors, allowing the instrument air pressure

to decrease. The leaking instrument air check valves had allowed air accumula- tors to bleed down, removing the air pressure needed to shift hydraulic spool

valves so that the hydraulic circuits could close the MSIV (see Figure 1). As

a result, one of the four MSIVs did not close and one MSIV only partially

closed.

In subsequent bench testing, 7 of 8 check valves removed from Unit 1 failed to

seat, as did 4 of 11 replacement valves, when gradual loss of instrument air

pressure was simulated. All valves seated when the supply pressure was rapidly

decreased. Preoperational testing using rapid depressurization was satisfacto- ry; however, preoperational testing did not require slow depressurization.

Subsequent retesting has indicated continuing problems. The licensee has

decided to replace all these Parker-Hannifin check valves with Parker-Hannifin

check valves of modified design.

8504250455

IN 85-35 April 30, 1985 The valves that leaked are identified in Parker-Hannifin literature as

"Barstock Inline Check Valves, C Series, Catalog 2502." They were manufactured

by Parker-Hannifin and supplied by Anchor/Darling Valve Company (Part No.

W30261). The replacement valves are described as Viton Seat Body Brass Check

Valves with order number 8F-CAL-10-B. Anchor/Darling has notified the NRC that

the same check valves have been supplied to the plants listed in Attachment 1 for use in instrument air supply lines to MSIV actuators or to FWIV actuators.

It should also be noted that the valves may be in use in other applications

and/or other facilities.

A previous Information Notice, 82-25, described a related event with different

equipment. Valves equipped with Ralph A. Hiller Co. actuators were capable of

achieving their fail-safe position when the instrument air header was suddenly

depressurized, but would not do so with a slow depressurization.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional

Administrator of the appropriate regional office or this office.

Edward L,Ardan, Director

Division Emergency Preparedness

and Eng' eering Response

Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Vern Hodge, IE

301-492-7275 Attachments:

1. Figure 1 MSIV Control System

2. List of Known Applications

3. List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices

y4' , Air System

Hydraulic System

Leaking

Air Check

Valve.

Air Vent to -o" Xr*

Atmosphere -X 0001

-- <Zn n

I ;r

o en m

-I

4D __

0a

L"

CO1 FIgure 1 MSIV Control System

Attachment 2 IN 85-35 April 30, 1985 List of Known Applications

The Anchor/Darling Valve Company has supplied Parker-Hannefin air check valves, which leaked at Byron 1, to the following plants for applications in main

steam isolation valve (MSIV) actuators or feed water isolation valve (FWIV)

actuators.

Plant Application

Byron 1, 2 MSIV  :

Braidwood 1, 2 MSIV

Callaway MSIV, FWIV

Wolf Creek MSIV, FWIV

WNP 1 MSIV, FWIV

WNP 3 MSIV

Palo Verde 1, 2, 3 MSIV, FWIV

Millstone 3 FWIV

Summer FWIV

Waterford 3 FWIV

-- Vogtle 1, 2 - FWIV

Attachment 3 IN 85-35 April 30, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

IE INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to

85-34 Heat Tracing Contributes To 4/30/85 All power reactor

Corrosion Failure Of Stainless facilities holding

Steel Piping an OL or CP

84-84 Deficiencies In Ferro- 4/24/85 All power reactor

Rev. 1 Resonant Transformers facilities holding

an OL or CP

85-33 Undersized Nozzle-To-Shell 4/22/85 All power reactor

Welded Joints In Tanks And facilities holding

Heat Exchangers Constructed an OL or CP

Under The Rules Of The ASME

Boiler And Pressure Vessel

Code

85-32 Recent Engine Failures Of 4/22/85 All power reactor

Emergency Diesel Generators facilities holding

an OL or CP

85-31 Buildup Of Enriched Uranium 4/19/85 All uranium fuel

In Ventilation Ducts And fabrication licensees

Associated Effluent Treatment

Systems

85-30 Microbiologically Induced 4/19/85 All power reactor

Corrosion Of Containemnt facilities holding

Service Water System an OL or CP

85-29 Use Of Unqualified Sources 4/12/85 All well logging

In Well Logging Applications source licensees

85-03 Separation Of Primary Reactor 4/9/85 All power reactor

Sup. 1 Coolant Pump Shaft And facilities holding

Impeller an OL or CP

85-28 Partial Loss Of. AC Power And 4/9/85 All power reactor

Diesel Generator Degradation facilities holding

an OL or CP

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit