Information Notice 1990-72, Testing of Parallel Disc Gate Valves in Europe
I
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555
November 28, 1990
NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 90-72: TESTING OF PARALLEL DISC GATE VALVES
IN EUROPE
Addressees
All holders of operatinglicenses or construction permits for nuclear power
reactors.
Purpose
This information'notice is intended to alert addressees to the results of tests
of parallel disc gate valves by researchers from the United Kingdom (UK) and
theFederal Republic of Germany (FRG);. It is expected -that recipients will
review 'the information for applicability to their facilities and consider
actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problem.;.
However, suggestions
contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;
therefore, no specific action or written response Is required.
Discussion:
On October 15 to 19, 1990, members of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) staff met with nuclear regulatory authorities and industry representa- tives in the UK and the FRG to discuss the performance of motor-operated valves
(MOYs)4at nuclear power plants. During these discussions, researchers from
both the UK and the FRG described tests of the operation of parallel disc gate
valves under'high differential pressure and flow conditions. According to the
UK and FRG researchers, the tests resulted in internal damage to the gate
valves. This damage included-abrasion and galling of the disc-and seat sliding
surfaces.
Because of this damage, significantly more thrust was required to
operate'the'valves than was predicted by the commonly-used equation. In some
instances, the increased thrust requirements could have exceeded the setting of
the MOV torque switch or the capability of the motor operator.
During the meetings, the FRG representatives reported that an improved design
for parallel disc gate valves had been developed. This improved design has
additional sliding surface area to eliminate the excessive thrust requirements
for valve operation.
The FRG representatives reported that, as a result of
their valve tests, the FRG valve vendors now typically assume a valve friction
factor of 0.4 (plus or minus 0.1) in the commonly-used equation to estimate the
thrust required to operate the improved valve design. In the United States, a
valve friction factor of 0.2 is typically assumed for all parallel disc gate
9011210137
r
IN 90-72 November 28, 1990 valves even though little research has been conducted regarding the performance
of these valves under conditions of high differential pressure and flow.
A summary of the FRG parallel disc gate valve tests is provided in "Testing of
Safety-Related Valves of PWR and BWR Power Plants," by U. Simon, N. Rauffmann, and H. Schafer, which is printed in The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, PYP - Volume 180, Pipeline Dynamics and Valves (1989).
The parallel disc gate valve tests performed by the UK and FRGresearchers
provided results similar to the results of the NRC-sponsored tests of
flexible-wedge gate valves performed by researchers at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory. As with the tests of parallel disc-gate valves per- formed by UK and FRG researchers, the NRC-sponsored tests revealed that inter- nal damage may occur to the flexible-wedge gate valves when operated under
conditions of high differential pressure and flow.
Because of this internal
damage, the thrust required to operate the flexible-wedge gate valves exceeded
the thrust predicted from t.e commonly-used equation and typical friction
factors. The NRC-sponsored test results were discussed at public meetings on
February 1, 1989, and April 18, 1990, and are summarized in NRC Information
Notice 90-40, "Results of 1IRC-Sponsored Testing of Motor-Operated Valves."
Licensees and constructiot permit holders may wish to consider the results of
the UK and FRG tests when evaluating the capability of currently-installed
parallel disc gate valves and when considering the adequacy of replacement
vaves.i
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions ribout the information in this notice, please contact the
technical contact listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
Tfiomas'G. Scarbrough, NRR
(301) 492-0794 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
s
.
.
S
Attachment 1
IN 90-72 November-28, 1990 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
Information
Date of
Notice No.
Subject
Issuance
Issued to
90-71
90-70
Effective Use of Radi- ation Safety Committees
to Exercise Control Over
Medical Use Programs
90-38, Supp. 1
89-30,
Supp. 1
90-69
90-68
90-67
90-66
Pump Explosions Involving
Ammonium Nitrate
License and Fee Require- ments for Processing Fin- ancial Assurance Submittals
for Decommissioning
High Temperature Environ- ments At Nuclear Power
Plants
Adequacy of Emergency and
Essential Lighting
Stress Corrosion Cracking
of Reactor Coolant Pump Bolts
Potential Security Equipment
Weaknesses
Incomplete Draining and
Drying of Shipping Casks
11/6/90
11/6/90
11/6/90
11/1/90
10/31/90
10/30/90
10/29/90
10/25/90
All uranium
fabrication
conversion
facilities.
All fuel facility and
materials licensees.
All holders of OLs
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All holders of OLs
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All holders of OLs
or CPs for pres- surized water
reactors (PWRs).
All holders of OLs
or CPs for
nuclear power
reactors and
Category I fuel
facilities.
All holders of OLs
for nuclear
power reactors
and all registered
users of NRC
approved waste
shipping packages.
All NRC licensees
authorized to use by- product material for
medical purposes.
fuel
and
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
IN 90-72 November 28, 1990 valves even though little research has been conducted regarding the performance
of these valves under conditions of high differential pressure and flow.
A summary of the FRG parallel disc gate valve tests is provided in Testing of
Safety-Related Valves of PWR and BWR Power Plants," by U. Simon, N. Rauffmann, and H. Schafer, which is printed in The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, PVP - Volume 180, Pipeline Dynamics and Valves (1989).
The parallel disc gate valve tests performed by the UK and FRG researchers
provided results similar to the results of the NRC-sponsored tests of
flexible-wedge gate valves performed by researchers at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory.
As with the tests of parallel disc gate valves per- formed by UK and FRG researchers, the NRC-sponsored tests revealed that inter- nal damage may occur to the flexible-wedge gate valves when operated under
conditions of high differential pressure and flow. Because of this internal
damage, the thrust required to operate the flexible-wedge gate valves exceeded
the thrust predicted from the commonly-used equation and typical friction
factors.
The NRC-sponsored test results were discussed at public meetings on
February 1, 1989, and April 18, 1990, and are summarized in NRC Information
Notice 90-40, "Results of NRC-Sponsored Testing of Motor-Operated Valves.'
Licensees and construction permit holders may wish to consider the results of
the UK and FRG tests when evaluating the capability of currently-installed
parallel disc gate valves and when considering the adequacy of replacement
valves.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response.
If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact the
technical contact listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
Thomas G. Scarbrough, NRR
(301) 492-0794 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURJEyJC&y
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- C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR*AD/GPA:IP
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Document Name: IN 90-72
IN 90-XX
November xx, 1990 valves even though little research has been conducted regarding the performance
of these valves under conditions of high differential pressure and flow.
A summary of the FRG parallel disc gate valve tests is provided in uTesting of
Safety-Related Valves of PWR and BWR Power Plants," by U. Simon, N. Rauffmann, and H. Schafer, which is printed in The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, PVP - Volume 180, Pipeline Dynamics and Valves (1989).
The parallel disc gate valve tests performed by the UK and FRG researchers
provided results similar to the results of the NRC-sponsored tests of
flexible-wedge gate valves performed by researchers at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory. As with the tests of parallel disc gate valves per- formed by UK and FRG researchers, the NRC-sponsored tests revealed that inter- nal damage may occur to the flexible-wedge gate valves when operated under
conditions of high differential pressure and flow. Because of this internal
damage, the thrust required to operate the flexible-wedge gate valves exceeded
the thrust predicted from the commonly-used equation and typical friction
factors. The NRC-sponsored test results were discussed at public meetings on
February 1, 1989, and April 18, 1990, and are summarized in NRC Information
Notice 90-40, "Results of NRC-Sponsored Testing of Motor-Operated Valves."
Licensees and construction permit holders should be aware of the results of the
UK and FRG tests when evaluating the capability of currently-installed parallel
disc gate valves and when considering the adequacy of replacement valves.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact the
technical contact listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
Thomas G. Scarbrough, NRR
(301) 492-0794 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
Document Name: UK AND FRG MOV TESTING RESULTS
- SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES
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C/OGCB:uE
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- RPB:ADM
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LBMarsh
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11/07/90
11/09/90
11/09/90
11/09/90
11/14/90
IN 90-XX
November xx, 1990 valves even though little research has been conducted regarding the performance
of these valves under conditions of high differential pressure and flow.
A summary of the FRG parallel disc gate tests is provided in "Testing of
Safety-Related Valves of PWR and BWR Power Plants," by U. Simon, N.
Rauffmann, and H. Schafer, which is printed in The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, PYP - Volume 180, Pipeline Dynamics and Valves (1989).
The parallel disc gate valve tests performed by the UK and FRG researchers
provided results similar to the results of the NRC-sponsored tests of
flexible-wedge gate valves performed by researchers at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory. As with the tests of parallel disc gate valves per- formed by UK and FRG researchers, the NRC-sponsored tests revealed that inter- nal damage may occur to the flexible-wedge gate valves when operated under
conditions of high differential pressure and flow. Because of this internal
damage, the thrust required to operate the flexible-wedge gate valves exceeded
the thrust predicted from the commonly-used equation and the typically used
friction factors. The NRC-sponsored test results were discussed on public
meetings on February 1, 1989, and April 18, 1990, and are summarized in NRC
Information Notice 90-04, "Results of NRC-Sponsored Testing of Motor-Operated
Valves."
Licensees and construction permit holders should be aware of the results of the
UK and FRG tests when evaluating the capability of currently installed parallel
disc gate valves and when considering the adequacy of replacement valves.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact the
technical contact listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact:
Thomas G. Scarbrough, NRR
(301) 492-0794 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
Document Name: UK AND FRG
MOV TESTING RESULTS
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