ML18139A063

Forwards IE Info Notice 80-11, Generic Problems W/Asco Valves in Nuclear Applications Including Fire Protection Sys. No Action or Written Response Required

ML18139A063
Person / Time
Site:	Surry, North Anna
Issue date:	03/14/1980
From:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:	Ferguson J VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.)
References
NUDOCS 8003250580
Download: ML18139A063 (9)

Text

e UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II 101 MARIETTA ST., N.W., SUITE 3100 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 In Reply Refer To:

RII:JPO 50-338, 50-339 50-404, 50-405

<50-280, 50-28!::)

MAR 14 1980 Virginia Electric and Power Company Attn: J. H. Ferguson Executive Vice President-Power P.O. Box 26666 Richmond, VA 23261 Gentlemen:

This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter. It is expected that recipients will review the infor-mation for possible applicability to their facilities.

No specific action or response is requested at this time.

If further NRC evaluations so indi-cate, an IE Circular, Bulletin, or Generic Letter will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions.

If you have questions regarding the matter, please contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.

Enclosures:

1.

IE Information Notice No. 80-11

2.

List of IE Information Notices Recently Issued Sincerely,

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I; Virginia Electric and Power Company cc w/encl:

W.R. Cartwright, Station Manager Post Office Box 402 M~neral, Virginia 23117 P. G. Perry Senior Resident Engineer Post Office Box 38 Mineral, Virginia 23117 W. L. Stewart, Manager Post Office Box 315 Surry, Virginia 23883 MAR 14 1980.,,.

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UNITED STATES SSINS No. 6870 Accession No.:

7912190684 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORGEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.

20555 March 14, 1980 IE Information Notice No. 80-11 GENERIC PROBLEMS WITH ASCO VALVES IN NUCLEAR APPLICATIONS INCLUDING FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS Description of Circumstances: is a Recall Notice from The Viking Corporation, dated July 16, 1979 that identifies ASCO valves used in certain Viking fire protection equipment that could fail.

Licensees should review their fire protection system components to determine if the equipment identified in the Viking Recall Notice is in their facility.

If the identified equipment is installed in the fire protection system, then the modifications specified in the Recall Notice should be made and tested for proper operation.

The requirements of the technical specifications or any other licensee commitment should be complied with when a fire protection system is disabled.

South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station) reported to the NRC on October 2~, 1979, a potential significant deficiency regarding the effects of oil on ~lastomeric materials used in ASCO NP-1 solenoid valves. Specifically, these valves utilize an ethylene propylene elastomer which expands or swells when brought into contact with oils, possibly causing valve failure.

For this reason, ASCO specifies these NP-1 solenoid valves for use in "oil free instrument air" systems.

Although instrument air systems are "oil free" by design, installation instructions may specify the use of thread lubricants utilizing an oil base.

Thus, the potential exists for traces of this lubricant from threaded connec-tions in the air system, in addition to !:races of oil from the air_compressors themselves, to come into contact with the elastomers in the solenoid valves.

Degraded elastomers can cause the solenoid valve to fail by sticking, swelling closed flow paths~ or rupturing causing leakage across the seat or to atmosphere.

Failure of the solenoid to function properly on an active valve could prevent a system from performing its required safety function.

Some ASCO NP-1 solenoid valves are equipped with tags which state: "Important -

this valve is equipped with ethylene propylene elastomers which can be attacked by oils and greases.

To be used for oil-free _instrument quality air.

Clean pipe threads of cutting oils." Care should be ~en to use approved thread lubricants which do not contain oil for the installation of these valves.

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IE Information Notice No. 80-11 March 14, 1980 Page 2 of 2 ASCO offers.viton elastomers as an option for thei~ NP-1 solenoid valves.

The viton elastomers are not affected by oil or grease.. Replacement kits of viton elastomers are available for the NP-1 solenoid valves from ASCO.

It is recom-mended that ethylene propylene elastomers found in Class IE qualified ASCO NP-I solenoid valves be replaced with the viton kits.

In addition, enclosed is a letter from EG&G (Enclosure 2) dated December 26, 1979 that provides the results of an LER review of failure of solenoid valves.

This Information Notice provided information about a potential safety concern.

No written response is required. If you desire additional information regarding this matt~r, contact the Director of the appropriate Regional Office.

Enclosure:

1.

Viking Corporation Recall Notice

2.

EG&G Letter, Dearien to Tiller dated December 26, 1979

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r RECALL NOTICE e

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Viking Hodel B-2 Magnetic ByRass and Flrecycle Trrm 8ox We have been informed by the manufacturer that the following listed so~enold valves may r.ontain a black teflon coated co~e whi~h could cause Improper valve OP.eration under certain water and heat conditions.

Such failure could result in the sprink-ler !.ystem not operating or, once having operated, not being capable of being.reset.

Solenoid valves in question are as follows:

1'ASC011 Automatic S\\'iitch Co ** wl th the fo1 lowing specifications:

Catalo9 No.

Voltage Serl al Mo.

ntT82IOB34 I 20/6q.. *.

199l3E

• THT821 OB34

. 120/60 70440E THT821<JB3li 120/60 59284E THT8210B3~E 120/60 79329E T11TOZ: 1 OC> )4 IL0/00

,r,o'-tc TFT){8210B34E 120/60 28508H THT8210B34E 120/60 42S36H R2l1B34 24/60 28510H THT8210S3~

12/DC 79328(

THT8210834 24/DC 13912E THT8210834 2~/DC 50445E THT8210B34 24/DC 56556E

'tHT82l0B34 24/DC 59285£ THT82t0B34E 24/DC 79327E THT8Zt0B)4E 24/0C*

82928E THTi210834E 24/DC 91619E THT82l0B34E 24/0C 16871H THT82l0B3~E 24/DC 18391 H 8211834 24/DC 28511H THT8210B34E 125/0C 79330E The~t-valves mey h.tve been used on the fol lowing items of Vi Icing equipment:

Tt,e Model 118-2" Magnetic Bypass and the FI recvc*1e Valvo Trim lox shipped from Viking from January 1977 thrc;>ugh May 1979, Including those modified as a result of the Viking Jan~ary ~o. 1978 Recall

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fn 1977 the m~nuf~cturer received some tefJon co*ted cores that may not have been processed proper'4y.

It hes now become *pparent that under certain water and heat conditions. the teflon coating may blister end flak~ off end thts may cause the valve to stick tn either the open or closed pos'ltion.

In Hay, 1979 the manu-facturer changed to a non-coated core whieh he be I icves wi 11 correct the problem.

Vikfog became aware of the probfem as the result of reports from the fie1d indi-cating failures of devtces during routine testing.

A check wlth the manufacturer Indicated that the above described changes had.taken place.

Viking feels very strongly that the presence of potentially defective solenoid valves in the field constitutes an extremely dangerous slt~atton 0nd r~cOli'ffiends to all _owners of the above J fsted equipment that they lrnrnediate1y inspect the equipment to determine if the suspect sotanotds ere employed.

ALL VIKING INSTAI I ER; ARE REQU~&T£D TD fNi:'OIU-1 Akv 0\\hlC:RS WITH WtlOH TUEY Ht(y DE ACQUAINTED OF' THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AN~ TO OF'FER THEIR SERVICES TO SUCH OWNERS.

If suspect solenoid valves are foundp the system should immedl~tely be tested in accorda~ee with the owner's instructions and a Modification Kit should be ord~red directly from ASCO at the following address:

Automatic Switeh C~any 56-A Hanover Rd.

Florham Park. New Jersey 07932

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Att.n:

Hike Co I aneri As~t. Mgr., Service Dept.

Telephone* (201) 966-2314 ORDER ASCO KIT NO.

214*997 (For AC or DC Service)

Order one kit for each H*gnetic Bypass to be modified and two-kits for e*ch Fir*-

cycte System.

The Modt.fication kit wl11 ~onsi5t of:

C-ore and sufficient parts with spectflc in-structions for repoir ~f Magnetic Byp*si ~nd Fireeyele Trim Box.

In order to effect the modiflclatfon, It wtll be neces$ilry ti) take the_ system out**

-* of service, shut off the power, dfsconnect the solenoid leads and dis~ssembla the

. coil..

There fs no disassembly of piping.

It is estimated that modifications tp the salenold valve itself CQn be *accompl fshed in approximtitely 20 minutes.

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The 11odlficatJon Kit 1111i 11 be furnished wtthout charge by ASCO. * -The modlf I cations

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should be made as soon as 2osslbJe.nd _t~e replaced parts returr1ed to ASCO by

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J*nulry 1, 1980.

Any quest Ions., should be refe~red_ to ASCO..

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ow,ic:,s Shoura be rerrunoea or tne extreme Importance ot conducting mefnten~nc.e and

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. determined by suc:h ac.tlvitic;s. P:raper testing and meintenence.,.. partlculaXJY,)!11-

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tesu. in *ccord.er:ce with Vikingfc ln,tl"uctlons.* AU oft.he abo,ve *noted f*llure.s were

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portant when electro.-chanieal conpcnents *re involved.

• • Such components shoulcf be it.,,, e"'en:ised frequently.

An erm:.rgency system is no better than -the c:are it receives.

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ENCLOSURE 2

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Decetlber 26. 1g79 Mr. R. £. Tiller, D1~tc,r Reacto~ Oro~ationt and ~rogra111c Dfvf~1on Idaho Oper1tions Offfca

• DO£ Idaho Fn11sa ID 83401 SOLEPIOID VJ\\LVE FAILURES REPORTED IH LlCErtSEE EVENTS REPORTS

• JA0-253.79 Ref:

D. G. Eisenhut Ltr to All Pressurized Water Reactors dated September 21, 1979

Dear Hr. Ti11er:

EGtaG fs tn the process of sunma~izfng and evaluating Ltcensee E¥ent Reports (LERs) under contract to the Probab11fstfc Analysis Staff of rmc.

Having received a copy of the above referenced letter.

EG&G felt that some of the 1nfonnat1on gleaned from the LER.s NY be of vn1ua to NRC 1n 1nvest1gat1ng the. nature and fnqueney of so1eno1d velve failures.

In evaluating Licensee Ewmt" Repons.(LERs) on n1ves and w1ve ooerators we have encountered fP.artY fa11uroe$ af solenoid valves whf c~ contro1 the air supply to air c,perated valves.. Fifty fail-ures of 1<>leno1d valves 1n a1r supply systems appear tn 41 LERs.

Twenty-tht-ce of the 50 failures occurred 1n ten sets of two or three fa.11ures. Each set of.. 1t1ple failures was dtSCOYered 1n ono plant oo

• 11ngle date. lie considered these Hts to a.,OS*

s1ble COIT,JOn cause fa11ures because each 1et exh1bfted a ccmllion faflurc 11etchan1sm.

Fifteen of the 50 faflures wre,eport~d by 11nt plant. Zion 1. :

All of Zion's fa11ures resulted fl"'OIII the S1f11e*fa11ure aachlnf111

• foreign materfal contamfnatfon.. Twelve of Zion's 15 failures were 11111ttpl~ failures; that fs. they appeared fn sets of failures as d1scussad above.

The rena1n1ng 3S fe11ures were reported by 20 d1fferC!nt plants; one reported nve faflures end the rest Nported three or less.

In eva1ucat1ng 'thet!r M1ffl".nid 'ft1Wt~; *~ -~~nrs ~t generic prob,-

1ems ma_v ~fit 1n the use of 1a1ano1d valves for controllfng air

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R. £. Tiller December 26. 197!1 JAl>~l!)d-19 Page 2 t

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supp1y systems. TM Njor Pl"Ob1* IPI*" to be the tncompetfb111t.v of the so1eno1d valves with foreign flllter1e1.*. spec1ffca11y on. wt.1th can be pM!sent tn t.ha af~ 1upply sy;t....~. Forty percent of the sole-.

no1d vnlva fafluJtes wre nported u be1ng caused b)' 011 or other' forefgn caaterfal fn the a1r supply 1yster.2. Another problem appears to be the envfronment 1n which the 101eno1d resides. Efghteenper-cent of the failures were reported as being caused by high tempera*

ture Ind lun1dft.Y nsu1t1ng 1n electrical fa11ure of the solei,o1d.

We hopo thct this 1nfonnat1on wnt be useful. If you should have any questions, pleas~ contact c. f. Miller at (FTS) 583-9673. or H. D. Cox at (FTS) 583-9&35

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CCI "* E. Vesely. ICRC..PAS D. G. E1senhut. NRC-DOR R. W. ICfehn, EG&G Idaho

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e IE Information Notice No. 80-11 March 14, 1980 RECENTLY ISSUED Information Notice No. 80-11 80-10 80-09 80-08 80-07 80-06 80-05 80-04 80-03 80-02 80-01 79-37 79-36 IE INFORMATION NOTICES Subject Generic Problems with ASCO Valves in Nuclear Applica-tions Including Fire Pro-tection Systems Partial Loss of Non-Nuclear Instrument System Power Supply During Operation Possible Occupational Health Hazard Associated with Closed Cooling Systems The States Company Sliding Link Electrical Terminal Block Pump Shaft Fatigue Cracking Notification of Significant Events Chloride Contamination of Safety Related Piping BWR Fuel Exposure in ExcesJ;of Limits Main Turbine Electro-Hydraulic Control System 8X8R Water Rod Lower End Plug Wear Fuel Handling Events Cracking in Low-Pressure Tprbine Discs Computer Code Defect in Stress Analysis of Piping Elbow Date*

Issued 3/14/80 3/7/80 3/7/80 3/7/80 2/29/80 2/27/80 2/8/80 2/4/80 1/31/80 1/25/80

• . l/!_t/80 12/28/79 12/31/79 Enclosure Issued To All OLs and CPs and Fuel Fabrication &

Processing facilities All power reactor facilities h-0lding OLs and CPs All holders of.

power reactor OLs and near term CPs All power reactor facilities with an OL or a CP All Light Water Reactor Facilities holder power reactor OLs and CPs All holders of Reactor OLs and to near term OL applicants All licensees of nuclear power reactor facilities and applicants and holders of nuclear power reactor CPs All BWR's holding a power reactor OL or CP All holders of power reactor OI.s and CPs All BWR Facilities holder power reactor OI.s or CPs All holders of power reactor OI.s and CPs All power reactor:ots:*

and CPs

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All power reactor OLs

• and CPs