ML19208B604
| ML19208B604 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Big Rock Point, Palisades File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 09/10/1979 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Dewitt R CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909210058 | |
| Download: ML19208B604 (1) | |
Text
/
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'o UNITED STATES 8\\
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3,qg'n"@/, E REGION 111 o, gi 799 ROOSEVELT ROAD
' %.s GLEN ELLYN, ILLINolS 60137 9 10 M Docket No. 50-155 Docket No. 50-255 Consumers Power Company ATTN:
Mr. R. B. DeWitt Manager of Nuclear Plant Operations 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson. MI 49201 i
Gentlemen:
The enclosed IE Circular No. 79-18 is forwarded to you for information.
No written response is required.
Should you have any questions related to your understanding of the recommendations on this matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely, C L x % fr G A w
[JamesG.K"ep" peer Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Circular No. 79-18 2.
List of IE Circulars Issued in the Last Six Months cc w/ encl:
Mr. C. J. Hartman, Local PDR Plant Superintendent NSIC Mr. J. G. Lewis, Plant TIC Superintendent Ronald Caller., Michigan Public Central Files Service Conmission Director, NRR/DPM Anthony Roisman, Esq.,
Director, NRR/ DOR Attorney PDR Myron M. Cherry, Chicago 384080 4
sb 7 909 210 O rp 9
S.
Accession No: 7908200385 SSINS No. 6830 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 September 10, 1979 IE Circular No. 79-18 pit 0PER INSTALLATION OF TARGET ROCK SAFETY-RhiLIEF VALVES Description of Circumstances:
As a result of NRC monitoring of operating experiences involving the Target Rock safety-relief valve, two potential problems have been identified.
One potential problem is that the performance of the valve has been found to be impaired by either excessive or insufficient insulation around the ' valve body when installed in its service environment.
The other potential problem is that improper assembly of the modified valve can result in inoperability of the remote air actuator.
The Target Rock safety-relief valve is a dual purpose valve in that overpressure response is provided by pilot valve action and automatic depressurization (ADS) is provided by a remote air actuator.
Valve operation has been found to be affected by the amount of insulation placed around the valve body.
A previous IE Bulletin No. 76-06 was issued on July 21, 1976 as a result of operating experiences where excessive insulation was installed on the valve.
The excessive insulation caused excessive heat to be retained producing a higher temperature environment for the elastomeric diaphragm which resulted in accelerated deterioration of the elastomer. Failure of the elastomeric viaphragm, makes the valve inoperable in the power-operation mode (i.e. manual and ADS).
Subsequently, a silicone-nomex diaphragm was developed by the manufacturer to provide a longer life in high temperature environments.
In addition, the IE Bulletin explicitly required that insulation be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
~
A recent licen. nee s ent report from the Monticello facility identified a potential problem resulting from insufficient insulation (i.e. just opposite of the condition addressed by IE Bulletin 76-06).
During the performance of special testing of the response to safety-relief valve operation, a valve was discovered to be exceeding its design delay time for opening.
Subsequent inspection and testing of the valve revealed that insufficient insulation may cause condensation to accumulate in the pressure venting ports which then results in delaying the opening of the main disk.
This slower response time is significant with respect to priaary system overpressure and similar transient response analyses.
Although the reported event at Monticello involved the three-stage Target Rock safety-relief v of_ insulation are similarly applicable t va1ves.
DUPLICATE DOCUMENT The second potential problem was recentl Entire document previously entered The licensee event report indicated that into system under:
design two-stage valve resulted in preve ANO HOCoO3SS No. of pages:
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