ML20040E570
| ML20040E570 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Summer  |
| Issue date: | 01/27/1982 |
| From: | Nichols T SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS CO. |
| To: | James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| References | |
| 10CFR-050.55E, 10CFR-50.55E, NUDOCS 8202050112 | |
| Download: ML20040E570 (4) | |
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SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC a GAS COMPAN
/,'f POST OrriCE Box 764
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COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29218 t c. niewots.,1a.
January 27, 1982 ql n...........-.e._,
NvCLaan OrteAT@NS James P. O'Reilly, Director U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Comnissicn Region II, Suite 3100 101 Marietta Street, N. W.
Atlanta, GA 30303
Subject:
V. C. Stmmer Nuclear Staticn Docket No. 50/395 O' Brim Cannectors cn Valcor Ehgineering Corp. Valves NE File:
3.1051
Dear Mr. O'Reilly:
01 March 10,1981 Mr. Paul Kellog of NBC Regicn II was notified of a potmtial significant deficimcy or potatial substmtial safety hazard amicerning mrroded pity assemblies associated with solmoid valves. _ 01 April 8,1981 m interim report was set to Mr. O'Reilly.
me mrrosicn problem was a combined effect from the application of the valve and ocnnector. Circuit design changes, potting materials md new material were added to the cx2inector and valve to eliminate the problems.
%e item is being reported as a significant deficiscy inder 10CFR50.55 (e). te details of the item are attached. mis is considered a final report of the matter.
Very truly yours, a g-f
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T. C. Nichols, Jr.
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8202050112 820127
[C PDR ADOCK 05000395 y
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e Mr. James P. O'Reilly Page tm l
January 27, 1982 cc:
J. P. O'Reilly V. C. Sununer T. C. Nichols, Jr.
G. H. Fischer H. N. Cyrus H. T. Babb D. A. Natsnan M. B. Whitaker, Jr.
W. A. Williams, Jr.
O. S. Bradham R. B. Clary M. N. Browne A. R. Kocn H. Radin O. W. Dixcn, Jr.
Site Q. A.
G. J. Braddick J. K. Skolds J. B. Knotts, Jr.
B. A. Bursey J. C. Ruoff I&E (Washingtcn)
Doctant Management Branch
- (55e, 21, LER mly)
Harry Hillberg Harvey Boresan D. G. O' Brim NPCF File 4
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.i 10CFR50.55(e) - SIO4IFICANT DEFICIENCY 1.
Idmtificatiot of Notco1formance f
Corroded plug assenbly - a D. G. O'Brist connector connected to a Valcor B1gineering Corp. soleioid valve.
2.
Number and Iocatial of Noicaiformance Valves 9398B, 93508, 9365B, 9365C Auxiliary building 412 level near to coltainment building 3.
Significant Deficietcy Created and Evaluaticn Diergized to opm solenoid valves supplied by Valcor Engineering Corp. are used as cantainment isolatiot valves in sampling applications. %e valves were qualified to IEEE 323 1974 with interface wiring piped to the outside of the test autoclave. In order for this qualificatial to be applicable to their installed locatims within harsh mvircnmmts, qualified hermetic cmnectors supplied by D. G. O'Brien are used as entrmce fittings. During the investigatici of a soleioid valve failure to operate, corrosiot products were fomd at the connector pins where the wires etter from the soleioid. %e corrosicn products caussi electrical short circuits.
01 3/13/81, tests to determine the corrosive products were performed by Arnold Greene Testing Laboratories Incorporated for D. G. O'Briet, Inc. %e contaminants were idstified by scanning electro 1 microscopic / energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopic techniques as corrosion desposite typical of stainless steel, the same as the connector. %e cottaminants ccnsisted of chromian oxide, ferrous oxide, nickel oxide, silica oxide md a percentage of unknown materials.
Gilbert Associates, Valcor Digineering, Inc. and D. G. O'Briet Corp. visted the V. C. Sturmer site and net with SCE&G Nuclear Digineering c1 furch 31,1981 to discuss the cntrosicn prehlem.
During the visit, a nunber of Valcor valves and O'Briel connector assemblies were disassenbled md viewed.
On 4/8/81, Valcor B1gineering Corporaticn reconnendel that SCE&G add a voltage md currett reducing omstrol panel to the power feeds to the Valcor valve which would lower the effective holding Inwer and thereby reduce the Valcor valve coil temperature, at m ambient of 120*F, fran approximately 294 F to approximately 160'F.
Also, to eliminate the possibility of cositure from getting into the pins, the back of the ccnnector should be potted and a sealeit should be used to eliminate leaks in the nipple threads.
D. G. O'Brien reconmaidei the use of Dow Corning DC 170 potting e.xnpound for the back of the ocnnector.
On 5/29/81, SCE&G Nuclear Engineering contracted Valcor B1gineering Corp. to have Collob Analytical Service identify and quantify the gases whid1 were give off fran the Valcor solenoid coils. 'Ihe results of tests dated 10/8/81 and 11/19/81 showed that at operating tenperatures gases were given off but no ccnclusicis could be reached that the gases caused the carrosiot problen.
SCE&G Nuclear B1gineering reviewed the reconmmdation of D. G.
O'Briet, Valcor Digineering Corp. and Gilbert Associates, Inc. to arrive at the solutiot of the problem md to report the item to the NRC. 'Ihe short results in loss of the soleioid valve and will prevent the valve from opening if its needed. 'Ihe valves are used for post-accidmt sampling and are necessary to obtain samples in a timely manner after m accidett. Samples should be analyzed within m hour after m accidet. Ioss of the use of the sampling system is cuisidered to be a significant deficiency. No loss of fluid or spills are expected fran the above problem.
4.
Corrective Acticn A.
'Ib every safety related Valcor valve a voltage reducing circuit will be added to lower the holding voltage of the sole 1oid coil, thus reducing the heating of the solenoid coil, and potattial offgasing.
B.
DC 170 potting cunpomd will be used to seal the wires and protect the O' Brim cmnector pins fran any noisture or corrosive products.
C.
Stainless steel nipples will be used instead of galvanized nipples to preclude any nnterial interacticn.
D.
Water tight coinectiois betwem the O'Brien catnector, the nipple and the Valcor v dve body will be acccmplished by using Graphoil tape os the threaded coinectiots.