Part 21 Report - 1997-752

 
 

ACCESSION #: 9711260073



                                   ABB



                                        November 20, 1997

                                        LD-97-033



Document Control Desk

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington.  DC 20555



Subject:       Additional Information Pursuant to 10 CFR 21 Regarding

               Certain Models of Potter & Brumfield Relays



Reference:     I. C. Rickard, "Report Pursuant to 10 CFR 21 Regarding

               Certain Models of Potter & Brumfield Relays," LD-97-028,

               October 13, 1997



Gentlemen:



The purpose of this letter is to notify the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

of additional information concerning the defect pursuant to 10 CFR 21,

"Reporting of Defects and Noncompliance," that was reported in the

referenced letter.  The identified "defect" is contamination of lubricant

which has led to the hardening of the lubricant in certain Potter &

Brumfield Products Division MDR relay models 170-1 and 7032 such that the

relays could fail to function.  For the applications for which ABB-CE has

supplied these relays, failure to function is a failure of the relays to

open when deenergized.  These relays are used in the Plant Protection

System (i.e., Engineered Safety Features Actuation System and Reactor

Protection System).



In the referenced report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, it was

stated that Potter & Brumfield had verbally indicated that they believe

model MDR relays potentially affected are date-coded 94XX, and that

earlier (93XX) and later (95XX) date-coded relays are not affected.

Potter & Brumfield's initial evaluation of the reported problem is that

the lubricant hardening effect is likely due to contaminants introduced

into the lubricant and potentially excessive application of lubricant

which occurred during assembly of the suspect relays.  During a

conference call held with Potter & Brumfield on November 17, 1997, ABB-CE

was informed that this lubricant contamination concern is now potentially

extended to include MDR relay models manufactured with date codes 93XX

through 95XX During this conference call, ABB-CE learned that Potter &

Brumfield instituted a design change (non-lubricated bearings to

lubricated bearings)



              ABB Combustion Engineering Nuclear Operations



Combustion Engineering, Inc.       P.O.  Box 500

                                   7000 Prospect Hill Road

                                   Windsor, Connecticut 06095-0500



                                   Telephone (203) 688-1911

                                   Fax (203) 285-95[Illegible no.]



LD-97-033

Page 2



in 1988.  Potter & Brumfield is reviewing its bearing lubrication process

and the need for bearing lubrication for the low cycle nuclear power

plant applications for which ABB-CE has provided the relays.  This review

also includes evaluation of the affected date code period and affected

models back to the time that the design change was made, Potter &

Brumfield has committed to complete its root cause analysis on the

failure mechanism and issue a written report which includes recommended

corrective actions and detailed date code identification by December 1,

1997.



ABB-CE will inform its customers of this change in applicability by copy

of this letter.



                                        Very truly yours,

                                        COMBUSTION ENGINEERING, Inc,



                                        Ian C.  Rickard, Director

                                        Operations Licensing



cc: M. F. Barnoski (ABB-CE)



GENERAL INFORMATION or OTHER                 EVENT NUMBER: 33077



LICENSEE: ABB COMBUSTION ENGINEERING        NOTIFICATION DATE: 10/13/97

    CITY: WINDSOR             REGION: 1     NOTIFICATION TIME: 13:42 [ET]

  COUNTY:                      STATE: CT    EVENT DATE:        08/06/97

LICENSE#:                  AGREEMENT: N     EVENT TIME:        00:00[EDT]

  DOCKET:                                   LAST UPDATE DATE:  11/20/97



                                                  NOTIFICATIONS



                                             JOHN PELLET         RDO



NRC NOTIFIED BY: HESS                        VERN HODGE          NRR

HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD



EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE

10 CFR SECTION:

CCCC 21.21          UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH



                               EVENT TEXT



ABB COMBUSTION REPORTED A PART 21 ON CERTAIN MODELS OF POTTER &

BRUMFIELD

RELAYS.  THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE "DEFECT" AS CONTAMINATION OF

LUBRICANT

WHICH HAS LEAD TO THE HARDENING OF THE LUBRICANT IN CERTAIN POTTER

&

BRUMFIELD PRODUCTS DIVISION MDR RELAYS (MODELS "170-1" AND "7032"). 

THIS

"DEFECT" COULD RESULT IN RELAY FAILURE.  THESE RELAYS ARE USED IN THE

PLANT PROTECTION SYSTEM.  THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR RELAY

MODELS

"7033" AND "7034" TO FAIL TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY.  THESE RELAYS HAVE

BEEN

SUPPLIED TO PALO VERDE 1, 2 AND 3, ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE UNIT 2,

WATERFORD

3, AND SAN ONOFRE 2 AND 3.  ABB-CE IS CURRENTLY EVALUATING POTENTIAL

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE UTILITIES WITH

ABB-CE

DESIGNED NUCLEAR STEAM SUPPLY SYSTEMS.



*  *  * UPDATE AT 1510 BY FAX FROM HESS ENTERED BY JONES *  *  *



POTTER & BRUMFIELD, AS OF A CONFERENCE CALL WITH ABB ON NOVEMBER 17,

1997, HAS EXTENDED THE PROBLEM TO INCLUDE ALL MDR RELAY MODELS WITH

DATE

CODES 93XX THROUGH 95XX.  PREVIOUSLY ONLY MODELS WITH DATE CODES OF

94XX

WERE THOUGHT AFFECTED.  POTTER & BRUMFIELD HAS COMMITTED TO

COMPLETE ITS

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS ON THE FAILURE MECHANISM, ISSUE A WRITTEN

REPORT WITH

DETAILED DATE CODE IDENTIFICATION, AND RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE

ACTIONS BY

DECEMBER 1, 1997.  ABB-CE WILL INFORM ITS CUSTOMERS OF THIS CHANGE.



THE HEADQUARTERS OPERATIONS OFFICER INFORMED R4DO (JOE TAPIA) AND

NRR

(VERN HODGE).



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