Part 21 Report - 1995-158
ACCESSION #: 9507110099
Duke Power Company T. C. McMEEKIN
McGuire Nuclear Generation Department Vice President
12700 Hagers Ferry Road (MG01VP) (704)875-4800
Huntersville, NC 28078-8985 (704)875-4809 Fax
DUKE POWER
DATE: July 3, 1995
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Document Control Desk
Washington, D.C. 20555
Subject: McGuire Nuclear Station Unit 1 and 2
Problem Investigation Process No.: 2-M95-1104, 2-M95-1225, and
1-M95-1244
Gentlemen:
Pursuant to 10 CFR 21, attached is a notification of failure of Model VTR
500 turbochargers supplied by ABB Turbo Systems Ltd. A written report
will be submitted per 10 CFR 50.73 requirements.
Very truly yours,
T.C. McMeekin
RJD/bcb
Attachment
cc: Mr. S.D. Ebneter INPO Records Center
Administrator, Region II Suite 1500
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1100 Circle 75 Parkway
101 Marietta St., NW, Suite 2900 Atlanta, GA 30339
Atlanta, GA 30323
Mr. Victor Nerses Mr. George Maxwell
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC Resident Inspector
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation McGuire Nuclear Station
Washington, D.C. 20555
bxc: B. L. Walsh (EC11C)
Zack Taylor (CNS)
G.A. Copp (EC050)
J.I. Glenn (MG02ME)
P.R. Herran (MG01VP)
R.C. Norcutt (MG01WC)
S.G. Benesole (ONS Reg Compliance)
G.H. Savage (EC06E)
G.B. Swindlehurst (EC11-0842)
M.S. Tuckman (EC07H)
R.F. Cole (EC05N)
D.B. Cook (EC13A)
Tim Becker (PB02L)
P.M. Abraham (EC08I)
Bruce Caldwell (MG01VP)
L.V. Wilkie (ON03SR)
D.P. Kimball (CN05SR)
NSRB Support Staff (EC05N)
Kay Crane (MG01RC)
Rich Casler (EC05N)
DUKE POWER COMPANY
McGUIRE NUCLEAR STATION
Date Of Notification:
July 3, 1995
Problem Identified By:
Duke Power Company
422 South Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28242
Facility:
McGuire Nuclear Station
12700 Hagers Ferry Road
Huntersville, NC 28078-3744
Basic Component:
Model VTR 500 Turbocharger
Supplier:
ABB Turbo Systems LTD.
Haselstrasse 16
5401 Baden / Switzerland
Nature Of Defect:
Duke Power Company, McGuire Nuclear Station (MNS), has experienced two
(2) failures of Model VTR 500 turbochargers supplied by ABB Turbo Systems
Ltd. These turbochargers were dedicated as a commercial grade item, and
were approved and installed as an acceptable substitute on all four (4)
MNS Nordberg Emergency Diesel Generators (EDGs). Failure of the
turbocharger renders the associated EDG incapable of providing the rated
output.
Duke Power Company has determined fatigue failure of the compressor wheel
can occur when using a seventeen (17) hole jet assist wall plate, if the
turbocharger is operated at speeds which can produce resonance.
Date Information Obtained:
July 2, 1995
Other Facilities With Subject Component:
To the knowledge of Duke Power Company the only known installed Model VTR
500 is at Indiana / Michigan Power Company's D. C. Cook plant. One
additional unit is on order for use at Carolina Power and Light's
Brunswick plant. Both plants have been verbally notified of this
problem.
Since the turbochargers in question were installed as commercially
dedicated parts, other examples may exist within the industry.
1
DUKE POWER COMPANY
McGUIRE NUCLEAR STATION
Corrective Actions:
McGuire Nuclear Station has replaced the seventeen hole jet assist wall
plates with wall plates of either a slotted or blank configuration. The
compressor wheel in all four MNS EDGs were also replaced.
Contact Ricky J. Deese, Safety Review Manager, McGuire Nuclear Station if
additional information is required.
2
POWER REACTOR EVENT NUMBER: 29016
FACILITY: MCGUIRE REGION: 2 NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/03/95
UNIT: [1] [2] [ ] STATE: NC NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:08 [ET]
RX TYPE: [1] W-4-LP, [2] W-4-LP EVENT DATE: 07/03/95
EVENT TIME: 14:02 [EDT]
NRC NOTIFIED BY: P. T. VU LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/03/95
HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE
NOTIFICATIONS
EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE
10 CFR SECTION:
CDEG 21.21(c)(3)(i) DEFECTS/NONCOMPLIANCE
VERN HODGE NRR
BETH WETZEL NRR
KEN BROCKMAN AEOD
UNIT SCRAM CODE RX CRIT INIT PWR INIT RX MODE CURR PWR CURR RX
MODE
1 N N 0 HOT STANDBY 0 HOT STANDBY
2 N Y 100 POWER OPERATION 100 POWER
OPERATION
EVENT TEXT
10 CFR PART 21 NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE FAILURE OF EMERGENCY DIESEL
GENERATOR MODEL VTR 500 TURBOCHARGERS SUPPLIED BY ABB TURBO
SYSTEMS LTD.
ON JULY 2, 1995, THE LICENSEE DETERMINED THAT FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE
COMPRESSOR WHEEL CAN OCCUR WHEN USING A 17-HOLE JET ASSIST PLATE IF
THE
TURBOCHARGER IS OPERATED AT SPEEDS WHICH CAN PRODUCE RESONANCE.
THE
LICENSEE HAS EXPERIENCED TWO FAILURES OF MODEL VTR 500
TURBOCHARGERS
SUPPLIED BY ABB TURBO SYSTEMS LTD. (REFER TO EVENT NOTIFICATION
NUMBER
28997.) THESE TURBOCHARGERS WERE DEDICATED AS COMMERCIAL GRADE
ITEMS AND
WERE APPROVED AND INSTALLED AS AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE ON ALL
FOUR MNS
NORDBERG EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATORS. FAILURE OF THE
TURBOCHARGER
RENDERS THE ASSOCIATED EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATOR INCAPABLE OF
PROVIDING
THE RATED OUTPUT.
IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, THE LICENSEE REPLACED THE 17-HOLE
JET
ASSIST WALL PLATES WITH WALL PLATES OF EITHER A SLOTTED OR BLANK
CONFIGURATION. THE LICENSEE ALSO REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR WHEELS IN
ALL
FOUR EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATORS.
THE ONLY INSTALLED MODEL VTR 500 TURBOCHARGERS KNOWN TO THE
LICENSEE ARE
AT THE D. C. COOK PLANT. ONE ADDITIONAL UNIT IS ON ORDER FOR USE AT THE
BRUNSWICK PLANT. BOTH PLANTS HAVE BEEN VERBALLY NOTIFIED BY THE
LICENSEE. BECAUSE THE TURBOCHARGERS IN QUESTION WERE INSTALLED AS
COMMERCIALLY DEDICATED PARTS, OTHER EXAMPLES MAY EXIST WITHIN THE
INDUSTRY.
POWER REACTOR EVENT NUMBER: 28997
FACILITY: MCGUIRE REGION: 2 NOTIFICATION DATE: 06/28/95
UNIT: [1] [2] [ ] STATE: NC NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:07 [ET]
RX TYPE: [1] W-4-LP, [2] W-4-LP EVENT DATE: 06/28/95
EVENT TIME: 13:50 [EDT]
NRC NOTIFIED BY: DENNIS MCCORKEL LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/01/95
HQ OPS OFFICER: DOUG WEAVER
NOTIFICATIONS
EMERGENCY CLASS: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR SECTION: BRUNO URYC RDO
AAEC 50.72 (a) (1) (i) EMERGENCY BOB DENNIG EO
DECLARED
ASHU 50.72 (b) (1) (A) PLANT S/D JOHN DAMICO FEMA
REQD BY TS
UNIT SCRAM CODE RX CRIT INIT PWR INIT RX MODE CURR PWR CURR RX
MODE
1 N Y 100 POWER OPERATION 100 POWER
OPERATION
2 N Y 100 POWER OPERATION 100 POWER
OPERATION
EVENT TEXT
UNUSUAL EVENT - ALL SITE EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATORS DECLARED
INOPERABLE
ALL SITE EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATORS (EDG) WERE DECLARED
INOPERABLE BASED
ON A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR TURBOCHARGERS. EACH UNIT HAS TWO EDGs.
THE
'2B' EDG IS TAGGED OUT AND UNAVAILABLE (THE TURBOCHARGER FAILED ON
THIS
EDG), THE OTHER THREE EDGs ARE AVAILABLE. ALL OTHER SAFETY SYSTEMS
AND
OFFSITE POWER SOURCES ARE OPERABLE.
THE UNUSUAL EVENT WAS DECLARED AT 1350. THE LICENSEE ENTERED TECH
SPEC
3.0.3 AT THE SAME TIME. BOTH UNITS MUST BE IN MODE 3 WITHIN 7 HOURS OF
DECLARATION (2050) AND MODE 5 WITHIN AN ADDITIONAL 30 HOURS.
THE EDGs WERE MANUFACTURED BY NORDBERG, AND THE TURBOCHARGERS
WERE MADE
BY ABB. THE INVESTIGATION IS FOCUSING ON A DESIGN FLAW THAT INCREASES
THE TURBULENCE OF THE INTAKE AIR STREAM IN THE TURBOCHARGER.
THE LICENSEE NOTIFIED APPROPRIATE STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS AS WELL
AS
THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR.
* * * UPDATE AT 1850 ON 6/28/95 BY MCCORKEL TAKEN BY WEAVER * * *
UNIT 1 IS IN MODE 3. ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION HAS BEEN GRANTED FOR UNIT
2.
THE LICENSEE HAS 34 HOURS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS ON THE '2B' EDG.
UPON
COMPLETION OF REPAIRS TO THE '2B' EDG, THE LICENSEE WILL BE IN A 72-HOUR
LCO WITH ONLY THE '2A' EDG INOPERABLE ON UNIT 2. POWER DESCENT ON
UNIT 2
WAS STOPPED AT 30%. POWER WILL BE INCREASED TO 45% ON UNIT 2 & HELD
THERE.
HOO NOTIFIED R2DO (URYC) AND NRR EO (SPESSARD).
(Continued on next page)
FACILITY: MCGUIRE PAGE # 2 OF EVENT NUMBER: 28997
* * * UPDATE AT 0751 ON 06/29/95 BY SARRATT TAKEN BY KARSCH * * *
THE LICENSEE TERMINATED THE UNUSUAL EVENT FOR UNIT 2 AT 0740 EDT ON
06/29/95 BY RETURNING THE "2B" EDG TO OPERABILITY. A NEW DESIGN
DIFFUSER
PLATE WAS INSTALLED IN THE TURBOCHARGER TO BLANK OFF THE
TURBULENCE. THE
DISCRETIONARY ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN TERMINATED. UNIT 2 IS IN A
72-HOUR
LCO WHICH STARTED AT 1350 EDT ON 06/28/95 FOR THE "2A" EDG. THE LICENSEE
INFORMED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. HOO NOTIFIED R2DO (URYC), NRR EO
(DENNIG), AND FEMA (WITSBERGER).
* * *UPDATE AT 0436 ON 07/01/95 BY McALLISTER TAKEN BY HOO JOLLIFFE* * *
AT 0415 ON 07/01/95, LICENSEE TERMINATED THE UNUSUAL EVENT ON UNIT 1
AFTER RESTORING EDG #1A TO OPERABLE STATUS; EDG #1B IS STILL
INOPERABLE.
LICENSEE NOTIFIED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR AND STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS OF THE TERMINATION OF THE UNUSUAL EVENT ON UNIT 1. HOO
NOTIFIED R2DO URYC, NRR EO SPESSARD, AND FEMA SIMMERS.
Duke Power Company (703)875-4000
McGuire Nuclear Station
12700 Hagers Ferry Road
Huntersville, NC 28078-8985
DUKE POWER
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