Information Notice No. 80-39: Malfunction of Solenoid Valves Manufactured by VALCOR Engineering Corporation

                                                       SSINS No.:  6835 
                                                       Accession No.: 
                                                       8008220245 
                                                       IN 80-39 

                               UNITED STATES 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                    OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 
                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555  
                                     
                              October 31, 1980 

Information Notice No. 80-39:   MALFUNCTION OF SOLENOID VALVES 
                                   MANUFACTURED BY VALCOR ENGINEERING 
                                   CORPORATION 

PURPOSE: 

The intent of this Information Notice is to alert holders of construction 
permits and operating licenses for nuclear power plants of a potentially 
generic problem involving the malfunctioning of certain solenoid valves 
manufactured by the Valcor Engineering Corporation (Valcor). The solenoid 
valves so involved are designated as Valcor Valve Model No. V52600-554-1. 
Valcor has informed us that these valves have only been supplied to the 
McGuire facility; however, since these valves were substituted for solenoid 
valves of another manufacturer that did not meet the requirements of IE 
Bulletin No. 79-01 and its amendments, licensees and holders of construction 
permits should take into account the problem identified in this Information 
Notice prior to making any similar substitution. 

BACKGROUND: 

By TWX dated June 27, 1980, Valcor submitted a preliminary 10 CFR Part 21 
Report addressing the malfunctioning of Valcor solenoid valves at the 
McGuire facility. The malfunctioning valves have been identified as Valcor 
Valve Model No. 52600-554-1. This TWX was subsequently followed by a letter 
dated July 3, 1980, transmitting a more detailed Part 21 Report entitled, 
"Quality Assurance Report", a copy of which is attached hereto as Enclosure 
No. 1. 

In brief, the malfunction appears to be an intermittent type wherein the 
valve fails to cycle from OPEN to CLOSE to OPEN immediately after a 
sustained period of operation in the energized (OPEN) mode. Although the 
valves are rated for "continuous operation", Valcor contends that the valves 
were not designed to meet the operating conditions requiring the immediate 
cycling from OPEN to CLOSE to OPEN after a sustained period of continuous 
energization. A major source of the problem, therefore, may be a 
misunderstanding of the term "continuous operation". By letter dated July 
14, 1980 to Duke Power Company, Valcor transmitted its recommendations in 
this matter entitled, "Outline Suggested Modification Procedures", a copy of 
which is attached hereto as Enclosure No. 2. 

Enclosures: 
1.   Quality Assurance Report 
2.   Outline - Suggested Modification 
       Procedures.