Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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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