Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
LICENSEE: COOPER ENERGY SERVICES
SITE: COOPER ENERGY SERVICES EN NUMBER:32250
DOCKET: EVENT DATE: 05-01-97
RX TYPE: EVENT TIME: 11:40
VENDORS: NOTIFY DATE: 05-01-97
EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A REGION: 1 STATE: PA TIME: 11:40
OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON
10 CFR SECTION: CCCC 21.21 UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO A 10 CFR PART 21 SUBMITTED BY COOPER ENERGY
SERVICES JUNE 19, 1991.
COOPER ENERGY SERVICES, (CES), A DIVISION OF COOPER CAMERON
CORPORATION, HEREBY NOTIFIES THE NRC OF A RE-EMPHASIS OF A
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED POTENTIAL DEFECT IN A COMPONENT OF A DSRV AND
DSR ENTERPRISE STANDBY DIESEL GENERATOR SYSTEM. THERE EXISTS A
POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH INTAKE AND EXHAUST POWER VALVE SPRINGS
WHICH COULD RESULT IN ENGINE NON-AVAILABILITY.
THE SPECIFIC SPRINGS UNDER DISCUSSION ARE MANUFACTURED BY
ASSOCIATED SPRING IN CORRY, PENNSYLVANIA. THEY ARE INSTALLED AS A
SUBCOMPONENT OF SPARE CYLINDER HEADS (4 SPRINGS PER CYLINDER
HEAD) OR PROVIDED AS INDIVIDUAL SPARE COMPONENTS BY CES. 10 CFR
21 REPORT # 157 WAS ISSUED BY COOPER ENERGY SERVICES ON JUNE 19,
1991 TO DESCRIBE SURFACE DEFICIENCIES FOUND ON VALVE SPRINGS IN
CES' INVENTORY. THESE DEFICIENCIES, CHARACTERIZED BY DRAW MARKS
EXCEEDING THE DEPTH ALLOWED BY SPECIFICATION, WERE NOTED ON
SPRINGS FROM A 1986 MANUFACTURING LOT. THERE HAD BEEN NO REPORTED
FAILURE OF VALVE SPRINGS IN NUCLEAR OR COMMERCIAL SERVICE. ACTION
WAS TAKEN TO INSPECT ALL SPRINGS IN CES' INVENTORY, ENHANCE
SUPPLIER INSPECTION PROCEDURES AND RECOMMEND PERIODIC INSPECTION
OF ALL SPRINGS IN SERVICE.
DURING THE SUMMER OF 1996 A BROKEN VALVE SPRING WAS FOUND AT DUKE
POWER'S CATAWBA STATION DURING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION.
NO AFFECT ON ENGINE PERFORMANCE HAD BEEN NOTED. THIS SPRING,
RECENTLY RETURNED TO CES' FOR ANALYSIS, WAS FOUND TO BE OF THE
SAME 1986 VINTAGE AS THOSE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED IN REPORT # 157.
CES HAS REVIEWED THIS FAILURE AND BELIEVES IT TO BE AN ISOLATED
CASE BUT IS ISSUING REPORT #157 AMENDMENT 1 TO INFORM THOSE
AFFECTED OF THIS FAILURE AND TO RE-EMPHASIZE THE RECOMMENDED
CORRECTIVE ACTION.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUBJECT SPRINGS BE INSPECTED ON A
PERIODIC BASIS, SUCH AS DURING REFUELING OUTAGES. ANY SPRINGS
WITH A VISIBLE DRAW MARK ON ITS I.D. OR ANY PHYSICAL ANOMALY OF
CONCERN SHOULD BE REMOVED, DISCARDED AND REPLACED. THIS
INSPECTION SHOULD BE IN EACH PLANT'S MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE
PROCEDURES AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO APPLY TO ALL VALVE SPRINGS
ON ENTERPRISE ENGINES REGARDLESS OF THEIR ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT A CORRECTION SHOULD BE MADE TO THE
ORIGINAL 10 CFR PART 21 REPORT # 157 WORDING PAGE 2, PARA. 5 TO
READ AS FOLLOWS, 'THE NUMBER OF OPERATING HOURS IS OF CONCERN AS
THE FATIGUE FAILURE RESULTING FROM SUCH AN INDICATION SHOULD
OCCUR WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 740 HOURS (1E+7 OPERATING CYCLES)."
PLANTS AFFECTED ARE: GRAND GULF, RIVER BEND, SHEARON HARRIS,
CATAWBA, SAN ONOFRE, PERRY, COMANCHE PEAK, AND VOGTLE.
