Information Notice No. 90-17: Weight and Center of Gravity Discrepancies for Copes-Vulcan Valves
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
March 8, 1990
Information Notice No. 90-17: WEIGHT AND center OF GRAVITY
DISCREPANCIES FOR COPES-VULCAN VALVES
Addressees:
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power
reactors.
Purpose:
This information notice provides additional information which was compiled
by a joint Westinghouse and Copes-Vulcan effort in mid-late 1989 regarding
the incorrect weight and center of gravity data provided on Copes-Vulcan
valve assembly drawings that could have been provided to licensees by any
NSSS supplier or AE firm in the 1970 - 1980 time period. It is expected
that recipients will review this information for applicability to their
facilities and consider actions, as appropriate. However, suggestions
contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;
therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
As discussed in Information Notice 89-28, "Weight and Center of Gravity
Discrepancies for Copes-Vulcan Air-Operated Valves," significant
discrepancies were discovered in valve weight and center of gravity
information for small bore air-operated valves supplied by Copes-Vulcan.
Recent information obtained during NRC staff inspections at Westinghouse and
Copes-Vulcan also identified additional weight and center of gravity
discrepancies in large bore valves ranging in size up to 16-inches which
include air-operated valves, motor-operated valves and check valves.
Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Copes-Vulcan prepared an extensive set
of revised valve drawings showing the corrected weights and centers of
gravity. Westinghouse compiled these drawings into two valve lists, dated
July 17 and August 14, 1989, that represented a complete set of correct
weights and centers of gravity as was then currently known to them.
However, these valves represented only a portion of the total population of
valves that Westinghouse had supplied to various licensees. Consequently,
pending an in-depth review of all Copes-Vulcan valve drawings and the
confirmation of their applicability to Westinghouse-supplied valves, these
lists cannot be considered final. We have condensed the information
provided by Westinghouse into Tables 1 and 2,
9003020211
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IN 90-17
March 8, 1990
Page 2 of 3
which are attached. These tables provide a brief description of the type
and class of the valves most significantly affected by these corrections;
grouped by weight increases and center of gravity increases, respectively.
In the information provided by Westinghouse and Copes-Vulcan approximately
16 models of Copes-Vulcan valves were noted as having weight increases
greater than 25 percent. The largest individual increase was 1710 pounds on
a 16-inch, Class 900, air-operated feedwater valve. This represented an
increase of 83 percent in the weight originally given for the valve. Other
notable weight increases included a 515-pound weight increase for a 10-inch,
Class 600, air-operated modulating valve; a 180-pound weight increase for an
8-inch, Class 150, motor-operated gate valve; and a 107-pound weight
increase for a 2-inch, Class 1500, air-operated modulating valve.
The center of gravity discrepancies appear to be far more extensive than the
weight discrepancies. Approximately 32 models of Copes-Vulcan valves were
noted as having potentially significant discrepancies of this type. In some
cases, the center of gravity information was not originally supplied along
with the valve. In those instances piping design analyses were typically
performed using conservative estimates. However, in a large number of cases
the original information provided with the valves was nonconservative by
more than 20 percent. In the worst case, the center of gravity on a 1-inch,
Class 600, air-operated isolation valve changed by 15 inches. Other notable
center of gravity changes included a 16-inch change (from 7-inches to
23-inches relative to the original datum point) on a 3-inch, Class 150,
air-operated isolation valve; a 6-inch change on a 10-inch, Class 150,
manual gate valve; and a 5+-inch change on a 2-inch, Class 1500,
motor-operated modulating valve.
The staff has no reason to believe that these weight and center of gravity
discrepancies are unique to Westinghouse plants. On the contrary, an NRC
inspection of Copes-Vulcan on November 7 - 11, 1988 (NRC Report
99900080/88-01 with discussion in IN 89-28) identified 29 non-Westinghouse
nuclear power plants in addition to Westinghouse plants that were supplied
the incorrect valve weight and center of gravity information. A list of
these plants is given in Table 3.
Discussion:
Several licensees have reanalyzed the associated piping systems using the
corrected small bore valve weight and center of gravity information. These
piping systems had originally been designed using either detailed finite
element analyses or "cookbook" span criteria. The initial reanalysis work
was typically based on the standard response-spectrum-type methodology
consistent with the normal analytical methods used during the original
design. The results of these initial reanalyses disclosed instances where
the calculated stress would exceed 100,000 psi during a design-basis
earthquake. In all cases the acceptability of the installation was
confirmed, but in several cases this required the use of more sophisticated
time history type analyses with NRC-approved increases in allowable
stresses. In addition, some modifications to the seismic support
configurations were required in order to bring the installations within the
allowable FSAR stress criteria.
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IN 90-17
March 8, 1990
Page 3 of 3
It is important to note that previous revisions to the weight and center of
gravity information have been provided. Therefore, in deciding if a
reanalysis of a valve and piping configuration would be appropriate, a
comparison of the latest corrected information to the information either
originally supplied with the subject valves or assumed in the original
design analysis or analyses performed in response to IE Bulletin 79-14
("Seismic Analyses for As-Built Safety-Related Piping Systems,") would be
appropriate. Also, it is important to note that many of the Copes-Vulcan
applications identified in Table 3 are located in safety-related systems.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact
one of the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project
manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts: J. A. Gavula, RIII
(708) 790-5761
J. J. Petrosino, NRR
(301) 492-0979
Attachments:
1. Table 1 - C-V Valves with Weight Increases
Greater than 25%
2. Table 2 - C-V Valves with Center of Gravity
Increases Greater than 20%
3. Table 3 - List of Plants Supplied with Copes-Vulcan
Valves with Type of Valve and System Application.
4. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
.
Attachment 1
IN 90-17
March 8, 1990
Page 1 of 1
TABLE 1
C-V Valves With Weight Increases Greater Than 25%
Size Class Description
3/8" 1500 lb air-operated globe valve
3/4" 1500 lb air-operated isolation valve
1" 1500 lb air-operated isolation valve
2" 1500 lb motor-operated modulating valve
2" 1500 lb air-operated isolation valve
2" 600 lb air-operated isolation valve
2" 300 lb motor-operated modulating valve
3" 1500 lb air-operated isolation valve
3" 300 lb air-operated modulating valve
3" 150 lb air-operated isolation valve
3" 150 lb air-operated modulating valve
8" 150 lb motor-operated gate valve
12" (N/A) flow control valve
14" 900 lb air-operated feedwater valve
16" 600 lb air-operated feedwater valve
16" 900 lb air-operated feedwater valve
.
Attachment 2
IN 90-17
March 8, 1990
Page 1 of 1
TABLE 2
C-V Valves With Center of Gravity Increases Greater Than 20%
Size Class Description
3/8" 1500 lb air-operated globe valve
3/4" 1500 lb air-operated isolation valve
3/4" 600 lb air-operated isolation valve
3/4" 150 lb air-operated 3-way valve
1" 1500 lb air-operated isolation valve
1" 600 lb air-operated isolation valve
1" 150 lb air-operated 3-way valve
2" 1500 lb air-operated modulating valve
2" 600 lb air-operated modulating valve
2" 150 lb air-operated modulating valve
2" 150 lb air-operated 3-way valve
3" 1500 lb air-operated modulating valve
3" 600 lb air-operated isolation valve
3" 300 lb air-operated isolation valve
3" 300 lb air-operated 3-way valve
3" 300 lb check valve
3" 150 lb air-operated 3-way valve
3" 150 lb check valve
4" 300 lb air-operated 3-way valve
4" 150 lb check valve
4" 150 lb gate valve
4" 150 lb air-operated isolation valve
6" 150 lb gate valve
8" 150 lb check valve
10" 150 lb gate valve
10" 150 lb check valve
10" 300 lb gate valve
10" 300 lb check valve
12" 300 lb check valve
12" 150 lb check valve
14" 300 lb check valve
16" 150 lb check valve
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Attachment 3
IN 90-17
March 8, 1990
Page 1 of 2
TABLE 3
List of plants supplied with Copes-Vulcan valves with type of valve
and system application. This table is based on information obtained
from CV's "valve user list".
Plant Known Valve Application
Beaver Valley 1 FW, AO, MO, SV, BOP
Beaver Valley 2 FW, AO, SV, BOP
Bellefonte FW
Braidwood 1 & 2 AO, MO, SV, MT, SD, BOP
Browns Ferry 1 BOP
Byron 1 & 2 AO, MO, SV, MT, BOP
Callaway FW, AO, FWB, BOP
Calvert Cliffs 1 & 2 SD, BOP
Comanche Peak 1 & 2 FW, AO, SV, BOP
Cook 1 & 2 AO, BOP
Crystal River 3 BOP
Davis-Besse BOP
Diablo Canyon 1 & 2 FW, AO, SD, BOP
Dresden 2 & 3 FW, BOP
Farley 1 & 2 AO, BOP
Fort Calhoun BOP
Ginna FW, AO, BOP
Harris FW, AO, SV, BOP
Indian Point 2 & 3 FW, AO, BOP
Kewaunee FW, SD
Limerick 1 & 2 BOP
Maine Yankee FW, BOP
McGuire 1 & 2 Specific Application Unknown
Millstone 1, 2 & 3 FW, BOP
Monticello FW
Nine Mile Point 1 FW, BOP
Nine Mile Point 2 FW, BOP
North Anna 1 & 2 FW, AO, SD, BOP
Palisades FW, BOP
Perry FW, BOP
Pilgrim FW
Point Beach 1 & 2 FW, AO, BOP, FWB
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Attachment 3
IN 90-17
March 8, 1990
Page 2 of 2
TABLE 3 (continued)
Plant Known Valve Application
Prairie Island 1 & 2 FW, AO, BOP
Quad Cities 1 & 2 FW, BOP
River Bend 1 FW, BOP
Robinson 2 FW, AO, FWB, BOP
Salem 1 & 2 FW, AO, BOP
San Onofre 2 & 3 FW
Seabrook FW, AO, SV, BOP
Sequoyah 1 & 2 FW, AO, BOP
Shoreham BOP
South Texas 1 & 2 FW, AO, FWB
St. Lucie 1 FW, BOP
St. Lucie 2 Specific Application Unknown
Summer 1 AO, BOP
Surry 1 & 2 FW, AO, SD, BOP
Susquehanna BOP
Trojan AO, SD, BOP
Turkey Point 3 & 4 FW, AO, FWB, BOP
Vogtle 1 & 2 MO, AO, SV, BOP
Watts Bar SV, AO, SD, BOP
Wolf Creek FW, AO, FWB, BOP
Zion 1 & 2 AO, BOP
Acronyms
FW - Feedwater Valve SV - Sampling Valve
AO - Air-Operated Valve MT - Manual Throttling
MO - Motor-Operated Valve SD - Steam Dump
FWB - Feedwater Bypass Valve BOP - Balance of Plant
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