Abstract
It is necessary to monitor periodically the operability of safety-related motor-operated valves (MOVs) in nuclear power plants. However, acquiring diagnostic signals for MOVs is very difficult, and doing so requires an excessive amount of time, effort, and expenditure. This paper introduces an accurate and economical method to evaluate the performance of MOVs remotely. The technique to be utilized includes electrical measurements and signal processing to estimate the motor torque and the stem thrust, which have been cited as the two most effective parameters in diagnosing MOVs by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The motor torque is calculated by using electrical signals, which can be measured in the motor control center (MCC). Some advantages of using the motor torque signature over other signatures are examined. The stem thrust is calculated considering the characteristics of the MOV and the estimated motor torque. The basic principle of estimating stem thrust is explained. The developed method is implemented in diagnostic equipment, namely, the Motor Operated Valve Intelligent Diagnostic System (MOVIDS), which is used to obtain the accuracy of and to validate the applicability of the developed method in nuclear power plants. Finally, the accuracy of the developed method is presented and some examples applied to field data are discussed.