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Title: The Effects of Maintenance Actions on the PFDavg of Spring Operated Pressure Relief Valves

Journal Article · · Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Villanova University, Villanova, PA (United Staes)
  2. Exida LLC, Sellersville PA, (United States)
  3. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), Aiken, SC (United States)
  4. Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

The safety integrity level (SIL) of equipment used in safety instrumented functions is determined by the average probability of failure on demand (PFDavg) computed at the time of periodic inspection and maintenance, i.e., the time of proof testing. The computation of PFDavg is generally based solely on predictions or estimates of the assumed constant failure rate of the equipment. However, PFDavg is also affected by maintenance actions (or lack thereof) taken by the end user. This paper shows how maintenance actions can affect the PFDavg of spring operated pressure relief valves (SOPRV) and how these maintenance actions may be accounted for in the computation of the PFDavg metric. The method provides a means for quantifying the effects of changes in maintenance practices and shows how these changes impact plant safety.

Research Organization:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC09-08SR22470
OSTI ID:
1171508
Report Number(s):
SRNL-STI-2014-00404
Journal Information:
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, Vol. 137, Issue 6; ISSN 0094-9930
Publisher:
ASMECopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Cited By (1)

Analysis of spring operated pressure relief valve proof test data: Findings and implications journal October 2018