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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Electrical system failure at 165-KE, March 19, 1960

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6144656

During an attempt to start the No. 6 high-lift pump at 190-KE on March 19, at 8:04 pm, the 13.8 KV bus No. 2 relayed out. All breakers connected to bus No. 2 were opened by an operation of the 13.8 KV bus differential relay. The KE Reactor was operating at the time with 190 process pump sets No. 1 through No. 5 pumping to the reactor. Process pump No. 6 was valued to the drainage sewer for pump testing following a Class A overhaul. Power to high-lift pumps Nos. 4, 5, and 6 was lost when the 13.8 KV bus No. 2 breakers opened. High-lift pumps Nos. 4 and 5 coasted down on fly-wheel energy, KE Reactor was shut down from the Panellit system and the remaining high-lift pumps Nos. 1, 2, and 3 went into severe cavitation, due to a drop in discharge pressure. The failure of the 13.8 KV system was due to a flashover from phase to phase and phase to ground at breaker bushing connectors for the No. 6 high-lift motor cables. Approximately 24.8 hours of KE Reactor's resulting outage can be charged to the incident. Damage to the electrical equipment is estimated to approximate $1000. 7 figs.

Research Organization:
General Electric Co., Richland, WA (USA). Hanford Atomic Products Operation
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
6144656
Report Number(s):
HW-64767; ON: DE91009344
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English