Failure Modes and Effects Analyses
Kalsi Engineering has conducted numerous FMEAs and/or supported FMEAs by performing root-cause investigations for nuclear power plants and for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Recent projects include performing FMEAs for the three-stage Target Rock Main Steam Safety Relief Valve for two nuclear power plants, Pilgrim and Hatch, and for turbine control and stop valves as part of EPRI’s condition monitoring assessment program.
FMEAs provide valuable insights which can help identify:
- critical short comings in valve/component design/selection,
- unfavorable valve/component and system interactions that can cause accelerated/abnormal wear, leading to premature or catastrophic failure, or
- mechanical- and/or vibration-induced damage that is unique to a specific system or set of operating conditions.
A detailed and thorough FMEA requires in-depth knowledge of equipment (e.g., valves and other piping/system components) as well as the ability to expertly apply first principles to identify, prove, and/or refute failure modes. A detailed list of FMEA and root-cause investigations performed by KEI™ is provided here.
