Reliability technology to improve and/or maintain emergency diesel generator performance

This paper reviews a report that demonstrates that an emergency diesel generator reliability program can be developed using risk- and reliability-based techniques that can be integrated within current plant operational activities to (a) analyze problems that have affected emergency diesel generator (EDG) performances, (b) forecast the onset of potential problems, and (c) suggest actions that could eliminate or reduce their occurrence. With only a few exceptions, commercial NPPs in the United States use EDG units as backup sources. These EDG units consist of a diesel engine connected directly to an ac generator. They are safety grade and are normally arranged so that separate EDGs supply each of the two, three, or four redundant electrical divisions of the NPP. The EDGs are typically designed to start automatically, to be at rated speed and voltage in 10 s, and to accept full load within 1 min