ENS 44543
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Oct 6, 2008 | |
| Title | Texas Agreement State Report- Source Retractor Failed to Function |
| Event Description | The following information was received from the State of Texas via e-mail:
While servicing the level gauge [Ohmart Model A2102, Cs-137], an Ohmart technician discovered that the source retractor failed to function. The source is extended into a polymer vessel and is functioning normally while source is extended. Ohmart will recover the source and remove it from service. The licensee will arrange for disposal and discontinue use of the source. Texas Report I-8570.
This report from the state of Texas was received via e-mail: The licensee provided the Agency with a report on the investigation they conducted into the cause for the failure of the source to retract into the source holder on November 4, 2008. That report provided the following information. The gauge has been in place on the vessel since 1998. It appears that the source has not been retracted back into the source holder in a number of years. The source well is three feet deep and the total clearance between the source and the well wall is 0.322 inches. The source well is in a section of the vessel that contains a very thick, almost hardened, polymer material. The vessel was initially used to contain a polymer slurry, but the vessel's use was changed shortly after start up. This change resulted in the hardened polymer to form in the vessel. These actions all took place prior to the current owner taking possession of the facility. The licensee had tried to retract the source back into the source holder, but it only moved a distance of between 12 and 18 inches before it became stuck. The manufacturer's technician was able to move the source back to the end of the source well. This is the normal position for the source. It is believed that the weight of the polymer over the years has caused the well to bow to a point where it now limits the movement of the source. The licensee intends to remove and dispose of the source during a scheduled outage in 2009. The gauge is located at a height of 12 feet above grade. Dose rates taken at a height of 8 feet indicate a dose rate of 0.01 to 0.1 millirem per hour. Additional information regarding accessibility and occupancy of this area has been requested by the state. Notified the R4DO (Campbell) and FSME (Suber). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Flint Hills Resources Lp Odessa, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L00547 |
| Organization: | Texas Department Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+7.87 h0.328 days <br />0.0468 weeks <br />0.0108 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Bob Free 12:52 Oct 6, 2008 |
| NRC Officer: | Vince Klco |
| Last Updated: | Nov 7, 2008 |
| 44543 - NRC Website | |
Flint Hills Resources Lp with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 449812009-04-10T00:21:00010 April 2009 00:21:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Level Gauge Cesium-137 Source Would Not Retract ENS 445432008-10-06T05:00:0006 October 2008 05:00:00 Agreement State Texas Agreement State Report- Source Retractor Failed to Function ENS 451642008-09-01T05:00:0001 September 2008 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Gauge Shutter Failed to Close 2009-04-10T00:21:00 | |