ENS Event | |
|---|---|
01:00 Jan 11, 2011 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Spool Valve Failure on Irradiator |
| Event Description | A pool type irradiator experienced a drive mechanism failure on one of the two racks. This caused the 1.2 M Curie of Co-60 to remain stuck in the retracted position. It remained there for one hour until the operators discovered that a spool valve was stuck. Once the valve was freed the source rack returned to the pool as normal. The licensee is investigating the equipment malfunction and will submit further information when available.
There were no personnel injuries. TX Incident No: I- 8809
At approximately 1900 [CST] on January 10, 2011, a licensee operating a pool-type irradiator in El Paso, TX, experienced a drive mechanism failure on one of two source racks. This caused the 1.2MCi of Cobalt-60 (Co-60) to fail to descend into the pool. The source rack remained in the lifted position for approximately one hour until the operators discovered that a spool valve was stuck. A piece of pipe was removed to allow the piston to vent, thus bypassing the valve. The source rack returned to the pool in a controlled, normal descent. The licensee is investigating the equipment malfunction and will submit further information when available. The initial report stated that the source rack had remained in the retracted position. Wording has been changed to more clearly describe, and clarify, that the source rack was stuck outside the pool (unshielded) for approximately one hour. There were no problems with the rack or the sources, the only issue was the spool valve malfunction. Notified R4DO (Hagar) and FSME (Villamar) |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Steris Isomedix Operations El Paso, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L04268 |
| Organization: | Texas Department Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+17.45 h0.727 days <br />0.104 weeks <br />0.0239 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Ray Jisha 18:27 Jan 11, 2011 |
| NRC Officer: | Joe O'Hara |
| Last Updated: | Jan 14, 2011 |
| 46534 - NRC Website | |
Steris Isomedix Operations with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 465342011-01-11T01:00:00011 January 2011 01:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Spool Valve Failure on Irradiator 2011-01-11T01:00:00 | |