Information Notice 1989-42, Failure of Rosemount Models 1153 and 1154 Transmitters
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555
April 21, 1989
NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 89-42:
FAILURE OF ROSEMOUNT MODELS 1153 AND 1154
TRANSMITTERS
Addressees
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power
reactors.
Purpose
This information notice is being provided to alert addressees about recent
failures of Rosemount models 1153 and 1154 pressure and differential pressure
transmitters. It is expected that recipients will review the information for
applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to
avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this information
notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or
written response is required.
Description of Circumstances
During 1986 and 1987, five Rosemount model 1153 HD5PC differential pressure
transmitters malfunctioned at Northeast Utilities' (NU) Millstone Nuclear
Power Station, Unit 3. During power operation, the Millstone operators noted
that the signals from the Rosemount 1153 transmitters were deviating from
redundant channel signals and that the transmitters were indicating reduced
levels of process noise. The transmitters were declared out of service by
NU personnel, and the affected channels were placed in the tripped condition.
After attempts to calibrate the transmitters failed, NU returned the trans- mitters to Rosemount and informed them that the malfunctions had occurred
with transmitters of the same model and related serial numbers. Destructive
testing performed by Rosemount determined that the failures were caused by the
loss of oil from the transmitter's sealed sensing module. However, Rosemount
indicated that the failures appeared to be random and not related to any generic
problem with Rosemount 1153 pressure transmitters. NU submitted a 10 CFR Part 21 notification to the NRC on this issue on March 25, 1988, and provided additional
information on the failures via a letter dated April 13, 1989.
Discussion:
After additional evaluations by NU and Rosemount, Rosemount issued a letter
to its customers on December 12, 1988, regarding the potential malfunction
,.,MOdand
1154 pressure and differential pressure transmitters. The
8904180193
IN 89-42 April 21, 1989 Rosemount letter was supplemented with a letter dated February 7, 1989, to
customers who had purchased transmitters from specific lots that were identi- fled by Rosemount as being potentially defective.
Rosemount issued a separate
letter dated February 16, 1989, to customers who had purchased model 1153 and
1S4 transmitters from lots that were not considered suspect.
Rosemount indi- cated that transmitters from the suspect lots were susceptible to a loss of
silicone oil from the transmitter sealed sensing module and to possible fail- ure. According to Rosemount, as the oil leaks out of the sensing module the
transmitter's performance gradually deteriorates and may eventually lead to
a detectable failure.
Some of the symptoms that have been observed during operation and before
failure include slow drift in either direction of about 1/4 percent or more
per month, lack of response over the transmitter's full range, increase in
the transmitter's time response, deviation from the normal signal fluctuations, decrease in the detectable noise level, deviation of signals from one channel
compared with redundant channels, "one sided" signal noise, and slow response
to a transient or inability to follow a transient.
Some of the symptoms
observed by NU personnel during calibration include the inability to respond
over the transmitter's entire range, slow response to either increasing or
decreasing hydraulic test pressure, and drift of greater than 1% from the
previous calibration.
Although some of the defective transmitters have shown certain symptoms before
their failure, it has been reported that in some cases the failure of a trans- mitter may not be detectable during operation.
In addition, Rosemount now
indicates that the potential for malfunction may not be limited to the speci- fied manufacturing lots previously identified in the February 1989 letter.
It is important for addressees to determine whether any Rosemount models 1153 and 1154 pressure and differential pressure transmitters', regardless of their
manufacturing date, are installed in their facilities and to take whatever
actions are deemed necessary to ensure that any potential failures of these
transmitters are identified. Although it may not be possible to detect the
onset of failure in all instances, some transmitters have exhibited some of
the aforementioned symptoms before failure.
It is important for potential
failure modes to be identified and that operators be prepared for handling
potential malfunctions.
In addition, careful examination of plant data, calibration records, and operating experience may yield clues that identify
potentially defective transmitters.
Addressees
may wish to contact Rosemount
for assistance in determining appropriate corrective actions whenever any of
the aforementioned symptoms are observed or if failures are identified.
On April 13, 1989, the NRC staff met and discussed this matter with Rosemount
and several industry groups.
Rosemount has launched a program to identify the
root cause of the loss of oil from the sensing module and to determine recom- mendations for its customers to address potentially defective transmitters.
IN 89-42 April 21, 1989 Nc specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact one of the
technical contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appro- priate regional office.
o
Di
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
Kamal Naidu, NRR
(301) 492-0980
Jaime Guillen, NRR
(301) 492-1170
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
\\\\Attachment
April 21. 1989
Page 1 of I
LIST OF RECENTLY !SSUED
NRC INFORMATION NCTICES
I... . .....
r
_ _
NotiCEe No.
Subiaet
Late OT
TG@II*flt*
8S-41 Operator Response to
4/20/89 Pressurization of Low-
Pressure Interfacing
Systems
PC-15, Disabling of Diesel
4/17/89 Supplement I
Generator Output Circuit
Breakers by Anti-Pt mp
Circuitry
89-40
Unsatisfactory Operator Test 4/14it9
Results and Their Effect on
the Requaltficat10n Program
9-39 List of Parties Excluded
415/89 from Federal Procurerent
or Non-Procurement Prograns
89-*E
Atmospheric Dump Valve
4/5/89
Failures at Palo Yerde
Units 1, 2, and 3
89-37 Proposed Amendments to
4/4/89
40 CFR Part 61. Air
Emission Standards
for Radionuclides
89-36 Excessive Temperatures
4/4/89
In Emergency Core Cooling
Systom Piping Located
Outside Containmnt
68-86.
Operating with Multiple
3/31/89 eupp. I
Grounds In Direct Current
Cistribution Systems
C9-35 Loss and Theft of Un.
3/30/89 secured Licensed Material
Issued to
All holders of OLs
or CPs for nuclear
pcer reactors.
All holders of OLs
or CPn for nuclear
power reactors.
All holders of OLs
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All holders of OLS
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All holders of OLIS
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All U.S. NRC licensees.
All holders of OLs
or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All holders of OLs
cr CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
All U.S. NRC byproduct.
source and special
nuclear material
licensees.
- Operating License
CP - Construction Pemit
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300
FR
CLASSMAIL
POSTAGE 0 FEESMAIDL
PAID
UsNRCl
PERMIT No. G47 l
IN 89-42 April 21, 1989 No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact one of the
technical contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appro- priate regional office.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
Kamal
(301)
Naidu, NRR
492-0980
Jaime Guillen, NRR
(301) 492-1170
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
- SEE PREVIOUS I
- OGCB:DOEA:NRR
JGuillen
04/13/89
CONCURRENCES
- VIB:DRIS: R
KNaidu
04/17/89
- C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR *RPB:ARM
- D/DEST:NRR
CHBerlinger
TechEd
LCShao
04/17/89
04/12/89
04/17/89
- C/VIB:DRIS:NRR *C/SICB:DEST:NRR*AD/SAD:DEST:NRR
BBrach
SNewberry
AThadani
04/17/89
04/17/89
04/17/89
IN 89-XX
April xx, 1989 No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact one of the
technical contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropri- ate regional office.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
Kamal
(301)
Naidu, NRR
492-0980
Jaime
(301)
Guillen, NRR
492-1170
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
- SEE PREVIOUS
- OGCB:DOEA:NRI
JGuillen
04/13/89
CONCURRENCES
D/DOEA:NRR
CERossi
04/ /89 R VIB:DRIS:NRR
KNaidu
04//
C/O gI
EA:NRR
CHBerlinger
04///89 C/V IB:DRIS:NRR
BBrach
0~g
- RPB:ARM
TechEd
04/12/89 C/SICB:DEST:NRR
SNewberry
04
/89 D/D
4 LCStaio
04/1/89 AD/SAD:DEST:NRR
AThadani
0 46
IN 89-XX
April xx, 1989 customers who had received transmitters from specific lots that were identified
by Rosemount as being potentially defective.
Rosemount indicated that transmitters from these specific lots were susceptible
to a loss of silicone oil from the transmitter sealed sensing module and to
possible failure. According to Rosemount, as the oil leaks out of the sensing
module the transmitter's performance gradually deteriorates and may eventually
lead to a detectable failure. Some of the symptoms that have been observed
before failure include slow drift in either direction of about 1/4 percent or
more per month, lack of response over the transmitter's full range, increase in
the transmitter's time response, deviation from the normal signal fluctuations, decrease in the detectable noise level, and deviation of signals from one
channel from redundant channels.
Although some of the defective transmitters have shown certain symptoms before
their failure, it has been reported that in some cases the failure of a trans- mitter may not be detectable during operation. In addition, Rosemount now
indicates that the potential for malfunction may not be limited to the speci- fied manufacturing lots previously identified in the February 1989 letter.
It is important for addressees to determine whether any Rosemount models 1153 and 1154 pressure and differential pressure transmitters, regardless of their
manufacturing date, are installed in their facilities and to take whatever
actions are deemed necessary to ensure that any potential failures of these
transmitters are identified and to preclude any deterioration of the safety
functions of these transmitters. Although it may not be possible to detect the
onset of failure in all instances, some transmitters have exhibited some of the
aforementioned symptoms before failure.
The NRC staff is continuing to investigate this matter and plans to meet with
Rosemount and several industry groups in the near future to discuss this
matter.
No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact one of the
technical contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropri- ate regional office.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contacts:
Kamal Naidu, NRR
(301) 492-0980
Jaime Guillen, NRR
(301) 492-1170
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Informatn Notices
D/DOEA:NRR
C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR RPB:%liuAN
D/DEST:NRR
CERossi
CHBerlinger
Tecb
LCShao
04/ /89
04/ /89
04/1z489
04/ /89 OG
.
R VIB:DRIS:NRR
C/VIB:DRIS:NRR C/SICB:DEST:NRR AD/SAD:DEST:NRR
JGu
en
KNaidu
BBrach
SNewberry
AThadani
04/
89
04/ /89
04/ /89