Information Notice 1996-22, Improper Equipment Settings Due to Use of Nontemperature-Compensated Test Equipment

Improper Equipment Settings Due to Use of Nontemperature-Compensated Test Equipment

ML031060125
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	04/11/1996
From:	Crutchfield D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-96-022, NUDOCS 9604050336
Download: ML031060125 (6)

i/

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 11, 1996 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 96-22: IMPROPER EQUIPMENT SETTINGS DUE TO THE USE OF

NONTEMPERATURE-COMPENSATED TEST EQUIPMENT

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information

notice to alert addressees to the potential for improper calibration and

setting of safety-related equipment setpoints as a result of using

nontemperature-compensated measuring and test equipment. 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 are not NRC requirements;

therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On October 5, 1995, the licensee for the Farley Nuclear Plant determined that

nontemperature-compensated pressure gauges of various ranges and by different

manufacturers were in use at the plant. An investigation revealed that these

gauges had been used for testing and calibration of safety-related equipment

without correcting the readings for temperature effects. Nontemperature- compensated gauges were used in testing and/or calibration of reactor trip

system transmitters, engineered safety features actuation system transmitters, main steam safety valve lift settings, and pressure instruments used for

calorimetric calculations.

The licensee conducted an evaluation of the use of nontemperature-compensated

pressure gauges in these applications. After accounting for the additional

uncertainties associated with the gauges, the current safety analysis and

technical specification limits and nominatKtrip setpoints remained acceptable;

however, the calculated setpoint margins were reduced.

On February 10, 1995, during a refueling outage at the Surry Power Station, Unit 2, the as-found calibration test data for the three safety-related

pressurizer pressure transmitters were not within the allowable tolerance.

A root cause evaluation team determined that the error in the allowable

tolerance was caused, in part, by using a nontemperature-compensated pressure

gauge to calibrate each of the three transmitters after installation.

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IN 96-22 K~~2 < April 11, 1996 The transmitters provide pressurizer pressure input to the reactor trip system

and the engineered safety features actuation system. An assessment of the

safety implications of these errors determined that Unit 2 had exceeded

Technical specification values and, therefore, margin was reduced. However, operation remained within design basis and safety analysis limits.

Discussion

At both the Farley and Surry plants, the licensees used measuring and test

equipment in environments in which corrections for temperature should have

been made to ensure the accuracy of setpoints of safety-related equipment.

Specifically, at the Surry plant, the catalog of the pressure test gauge

vendor (HEISE) specifies that the nontemperature-compensated test gauge was

accurate to specified values at a reference calibration temperature of

73 degrees F. For a 3000-psig range HEISE gauge, environmental temperature

variances can cause up to a 3 psig error for each 5 degrees F change from the

reference temperature.

To maintain the accuracy of measuring and test equipment used in calibrating

safety-related devices, all factors, including the environmental temperature

at which the safety-related equipment will operate, are normally identified in

plant calibration procedures. Also, there are several nuclear industry

references that provide guidance on proper methods of addressing environmental

effects on measuring and test equipment stored and used at nuclear plants.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Standard 498-1975, "IEEE

Standard Supplementary Requirements for the Calibration and Control of

Measuring and Test Equipment Used in the Construction and Maintenance of

Nuclear Power Generating Stations," specifically addresses temperature

compensation of measuring and test equipment. Section 3.2 of this document

titled "Environmental Controls" states, in part, that "measuring and test

equipment and reference standards shall be transported, stored and calibrated

in environments which will not adversely affect their accuracy. Environmental

factors which shall be considered include, but shall not be limited to:

temperature, (and] humidity ...... When inaccuracy of measuring and test

equipment or reference standards, because of environmental effects, cannot be

avoided, compensating corrections shall be determined and applied."

The Instrument Society of America's "Setpoints for Nuclear Safety Related

Instrumentation Used in Nuclear Power Plants," ISA-S67.04 (1982), has been

endorsed by the NRC in Regulatory Guide 1.105, "Instrument Setpoints for

Safety-Related Systems." Section 7.3 of the standard states that "A system

shall be established to ensure the accuracy and adequacy of the test equipment

used to verify setpoints and tolerances of safety-related instrumentation."

Test equipment accuracy directly affects setpoint calculations. Among the

factors which affect the accuracy of measuring and test equipment is the

temperature at which a calibration is actually performed.

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< IN 96-22 April 11, 1996 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation project manager.

chf d Drector

Division of React Program Management

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts: Morris W. Branch, RII

(804) 357-2101 Internet:mxb2@nrc.gov

Stephen G. Tingen, NRR

(301) 415-1280

Internet:sgt@nrc.gov

S. V. Athavale, NRR

(301) 415-2974 Internet:sval@nrc.gov

Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

I

I> Attachment

IN 96-22 April 11, 1996 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

96-21 Safety Concerns Related 04/10/96 All U.S. NRC Medical to the

to the Design of the Door Licensees authorized to use

Interlock Circuit on brachytherapy sources in

Nucletron High-Dose Rate high- and pulsed-dose-rate

and Pulsed Dose Rate remote afterloaders

Remote Afterloading

Brachytherapy Devices

96-20 Demonstration of Associ- 04/04/96 All industrial radiography

ated Equipment Compliance licensees and radiography

with 10 CFR 34.20 equipment manufacturers

96-19 Failure of Tone Alert 04/02/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Radios to Activate When for nuclear power reactors

Receiving a Shortened

Activation Signal

96-18 Compliance with 10 CFR 03/25/96 All material licensees

Part 20 for Airborne authorized to possess and

Thorium use thorium in unsealed

form

95-03 Loss of Reactor Coolant 03/25/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Supp. 1 Inventory and Potential for PWR power plants

Loss of Emergency Mitiga- tion Functions While in a

Shutdown Condition

96-17 Reactor Operation Incon- 03/18/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

sistent with the Updated for nuclear power reactors

Final Safety Analysis

Report

96-16 BWR Operation with 03/14/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

Indicated Flow Less Than for boiling-water reactors

Natural Circulation

96-15 Unexpected Plant Perform- 03/08/96 All holders of OLs or CPs

ance During Performance for nuclear power reactors

of New Surveillance Tests

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 96-22 April 11, 1996 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation project manager.

original signed by

Dennis M. Crutchfield, Director

Division of Reactor Program Management

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts: Morris W. Branch, RII

(804) 357-2101 Internet:mxb2@nrc.gov

Stephen G. Tingen, NRR

(301) 415-1280

Internet:sgt@nrc.gov

S. V. Athavale, NRR

(301) 415-2974 Internet:sval@nrc.gov

Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Tech Editor has reviewed and concurred as of 01/30/96.

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES

DOCUMENT NAME: 96-22.IN

To receive a copy of this document, Indicate In the box: ACT - Copy without enclosures E'" - Copy with enclosures AND - No copy

OFFICE TECH CONTS I PECB:DRPM I D:DRPM IiIIEII

NAME MWBranch* AEChaffee DMCjtchfji1d

SGTingen*

SVAthavale* ___

DATE 03/25/96 04/04/96 04/ /96

03/21/96

_03/21/96 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

U('96-xx

February xx, 1996 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation project manager.

Dennis M. Crutchfield, Director

Division of Reactor Program Management

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts: Morris W. Branch, RII

(804) 357-2101 or

Internet: mxb2@nrc.gov

Stephen G. Tingen, 4&R- 9Y

(804) 331-5574 Internet: sgt~nrc.gov

S. V. Athavale

(301) 415-2974 Internet: sval@nrc.gov

Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: G:\NICK\REGIONII.IN

To receive a copy of Ws document, hIdicate i the box: 'C"

• Copy without enclosures E' - Copy with enclosures "N" . No coov

OFFICE PECB , l DRCH/HICB J DRCH/HQMB I. REG II/R Ji

NAME ENFields/vsb SAthavale !;,. STingen s&V' MBranch "' _sJ e!VIVI

DATE 03k/W/96

____

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03/11/96 103/;LI/96 103 9 10

I J 3*i9 OFFICE D:DRCH A A PECB I C: PECB ,-. I D:DRPM I I

NAME BAogeIrf *EFGoodwin IAEChaffeirt DMCrutchfield

DATE 103/$;3Q/96 " .a/L/96 03/ L/96L

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