Information Notice 1996-33, Erroneous Data from Defective Thermocouple Results in a Fire

Erroneous Data from Defective Thermocouple Results in a Fire

ML031060060
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, 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, Crane
Issue date:	05/24/1996
From:	Cool D, Teneyck E NRC/NMSS/FCSS, NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-96-033, NUDOCS 9605220019
Download: ML031060060 (8)

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UNITED STATES

NUC EAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUC EAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

May 24, 1996

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 96-33:

ERRONEOUS DATA FROM DEFECTIVE THERMOCOUPLE

'RESULTS IN A FIRE

Addressees

All material and fuel cycle licensees that monitor temperature with

thermocouples.

Purpose

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

notice to alert addressees to an incident where a defective thermocouple

caused an evaporator to run at an excessively high temperature, resulting in a

fire. It is expected that recipients will review the information for applica- bility to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid

similar problems. However, suggestions in this information notice are not NRC

requirements; therefore, no specific action nor written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On February 21, 1996, a licensee had a fire in the ventilation system of its

liquid waste process. The licensee's investigation determined that the fire

was caused by a type-J thermocouple manufactured with reverse polarity. The

type-J thermocouple was part of a Pulse Combustion Drier put into operation in

1985 to evaporate waste water. The drier operates with natural gas that

ignites inside the drier combustion chamber. Waste water is pumped into the

hot gases being expelled from the combustion chamber within an evaporation

cone. The temperature is controlled by regulating the amount of waste water

being fed into the system. This is based on temperature readings from a

thermocouple in the duct work.

The licensee had replaced the thermocouple with a spare unit while trouble- shooting a lead wire problem on February 15, 1996. The spare thermocouple was

found to have reverse polarity during a test run, and the licensee believed it

had corrected the problem by reversing the lead wire polarity at the

instrument. The system appeared to read correctly during a 10-minute test

run. However, approximately an hour into a full run the next day, the

temperature reading began to behave erratically. The temperature readings

dropped even though the actual temperature was increasing. By the time the

licensee identified the discrepancy, a fire had started in the dust collector- filter cartridges.

The defective type-J thermocouple was purchased in 1985 (as a spare part),

along with the Pulse Combustion Drier from Sonodyne Industries in Portland, Oregon. The thermocouple had been manufactured for Sonodyne Industries by

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96-033

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IN 96-33 May 24, 1996 Gulton Measurement and Control Systems Division (a division of Gulton

Industries) in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The licensee reported that

Sonodyne Industries is out of business and Gulton Industries is no longer

manufacturing thermocouples.

Discussion

NRC is not aware of any other Sonodyne driers currently being used by NRC

licensees. Licensees that operate waste water evaporators or other heat- generating systems using thermocouples may wish to consider reviewing the

source of the thermocouples and testing the polarity of thermocouples in

stock.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If

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

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate regional office.

ElizaI~%h Q. T6 ck, Di tctor

Divis ton of Fuel Cycle Safety

and Safeguards

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contact: Kevin M. Ramsey, NMSS

(301) 415-7887 Internet:kmrenrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. lst of Recently Issued NRC Information

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Attachment 1

IN 96-33

May 24, 1996 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NHSS INFORMATION NOTICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

Subject

Issuance

Issued to

96-28 Suggested Guidance Relat-

1ng to Development and

Implementation of Correc- tive Action

05/01/96

All material and

licensees

fuel cycle

96-21

96-20

96-18

Safety Concerns Related

to the Design of the Door

Interlock Circuit on

Nucletron High-Dose Rate

and Pulsed Dose Rate

Remote Afterloading Brachy- therapy Devices

Demonstration of Associ- ated Equipment Compliance

with 10 CFR 34.20

Compliance With 10 CFR

Part 20 for Airborne

Thorium

Incident Reporting

Requirements for

Radiography Licensees

10 CFR 34.20; Final

Effective Date

Handling Uncontained

Yellowcake Outside of a

Facility Processing Circuit

04/10/96

04/04/96

03/25/96

01/10/96

12/18/95

12/6/95

All NRC Medical Licensees

authorized to use brachy- therapy sources in high- and pulsed-dose-rate remote

All industrial radiography

licensees and radiography

equipment manufacturers

All material licensees

authorized to possess and

use thorium in unsealed form

All Radiography Licensees

and Manufacturers of

Radiography Equipment

Industrial Radiography

Licensees.

All Uranium Recovery

Licensees.

96-04

95-58

95-51

Recent Incidents Involving

Potential Loss of Control

of Licensed Material

10/27/95

All material

licensees.

and fuel cycle

95-50

Safety Defect in Gammamed

121 Bronchial Catheter

Clamping Adapters

10/30/95

All High Dose Rate

Afterloader (HDR) Licensees.

I2

3.

Attachment 2

IN 96-33

May 24, 1996 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

Subject

Issuance

Issued to

96-32

96-31

96-30

96-29

96-28

96-27

96-26

96-25

96-24

Implementation of 10 CFR

50.55a(g)(6)(ii)(A),

Augmented Examination

of Reactor Vessel'

Cross-Tied Safety Injec- tion Accumulators

Inaccuracy of Diagnostic

Equipment for Motor-

Operated Butterfly Valves

Requirements in 10 CFR

Part 21 for Reporting and

Evaluating Software Errors

Suggested Guidance Relating

to Development and Imple- mentation of Corrective

Action

Potential Clogging of High

Pressure Safety Injection

Throttle Valves During

Recirculation

Recent Problems with Over- head Cranes

Transversing In-Core Probe

Overwithdrawn at LaSalle

County Station, Unit 1 Preconditioning of Molded-

Case Circuit Breakers

Before Surveillance Testing

05/23/96

05/22/96

05/21/96

05/20/96

05/01/96

05/01/96

04/30/96

04/30/96

04/25/96

All holders of OLs or CPs

for nuclear power reactors

All holders of OLs or CPs

for pressurized water

reactors

All holders of OLs or CPs

for nuclear power reactors

All holders of OLs or CPs

for nuclear power reactors

All material and fuel cycle

licensees

All holders of OLs or CPs

for pressurized water

reactors

All holders of OLs or CPs

for nuclear power reactors

All holders of OLs or CPs

for nuclear power reactors

All holders of OLs or CPs

for nuclear power reactors

OL - Operating License

CP - Construction Permit

11
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IN 96-33 May 24, 1996 Gulton Measurement and Control Systems Division (a division of Gulton

Industries) in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The licensee reported that

Sonodyne Industries is out of business and Gulton Industries is no longer

manufacturing thermocouples.

Discussion

NRC is not aware of any other Sonodyne driers currently being used by NRC

licensees.

Licensees that operate waste water evaporators or other heat- generating systems using thermocouples may wish to consider reviewing the

source of the thermocouples and testing the polarity of thermocouples in

stock.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If

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

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate regional office.

Elizabeth Q. Ten Eyck, Director

Division of Fuel Cycle Safety

and Safeguards

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contact:

Kevin M. Ramsey, NMSS

(301) 415-7887 Internet:kmr~nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: 96-33.IN

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DATE

4/15/96

4/15/96

4/18/96

4/18/96

5/15/96

5/16/96 j

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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IN 96- April

, 1996 Gulton Measurement and Control Systems Division (a division of Gulton

Industries) in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

The licensee reported that

Sonodyne Industries is out of business and Gulton Industries is no longer

manufacturing thermocouples.

Discussion:

NRC is not aware of any other Sonodyne driers currently being used by NRC

licensees.

Licensees that operate waste water evaporators or other heat- generating systems using thermocouples may wish to consider reviewing the

source of the thermocouples and testing the polarity of thermocouples in

stock.

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If

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

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate regional office.

Elizabeth Q. Ten Eyck, Director

Division of Fuel Cycle Safety

and Safeguards

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material

and Safeguards

Safety

Contact(s):

Attachments:

Kevin M. Ramsey, NMSS

(301) 415-7887

1. Lis

2. Lis, t of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

t of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

G:INTHERMO.KMR

DOCUMENT NAME:

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE

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DATE

4/15/96

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4/15/96 m4/18/96

4//j'96

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

FN 96- April

, 1996 Gulton Measurement and Control Systems Division (a division of G ton

Industries) in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The licensee rep ted that

Sonodyne Industries is out of business and Gulton Industries s no longer

manufacturing thermocouples.

Discussion:

NRC is not aware of any other Sonodyne driers curren y being used by NRC

licensees. Licensees that operate waste water evap rators or other heat- generating systems using thermocouples may wish t consider reviewing the

source of the thermocouples and testing the pol ity of thermocouples in

stock.

This information notice requires no specifi action nor written response. If

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

the technical contact listed below or th appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

.Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Contact(s): Kevin M. msey, NMSS

(301) 41

7887 Attachments:

1. List of Recenty Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Rec tly Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME:

G: THERMO.KMR

• SEE PREVI S CONCURRENCE

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DATE

4/15/96

4/15/96

4//K/96

4/ /96

4/ /96 j

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 96- April

, 1996 Gulton Measurement and Control Systems Division (a division of Gulton

Industries) in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The licensee reported that

Sonodyne Industries is out of business and Gulton Industries is no longer

manufacturing thermocouples.

Discussion:

Based on licensee statements and NRC inspection experie, e the Pulse

Combustion Drier marketed by Sonodyne Industries did rj5 sell very well.

NRC

is not aware of any other Sonodyne driers currently }Sing used by NRC

licensees. Licensees that operate waste water evap rators or other heat- generating systems using thermocouples may wish 14 consider reviewing the

source of the thermocouples and testing the po

ity of thermocouples in

stock.

This information notice requires no specif c action nor written response. If

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

the technical contact listed below or

e appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Contact(s): Kevin4 . Ramsey, NMSS

2 1) 415-7887 Attachments;

1.Ls ~Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. Li

of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT X ME: G:INTHERMO.KMR

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DATE[

4/15/96

4/15/96 T 4/ /96

4/ /96

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4/ /96 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY