Information Notice 1990-70, Pump Explosions Involving Ammonium Nitrate

Pump Explosions Involving Ammonium Nitrate

ML031130208
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:	11/06/1990
From:	Cunningham R NRC/NMSS/IMNS
To:
References
IN-90-070, NUDOCS 9010310117
Download: ML031130208 (8)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

20555

November 6. 1990

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 90-70: PUMP EXPLOSIONS INVOLVING AMMONIUM NITRATE

Addressees

All uranium fuel fabrication and conversion facilities.

Purpose

This Information Notice is being issued to inform uranium fuel fabrication and

conversion facilities of an explosion potential associated with the pumping of

solutions containing ammonium nitrate. There also could be this risk in the

pumping of other solutions in which the chemical characteristics of the solute

are similar to those of ammonium nitrate (described below). It is suggested

that recipients review the information here and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude possible pump explosion potential. However, suggestions contained

in this Information Notice do not constitute U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

(NRC) requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is

required.

Description of Circumstances

On December 7, 1988, at a fuel fabrication facility, an incident occurred in

which a pump servicing a uranyl nitrate system exploded; on April 29, 1990, at

another fuel fabrication facility, a pump associated with an ammonium diurinate

(ADU) system exploded. The following was common to both incidents:

1. The pumps were left on for a lengthy period of time (e.g., 40 hours4.62963e-4 days <br />0.0111 hours <br />6.613757e-5 weeks <br />1.522e-5 months <br />),

without the solutions containing ammonium nitrate being able to leave

the pumps. Thus, these dead-headed pumps, over a period of time, boiled off the majority of the water in the solution thereby concen- trating the amount of ammonium nitrate, and a rapid thermal

decomposition resulted.

Investigations of these incidents have

determined that dryness is not a necessary condition for ammonium

nitrate to explode. A concentrated solution, together with

activation energy provided by the overheated pump, may be sufficient.

2. The explosive substance was determined to be ammonium nitrate.

The 'dead-heading" of the pumps was caused in one case by a closed valve, and

in the other case, by the clogging of a flow-restricting orifice with accumulated

solids. The explosions have been formally characterized as a 'rapid thermal

decomposition,' i.e., no ignition or detonation occurred. The pump housings

were blown apart with sufficient force to break the bolts that held them

9010310117 Zj4 D

a

IN 90-70

November 6, 1990 together. In one case, the suction half of the pump became a projectile, struck a steel pipe, bent it 15 degrees, and then skidded for another

16 feet before coming to rest. In the other case, an individual who was in

the affected area received a minor laceration requiring first aid. An

analysis of the individual's exposure determined that no significant exposure

resulted.

Discussion:

The events described in this Information Notice emphasize the need for uranium

processing facilities to identify potentially explosive compounds and

mixtures, be aware of where they are located or where they can accumulate or

form, and take preventive measures to preclude the conditions that could

cause an explosion to occur.

For the incidents just discussed, some of the corrective actions taken or

considered consisted of the following:

o

Use of temperature sensor shut-off devices with pumps.

Implementation of strong administrative control (i.e., independent

verification sign-off), regarding correct valve positions.

Evaluation of other systems in the plant for similar problems, i.e., presence of, or potential for, formation of ammonium nitrate, together with activation energy sources.

o

Use of udead-man switches in automatic or semi-automatic operations, instead of normal manual switches, to prevent personnel from overriding

pump operations.

o

Use of a water rinse between operations involving nitric acid and

ammonium hydroxide, to preclude the formation of ammonium nitrate.

Evaluation of vent and scrubber systems, since various materials

pass through them.

Interlocking pumps with tank-level indicators to shut pumps off at a

low level, in order to prevent a concentrating condition.

o

Removal of unnecessary discharge valves to prevent 'dead-heading."

Implementation of a valve tagging system.

in 190O0

Novoiber 6. 1990 No specific action or written response is required by this infrtnmatlon' Notice.

If you have any questions, please contact the technical contacts listed below or

the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional office.

ichardE. Cunn

reto

JDivision of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical Contacts: Edward McAlpines Region II

(404) 331-5547

George H. Bidinger, NMSS

(301) 492-0683 Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued-

NMSS Infomation Notices

2. List of Recently Issued

NRC Information Notices

rutachment 1 IN 90-70

November 6, 1990 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

Subject

Issuance

Issued to:

90-38, Supp. 1

90-67

90-63

90-62

90-59

90-58

90-56 License and Fee Require- ments for Processing Fin- ancial Assurance Submittals

for Decommissioning

Potential Security Equip- ment Weaknesses

11/6/90

10/29/90

Management Attention to the 10/03/90

Establishment and Maintenance

of a Nuclear Criticality

Safety Program

All fuel facility and

materials licensees.

All holders of OLs or

CPs for nuclear power

reactors and Category 1 fuel facilities.

All fuel cycle licensees

possessing more than

critical mass quantities

of special nuclear materi

All irradiated gemstone

importers and distributor

and all non-power reactor

licensees

All medical licensees

All Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) medical

All U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission

(NRC) licensees

Requirements for Import

09/25/90

and Distribution of

Neutron-Irradiated Gems

Errors in the use of

09/17/90

Radioactive Iodine-131 Improper Handling of

09/11/90

Ophthalmic Strontium-90

Beta Radiation Applicators

Inadvertent Shipment of a

09/04/90

Radioactive Source in a

Container Thought to be Empty

Minimization of Methane Gas 08/08/90

in Plant Systems and Radwaste

Shipping Containers

90-50

All holders

licenses or

permits for

reactors

of operating

construction

nuclear power

90-44

90-38 Dose-Rate Instruments

Underresponding to the True

Radiation Fields

06/29/90

All NRC licensees

All fuel facility and

materials licensees

Requirements for Processing 05/29/90

Financial Assurance Submittals

for Decommissioning

OL = Operating License

CP - Construction Permit

Attachment 2

IN 90-70

November 6, 1990 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

Subject

Issuance

Issued to

90-38, Supp. 1

89-30,

Supp. 1

90-69

90-68

90-67 License and Fee Require- nents for Processing Fin- ancial Assurance Submittals

for Decommissioning

High Temperature Environ

ments At Nuclear Power

Plants

Adequacy of Emergency and

Essential Lighting

11/6/90

11/1/90

10/31/90

Stress Corrosion Cracking

10/30/90

of Reactor Coolant Pump Bolts

Potential Security Equipment 10/29/90

Weaknesses

All fuel facility and

materials licensees.

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 pres- surized water

reactors (PWRs).

All holders of OLs

or CPs for

nuclear power

reactors and

Category I fuel

facilities.

All holders of OLs

for nuclear

power reactors

and all registered

users of NRC

approved waste

shipping packages.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

90-66

Incomplete Draining and

Drying of Shipping Casks

High Radiation Hazards

From Irradiated Incore

Detectors and Cables

Recent Orifice Plate

Problems

10/25/90

10/5/90

10/5/90

88-63, Supp. 1

90-65 OL - Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 90-70

November 6, 1990 No specific action or written response is required by this Information Notice.

If you have any questions, please contact the technical contacts listed below or

the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional office.

Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical Contacts: Edward McAlpine, Region II

(404) 331-5547

George H. Bidinger, NMSS

(301) 492-0683 Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued

NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued

NRC Information Notices

EKraus:

10/ /90

OFC:IMUF:

IMUF:

Region II:

IMUF:

IMUF:

________________________________________

-_________________________________

NAME:EFlack:mh:

CRobinson:

EMcAlpine:

VLTharpe:

GHBidinger:

____-_______-

__- __________________________- ____________

_____________________

DATE:10/ /90:

10/ /90:

10/ /90:

10/ /90:

10/ /90:

OFC:IMSB:

DD/IM S:

/M:

NAME:CHaughney:

G $&ibom:

RE dngham:

DATE:10/ /90:

1 /1/90:

1t /10

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 90-

November

, 1990 No specific action or written response is required by this Information Notice.

If you have any questions, please contact the technical contacts listed below or

the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional office.

Richard E. Cunningham, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical Contacts: Edward McAlpine, Region II

(404) 331-5547

George H. Bidinger, NMSS

(301) 492-0683 Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued

NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued

NRC Information Notices

EKraus:

10//8'/90

OFC:IMUF:

IMUFl

Region I

IMUIF:

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NAME:EFlack:mh:

CRobinson:

EMcAlpine.

VLharpe:

GHB~ d nger:

DATE:10/.2'/90:

10/9.0/90:

1 0l y/90:

104 /90:

10/JC/90:

OFC:IMSB:

DD/IMNS:

D/IMNS:

NAME:CHaughni

G

W

.

RE

ngham:

DATE:10/,C/90:

100 /90:

1

/90

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY