Information Notice No. 84-22: Deficiency in Comsip, Inc. Standard Bed Catalyst

                                                           SSINS No.:  6835 
                                                           IN 84-22        

                               UNITED STATES 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                    OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 

                               March 29, 1984 

Information Notice No. 84-22:   DEFICIENCY IN COMSIP, INC. STANDARD BED 
                                   CATALYST 

Addressees: 

All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or 
construction permit (CP). 

Purpose: 

This information notice is being provided as a notification of a potentially
significant problem pertaining to a deficiency in the configuration of the 
catalyst bed used in models K-III and K-IV containment gas monitoring 
systems (CGMS) manufactured by Comsip, Inc., of Whittier, California. It is 
expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to 
their facilities. No specific action or written response is required. 

Description of Circumstances: 

Comsip, Inc. has notified its customers and the NRC of a deficiency in the 
catalyst beds models K-III and K-IV shipped prior to April 1983, used in 
CGMSs. Concern exists that notification of licensees, who are end users, has
not been completed; therefore, this information notice will summarize the 
problem. 

Comsip, Inc. reported that independent calculations tests to establish the 
effective life of the catalyst used in Comsip Models K-III and K-IV CGSMS 
did not correlate well so they initiated tests to develop empirical data. 
The CGMS monitors post-LOCA hydrogen and oxygen concentrations and may be 
poisoned by the iodine concentration. Comsip used the maximum iodine 
concentration estimated to occur in a large boiling water reactor, 0.02 
millimeters of mercury partial pressure, to test the catalyst beds of the 
monitors supplied prior to April 1983. This corresponds to a release 
consistent with the assumptions of Regulatory Guide 1.3. The test determined
that the useful life of the catalyst may be as short as 10 days. Under the 
same conditions, a newly designed bed showed no degradation for five months.

Purchasers and end users of the pre-April 1983 catalyst bed are listed in 
Attachment 2 which is a distribution for the Part 21 report which is 
Attachment 1. 



8403140247 
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                                                           IN 84-22        
                                                           March 29, 1984  
                                                           Page 2 of 2     

No written response to this information notice is required. If there are any
questions regarding this matter, please contact the Regional Administrator 
of the appropriate NRC Regional office, or this office. 


                                   Edward L. Jordan, Director 
                                   Division of Emergency Preparedness 
                                     and Engineering Response 
                                   Office of Inspection and Enforcement 

Technical Contact:  M. S. Wegner, IE 
                    (301) 492-4511 

Attachments: 
1.   Comsip, Inc. Part 21 Report (transcription) 
2.   List of Licensees/Purchasers Affected 
3.   List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices