[DNFSB LETTERHEAD]
The Honorable Spencer Abraham
Secretary of Energy
Dear Secretary Abraham:
The Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board (Board) has been acutely aware of the safety concerns of the red
oil phenomenon in nuclear chemical processing facilities ever since the red oil
explosion at Tomsk-7 in 1993. �The Board
urges the Department of Energy to continue to periodically assess the controls
that are in place to prevent a red oil explosion. �As long as there are organics, nitric acid,
and process equipment capable of heating these components, red oil explosions
will continue to be a threat to safety in the defense nuclear complex.
Enclosed for your information
and for use by those responsible for nuclear process safety is a technical
report, DNFSB/TECH-33, Control of Red Oil
Explosions in Defense Nuclear Facilities. �The report identifies 3 types of typical
process equipment in defense nuclear facilities that are capable of red oil
formation. �Four generic controls are
identified to prevent red oil explosions.
Sincerely,
John T. Conway
Chairman
c: �The Honorable Linton Brooks
The Honorable Jessie Hill
Roberson
Mr. Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.