Helium leak testing of a radioactive contaminated vessel under high pressure in a contaminated environment
At ANL-W, with the shutdown of EBR-II, R&D has evolved from advanced reactor design to the safe handling, processing, packaging, and transporting spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. New methods of processing spent fuel rods and transforming contaminated material into acceptable waste forms are now in development. Storage of nuclear waste is a high interest item. ANL-W is participating in research of safe storage of nuclear waste, with the WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) site in New Mexico the repository. The vessel under test simulates gas generated by contaminated materials stored underground at the WIPP site. The test vessel is 90% filled with a mixture of contaminated material and salt brine (from WIPP site) and pressurized with N2-1% He at 2500 psia. Test acceptance criteria is leakage < 10{sup -7} cc/seconds at 2500 psia. The bell jar method is used to determine leakage rate using a mass spectrometer leak detector (MSLD). The efficient MSLD and an Al bell jar replaced a costly, time consuming pressure decay test setup. Misinterpretation of test criterion data caused lengthy delays, resulting in the development of a unique procedure. Reevaluation of the initial intent of the test criteria resulted in leak tolerances being corrected and test efficiency improved.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 392128
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/OD/CP-91055; CONF-9610109-3; ON: DE96015083; TRN: 96:028415
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1996 Fall conference and quality testing show. NDT - new horizons on the Pacific, Seattle, WA (United States), 14-18 Oct 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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