``We crash, burn, and crush``: A history of packaging at Sandia National Laboratories, 1978--1997
Even prior to the beginning of the nuclear age, the packaging and transportation of nuclear materials was a prime national concern. Nuclear materials such as uranium and plutonium had to be transported safely (and secretly) to the Manhattan Engineer District Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The subsequent post war use of nuclear power for the generation of electricity and accelerated weapons development programs resulted in radioactive waste byproducts, such as spent fuel and plutonium, that were stored on site at utilities and federal weapons sites. While projected repositories for long term storage of radioactive waste are being planned, both low and high level radioactive materials on occasion must be moved safely. Movement to interim storage and, for low level waste, repository sites, is accomplished by a combination of truck, rail, ship, and air. The US Department of Energy (DOE) directs transportation activities including cask development technology for use in single or multimodal (a combination of land, water, and air) transport. In 1978, Sandia National Laboratories was selected as the lead contractor for basic transportation technology. This report is divided into the following topics: (1) early research and development (1936--1978); (2) radioactive material package test (1975--1977); (3) the SNL Transportation Technology Center; (4) TRUPACT-II; (5) beneficial uses of shipping system casks; (6) C-141B drop tests; (7) MIDAS; (8) MOSAIK; (9) SEARAM; (10) PATRAM; and (11) a chronology of transportation activities.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 645509
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-97-2797C; CONF-980507-; ON: DE98000841; TRN: 98:009980
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: PATRAM `98: 12. international conference on packaging and transportation of radioactive material, Paris (France), 10-15 May 1998; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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