Design improvements for gloveboxes used [in] {sup 238}PuO{sub 2} process operations
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States). Nuclear Materials Technology Div.
{sup 238}PuO{sub 2} process operations are housed in a complex of 76 gloveboxes and introductory hoods connected by means of an overhead trolley housed in a tunnel. Because a significant number of the gloveboxes used for {sup 238}PuO{sub 2} processing were installed before the original startup of the facility in 1978, they have been in service for nearly 20 years. During a recent heat source production campaign, numerous contamination releases in the {sup 238}PuO{sub 2} processing area were traced to degraded elastomer gaskets used for glovebox connections, and attachment of feed-throughs, service panels, and windows. Evaluation of the degraded gaskets revealed that a combination of radiolytic degradation related to the high specific activity of {sup 238}Pu, and extended service at high altitude in a low (to extremely low) humidity environment had resulted in accelerated gasket aging. However, it was also apparent that gasket design was the most important factor in actual contamination release. All of the contamination releases that were traced to degraded gaskets occurred in variations of a design that used a spline to expand an elastomeric gasket into the space between a connecting flange, window, or service panel, and a glovebox opening. No contamination releases were traced to the gasket design that employed bolted clamps to compress the gasket between a connecting flange, window, or panel, and the exterior surface of a glovebox opening. As a result of these findings, the Actinide Ceramics group at LANL (NMT-9) has initiated a routine replacement and upgrade program to replace aging gloveboxes. All of the new gloveboxes will utilize the preferred gasket design, which is expected to reduce the number and frequency of contamination releases.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 527425
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-97-2063; CONF-970791-3; ON: DE97008758; TRN: 97:018532
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: American Glovebox Society conference, Lakewood, CO (United States), 21-24 Jul 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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