Proper procedures are the key to welding radioactive waste canisters
Journal Article
·
· Welding Journal
OSTI ID:532972
- Dept. of Energy, Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Technology Center
The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the US Department of Energy`s Savannah River site in Aiken, SC, processes and vitrifies radioactive liquid waste. The waste is incorporated in a borosilicate glass and poured into canisters where it is allowed to cool and solidify. The canisters, fabricated from 304L stainless steel, measuring 24 in. in diameter and 118 in. in length, are permanently sealed with a 1/2-in.-thick by 5-in.-diameter 304L stainless steel plug. The plug is resistance welded into the canister nozzle creating the closure weld. Resistance upset welding was chosen for making the closure weld because of its simplicity (facilitates remote operation) and ability to make high-integrity joints. Statistical process control (SPC) is used to monitor and provide ongoing status of the welding system. A difference in burst strength between production canister nozzle and test nozzle closure welds performed over the past few years was noted. Test nozzles serve at least two functions: (1) they are used for welding performance qualification, and (2) are destructively tested to assess performance of the DWPF welding system and to verify quality of production welds. This study includes data from three groups of nozzle closure welds. Group 1 consists of 11 test nozzles welded in conjunction with qualification of the DWPF welding procedure. Group 2 includes ten truncated canister nozzles taken from glass-pouring campaigns in which canisters were filled with nonradioactive glass, processed in the DWPF and closure welded. The third group (Group 3) is comprised of eight test nozzles associated with welder performance qualification performed subsequent to completion of Group 2.
- OSTI ID:
- 532972
- Journal Information:
- Welding Journal, Journal Name: Welding Journal Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 76; ISSN 0043-2296; ISSN WEJUA3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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