Potential for HEPA filter damage from water spray systems in filter plenums
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Rocky Flats Safe Sites of Colorado, Golden, CO (United States)
- Department of Energy, Germantown, MD (United States)
The water spray systems in high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter plenums that are used in nearly all Department of Energy (DOE) facilities for protection against fire was designed under the assumption that the HEPA filters would not be damaged by the water sprays. The most likely scenario for filter damage involves filter plugging by the water spray, followed by the fan blowing out the filter medium. A number of controlled laboratory tests that were previously conducted in the late 1980s are reviewed in this paper to provide a technical basis for the potential HEPA filter damage by the water spray system in HEPA filter plenums. In addition to the laboratory tests, the scenario for BEPA filter damage during fires has also occurred in the field. A fire in a four-stage, BEPA filter plenum at Rocky Flats in 1980 caused the first three stages of BEPA filters to blow out of their housing and the fourth stage to severely bow. Details of this recently declassified fire are presented in this paper. Although these previous findings suggest serious potential problems exist with the current water spray system in filter plenums, additional studies are required to confirm unequivocally that DOE`s critical facilities are at risk. 22 refs., 15 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Harvard Univ., Boston, MA (United States). Harvard Air Cleaning Lab.; USDOE Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Health, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Environmental Guidance; US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research; International Society of Nuclear Air Treatment Technologies, Inc., Batavia, OH (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 568108
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0153; CONF-960715-; ON: TI97008959; TRN: 98:003312
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 24. nuclear air cleaning and treatment conference, Portland, OR (United States), 15-18 Jul 1996; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 24. DOE/NRC nuclear air cleaning and treatment conference; First, M.W. [ed.] [Harvard Univ., Boston, MA (United States). Harvard Air Cleaning Lab.]; PB: 1022 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Proposed retrofit of HEPA filter plenums with injection and sampling manifolds for in-place filter testing
Technology development: HEPA filter service life test plan