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Title: Method to seal reactive materials under vacuum

Abstract

A method of sealing a low enriched uranium (LEU) foil in a vacuum is provided. The LEU foil is inserted into a stainless steel foil pouch. Sealing components are assembled with the stainless steel foil pouch with a vacuum pump connection extending through an opening in the pouch. Then an open end of the pouch is folded over and welded to form a vacuum tight bond. A vacuum pump is attached to the connection outside the pouch and the stainless steel foil pouch is evacuated. Then the stainless steel foil pouch is folded and welded to seal the LEU foil within a welded pouch portion. The remaining pouch portion including the vacuum sealing components is cut and separated from the welded pouch portion containing the LEU foil. The method uses on inexpensive readily available equipment, eliminating the need for electron beam welding equipment.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1531550
Patent Number(s):
7350280
Application Number:
11/585,595
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21F - PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21G - CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-06CH11357; W-31-109-ENG-38
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2006-10-24
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES; 42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Wiencek, Thomas C. Method to seal reactive materials under vacuum. United States: N. p., 2008. Web.
Wiencek, Thomas C. Method to seal reactive materials under vacuum. United States.
Wiencek, Thomas C. Tue . "Method to seal reactive materials under vacuum". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1531550.
@article{osti_1531550,
title = {Method to seal reactive materials under vacuum},
author = {Wiencek, Thomas C.},
abstractNote = {A method of sealing a low enriched uranium (LEU) foil in a vacuum is provided. The LEU foil is inserted into a stainless steel foil pouch. Sealing components are assembled with the stainless steel foil pouch with a vacuum pump connection extending through an opening in the pouch. Then an open end of the pouch is folded over and welded to form a vacuum tight bond. A vacuum pump is attached to the connection outside the pouch and the stainless steel foil pouch is evacuated. Then the stainless steel foil pouch is folded and welded to seal the LEU foil within a welded pouch portion. The remaining pouch portion including the vacuum sealing components is cut and separated from the welded pouch portion containing the LEU foil. The method uses on inexpensive readily available equipment, eliminating the need for electron beam welding equipment.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2008},
month = {4}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Bagging methods
patent, November 1977


Method of making a container for storing fine particles
patent, April 2002