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Title: Method to seal reactive materials under vacuum

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1531550

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.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357; W-31-109-ENG-38
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL)
Patent Number(s):
7,350,280
Application Number:
11/585,595
OSTI ID:
1531550
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2006-10-24
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (3)


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