Performance of a Drum Type Packaging With Urethane Foam Overpack Subjected to Crush and Other Regulatory Tests

Abstract

General Purpose Fissile Package (GPFP) prototypes of two configurations, 16 in. and 18 ½ in. diameter drum overpacks, were subjected to the free-drop, crush, puncture, and thermal Hypothetical Accident Condition (HAC) sequential tests for 10CFR71, Type B packagings. The tests demonstrated that the prototypes are very robust, easily withstanding the structural tests. The tests also confirmed that the urethane foam-filled overpack was able to withstand the thermal test. INTRODUCTIONThe GPFP packaging design is a proposed replacement for DOT Specification 6M Metal Packaging. The replacement packaging must be able to transport the same contents as the 6M, meet the Type B performance requirements, and be economical to build and use. The GPFP must be able to withstand the Hypothetical Accident Condition (HAC) Crush Test for DOE missions. The Crush Test requirement presents a severe challenge to drum type packaging. Finite element modeling (FEM) indicated that the rigid urethane foam-filled overpack employed by the GPFP design would be able to withstand the Crush Test. In order to confirm the predictions of the finite element model, prototype packagings were fabricated and subjected to the HAC sequential performance tests, less the immersion test.