Year
2011
Abstract
Air filters designed to contain plutonium particulates while allowing hydrogen gas to escape are used in a variety of low flow rate applications in the nuclear industry. Examples include nuclear material storage containers, glove box bag-out bags and waste drums. Filter efficiency testing is essential to ensure filter performance, and yet the low testing flow rates present some challenges because the testing flow rates can be 5 to 6 orders of magnitude lower than those used to test large HEPA filter systems used in facility ventilation systems. Statistical analysis of low flow filter efficiency test results on nuclear material storage container filters has proven to be essential to ensure that the testing processes, test equipment, and filters meet the design requirements. This poster will describe the testing apparatus used to test nuclear material storage container filters and the use of statistical methods to analyze low flow filter efficiency test results.