Year
2012
Abstract
The U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Specification 6M 110 gallon container had been the workhorse for the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) and many other shippers for research reactor fuel. This DOT specification was eliminated from the regulations on September 30, 2008. The anticipation of this action prompted DOE to begin development of the ES-4100 Shipping Container as its replacement. The ES-4100 project began in 2007. As part of the licensing activities, the project conducted regulatory tests on fullsize prototypes, in compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements in 10 CFR 71.71 and 10 CFR 71.73. The license application for this container is being considered by the Office of Packaging Technology (OPT) of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Albuquerque Service Center, the regulatory branch of NNSA. Questions from regulators with respect to the relative position of the multiple Containment Vessels and the fixed neutron absorber during hypothetical accident conditions prompted the destructive testing. The test was conducted on a previously tested full-scale prototype. The test began by cutting away the drum outer skin and removing it, thus exposing the Kaolite™ insulation. The insulation was then chipped away exposing the central core region that consists of the neutron absorber material and the Containment Vessel positioning tubes. Photos and measurements were taken to better understand the behavior of the neutron absorber and Containment Vessel regions after the required regulatory 30-foot drop tests. This paper will include photos of the disassembly of the ES-4100 and the interior regions of the container.