Container Design Concept - std301320040042

DOE-STD-3013-2004

selected for two reasons: 1) gas filters allow the entry of moist air which could

interact with salts and other impurities contained in the stored materials; and 2) if

the container were not always oriented properly, stored powder could plug the filters

and later "blow out" causing, at a minimum, a local spread of contamination.

A welded closure is preferred because it is believed to provide the best combination

of features such as design qualification test performance, ease of assembly under

production conditions in a glove box, container (package) payload capacity, and

achievement of a 50-year life.

The material container (convenience container) is a container that is used to transfer

plutonium-bearing material. A material container is not required in packaging and is

not considered an isolation barrier by this Standard. Use of a material container can

reduce the potential for contamination during loading and closure of the inner

container, facilitate packaging, and provide an additional material barrier.

2. These requirements simply provide functionality in the design.

3. Storage of plutonium-bearing material must comply with existing MC&A, safeguards

and security, and audit and surveillance directives which rely on nondestructive

assays as a technique for validation. The MC&A requirements call for routinely

assaying stored materials for process, accountability, and inventory controls.

Plutonium packaging and storage should not preclude adherence to these directives.

4. Pressure indication, such as a pressure deflectable lid or bellows observable by

radiography, will permit early detection of inner container pressurization prior to

potential failure. The pressure detection threshold [set at 790 kPa (100 psig) in this

Standard] balances the need to minimize "false positives" with the need to eliminate

"false negatives." Pressure buildup in the container is expected to yield internal

pressures less than 790 kPa (100 psig). Additionally, there are no known

mechanisms for pressure buildup in containers holding plutonium metal

[Spearing/Crooks, 2003]. An internal pressure indication of 790 kPa (100 psig) is

therefore adequately indicative of unexpected pressurization, yet far below the

design pressure for the outer container (Criterion 6.2.1.5 requires the design

pressure to be at least 4927 kPa, or 699 psig).

5. Specifying a minimum design pressure provides compatibility with the safety