Year
1994
Abstract
In a joint effort between Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. of Oak Ridge, Tennessee and the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Albuquerque Operations Office, a guide to shipping package design for defense programs materials has been developed. The Design Guide is a comprehensive document that uses a systems engineering approach to the design of Type B fissile packages for radioactive material handling and shipping. The specific design aspects addressed in the guide are geared toward special nuclear materials, however the guide can be used to design any radioactive material package (fissile or nonfissile) for unirradiated material. The Design Guide covers all elements of a successful design effort including structural design, thermal performance, containment systems, shielding requirements, criticality concerns, operational considerations, acceptance criteria, maintenance program, materials compatibility, and quality assurance. The Design Guide has been issued in DRAFT form for comments by the DOE complex. The document will be updated as comments are received and new technologies are developed, however it can be successfully applied during this evolutionary phase.