Developments that are making the Versa-Pac Indeed More Versatile (and more useful to the industry)

The Versa-Pac is a certified Type AF packaging (USA NRC Certificate # USA/9342/AF-96), often used as a package for waste disposal, continuous content additions have improved the versatility of the package resulting in expanded uses for the industry.. The Versa-Pac can be used directly or in conjunction with pails, drums, or inserts, and a variety of smaller containers and vessels.The Versa-Pac comes in two sizes, the VP-55 (i.e., 200-liter drum version) and VP-110 (i.e., 400-liter drum version). It features a patented design in combination with the drum exterior to provide enhanced structural protection to payloads under Normal Conditions of Transport and Hypothetical Accident Conditions.Since its introduction in 2010, the Versa-Pac has been utilized mainly as a one-time use package for disposing of radioactive waste. However, the Versa-Pac package, which has the familiar simplicity of a drum, is a reusable transport package with the capability of shipping a variety of radioactive materials.In the spirit of simplicity yet versatility, the package has experienced numerous improvements in collaboration with our customers. The latest design improvements to be licensed in February 2016 includes a new configuration designated the VP-55HC (high capacity), which includes an internal safe geometry pipe container to further increase the U-235 capacity. The pipe container is similar in design to the historic USDOT 2R vessel.Other planned and proposed improvements include provisions include increasing the capacity of the VP-110, developing a new lighter 113-liter version of the package, and introducing content limits specific to uranium-oxides in multiple forms. This paper traces the engineering and design efforts involved in expanding the Versa-Pac’s versatility.