Prototype Testing of a Protective Structural Packaging for 30B Cylinder

Three drop test campaigns have been performed with DN 30 Protective Structural Packaging (PSP) developed by DAHER NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES GmbH (DAHER NT) for the transport of natural, enriched and reprocessed uranium hexafluoride (up to 5 wt%) in 30B cylinders.The mechanical prototype testing is intended to demonstrate that the package DN30 complies with regulatory requirements under normal and hypothetical accident conditions of transport (NCT, ACT) relevant to IF, AF and B(U)F packages, respectively.The presentation includes the results of the latest test campaign carried out in 2015/16 at the drop test facility of BAM, Germany with new full scale prototypes of the DN30 PSP and 30B cylinders. Repetition of drop test sequences became necessary after changing to Polyisocyanurate foam as shock absorbing material with variable foam densities. Furthermore, the mechanical behavior of the UF6 content of the 30B cylinder is now simulated by a mixture of cement and steel grid as modified surrogate material; instead of small steel balls. The behavior of this new content simulation is assumed to be more realistic with respect to the properties of real UF6.