DN30 PACKAGE
The DN30 Package is Getting Ready to Use.
With the issue of the French certificates of package approval the DN30 package, an advanced design for the safe transport of enriched UF6, is approaching its first use. The three certificates type AF, IF and B(U)F cover commercial grade and all reprocessed enriched Uranium products in use or to be used in the next decades for the manufacturing of nuclear fuel.
The DN30 Protective Structural Packaging (PSP), developed by Orano NCS GmbH located in Hanau, Germany, is a state-of-technique design to protect any standard 30B cylinder against all mechanical and thermal impacts to be considered under normal and accident conditions of transport as defined in the international regulations SSR-6. Advanced safety features of the design ensure that the DN30 package fulfils not only current transport regulations but also the revision of the SSR-6 regulations coming into force in the next years.
The type AF certificate covers commercial grade UF6 with an enrichment in U-235 of up to 5 wt.%.
The 30B cylinders are permitted to contain any amount of UF6 between 0 and 2277 kg. Frequent refilling of heels cylinders without prior washing is allowed.
The type IF certificate covers contents of reprocessed UF6 with a U-232 concentration of up to 60 ppb; the maximal U-235 enrichment is also 5 wt.%.
The type B(U)F certificate covers all contents of the type IF certificate as well as heels of reprocessed UF6.
Special care has been taken in the definition of the permissible heels to allow transport after emptying as soon as possible and to avoid (excessive) storage periods of the heels cylinders before transport. For all contents, the criticality safety index CSI is equal to zero, allowing any number of DN30 packages in a single conveyance.
The DN30 package is designed to withstand a drop from 9 m height onto an unyielding target, followed by a drop from 1 m height onto a rigid iron bar, and a subsequent fire with a temperature of not less than 800°C and a duration of 30 min. The special safety features are e.g. a valve protecting device, a rotation preventing device, a very robust closure system and a thermal protection system. The plug protecting device allows the use of 30B cylinders with any kind of plug design, either hex head plugs or socket head plugs. A sturdy sealing device facilitates the use of high security seals
Care has been taken to keep the interface between transport means such as flat-racks and the DN30 package identical to the interface of already existing PSP designs. Handling of the loaded and empty DN30 PSP is similar to existing designs. As a new feature, fork lifter pockets have been added to allow safe handling of the DN30 package with a fork lifter.
The French certificates of package approval are currently being validated in countries dispatching, transferring or receiving UF6, such as Brazil, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden and the UK. In the USA, a separate certificate of package approval has been applied for to allow US domestic transportation. For import and export purposes, the French type AF certificate will be validated in the USA as well.
Manufacturing of the first series of DN30 PSPs has already started. First units will be delivered to the customer in the 3. quarter 2019. It is expected to reach an output of approx. 100 units in 2019 and 200-250 units in 2020. Providing transport capacity for the short term needs of the Uranium industry. In the medium and long term Orano NCS GmbH is ready to supply the industry with sufficient capacity to cover the world-wide demand in transport of commercial grade and reprocessed UF6.