Stories

New containers take a beating

Y‑12 employees have designed the shipping container of the future — the ES‑3100 — and are ready to see it in action, transporting bulk highly enriched uranium and other fissile materials safely, securely and at greater capacity than ever before.

For many years, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 6M Specification Container was the shipping container of choice for bulk fissile radioactive materials. Realizing that this container was outdated and did not meet the latest safety regulations, Y‑12 National Security Programs and Engineering departments designed the ES‑3100 container, which offers 100 percent more capacity and is easier to use than the 6M. The ES‑3100 was designed with state-of-the-art closures and will be used for air as well as ground transportation. This general-purpose stainless steel single-containment system has Kaolite 1600 insulation, a mixture of Portland cement and vermiculite, and can transport any fissile material, including heat-generating materials, materials that require shielding, isotopes, and STD‑3013 canisters. The National Nuclear Security Administration as well as other shippers of radioactive materials uses these containers.

The ES‑3100 containment vessel is fabricated using “flow form” technology. A single billet of stainless steel is cold worked into a raw shape. After annealing and machining, the finished product is a seamless body. To meet the rigorous federal requirements (U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 71, and International Atomic Energy Agency TS‑R-1), the ES‑3100 was subjected to physical tests that included having a 1,100-lb steel plate dropped on it from a height of 30 ft, followed by a 30‑ft drop test, a puncture test, a 15‑m immersion test, and a 30‑minute thermal test in a 1475°F gas-fired furnace. The new container passed all test conditions with flying colors, leaving the inner cavity of the drum completely unscathed. That’s durability and that’s the new standard set by Y‑12.

Computer models and other analytical tools also have extensively analyzed the ES‑3100 for structural integrity, shielding, criticality safety, and containment of radioactive material.

In compliance with treaties and international accountability, the U.S. is reducing its nuclear weapons stockpiles by down blending material from weapons and converting it to peaceful uses, such as fuel for commercial electric power generation.

The new ES‑3100 container will play an important role in meeting the country’s obligations by ensuring that the raw materials transported for this program are subjected to the highest standards of safety, security and international accountability.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is licensing the ES‑3100, which is expected to be in use this fall.

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