Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “packaging materials”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

ORNL Package Testing Program Overview

Radioactive materials are widespread in our everyday activities which are used in many different types of industries: Consumer products, Medicine, Industry, Energy, and Defense. In the United States there is about 3 million shipments of radioactive materials per year. With radioactive material being very widespread the number of new applications to ship these quantities increases daily. As such, ensuring the safe and secure transport of these materials is paramount, necessitating stringent packaging, transportation, and certification requirements. Shipments of radioactive materials have been made from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the past 65 years. Since the 1940s ORNL has been at the forefront of the early development of regulations pertaining to the transport of radioactive shipments and associated regulatory testing. The early involvement resulted in ORNL being one of the leaders in the development of regulations and testing standards pertaining to the testing and design of packages. Today all package testing activities are conducted under the Package Testing Program (PTP) at ORNL at the Package Evaluation Facility (PEF). The PTP develops and evaluates testing solutions – ensuring that they are safe, efficient, and meet regulatory requirements ORNL PTP has extensive experience in the regulatory testing of radioactive material packages, supporting certification of Type A, Type, B, Type AF, and special form packages. The PEF serves as a one-stop-shop for design, testing, and certification of a wide variety of packages needed for shipment of radioactive materials. The facility provides the space, expertise, and equipment necessary to conduct rigorous performance testing under both normal and accident conditions or transport environments including free drop, dynamic crush, puncture, penetration, compression, vibration, water spray, water immersion, and thermal test. The PTP remains a key contributor to the safety and compliance of radioactive material transportation. This presentation will provide an overview of the program’s history, capabilities, and its ongoing role in advancing regulatory standards and transportation safety.

Martinez, Oscar [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000181814046)↗
DOE OSTI2012

AGING BEHAVIOR OF VITON O-RING SEALS IN THE 9975 SHIPPING PACKAGE

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is storing plutonium (Pu) materials in the K-Area Materials Storage (KAMS) facility. The Pu materials were packaged according to the DOE-STD-3013 standard and shipped to the SRS in Type B 9975 packages. The robust 9975 shipping package was not designed for long-term product storage, but it is a specified part of the storage configuration and the KAMS facility safety basis credits the 9975 design with containment. Within the 9975 package, nested stainless steel containment vessels are closed with dual O-ring seals based on Viton{reg_sign} GLT or GLT-S fluoroelastomer. The aging behavior of the O-ring compounds is being studied to provide the facility with advanced notice of nonconformance and to develop life prediction models. A combination of field surveillance, leak testing of surrogate fixtures aged at bounding service temperatures, and accelerated-aging methodologies based on compression stress-relaxation and oxygen consumption analysis is being used to evaluate seal performance. A summary of the surveillance program relative to seal aging behavior is presented.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

ORNL Package Testing Program Overview

When transporting radioactive or hazardous materials, safety and security are top priorities. Packaging and transportation regulations require reliable evidence that containers have passed rigorous performance tests to ensure that the public and the environment are protected from the hazardous nature of the cargo. Because of its long history in energy and security research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has needed to ship hazardous packages for the past 65 years. Since the 1940s, ORNL has made significant contributions to transportation regulations and has been at the forefront of regulatory testing development. Today, ORNL is a leader in standards development and testing of designs of radioactive material packages. ORNL plays a critical role in ensuring the safe transportation of radioactive materials across the United States by executing rigorous testing campaigns of packages that contain radioactive materials. Early testing activities focused on supporting the development of transportation regulations established by both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United States. Currently, all package testing activities are performed under the Package Testing Program (PTP) at the Package Evaluation Facility (PEF) located at the National Transportation Research Center (NTRC), which is about 10 miles from the main ORNL campus. The PTP develops and evaluates testing solutions, ensuring that they are safe efficient, and in compliance with regulatory requirements. The vision for the PTP is to be a world-class leader in the evaluation and testing of radioactive and hazardous material packages. The key elements necessary to fulfill this mission are an experienced and professional staff; state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and instrumentation; and completion of challenging programs and projects important to package transportation. Collaborations with other internal and external organizations play a significant role in building stronger teams and achieving this vision. By adhering to and advancing regulatory standards, ORNL’s PTP supports development of safe and compliant packaging, safeguarding the transportation process from potential risks associated with radioactive material logistics.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Non-destructive Material Characterization of Radioactive Waste Packages with QUANTOM{sup R} - 20130

During the last decades, the nuclear and non-nuclear industry has produced a considerable amount of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes. In many countries, it is foreseen to dispose of these waste packages safely in a final repository under strict waste acceptance requirements (e.g. the radiological and material characterization) defined by national licensing and supervisory authorities. The material characterization of waste packages can be performed on the basis of existing documentation or, if the documentation is insufficient, on further destructive or non-destructive analysis. Non-destructive methods are to be preferred to minimize radiation exposures of operating personnel as well as costs. We offer here an innovative non-destructive technology called QUANTOM{sup R} (Quantitative Analysis of Toxic and nontoxic Materials) based on prompt and delayed gamma neutron activation analysis (P and DGNAA). This technology is able to identify, quantify and thus verify the amount of hazardous and non-hazardous substances in 200-l radioactive drums, which is required for a final disposal characterization. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

SRNL Training Courses for Packaging, Transportation, and Storage of Radioactive Material - 17597

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Packaging Certification Program (PCP), Office of Packaging and Transportation has sponsored a suite of training courses that have been conducted since the early 1990s. Of these training courses, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is currently leading the effort for two courses: (1) Management of SARP Preparation, and (2) Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials Transport Security and Leak Testing. This paper provides an overview of both courses. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Poly(n-butyl acrylate)–Casein Nanocomposites as Promising Candidates for Packaging Films

Partially degradable materials, offer an interesting sustainable alternative for short-term use applications where their environmental impact could be importantly reduced. This article investigates the preparation of a series of poly(n-butyl acrylate)–casein nanocomposites with varied bio-component content via emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. The influence of casein content on the morphological and film properties of the natural/synthetic materials is discussed. Film performance was analyzed in terms of water and vapor resistance, biodegradability in composting conditions, mechanical behavior, opacity, and thermal stability. The obtained results suggest that poly(n-butyl acrylate)–casein nanocomposites, with grafting of acrylic chains onto protein molecules, have great potential as bio-defragmentable packaging materials.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2012

US/UK Loan Account Project Status PMOD477

The viewgraphs describe the status of PMOD477 for LANL. The meeting will occur at DOE-HQ with NA-11 and Military Applications personnel in attendance. Serves to repatriate material with a balance to zero by December 2012. Phase 1 -- Establish formality of operations for War Reserve (WR): Complete surrogate taskings to A90 through a Materials Channel and perform US/UK lessons learned; Complete the US/UK agreed Quality Acceptance Plan, Materials Plan, Shipping procedure, and establish the formal UK/US point of contacts. Phase 2 -- Metal Manufacture (WR): Process material and store material as electrorefined metal (ER) rings, with initial assay and isotopic analysis, prior to manufacturing. Material is cast into accepted configuration and appropriate acceptance document for each aliquot will be generated. Phase 3 -- Intermediate Material Manufacture, Packaging and Shipping (WR): Continue processing of the material in accepted configuration with appropriate acceptance documentation for each aliquot. Provide an initial tasking of the material owed to UK including appropriate quality acceptance documentation. Phase 4 -- Complete Tasking (WR). Phase 5 -- Residue Processing (Non-WR): Complete processing of residue material and waste into accepted configuration with appropriate acceptance document for disposal.

CONFIGURATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Feedback from Reactor Internals Segmentation Projects in Europe - 19141

Westinghouse has accumulated significant know-how in the reactor dismantling activities. The approach to internals segmentation and packaging has been continuously enhanced by incorporating lessons learned and best practices into each successive project. Building on the most recent successful experience at Jose Cabrera in Spain, Westinghouse has won several major awards with 13 reactors currently under contract at Chooz A (France), Barsebaeck 1-2 (Sweden), Bohunice V1 (two units in Slovakia), Neckarwestheim I, Philippsburg 1, and more recently at Unterweser, Grafenrheinfeld, Grohnde, Isar 1, Isar 2, Brokdorf (Germany). The primary challenges of a segmentation and packaging project are to separate the highly activated materials from the less-activated materials and package them into appropriate containers for disposal. The choice of the optimum cutting technology is important for a successful project implementation and depends on some specific constraints like disposal costs, project schedule, available work areas or safety. The selected technology for all recent Westinghouse projects is mechanical cutting with different types of designed cutting equipment (hydraulic shears, band saw, disc saw). All segmentation tools are remotely controlled due to the high radiation levels and ALARA and personal safety is the number one priority during the challenging site work. Training on mock-ups in the Westinghouse facility before going to the site is a very important step in order to optimize all procedures and thereby maximize the efficiency on site in order to finalize the project on time or before. The work covers the segmentation of reactor internals but also, in some cases, some replaced components during plant operation that were stored in the spent fuel pool. The cutting equipment proved to be reliable and flexible which is very valuable for the execution of such a challenging project. The Barsebaeck Unit 2 site work has been finished end of October 2017 and its lessons learned are taken into consideration for future activities. Site work is currently on-going simultaneously at Chooz A, Barsebaeck 1, Neckarwestheim I and Philippsburg 1. This paper will provide an overview of all these on-going segmentation projects and will focus on feedback from the first projects executed on site. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Thermomechanical Modeling of High-Temperature Bonded Interface Materials

In an automotive power electronics package, bonded interface materials play a critical role in providing a smooth heat dissipation path from the device to the coolant. However, these materials are susceptible to failure when the package gets exposed to repeated changes in its thermal environment and internal temperature variations. Under these thermal conditions, the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the different component layers results in thermally induced stresses and consequently the delamination of the material from its adjoining surfaces or crack initiation and propagation within the material. Thermomechanical modeling offers a path to study the complex nature of these bonded materials, guides their design and selection, and, in conjunction with experimental results, plays an important role in predicting their lifetime. In this chapter, two modeling strategies - similar in approach and implementation but different in the underlying theory - are discussed in the context of high-temperature bonded materials. In addition, a short review of sintered silver is provided, as it is widely seen as a potentially promising and reliable bonded material for high-temperature applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Chitin- and cellulose-based sustainable barrier materials: a review

Abstract The accumulation of synthetic plastics used in packaging applications in landfills and the environment is a serious problem. This challenge is driving research efforts to develop biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable barrier materials derived from renewable sources. Cellulose, chitin/chitosan, and their combinations are versatile biobased packaging materials because of their diverse biological properties (biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial properties, antioxidant activity, non-toxicity, and less immunogenic compared to protein), superior physical properties (high surface area, good barrier properties, and mechanical properties), and they can be assembled into different forms and shapes (powders, fibers, films, beads, sponges, gels, and solutions). They can be either assembled into packaging films or used as fillers to improve the properties of other biobased polymers. Methods such as preparation of composites, multilayer coating, and alignment control are used to further improve their barrier, mechanical properties, and ameliorate their moisture sensitivity. With the growing application of cellulose and chitin-based packaging materials, their biodegradability and recyclability are also discussed in this review paper. The future trends of these biobased materials in packaging applications and the possibility of gradually replacing petroleum-based plastics are analyzed in the “Conclusions” section.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1975

Detailed design package for design of a video system providing optimal visual information for controlling payload and experiment operations with television

A detailed description of a video system for controlling space shuttle payloads and experiments is presented in the preliminary design review and critical design review, first and second engineering design reports respectively, and in the final report submitted jointly with the design package. The material contained in the four subsequent sections of the package contains system descriptions, design data, and specifications for the recommended 2-view system. Section 2 contains diagrams relating to the simulation test configuration of the 2-view system. Section 3 contains descriptions and drawings of the deliverable breadboard equipment. A description of the recommended system is contained in Section 4 with equipment specifications in Section 5.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

Flexible Foam Protection Materials for Portable Life Support System Packaging Study

This paper discusses the phase I effort in evaluating and selecting a light weight impact protection material for the Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE) Portable Life Support System (PLSS) conceptual packaging study. A light weight material capable of holding and protecting the components inside the PLSS is required to demonstrate the viability of the flexible PLSS packaging concept. The material needs to distribute, dissipate, and absorb the impact energy of the PLSS falling on the lunar surface. It must also be robust to consistently perform over several Extravehicular Activity (EVA) missions in the extreme lunar thermal vacuum environment. This paper documents the performance requirements for selecting a foam protection material, and the methodologies for evaluating some commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) foam material candidates. It also presents the mechanical properties and impact drop tests results of the foam material candidates. The results of this study suggest that a foam based flexible protection system is a viable solution for PLSS packaging. However, additional works are needed to optimize COTS foam or to develop a composite foam system that will meet all the performance requirements for the CSSE PLSS flexible packaging.

Tang,Henry H.↗
DOE OSTI2011

Packaging strategies for printed circuit board components. Volume I, materials & thermal stresses.

Decisions on material selections for electronics packaging can be quite complicated by the need to balance the criteria to withstand severe impacts yet survive deep thermal cycles intact. Many times, material choices are based on historical precedence perhaps ignorant of whether those initial choices were carefully investigated or whether the requirements on the new component match those of previous units. The goal of this program focuses on developing both increased intuition for generic packaging guidelines and computational methodologies for optimizing packaging in specific components. Initial efforts centered on characterization of classes of materials common to packaging strategies and computational analyses of stresses generated during thermal cycling to identify strengths and weaknesses of various material choices. Future studies will analyze the same example problems incorporating the effects of curing stresses as needed and analyzing dynamic loadings to compare trends with the quasi-static conclusions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

The developments in modifying functionality of lignin and its application in biocomposites

With the advancement of sustainable material innovations, renewable natural biopolymers are gradually replacing traditional metal and petroleum-based synthetic materials due to their environmental friendliness, biodegradability, and economic advantages. Lignin, the second most abundant natural aromatic polymer in the plant kingdom, has emerged as a key candidate raw material for the development of green polymer systems because of its unique phenylpropane unit network structure, high carbon content, and rich functional group characteristics. However, challenges such as the inherent structural complexity, chemical inertness, and uneven molecular weight distribution of lignin limit its direct application. By employing modification strategies such as chemical functionalization and physical regulation, researchers can precisely control its reactivity, thermal stability, and interfacial compatibility, enabling the preparation of high-performance lignin-based functional composites. Here, this paper systematically reviews the principles and methodological advancements in lignin's multi-dimensional modification technology. It analyzes the mechanisms by which various chemical and physical modification techniques enhance the mechanical properties, functional responsiveness, and environmental adaptability of materials, and discusses innovative applications in fields such as intelligent packaging, biomedical materials, and energy storage devices. Furthermore, this review addresses the key challenges encountered in the high-value transformation of lignin, with the aim of offering a theoretical framework and technical pathway for the transformative development of lignin from agricultural and forestry by-products to functional material platforms.

Functional composites↗
DOE OSTI2011

Investigations on Repository Near-Field Thermal Modeling - Repository Science/Thermal Load Management & Design Concepts (M41UF033302)

The various layers of material from the waste package (such as components of the engineered barrier system and the host rock surface) to a given distance within the rock wall at a given distance can be described as concentric circles with varying thermal properties (see Figure 5.1-1). The selected model approach examines the contributions of the waste package, axial waste package neighbors and lateral neighboring emplacement drifts (see Section 5.2.1 and Appendix H, Section 2). In clay and deep borehole media, the peak temperature is driven by the central waste package whereas, in granite and salt, the contribution to the temperature rise by adjacent (lateral) waste packages in drift or emplacement borehole lines is dominant at the time of the peak temperature. Mathematical models generated using Mathcad software provide insight into the effects of changing waste package spacing for six waste forms, namely UOX, MOX, co-extraction, new extraction, E-Chem ceramic and E-Chem metal in four different geologic media (granite, clay, salt and deep borehole). Each scenario includes thermal conductivity and diffusivity for each layer between the waste package and the host rock, dimensions of representative repository designs (such as waste package spacing, drift or emplacement borehole spacing, waste package dimensions and layer thickness), and decay heat curves generated from knowledge of the contents of a given waste form after 10, 50, 100 and 200 years of surface storage. Key results generated for each scenario include rock temperature at a given time calculated at a given radius from the central waste package (Section 5.2.1 and Appendix H, Section 3), the corresponding temperature at the interface of the waste package and EBS material, and at each EBS layer in between (Section 5.2.2 and Appendix H, Section 4). This information is vital to understand the implications of repository design (waste package capacity, surface storage time, waste package spacing, and emplacement drift or borehole spacing) by comparing the peak temperature to the thermal limits of the concentric layers surrounding the waste package; specifically 100 C for the bentonite buffer in granite and clay repositories, 100 C for rock wall in a clay repository and 200 C at the rock wall for a salt repository. These thermal limits are both preliminary and approximate, and serve as a means to evaluate design options rather than determining compliance for licensing situations. The thermal behavior of a salt repository is more difficult to model because it is not a concentric geometry and because the crushed salt backfill initially has a much higher thermal resistance than intact salt. Three models were investigated, namely a waste package in complete contact with crushed salt, secondly a waste package in contact with intact salt, and thirdly a waste package in contact with 75% intact and 25% crushed salt. The latter model best depicts emplacement of a waste package in the corner of an intact salt alcove and subsequently covered with crushed salt backfill to the angle of repose. The most conservative model (crushed salt) had temperatures much higher than the other models and although bounding, is too conservative to use. The most realistic model (75/25) had only a small temperature difference from the simplest (non-conservative, intact salt) model, and is the one chosen in this report (see Section 5.2.3). A trade-study investigating three key variables (surface storage time, waste package capacity and waste package spacing) is important to understand and design a repository. Waste package heat can be reduced by storing for longer periods prior to emplacement, or by reducing the number of assemblies or canisters within that waste package. Waste package spacing can be altered to optimize the thermal load without exceeding the thermal limits of the host rock or EBS components. By examining each of these variables, repository footprint (and therefore cost) can be optimized. For this report, the layout was fixed for each geologic medium based on prior published designs in the international community, but it will be varied in future work. Section 5.2.4 summarizes the conclusions based on varying two of the three parameters (storage time and waste package capacity), and the results are shown in Appendix H, Sections 5 and 6.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structural Analysis Approach for the Defense Programs Package 3 (DPP-3)

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is the design authority for a new Type B hazardous materials transportation package designated as the Defense Programs Package 3 (DPP-3) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The DPP-3 has been developed using similar materials and fabrication methods employed in previous U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), DOE, and NNSA certified packages. The DPP-3 design criteria are derived from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), NNSA guidance and NRC regulatory guides in order to safely and securely transport a variety of payloads. Final regulatory approval by the NNSA will require physical testing to demonstrate that the containment vessel (CV) remains leaktight after enduring the entire regulatory testing sequence prescribed in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 71 (10 CFR 71). In order to gain confidence that the DPP-3 will remain leaktight after testing, the DPP-3 has been structurally analyzed using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software LS-DYNA. The FEA analyses serve two general purposes: first, they aid in design and development of the package, and second, they advise as to which drop orientations are expected to cause the most damage during regulatory testing. This paper will discuss how the design criteria are incorporated into analytical techniques needed to evaluate the FEA structural simulation results for 10 CFR 71 conditions to give confidence the DPP-3 testing campaign will be successful.

Sakalaukus Jr., Peter J.↗