TY - CONF A1 - von der Ehe, Kerstin A1 - Jaunich, Matthias A1 - Wolff, Dietmar T1 - UHMW-PE - a shielding material with special properties influenced by radiation N2 - Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) - due to its high hydrogen content - is used as neutron shielding material in casks for storage and transport of radioactive materials. Besides this, UHMW-PE - as a high-performance polymer - has been used for several years in medical technology due to its excellent slip and wear properties. Due to the special properties of UHMW-PE which result basically from its extreme chain lengths and its high degree of crystallinity, it is predestinated for the aforementioned applications. In both cases, irradiation and its impact on the molecular structure of polyethylene play an important role. In the first case, irradiation exists as a by-product of inserting the radioactive material in the cask. Hence PE has to withstand any type of degradation affecting safety relevant aspects to be applicable for long term radiation shielding purposes for instance over a period of 40 years. In the second case irradiation is applied deliberately for purposes such as sterilization and crosslinking, leading to partial improvement of the mechanical properties (e.g. fracture toughness, crack propagation resistance, wear resistance) and better Chemical stability. Specifically concerning their use in the field of medical technology, different types of UHMW-PE have been objects of numerous publications. It is generally accepted that two parallel and competitive processes, based on chain scission and reactions of Ccentered radicals and molecular fragments, occur in PE as a consequence of radiation: radical recombination accounts for crosslinking, together with some disproportionation, formation of low molecular weight fragments, and recrystallization. Furthermore, formation of oxygenated structures in the presence of traces of oxygen is an antagonist of the C-centered radicals. Radiation induced scission preferentially takes place in the amorphous phase and noncrystalline surface of the crystals. It is followed by folding of molecular fragments, crystallinity growth and increased perfection in the crystal lamellae [4, 5]. Chain scission results in shorter polymer molecules, fewer entanglements, and consequently, increased molecular mobility. The scope of our investigation comprises an estimation of the radiation and thermal impact on the molecular and supra molecular structure of the two types of PE used for neutron shielding cask components. A further point which is worth to explore is to what extent these changes are detectable by thermo-analytical (TA) methods, such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermo Mechanical Analysis (TMA), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Thermogravimetry (TG). Additionally FT-IR and solubility measurements have been performed. In our studies we focused on the UHMW-PE material GUR 4120 which was y irradiated at RT and compared to the untreated material. T2 - Jahrestagung Kerntechnik 2011 CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 17.05.2011 PY - 2011 SP - 1 EP - 5 AN - OPUS4-24620 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Jaunich, Matthias A1 - Schulz, Sebastian A1 - Stark, Wolfgang A1 - Wolff, Dietmar T1 - Characterization of the low temperature behaviour of rubber sealing materials N2 - Rubbers are often used for seal applications due to their special material properties and easy use. In many applications the material is exposed to low temperatures during Operation. Therefore it is important to know the material behavior at low temperatures to determine the temperature ränge that allows a Safe Operation of the seal, e.g. in storage and transport Containers for radioactive materials. The seal function of an elastomer is limited in temperature by the rubber-glass transition during which the material properties change from rubber-like to stiff and glass-like. For a given application this correlation is not trivial and therefore needs an in-depth investigation under consideration of the physical properties and the application conditions. In this work different analytical methods are used to characterize the material behavior at low temperature in the ränge of the glass-rubber-transition and are compared with the quality of Operation of a component which is here defined by the detected leakage rate. T2 - Technomer 2011 - 22. Fachtagung über Verarbeitung und Anwendung von Polymeren CY - Chemnitz, Deutschland DA - 10.11.2011 PY - 2011 SN - 978-3-939382-10-2 IS - Kap. 3.7 SP - 1 EP - 4 AN - OPUS4-24971 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jaunich, Matthias A1 - Stark, Wolfgang A1 - Wolff, Dietmar T1 - Low temperature properties of rubber seals N2 - Rubber is widely used as sealing material in various applications. In many fields the sealing function at low temperatures is necessary. Therefore the understanding of failure mechanisms is of high importance. Rubbers are normally used above their glass-rubber transition region but the minimum working temperature limit is not defined precisely. Therefore the lower operation temperature limit of rubber seals should be determined in dependence of the material properties. The results of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) are combined with the results of the standardized compression set according to ISO 815 respectively a modified test using the DMA equipment. N2 - Tiefentemperaturverhalten von Elastomerdichtungen Elastomere werden vielfach als Dichtungsmaterial für verschiedene Anwendungen eingesetzt. In vielen Bereichen ist die Funktion der Dichtung auch bei tiefen Temperaturen erforderlich. Daher ist das Verständnis des Versagensmechanismus von großer Bedeutung. Normalerweise werden Elastomere oberhalb ihres Glass-Gummi Übergangsbereiches eingesetzt aber die minimale Einsatztemperatur ist nicht exakt definiert. Daher ist es sinnvoll diese untere Temperatureinsatzgrenze in Abhängigkeit von den Materialeigenschaften zu bestimmen. Die Ergebnisse der DSC und der DMA werden mit den Ergebnissen des standardisierten Druckverformungsrestes nach ISO 815 und einer abgewandelten Messung mit der DMA kombiniert. KW - Sealing material KW - Elastomer KW - Compression set KW - Dynamic mechanical analysis KW - Low temperature behaviour PY - 2011 SN - 0948-3276 SN - 0022-9520 IS - 03 SP - 52 EP - 55 PB - Hüthig CY - Heidelberg AN - OPUS4-23422 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jaunich, Matthias A1 - von der Ehe, Kerstin A1 - Wolff, Dietmar A1 - Völzke, Holger A1 - Stark, Wolfgang T1 - Understanding low temperature properties of elastomer seals N2 - Elastomers are widely used as the main sealing materials for containers for low and intermediate level radioactive waste and as an additional component to metal seals in spent fuel and high active waste containers. The safe encapsulation of the radioactive container inventory has to be guaranteed according to regulation and appropriate guidelines for long term storage periods as well as for temperatures as low as -40°C during transport. Therefore, the understanding of failure mechanisms that lead to leakage at low temperatures is of high importance. It is known that the material properties of elastomers are strongly temperature dependent. At low temperatures, this is caused by the rubber-glass transition (abbreviated: glass transition). During continuous cooling, the material changes from a rubber-like entropy elastic to a stiff energy elastic behaviour, which allows nearly no strain or retraction. Hence, rubbers are normally used above their glass transition, but the minimum working temperature limit is not defined precisely; this can cause problems during the above noted applications. Therefore, the lower operation temperature limit of elastomer seals must be determined in dependence of the material properties. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) are combined with standardised measurements to determine the compression set according to ISO 815. To reduce the test time of the standard tests, a faster technique than normally used was developed. Additionally, the breakdown temperature of the sealing function of complete O ring seals was measured in a component test set-up to compare it with the results of the other tests. The experimental set-up is capable of measuring the leakage rate at low temperatures by the pressure rise method. A fluorocarbon rubber (FKM) was selected for this investigation as it is often used for radioactive waste containers. The materials (seals and test sheets) were purchased from a commercial seal producer. KW - Sealing material KW - Elastomer KW - Compression set KW - Dynamic mechanical analysis KW - Low temperature behaviour PY - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1179/1746510911Y.0000000004 SN - 1746-5095 SN - 1746-5109 SN - 0957-476X VL - 22 IS - 2 SP - 83 EP - 88 PB - Ramtrans Publ. CY - Ashford AN - OPUS4-24015 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kasparek, Eva Maria A1 - Scheidemann, Robert A1 - Wolff, Dietmar A1 - Zencker, Uwe A1 - Völzke, Holger T1 - Untersuchungen zum Verhalten von Dämpferbeton unter Stossbelastung N2 - Während des Transportes sind Behälter für hoch radioaktive Abfälle durch stoßdämpfende Bauteile vor Einwirkungen, die aus Unfallszenarien gemäß den IAEA Regularien resultieren können, weitestgehend geschützt. Nach dem Entfernen dieser Komponenten im Rahmen der Einlagerung ins Zwischenlager müssen Vorkehrungen getroffen sein, um Beanspruchungen der Behälter aus möglichen Handhabungsunfällen im Empfangsbereich zu reduzieren. Die Maßnahmen müssen vor allem darauf abzielen, die stoßdämpfenden Eigenschaften der potentiellen Aufprallflächen zu optimieren. Da Standardmaterialien für Fundamente nur ein geringes Energieabsorptionsvermögen aufweisen, wurde durch die Firma HOCHTIEF eine neuartige Betonmixtur entwickelt, bei der ein spezieller Leichtzuschlag zum Einsatz kommen. Zur Charakterisierung dieses sogenannten Dämpferbetons liegen Standardkennwerte vor sowie Messwerte aus Eindringversuchen, die zur Qualitätssicherung für jede Produktcharge durchgeführt werden. Das stoßdämpfende Potential des neuen Werkstoffs kann jedoch nur dann vollkommen ausgeschöpft werden, wenn die Energieabsorption in numerischen Simulationen der Behälterabstürze über die gesamte Belastungsdauer zuverlässig wiedergegeben wird. Für die Implementierung und Anpassung eines entsprechenden Materialmodelis in einem Finite Elemente (FE) Programm sind Daten aus systematischen Druckversuchen mit Variation der relevanten Einflussgrößen erforderlich. An der BAM werden daher im Rahmen eines werkstoffübergreifenden Forschungsvorhabens zur Untersuchung von stoßdämpfenden Strukturen auch die Eigenschaften von Dämpferbeton experimentell untersucht und zugehörige numerische Methoden entwickelt. Der aktuelle Beitrag behandelt die Ergebnisse der ersten Projektphase, in der kubische Probekörper mit der Kantenlänge 100mm bei unterschiedlichen Lagerungsbedingungen statisch und dynamisch gestaucht wurden. In nachfolgenden Versuchen wird der Einfluß der Probengröße ermittelt sowie die Eignung der verwendeten Materialmodelle anhand realistischer Belastungssituationen validiert. Versuchsprogramm. T2 - Jahrestagung Kerntechnik 2011 CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 17.05.2011 KW - Stoßdämpfende Werkstoffe KW - Materialmodellierung KW - Versuchsprogramm KW - Stoßbelastung KW - Dehnratenabhängigkeit KW - Temperaturabhängigkeit KW - Polyurethan Schaum KW - Dämpferbeton PY - 2011 IS - Session TS-17 / Paper 171 SP - 1 EP - 5 AN - OPUS4-23836 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Völzke, Holger A1 - Wolff, Dietmar T1 - Safety aspects of long dry interim cask storage of spent fuel in Germany N2 - Dry cask storage of spent fuel and high active waste front reprocessing is licensed and established in Germany for up to 40years so far. About 10years ago, the strategy has been shifted from centralized storage using facilities in Ahaus and Gorleben to cit-site storage facilities in Order to avoid immediate cask shipping from nuclear power plants. At present, several hundred casks are stored safeiy and without any major problem. BAM is highly involved in cask specific safety evaluations within the scope of licensing procedures as well as of quality assurance procedures during cask fabrication, loading and storage. A major prerequisite for any cask storage license is a valid transport Type B license. Subsequently, cask transportability has to be ensured at any point during the entire storage period. So far, this requirement is met by continuous maintenance of the Type B license. Anyhow, IAEA Type B regulations do not consider permanently loaded storage casks that have the sole purpose of being finally shipped öfter decades of storage inducing ageing effects. No transport safety demonstration has to be performed on aged cask components. T2 - International high-level radioactive waste management conference (IHLRWMC 2011) CY - Albuquerque, NM, USA DA - 10.04.2011 KW - Safety KW - Cask KW - Interim storage KW - Spent fuel PY - 2011 SP - 712 EP - 719 AN - OPUS4-23651 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Völzke, Holger A1 - Probst, Ulrich A1 - Wolff, Dietmar A1 - Nagelschmidt, Sven A1 - Schulz, Sebastian T1 - Investigations on the long term behavior of metal seals for spent fuel storage casks N2 - Metal seals are in common use as an essential component for the leak tight closure of transport and storage casks for spent fuel and vitrified high active waste from reprocessing. They are placed between the massive monolithic cask body made of ductile cast iron or forged steel and the primary and secondary lids, which are fixed with screws around the lid circumference, in order to ensure long term safe enclosure of the radioactive cask inventory. Hereby, long term reliable pressure forces in combination with a tight surface contact are as important as well maintained seal and surface qualities and dry and clean conditions during seal assembly and operation. A few years ago BAM started systematic investigation on the long term seal behavior with re-spect to longer storage periods and seal behavior in accidental cask scenarios with dynamic de-formations of the seal groove geometry or short term drop in pressure force up to lid lifting. BAM has developed test flanges for seals with full scale cross section diameter but much small-er outer diameter to gain representative data for metal-sealed lid systems. They are placed in appropriate testing machines for relevant mechanical loading under static and dynamic condi-tions with the ability to measure the standard helium leakage rate continuously during each test phase. This paper focuses on BAM long term tests of different seal types with aluminum and silver jackets at three different temperatures of +20°C, +100°C and +150°C under static conditions over longer periods of time. Due to creeping effects, a reduction of the pressure force does ap-pear during loading and unloading depending on prior holding times. So far, test results of up to 2 years indicate a clear correlation between seal pressure forces and holding time, temperature and seal type allowing for extrapolating to much longer periods of time. The paper presents basic correlations, test and evaluation procedures as well as important provisional results and gives an outlook on further investigations. T2 - 52nd INMM Annual meeting CY - Palm Desert, CA, USA DA - 17.07.2011 PY - 2011 SP - 1 EP - 9 AN - OPUS4-24173 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wille, Frank A1 - Wolff, Dietmar A1 - Droste, Bernhard A1 - Völzke, Holger T1 - Requirements for transport packages after interim storage N2 - In Germany the concept of dry interim storage of spent fuel and vitrified high active waste in dual purpose metal casks is implemented (currently for periods of up to 40 years). The casks being used have an approved package design in accordance with the international transport regulations. The license for dry storage is granted on the German Atomic Energy Act with respect to the guidelines of the German Reactor Safety Commission for dry interim storage of spent fuel. Currently part of the assessment process of the cask design for transport on public routes is to evaluate the suitability of the used materials with respect to their properties and their compatibility for possible transport periods. For transport on public routes during or after long term interim storage periods, it has to be ensured that the transport and storage casks fulfill the specifications of the transport approval or other sufficient properties which satisfy the proofs for the compliance of the safety objectives at that time. This paper describes the state-of-the-art technology in Germany and points out arising prospective challenges and which related questions have to be answered in future. Present research and knowledge concerning the long term behavior of transport and storage cask components (such as gaskets and shielding components) have to be consulted as well as experiences from interim cask storage operations. Challenges in the safety assessment are therefore i.e. the behavior of aged metal and elastomeric gaskets under IAEA test conditions to ensure that the results of drop tests can be transferred to the compliance of the safety objectives at the time of transport after the interim storage period (aged package). Assessment methods for the material compatibility, the behavior of fuel assemblies and the aging behavior of shielding parts (e. g. influence of radiation) are further issues as well. T2 - 52nd INMM Annual meeting CY - Palm Desert, CA, USA DA - 17.07.2011 KW - Transport package design KW - Interim storage KW - Inspections KW - Log term behavior KW - Dual purpose casks PY - 2011 SP - 1 EP - 9 AN - OPUS4-24172 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wolff, Dietmar A1 - Völzke, Holger T1 - Safety Aspects of Long-Term Dry Interim Storage of Spent Fuel in Germany T2 - Technical Meeting on Very Long Term Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel; IAEA CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 2011-04-26 PY - 2011 AN - OPUS4-23839 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Erhard, Anton A1 - Völzke, Holger A1 - Probst, Ulrich A1 - Wolff, Dietmar T1 - Aging management for long-term interim storage casks N2 - The aging management system for the mechanical components of nuclear power plants (NPPs) must be established and used by the licensee in such a way that the quality of safety relevant components is guaranteed for the completely designed lifetime of the NPP. This demands an extensive plant life management with special emphases on the knowledge of the degradation in material properties. The basic safety concept in Germany observes this circumstance. Lifetime extension of the German NPPs is an aim of the current valid coalition agreement of the German government. Operational extension of interim storage facilities requires, in comparison to the aging management system for NPP, an aging management system adapted to the Special circumstances of spent fuel storage casks. Extension of interim storage periods for spent fuel casks beyond the designed lifetime requires, in comparison to the components of an NPP, an increasing knowledge of material degradation with potential impact on cask integrity, e.g. leak tightness. Dry interim storage in Germany has been approved for 40 years. After that time, according to the present strategy, a final repository should be available. However, until now, such a final facility still does not exist, and the German exploration and licensing process is heavily delayed. Currently, discussions are continuing regarding further exploration of the Gorleben salt mine. There is willingness to overcome this situation that is clearly described in the available coalition agreement of the federal government. Anyway, however, the prediction is viewed; a repository for heat generating radioactive waste in Germany will not be available in the near future and may not be available when first storage facilities and casks reach their 40 years of approved lifetime, which will occur in ~25 years starting from now. Therefore, the question must be asked: what has to be done with the existing storage casks in the interim facilities? May these casks be fit for continued use, with an extension of the storage period? One option is to have an aging management system, which creates enough information about the technical condition of safety relevant cask properties. This is the basis for safety evaluation for extended storage periods. In the present paper, possible aging mechanisms for high level waste storage casks are discussed, as well as the influence of the time dependent changes of the component properties. KW - Long term interim storage KW - Storage casks KW - Aging mechanisms KW - Degradation mechanisms KW - Metal seals KW - Larson-Miller parameter PY - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1179/1746510910Y.0000000013 SN - 1746-5095 SN - 1746-5109 SN - 0957-476X VL - 22 IS - 1 SP - 46 EP - 53 PB - Ramtrans Publ. CY - Ashford AN - OPUS4-23890 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -