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Exploring the electrochemical and physical stability of lithium-ion cells exposed to liquid nitrogen
(2024)
The transport and storage of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries — damaged or in an undefined state — is a major safety concern for regulatory institutions, transportation companies, and manufacturers. Since (electro)chemical reactivity is exponentially temperature-dependent, cooling such batteries is an obvious measure for increasing their safety.
The present study explores the effect of cryogenic freezing on the electrochemical and physical stability of Li-ion cells. For this purpose, three different types of cells were repeatedly exposed to liquid nitrogen (LN2).
Before and after each cooling cycle, electrical and electrochemical measurements were conducted to assess the impact of the individual freezing steps. While the electrochemical behavior of the cells did not change significantly upon exposure to LN2 , it became apparent that a non-negligible number of cells suffered from physical changes (swelling) and functional failures. The latter defect was found to be caused by the current interrupt device of the cylindrical cells. This safety mechanism is triggered by the overpressure of expanding nitrogen which enters the cells at cryogenic temperatures.
This study underlines that the widely accepted reversibility of LN2 -cooling on a material scale does not allow for a direct extrapolation toward the physical integrity of full cells. Since nitrogen enters the cell at cryogenic temperatures and expands upon rethermalization, it can cause an internal overpressure. This can, in turn, lead to mechanical damage to the cell. Consequently, a more appropriate temperature condition — less extreme than direct LN2 exposure — needs to be found
The ongoing geo-political conflicts and the increasing need for the implementation of measures to improve the energetic system sustainability are increasing the importance of tanks for storing cryogenic fluids in the energy industry. The most common example of cryogenic tank applications is the transport of natural gas and hydrogen in their liquid form (LNG and LH2 respectively) for which, considering the same transport volume cryogenic storage ensures significantly higher transport capacities with respect storage based solely on overpressure.
A common feature of all cryogenic transported fluids is that their condition must be maintained minimizing heat leaks from the environment as much as possible. This is achieved by the implementation of thermal super Insulations (TSI) systems based on e. g. rock wool, perlites, microspheres, multilayer insulations (MLI), and vacuum which have proven to be effective in applications. However, due to the relatively short period of use in some applications, the small number of documented incidents, and the still few investigations carried out in the field, the exploitation of such systems in the cryogenic fluids transport sector still suffers from insufficient knowledge about the course and consequences of incidents. Accidents involving collisions, fires, and their combination are quite common in the transportation sector and may generate extraordinary loads on the tank and its insulation system, eventually leading to tank failure.
The present study focuses on the behavior of TSI systems in tanks when it is exposed to an external heat source representative of a hydrocarbon fire scenario. This may cause an increase of the heat flux into a tank by several orders of magnitude with respect to normal design conditions, thus inducing severe and in the TSI, causing the rapid release of flammable gas and even resulting in a Boiling Liquide Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE).
To study such scenarios a test rig was developed at BAM that allows testing of TSI at industrial conditions and enables subsequent analysis of TSI samples. This test rig considers the typical double-walled design of tanks for cryogenic fluids with vacuum and an additional insulating material in the interspace. Adjustable electrical heating elements simulate the fire on one side of the double wall. This process allows the implementation of repeatable heat loads of up to 100 kW/m². The other side of the double wall is represented by a fluid-supported heat exchanger, which allows the simulation of cold or cryogenic conditions in the test rig, and to determine the heat flux transmitted through the double wall. Thus, the test rig allows thermal loading and performance analysis of TSI samples at the same time.
In the presentation, the results of diverse tested TSI systems will be presented and discussed. As a result of this study, the list of advantages and disadvantages for the choice of tested TSI expands. Within the test, all samples degraded as a consequence of a hydrocarbon fire-orientated thermal load. Strong differences in the behavior of the tested TSI systems over temperature, location, and time were observed. Additionally, the tested MLI insulations were significantly more resistant to their base materials. These results are relevant for the design, the definition of national and international regulations, the Risk assessment, and the development of safety concepts for cryogenic tanks.
In this lecture, the safety assessment of hydrogen gas storage systems is presented using the example of composite pressure vessels. The main element is a probabilistic approval approach based on five steps. Firstly, the testing and evaluation of properties at the beginning of life are shown. Secondly, methods for artificial aging and the effect on the residual strength are presented. Thirdly, testing against dedicated accidents is introduced. Fourthly, effects on the surveillance of production quality are discussed. Finally, degradation and the end of life are estimated. Background information and examples are given for each step. The assessment presented is a method applicable for many safety-related systems.
In this lecture, the safety assessment of hydrogen gas storage systems is presented using the example of composite pressure vessels. The main element is a probabilistic approval approach based on five steps. Firstly, the testing and evaluation of properties at the beginning of life are shown. Secondly, methods for artificial aging and the effect on the residual strength are presented. Thirdly, testing against dedicated accidents is introduced. Fourthly, effects on the surveillance of production quality are discussed. Finally, degradation and the end of life are estimated. Background information and examples are given for each step. The assessment presented is a method applicable for many safety-related systems.
In this lecture, the safety assessment of hydrogen gas storage systems is presented using the example of composite pressure vessels. The main element is a probabilistic approval approach based on five steps. Firstly, the testing and evaluation of properties at the beginning of life are shown. Secondly, methods for artificial aging and the effect on the residual strength are presented. Thirdly, testing against dedicated accidents is introduced. Fourthly, effects on the surveillance of production quality are discussed. Finally, degradation and the end of life are estimated. Background information and examples are given for each step. The assessment presented is a method applicable for many safety-related systems.
In this lecture, the safety assessment of hydrogen gas storage systems is presented using the example of composite pressure vessels. The main element is a probabilistic approval approach based on five steps. Firstly, the testing and evaluation of properties at the beginning of life are shown. Secondly, methods for artificial aging and the effect on the residual strength are presented. Thirdly, testing against dedicated accidents is introduced. Fourthly, effects on the surveillance of production quality are discussed. Finally, degradation and the end of life are estimated. Background information and examples are given for each step. The assessment presented is a method applicable for many safety-related systems.
In this presentation safety aspects of hydrogen transportation are discussed. At first, the regulatory background and level of safety are presented. In the second part, the modelling of consequence due to sudden rupture of pressure receptacles is explained. Finally, the results are used to define a limit for consequence to enable an acceptable and safe transport of hydrogen.
The BAM-GGR 016 explains the requirements of ADR, RID, ADN and IMDG for management systems for design, manufacturing, testing, documentation, use, maintenance, and inspection of packagings for package designs for the transport of radioactive material not requiring competent authority approval for all designs of exempted packages, packages type IP-1, IP-2, IP-3 and type A.
A high precision nail‐penetration (NP) tool for characterizing the mechanically induced thermal‐runaway (TR) of lithium‐ion battery (LIB) cells in a defined range of temperatures down to −140 °C was developed. To understand the cell specific behavior at low temperatures aiming at the determination of safe handling conditions, different scenarios are analyzed. First, accuracy tests of the NP‐tool regarding motion and penetration depth are conducted with cylindrical cells at different temperatures. Thus, postmortem computer tomographic (CT) images are compared to the data measured with the newly integrated 3‐axis force sensor which is further combined with a high‐resolution position sensor. The herein developed setup allows evaluation of the NP‐metrics at an accuracy of ±1 pierced electrode layer without CT‐scans. Further NP examinations at 20 °C of fully charged cylindrical lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide cells reveal a reproducible minimum damage as a reliable TR‐trigger. Moreover, NP‐tests at low temperature disclose a relation of the short circuit conductivity and TR‐reactions during subsequent rethermalization to room temperature. Finally, the implementation of a novel fixture for a controlled very fast cooling of LIB‐cells during critical damage opens the way to investigate the individual steps during a TR and, thus, to gain important information of the specific TR‐mechanism of different LIB‐cells.
The publication is an extended abstract on the modelling of the manufacturing process related residual stresses in type 4 pressure vessels for hydrogen storage. A 2D analytical model based on the classical laminate theory and a 3D finite element model are introduced. The calculated residual stress state after the filament winding process as well as the stress state in service are presented and discussed.
Abstract Hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) elastomer was thermo-oxidatively aged at different temperatures up to 150 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), compression stress relaxation (CSR) and international rubber hardness degree (IRHD) microhardness were used to characterise the chemo-mechanical changes of HNBR O-rings during thermo-oxidative ageing. FTIR shows the development of carbonyl, methyl and ester groups but the nitrile content was not affected by ageing. The effect of sample geometry during CSR was investigated. CSR data were converted through integrated kinetic laws. The conversion has proven its sensibility to detect heterogeneous ageing. This was confirmed by the IRHD measure-ments across the section of O-rings. The influence of compression during ageing was assessed through IRHD measurements across the section of compressed and uncom-pressed aged O-rings. The DLO effect was more pronounced in compressed O-rings. By applying the model of Wise et al., theoretical IRHD and oxidation profiles were determined on the basis of IRHD experimental data of compressed O-rings. Good agreements between the experimental and the theoretical IRHD profiles in the core region were obtained. However, near the edge, the theoretical IRHD values were overestimated.
EPDM, HNBR and FKM materials were exposed at 150 ◦C to air under atmospheric pressure and to hydrogen at 50 bar for different ageing times. All measurements after hydrogen exposure were conducted on samples in degassed condition to assess irreversible effects resulting from that exposure and to compare them to those after ageing in air. Density, hardness, tensile properties, compression set, and hydrogen permeability of all samples were analysed. In both ageing environments, HNBR exhibited the most significant changes of material properties.
However, for both EPDM and HNBR, considerably less severe ageing effects were observed under hydrogen in comparison to ageing in air. On the other hand, FKM showed about the same low level of deterioration in both ageing environments but exhibited poor resistance against damage due to rapid gas decompression in hydrogen environment that can lead to seal failure. The obtained results may serve as a guidance toward a better understanding for design and utilisation of elastomeric materials in future hydrogen infrastructure components.
Evaluation of Heat Fluxes in Fire Reference Test Conducted in BAM Propane Gas Fire Test Facility
(2024)
Packages for the transport of intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste are designed to withstand severe accidents. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has established specific mechanical and thermal tests. Packages for the transport of radioactive material must withstand these tests to comply with the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials IAEA [IAEA (2018)]. A fire reference package was developed with the primary objective to demonstrate that the fire meets the regulatory requirements. Another aim is to characterise the boundary conditions of the actual fire as input parameters for thermo-mechanical simulations. A simple method to characterise the boundary conditions of a real steady state fire with a fire reference package is presented. The thermal test mainly consists of a 30 minute fully engulfing 800°C pool fire or an equally severe fire, such as a propane gas fire. The fire reference tests are performed prior to the actual fire test with the real package. The heat fluxes into the package depend substantially on the fire characteristics and the surface temperature of the package. To investigate local and overall heat fluxes over a wide range of surface temperatures in this test facility a fire reference package was designed for repeated use. The fire reference package presented in this paper represents the outer geometry of a small transport container for radioactive material and is used as a device in civil engineering. It is designed as a closed steel sheet cylinder with a wall thickness of 10 mm, a length of 182 mm and a diameter of 102 mm. The package was instrumented with thermocouples and filled with heat resistant insulation material. Open-air fire tests were performed in a BAM propane gas fire test facility with the fire reference package. The measured temperatures are used to determine the changes of heat fluxes into the fire reference package in relation to the package surface temperature. The calculated heat fluxes allow its fitting to express the thermal exposure as simple mathematical boundary condition. Therefore, in a first approach, fire properties such as adiabatic surface temperature (AST) as proposed by Wickström et al. (2007), convection coefficient and emissivity are determined mathematically fitting the heat flux development presented in this paper. The evaluated results provide an initial picture of local fire characteristics of the conducted propane gas fire and are a further development of previous works from Feldkamp et al. (2020). The results can be used in thermal and thermo-mechanical models to simulate the load on the real transport package in fire. The test shows that the examined propane gas fire covers the IAEA-fire over a wide range of surface temperatures with the chosen test stand parameters.
Evaluation of Heat Fluxes in Fire Reference Test Conducted in BAM Propane Gas Fire Test Facility
(2024)
Packages for the transport of intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste are designed to withstand severe accidents. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has established specific mechanical and thermal tests. Packages for the transport of radioactive material must withstand these tests to comply with the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials IAEA [IAEA (2018)]. A fire reference package was developed with the primary objective to demonstrate that the fire meets the regulatory requirements. Another aim is to characterise the boundary conditions of the actual fire as input parameters for thermo-mechanical simulations. A simple method to characterise the boundary conditions of a real steady state fire with a fire reference package is presented. The thermal test mainly consists of a 30 minute fully engulfing 800°C pool fire or an equally severe fire, such as a propane gas fire. The fire reference tests are performed prior to the actual fire test with the real package. The heat fluxes into the package depend substantially on the fire characteristics and the surface temperature of the package. To investigate local and overall heat fluxes over a wide range of surface temperatures in this test facility a fire reference package was designed for repeated use. The fire reference package presented in this paper represents the outer geometry of a small transport container for radioactive material and is used as a device in civil engineering. It is designed as a closed steel sheet cylinder with a wall thickness of 10 mm, a length of 182 mm and a diameter of 102 mm. The package was instrumented with thermocouples and filled with heat resistant insulation material. Open-air fire tests were performed in a BAM propane gas fire test facility with the fire reference package. The measured temperatures are used to determine the changes of heat fluxes into the fire reference package in relation to the package surface temperature. The calculated heat fluxes allow its fitting to express the thermal exposure as simple mathematical boundary condition. Therefore, in a first approach, fire properties such as adiabatic surface temperature (AST) as proposed by Wickström et al. (2007), convection coefficient and emissivity are determined mathematically fitting the heat flux development presented in this paper. The evaluated results provide an initial picture of local fire characteristics of the conducted propane gas fire and are a further development of previous works from Feldkamp et al. (2020). The results can be used in thermal and thermo-mechanical models to simulate the load on the real transport package in fire. The test shows that the examined propane gas fire covers the IAEA-fire over a wide range of surface temperatures with the chosen test stand parameters.
Biofuels, particularly biodiesel, have gained significant attention as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels in recent years. Unlike diesel, which contains hundreds of compounds, biodiesel only contains a few compounds in the C16-C18 carbon chain. However, the use of biodiesel in automobile and transportation applications can result in problems of degradation or even damage in materials. Among the commonly used polymer materials, fluorocarbon (FKM) shows excellent performance and high stability and compatibility towards oil, diesel, ethanol, and other chemicals. FKM is a family of fluorocarbon-based fluoroelastomer materials, which provide excellent high-temperature and chemical stability compared to other elastomers. As a result, FKM is widely used in chemical processes such as petroleum refining, where it is used for sealings, pumps, and other components.
Mechanical stress often accelerates the failure of polymer materials. The aim of this research is to study the interaction between the sealing material FKM and biofuels B10 (heating oil with 10% biodiesel). The mechanical stress test was carried out in a special apparatus. Both mechanical and non-mechanical stress tests were conducted on specimens at 20, 40, and 70 °C for 28 days to document changes in mass, volume, and tensile properties. Both increasing temperature and mechanical stress have a significant effect on the tensile strength of the FKM polymer when exposed to B10. The combination of increasing temperature and mechanical stress induced rupture within 2 h. It was also established that FKM polymer with pre-exposure in B10 survived longer during mechanical stress compared to specimens exposed only to air. With the support of infrared (IR) spectroscopy, we were able to confirm the penetration of B10 into the FKM polymer.
Bio-electrochemical CO2 conversion into organic products using precious-metal free electrocatalysts
(2024)
For the realization of a sustainable economy, it is of great importance to make use of CO2 for the production of multi-carbon organic chemicals used as feedstock in the chemical industry as well as carbon-neutral fuels (Varela et al. 2019). A promising approach is the electrochemical CO2 reduction followed by microbial conversion of the reduced products.
Acetogenic bacteria produce CO2-based chemicals in aqueous media by hydrogenotrophic conversion of CO2, but CO is the preferred carbon and electron source. Consequently, coupling CO2 electrolysis with bacterial fermentation within an integrated bio-electrocatalytical system (BES) is promising, if CO2 reduction catalysts are available for the generation of CO in the complex biotic electrolyte. A standard stirred-tank bioreactor was coupled to a zero-gap PEM electrolysis cell for CO2 conversion, allowing voltage control and separation of the anode in one single cell. The cathodic CO2 reduction and the competing hydrogen evolution enabled in-situ feeding of C. ragsdalei with CO and H2. Proof-of-concept was demonstrated in first batch processes with continuous CO2 gassing, as autotrophic growth and acetate formation was observed in the stirred BES in a voltage range of −2.4 to −3.0 V. The setup is suitable also for other bioelectrocatalytic reactions. Increased currents and lower overvoltages are however required. Atomically-dispersed M−N−C catalysts show promise, if degradation throughout autoclaving can be omitted. The development of selective and autoclavable catalysts resistant to contamination and electrode design for the complex electrolyte will enable efficient bioelectrocatalytic power-to-X systems based on the introduced BES.
The subject of permeation of hoses according to ISO 3821 for
hydrogen was discussed for a long time in ISO/TC 44/SC 8. The reason
is a considerable leakage of hydrogen diffused into the hose material
over the end face of the hose. Because of this unsolved, safety-related
problem of hoses sold on the market, measurements should be carried
out in order to be able to better assess the problem. BAM has declared
its attendance to provide a required fast solution to this issue.
In ultrasonic testing, material and structural properties of a specimen can be derived from the time-of-flight (ToF). Using signal features, such as the first peak or envelope maximum, to calculate the ToF is error-prone in multipath arrangements or dispersive and attenuating materials, which is not the case for the signal onset. Borrowing from seismology, researchers used the Akaike information criterion (AIC) picker to automatically determine onset times. The most commonly used formulation, Maeda's AIC picker, is reassessed and found to be based on inappropriate assumptions for signals often used in ultrasonic testing and dependent on arbitrary parameters. Consequently, an onset picker for ultrasonic through-transmission measurements is proposed, based on a spectral entropy criterion (SEC) to model the signal using the AIC framework. This SEC picker takes into account the spectral properties of the ultrasonic signal and is virtually free of arbitrary parameters. Synthetic and experimental data are used to compare the performance of SEC and AIC pickers. It is shown that the accuracy of onset picking is improved for densely sampled data.
The safety demonstration of heavy weight type B transport packages used for storing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or radioactive waste is ensured by a combination of physical testing and numerical calculations. While experiments are performed in accordance with the IAEA regulations for selected drop scenarios, Finite-Element-Method (FEM) simulations are used to predict the most damaging case and to investigate additional drop positions. BAM as competent authority in Germany has performed different investigations of a welding seam for a typical large transport package made of A508 forged steel, where the bottom plate is welded to the cylindrical shell. The package has a mass of approx. 120 t. Results of physical drop tests with a full-scale model and accompanying preliminary FEM simulations are presented to determine the decisive stresses in the welding seam. A drop test only represents one set of a package and test parameters. A further parameter analysis is considered to account for allowable variations of packaging properties (e.g. resulting from the manufacturing process) and, based on IAEA requirements, the temperature dependence of the material behaviour. The results of the stress analyses from the drop test and the simulation form the basis and provide the input parameters for a fracture mechanics analysis. In addition to the IAEA specifications, further standards are taken into account for an in-depth investigation, see R6 [1], BS 7910 [2] and API 579-1/ASME FFS1 [3]. All the above-mentioned standards require a manufacturer-specific defect analysis with respect to size and position. Both result from the welding process and the following heat treatment regime. The maximum defect sizes are ensured with non-destructive test methods (such as ultrasonic or particle methods) as integral part of the manufacturing process of the welding seam. Another important parameter in the welding process is the residual stress (secondary stress). The combination of the primary and secondary stress determines the total stress in the welding seam. The most damaging case of the welding seam is determined and evaluated with help of the abovementioned standards and taking into account the IAEA requirements with respect to defect sizes, material properties, primary and residual stress, yield strength etc.
Experimental and numerical investigation of prestressed bolt connections under lateral displacements
(2022)
The containment system of transport packages for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste usually includes bolted lids with metal gaskets. The packages are assessed to specific transport conditions which are specified in the IAEA safety standards SSR-6 (IAEA 2018). These transport conditions, especially the so-called accident conditions of transport, imply high dynamic loading on the lids and the bolt connections of the package. The response of the lid systems on the mechanical accident conditions is generally investigated by experimental drop tests or numerically, e.g., by finite element analyses. The interpretation of the drop test results for the verification of the numerical models is often not obvious due to the complex superposition of different effects in the real tests. BAM has started a research project to get a better understanding about the behavior of prestressed bolt connections under loadings typical for these drop tests. In this context an experimental test set-up was developed to investigate the response of a single bolt connection under a prescribed lateral displacement of clamped parts. The bolt is instrumented by strain gauges to get the pretensional, the torsional and the bending stress in the bolt shank. Furthermore, the lateral movement and the tilt of the bolt head is measured during the test. A finite element model of the test set-up has been created in Abaqus FEA (Simulia 2021). The very detailed instrumentation of the test set-up shall give the opportunity to investigate and validate the numerical model. The aim of this paper is to give an overview about the proposed research project and to present first results.
H2Safety@BAM
(2023)
BAM is part of the “Quality Infrastructure Digital” (QI Digital) initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). This initiative aims at coordinating a large cooperation project, “QI Digital” for making German and European quality management systems fit for the digital transformation. It is a fact that the digitization of new products and services is occurring much faster than quality management systems can be accordingly updated. Thus, the digital transformation of quality management is necessary to preserve the competitiveness of the German and European industries that stand for quality and safety in the global market. The Use Case “Reliable Hydrogen Refueling Station” of QI Digital aims at creating new solutions that are transferable to other technical systems and at further developing standards and technical rules as a contribution to technology transfer and innovation.
This lecture describes the history of hydrogen from the first scientific discoveries in the 18th century to the current technological and political developments for the market ramp-up of hydrogen technologies. The European policy framework for safe hydrogen technologies is explained comprehending the European Green Deal, European Climate Law, European Hydrogen Strategy, Clean Hydrogen Partnership, REPowerEU Plan, Renewable Energy Directive and its Delegated Act, Net Zero Industry Act, etc.
This lecture describes the history of hydrogen from the first scientific discoveries in the 18th century to the current technological and political developments for the market ramp-up of hydrogen technologies. The European policy framework for safe hydrogen technologies is explained comprehending the European Green Deal, European Climate Law, European Hydrogen Strategy, Clean Hydrogen Partnership, etc. Safety in hydrogen technologies is governed by international and European regulations and standards. An overview on regulatory bodies, technical committees, regulations, directives, standards, and technical guidelines with special attention on the BAM-GGR 021 is given in this lecture.
This lecture describes the history of hydrogen from the first scientific discoveries in the 18th century to the current technological and political developments for the market ramp-up of hydrogen technologies. The European policy framework for safe hydrogen technologies is explained comprehending the European Green Deal, European Climate Law, European Hydrogen Strategy, Clean Hydrogen Partnership, etc. Safety in hydrogen technologies is governed by international and European regulations and standards. An overview on regulatory bodies, technical committees, regulations, directives, standards, and technical guidelines with special attention on the BAM-GGR 021 is given in this lecture.
Lithium-ion batteries usually consist of numerous individual cells. There is ongoing discussion about enhancing sustainability by considering the replacement of heavily aged or damaged cells. Nevertheless, the planned replacement of individual cells poses significant challenges in ensuring the required reliability and safety of the refurbished device.
AbstractLithium‐ion cells connected in series are prone to an electrical safety risk called overdischarge. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the overdischarge phenomenon in lithium‐ion cells using operando nondestructive imaging. The study focuses on understanding the behavior of copper dissolution and deposition during overdischarge, which can lead to irreversible capacity loss and internal short‐circuits. By utilizing synchrotron X‐ray computed tomography (SXCT), the concentration of dissolved and deposited copper per surface area is quantified as a function of depth of discharge, confirming previous findings. The results also highlight for the first time a nonuniform distribution pattern for copper deposition on the cathode. This research provides insights for safer battery cell design.
Due to their increasing energy density, lithium-ion-batteries (LIBs) play a key role in the traffic energy transition. Regarding their safety behavior, the main challenge of LIB-cells remains the thermal runaway (TR) process. In situ/operando investigations of the TR on commercial cells is possible with radiographic and computer tomographic measurements. Nonetheless, high resolution visualization of the TR persists as a challenge due to the high progression speed of the TR-process itself. Generally, performing abuse tests at cryogenic temperatures allows to slow down or even prevent the TR. Nevertheless, not all abuse methods are suitable for TR investigations at low temperatures. Nail penetration is an appropriate option, however, contains numerous unknown parameters and therefore suffers regarding reproducibility.
Herein, a self-developed high precision nail-penetration-setup is introduced, approaching the necessary mechanically reproducibility with controlled temperatures down to -190°C. The setup allows the preparation of critically abused, however, at cryogenic temperatures stable LIB-cells. These cells were controlled rethermalized to room temperature during synchrotron x-ray computer tomography (SXCT) with a pixel size up to 0.7 μm. During this measurement, the temperature and voltage of the cell is monitored allowing the visualization of the initial internal cell reactions. This study reveals the relation between internal reactions and cell voltage. Finally, the developed set-up enables in-depth analysis of thermal runaway behavior down to material level for various commercial battery cells in the future.
Next to performance features, safety aspects of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are a crucial research field. The abuse/misuse of a LIB can trigger a chain of exothermic reactions on cell level. Hence, the cell temperature increases dramatically, causing the so-called thermal runaway (TR). Moreover, the TR of one cell can initiate the TR of adjacent cells leading to a TR-propagation. Due to the risk of a TR, special measures need to be applied while handling, storing, and transporting batteries. According to current transport regulations, all different types of lithium-ion and lithium metal cells/batteries (by means of cell format, cathode chemistry, etc.) require the same transport conditions regardless of the intensity of their reaction during abuse tests. To allow more differentiated transport requirements, the United Nations (UN) Subcommittee Transport of Dangerous Goods created an Informal Working Group (IWG) on the topic of a hazard-based classification of LIBs. BAM is one of nine laboratories working on the development of a respective classification scheme including appendant test protocols.
Herein, we discuss the latest results of our safety tests on commercial LIB-cells employing the test protocols developed in the UN-IWG. Single cell tests are analysed regarding different hazardous features during the TR, e.g., cell temperature, flame occurrence, and gas amount. Next to the general occurrence of a propagation, the propagation speed is analysed by propagation tests. In total, the presented results are gathered from over 200 tests. Next to the classification of the tested cells, the data set obtained is analysed in respect to the cells’ key features, such as cell energy, state of charge and cathode type. Generally, the presented results can increase the overall understanding of the TR-mechanism supporting the design of advanced safety measures on cell level in the future.
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are essential for the electrification of vehicles and play an important role for stationary storage units needed for grid-balancing. Research groups all over the world work on the improvement of LIBs regarding an increase in energy density as well as cycle-life and a decrease in costs. Next to these research topics, a continuously uprising and crucial field is safety features of LIBs, which can be implemented at different levels, such as material, cell, battery and system level.
The abuse/misuse of a LIB can cause an internal release of heat which can trigger a chain of exothermic reactions on cell level. Hence, the cell temperature increases dramatically, causing the so-called thermal runaway (TR), possibly leading to flames and/or explosion of the cell. Moreover, the TR of one cell can initiate the TR of adjacent cells leading to a so-called propagation, possibly, causing the TR of the whole battery. Ideally, easily obtainable key features of a certain cell – such as cathode type, cell format, cell energy and state of charge (SOC) - could allow the prediction of its behaviour under abuse conditions. In the present study, we will discuss the latest result of our safety tests on cell level employing an external heater as TR-trigger. Single cell tests will be analysed regarding different hazardous features during the TR, e.g., cell temperature, occurrence of flames, peak pressure, gas amount and gas composition. Moreover, the possibility of a TR-propagation and the respective propagation speed will be gained from propagation tests utilizing six cells with identical SOC. In total, the study comprises over 200 tests on cell level. The gained data set is analysed in respect to the cell parameters, such as cell format, cell energy, SOC and the cathode type as well as the atmosphere (air vs. N2) present during the test. A special focus is put on the discussion of general conclusions linking cell parameters to TR-effects and propagation behaviour.
The findings regarding common conclusions between key features and TR-effects can enable a rather facile selection process of cells/batteries for certain applications according to specific safety targets. Moreover, it allows to choose cell-specific safety measures, suitable during operation. In further works, the study will be extended to end-of-first life cells yielding important conclusions regarding crucial safety aspects for the implementation of those cells in 2nd-life application. Generally, the presented results can increase the overall understanding of the TR mechanism supporting the design of advanced measures to enhance the safety on cell level in the future.
Lithium-ion battery (LIB) powered devices, such as laptops, mobile phones and power tools are ubiquitous in our daily lives. Moreover, LIBs are essential for the electrification of vehicles, and play an important role for stationary storage units needed for grid-balancing. The improvement of LIBs, in terms of increasing energy density as well as cycle-life and decreasing costs, is tackled by numerous research groups all over the world. In the last years, research regarding safety aspects has steadily gained more interest. The safety of LIBs can be implemented at different levels, such as material, cell, battery and system level.
The abuse/misuse of an LIB can lead to an internal increase in heat which can trigger a chain of exothermic reactions on cell level. Thus, the cell temperature increases dramatically causing the so-called thermal runaway (TR). This process can lead to flames and/or explosion of the cell. Furthermore, the TR of one cell can initiate the TR of adjacent cells causing the so-called propagation, possibly, leading to the TR of the whole battery.
Herein, we will show the latest result of our safety tests on cell level employing an external heater as TR-trigger. Regarding single cell tests, we will compare different hazardous features during the TR, e.g., cell temperature, occurrence of flames, peak pressure, and toxic gases, depending on the cell format, cell energy and the cathode type. The same cell parameters will be used to discuss the results of the propagation tests. Moreover, the influence of the state of charge (SOC) and the present atmosphere (air vs. N2) as well as the repeatability will be discussed. Overall, the study comprises over 180 tests on cell level.
The findings regarding the TR behaviour can be used to create a hazard-classification scheme of LIBs, e.g., allowing the definition of (cell type specific) conditions for a safe transport. Furthermore, the results can increase the general understanding of the TR mechanism promoting the development of advanced measures to enhance the safety on cell level in the future.
Deconvoluting the impact of early-life abuse conditions on the degradation of lithium-ion cells
(2023)
The successful repurposing of degraded lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in second-life applications is a vital step towards achieving a circular economy. While reusing aged Li-cells is a promising way of mitigating their overall environmental footprint, it is crucial to anticipate their future safety and performance characteristics . Unfortunately, predicting these properties is a cumbersome task, essentially caused by limited knowledge of the interference of different degradation modes in the cells’ first life.
To still enable estimating of these parameters from a current state, the present study systematically investigates the impacts of abusive conditions in an early phase of the cells’ life on their subsequent degradation behavior. For this purpose, individual Li-cells are initially stressed by different measures such as overcharging, deep-discharging, plating, and deliberate combinations of the aforementioned methods. Electrochemical performance indicators are monitored during subsequent cycling of the cells which provides insights into the interdependencies of different degradation modes induced by specific stress conditions. In this manner, it is clarified whether or not the total degradation can be determined by a convolution or a superposition of individual deterioration effects and, thus, be described as a multidimensional state function.
This knowledge will finally contribute to a better understanding of the performance and safety behavior of degraded Li-ion batteries which can help to successfully implement them into second-life applications.
Understanding the safety characteristics of aged Lithiumion
(Li-ion) batteries is essential for their effective
integration into second-life applications. The SafeLiBatt
project is a research initiative focused on evaluating
safety-related parameters of these batteries.
The presented study elucidates the impact of a cells’
state of health (SOH) on its safety behavior. Four highpower
pouch cells (Li-NMC622) were exposed to elevated
temperatures to achieve accelerated ageing. Subsequent
thermal abuse tests were utilized to assess crucial
parameters related to the thermal runaway (TR).
When compared to their non-aged (begin of life, BOL)
analogs, the aged cells implicated a TR-onset lowered by
about 10 – 20 K.
Lithium batteries are the key technology for the successful implementation of the energy transition. Nevertheless, the consequences of thermal runaway of lithium batteries pose the greatest safety risk. In particular, the transport of damaged lithium batteries poses special challenges in order to minimize the effects of thermal runaway. By developing a precision nail test rig, the positive effects of cooling damaged lithium batteries can be investigated and safe transport temperatures identified.
A state-of-the-art (SOTA) review on characterisation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) properties in terms of source term and inventory assessment (neutron, gamma-ray emission, decay heat, radionuclide inventory, elemental content) and in terms of out-of-core fuel performance (cladding performance and fuel integrity in view of the safety criteria for SNF interim storage, transport and canister packaging) using several numerical and experimental approaches and methodologies is presented. This SOTA report is a result of the spent fuel characterisation (SFC) work package as part of the European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD), which offers an overview of the status of knowledge in the field of SNF characterisation and assessment during the pre-disposal phase. The document aims to focus on the current safety-significant gaps and related challenges, providing a direct link to the goals of the mandated actors of EURAD. The report is expected to be used by all EURAD colleagues in their national programmes as a key resource for knowledge management programmes and to contribute to demonstrating and documenting the state-of-the-art.
The prevention of brittle fracture of spent fuel claddings during long-term dry interim storage is based on experimental investigations, numerical analyses and assessment methods for predicting the mechanical behavior and determining limiting conditions. The ring compression test (RCT) is an established experimental method for characterizing cladding material. Test results for various high-burnup pressure water reactor zirconium-based fuel cladding alloys (e.g., ZIRLO®, M5®) are publicly available. To reduce the effort associated with irradiated samples in hot cells, it is helpful to perform studies on unirradiated surrogate cladding material. Based on such experimental data, load-displacement curves were numerically analyzed for selected cladding materials. In the presence of radial hydrides, a sample may suddenly fail by fracture even at small deformations. Noticeable load drops in the RCT occur associated to unstable crack propagation through the radial hydride network. The failure mechanism is quasi-cleavage in the hydrides and micro-void nucleation, growth, and coalescence in the zirconium matrix, with ductile tearing patches connecting neighboring hydrides. The failure process was simulated by cohesive zones controlled by the fracture energy and the cohesive strength. A modeling approach is presented in which the radial hydride morphology is taken into account. Based on the developed fracture mechanics approach with cohesive zone modeling, not only the deformation behavior but also the failure behavior of irradiated as well as unirradiated claddings with radial hydrides under RCT loading conditions can be adequately described.
Task 3 of Work package 8 (Spent Fuel Characterization) of the European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD) investigates the behaviour of nuclear fuel and cladding after discharge. The aim of the work is to understand and describe the be-haviour of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), irradiated cladding, fuel/cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) and ageing under conditions of extended interim storage, transportation and em-placement in a final disposal system. BAM contributes to the project as partner and leads Task 3. The presentation gives an overview of the project status, main achievements in experimental work and modelling studies, deviations from the plan, delays and challenges ahead.
The prevention of brittle fracture of spent fuel claddings during long-term dry interim storage is based on experimental investigations, numerical analyses and assessment methods for predicting the mechanical behavior and determining limiting conditions. The ring compression test (RCT) is an established experimental method for characterizing cladding material. Test results for various high-burnup pressure water reactor zirconium-based fuel cladding alloys (e.g., ZIRLO®, M5®) are publicly available. To reduce the effort associated with irradiated samples in hot cells, it is helpful to perform studies on unirradiated surrogate cladding material. Based on such experimental data, load-displacement curves were numerically analyzed for selected cladding materials. In the presence of radial hydrides, a sample may suddenly fail by fracture even at small deformations. Noticeable load drops in the RCT occur associated to unstable crack propagation through the radial hydride network. The failure mechanism is quasi-cleavage in the hydrides and micro-void nucleation, growth, and coalescence in the zirconium matrix, with ductile tearing patches connecting neighboring hydrides. The failure process was simulated by cohesive zones controlled by the fracture energy and the cohesive strength. A modeling approach is presented in which the radial hydride morphology is taken into account. Based on the developed fracture mechanics approach with cohesive zone modeling, not only the deformation behavior but also the failure behavior of irradiated as well as unirradiated claddings with radial hydrides under RCT loading conditions can be adequately described.
The BAMline at the synchrotron X-ray source BESSY II (Berlin, Germany) is supporting researchers especially in materials science. As a non-destructive characterization method, synchrotron X-ray imaging, especially tomography with hard X-Rays, plays an important role in structural 3D characterization. The imaging capabilities allow for in-situ and operando experiments. In this presentation the equipment, data handling pipeline as well as various examples from material science are presented.
The degradation of a single-site atomically dispersed, model Fe–N–C powder catalyst with high activity is investigated using cryo-Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results indicate a degradation initiated by an Fe2+ to Fe3+ oxidation due to coordination of oxygen to tetrapyrrolic Fe–N4 sites at atmospheric conditions (change between characteristic doublets) before iron(III) oxide is formed (sextet). Thermal reactivation can be used to restore substantial catalytic activity of aged Fe–N–C powders.
Atomically dispersed metal-nitrogen doped carbons (M-N-C) are
promising catalysts for the activation of small molecules such as O2
and CO2. These single atom catalysts (SAC) operate at the interface
between homogenous and heterogenous catalysts. Currently, many
examples of M-N-C are known with good oxygen reduction reaction
activity but lacking a controlled synthesis of the specific active sites of
the precatalyst. Recently, our group facilitated the synthesis of pure
pyrrolic M-N4 sites using Zn ions as imprinters.[1] These amorphous
materials obtained by active site imprinting method are characterized
at the BAMline (Bessy II) by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS).
In-situ/operando measurements will be crucial in future work for a
better understanding of the dynamic changes of the active site.
Porous carbons with tuneable functionalities and morphologies have extensively been employed as electrode materials in a variety of electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems for instance in fuel cells and electrolysers as active catalysts and catalyst supports, and in secondary batteries as anode materials. Amorphous carbons with well-developed pore structures are of particular interest due to their superior mass-transport characteristics and remarkable charge storage capacities.
Mononuclear Fe ions ligated by nitrogen (FeNx) dispersed on nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) serve as active centers for electrocatalytic O2 reduction and thermocatalytic aerobic oxidations. Despite their promise as replacements for precious metals in a variety of practical applications, such as fuel cells, the discovery of new Fe-N-C catalysts has relied primarily on empirical approaches. In this context, the development of quantitative structure−reactivity relationships and benchmarking of catalysts prepared by different synthetic routes and by different laboratories would be facilitated by the broader adoption of methods to quantify atomically dispersed FeNx active centers. In this study, we develop a kinetic probe reaction method that uses the aerobic oxidation of a model hydroquinone substrate to quantify
the density of FeNx centers in Fe-N-C catalysts. The kinetic method is compared with low-temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy, CO pulse chemisorption, and electrochemical reductive stripping of NO derived from NO2 − on a suite of Fe-N-C catalysts prepared by diverse routes and featuring either the exclusive presence of Fe as FeNx sites or the coexistence of aggregated Fe species in addition to FeNx. The FeNx site densities derived from the kinetic method correlate well with those obtained from CO pulse chemisorption and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The broad survey of Fe-N-C materials also reveals the presence of outliers and challenges associated with each site quantification approach. The kinetic method developed here does not require pretreatments that may alter active-site distributions or specialized equipment beyond reaction vessels and standard analytical instrumentation.
The presentation gives an overview about the current experiences of BAM regarding ageing management of transport packages in Germany.
The concept of the BAM-GGR 023 for ageing management of transport packagings will be described.
The fundamentals of BAM-GGR 023 will be shown, including the following key aspects:
-the organization of an Ageing Management System (AMS),
-the issue of an Ageing Management Plan (AMP),
-the ageing evaluation as a part of the AMP,
-the Ageing Surveillance Program (ASP) as a part of the AMP,
-the Ageing Management Documentation (AMD).
In this work we present results for three typical sealing materials (EPDM, HNBR, FKM) after up to 100 days ageing at high temperature under hydrogen. To allow for a better evaluation of the occurring changes the results are compared with effects of ageing in air on the material properties. Despite the common assumption that ageing under hydrogen atmosphere is expected to be less severe for the material in com-parison to air ageing, this is not seen for every material.
Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) establish themselves as important energy carriers in the transport sector. Its storage requires tanks with Thermal Super Insulations (TSI) to keep the transported fluid cold. TSI has proven itself in various applications over a long time, but not in the land transport sector, where accidents involving collisions, fires, and their combination are to be expected. The focus of this study is to investigate the behavior of different types of TSI when exposed to a heat source that represents a fire. Therefore, a High-Temperature Thermal Vacuum Chamber (HTTVC) was used that allows the thermal loading of thermal insulation material in a vacuum and measuring the heat flow through the TSI in parallel. Within this study, 5 samples were tested regarding 3 different types of MLI, rock wool, and perlites. The thermal exposure caused different effects on the samples. In practice, this can be connected to the rapid release of flammable gases as well as a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). These results are relevant for the evaluation of accident scenarios, the improvement of TSI, and the development of emergency measures.
Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
establish themselves as important energy carriers in the transport
sector. Its storage requires tanks with Thermal Super Insulations
(TSI) to keep the transported fluid cold. TSI has proven itself in
various applications over a long time, but not in the land
transport sector, where accidents involving collisions, fires, and
their combination are to be expected. The focus of this study is
to investigate the behavior of different types of TSI when
exposed to a heat source that represents a fire. Therefore, a High-
Temperature Thermal Vacuum Chamber (HTTVC) was used that
allows the thermal loading of thermal insulation material in a
vacuum and measuring the heat flow through the TSI in parallel.
Within this study, 5 samples were tested regarding 3 different
types of MLI, rock wool, and perlites. The thermal exposure
caused different effects on the samples. In practice, this can be
connected to the rapid release of flammable gases as well as a
Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). These
results are relevant for the evaluation of accident scenarios, the
improvement of TSI, and the development of emergency
measures.
The degradation of a single-site atomically dispersed, model Fe–N–C powder catalyst with high activity is investigated using cryo-Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results indicate a degradation initiated by an Fe2+ to Fe3+ oxidation due to coordination of oxygen to tetrapyrrolic Fe–N4 sites at atmospheric conditions (change between characteristic doublets) before iron(III) oxide is formed (sextet). Thermal reactivation can be used to restore substantial catalytic activity of aged Fe–N–C powders.
Introduction
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are one key technology to overcome the climate crisis and energy transition challenges. Demands of electric vehicles on higher capacity and power drives research on innovative cathode and anode materials. These high energy-density LIBs are operated at higher voltages, leading to increased electrolyte decay and the current collectors' degradation. Even though this fundamental corrosion process significantly affects battery performance, insufficient research is being done on the aluminum current collector. Fast and convenient analytical methods are needed for monitoring the aging processes in LIBs.
Methods
In this work glow-discharge optical emission spectrometry (GD-OES) was used for depth profile analysis of aged cathode material. The measurements were performed in pulsed radio frequency mode. Under soft and controlled plasma conditions, high-resolution local determination (in depth) of the elemental composition is possible. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with a focused ion beam (FIB) cutting and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was used to confirm GD-OES results and obtain additional information on elemental distribution.
Results
The aging of coin cells manufactured with different cathode materials (LCO, LMO, NMC111, NMC424, NMC532, NMC622, and NMC811) was studied. GD-OES depth profiling of new and aged cathode materials was performed. Quantitative analysis was possible through calibration with synthetic standards and correction by sputter rate. Different amounts of aluminum deposit on the cathode surface were found for different materials. The deposit has its origin in the corrosion of the aluminum current collector. The results are compatible with results from FIB-EDX. However, GD-OES is a faster and less laborious analytical method. Therefore, it will accelerate research on corrosion processes in high energy-density batteries.
Innovative aspects
- Quantitative depth profiling of cathode material
-Monitoring of corrosion processes in high energy-density lithium-ion batteries
- Systematic investigation of the influence of different cathode materials
The storage of spent fuel and high level radioactive waste in Germany is performed in interim storage containers with double lid systems. The lids are bolted and equipped with metal seals (e.g. Helicoflex®) to ensure the safe enclosure of the inventory. The used metal seals have a layered structure consisting of three components as can be seen schematically in the cross-sectional view in Fig. 1.
In the center a helical spring is positioned that is surrounded by two C-shaped jackets and is mainly responsible for generation of the required restoring force. The inner jacket is made of stainless steel and homogenizes the restoring force of the helical spring. The outer jacket is made of silver or aluminium which both are soft metals in comparison to the contact partners (lid and container body). During bolting of the lid to the container body the seal is compressed. The generated restoring force of the helical spring causes a plastic deformation of the outer jacket and adapts to the surfaces of the lid and the container body. Hence, leakage paths are closed and the sealing function is generated.
Typical durations for existing interim storage licenses in Germany are 40 years, but it can be expected that they have to be extended to longer periods as a final repository will not be available before the end of the running licence periods. This extension of license periods requires a solid understanding of the long-term behaviour of the seals under storage conditions. To meet this challenge long-term investigations have been started at Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM) in 2009. These tests focus on seals assembled in test flanges which are stored at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 150 °C for accelerated ageing. The aged seals are tested repeatedly after certain ageing steps and the leakage rate as indicator for sealing performance, the remaining seal force, and the useable resilience upon decompression are determined.
In the poster an update on the performed investigations in respect to earlier publications (Grelle et al. 2019, Goral et al. 2023) will be given and the implications of the results for resilient long term safety will be presented. Additionally, a focus will be laid on the currently planned further investigations and the question “What is additionally needed for evaluation of an interim storage period extension in regard to the used metal seals?” will be addressed.
Beginning in 1976 the former iron ore mine Konrad was geologically investigated concerning its suitability as a location for a German final repository for low and intermediate level waste. After a comprehensive licensing procedure it was approved and is now being prepared and equipped for the planned start of storage in 2027. At the end of the 1980s, the requirements for waste containers for storage in this repository were defined for the first time on the basis of an incident analysis of the on-site handling procedures, beginning with the unloading of the packages after the arrival at the site up to the final positioning in the underground storage galleries. A 5-meter drop onto the rock ground of the mine was identified as the covering case for high mechanical requirements (ABK II container class). In contrast to the 9-meter drop according to the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, the 5-meter drop is performed onto a hard but not essentially unyielding target. The container is typically not protected by an impact limiter. The requirements for a potential test facility are described in the regulations for the Konrad repository. The mechanical strength of the target is defined as a concrete strength equivalent to the identified properties of the rock ground of the mine.
Since 1991 BAM has consistently used precast reinforced concrete slabs as target for drop tests in the framework of licensing procedures as well as in research projects. While the original design fulfilled the requirement for the integrity of the concrete slab in most cases, it failed when drop tests onto an edge of a container were performed. A redesigned concrete slab developed in a research project and suggested as a reference target in 2009 has been successfully used in Konrad licensing procedures since then.
The paper gives a brief overview of the historical development and it describes BAM’s efforts and approaches to continuously guarantee a concrete slab of defined quality and to provide a test setup for valid drop tests from the applicants and the authorities view.
Beginning in 1976 the former iron ore mine Konrad was geologically investigated concerning its suitability as a location for a German final repository for low and intermediate level waste. After a comprehensive licensing procedure it was approved and is now being prepared and equipped for the planned start of storage in 2027. At the end of the 1980s, the requirements for waste containers for storage in this repository were defined for the first time on the basis of an incident analysis of the on-site handling procedures, beginning with the unloading of the packages after the arrival at the site up to the final positioning in the underground storage galleries. A 5-meter drop onto the rock ground of the mine was identified as the covering case for high mechanical requirements (ABK II container class). In contrast to the 9-meter drop according to the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, the 5-meter drop is performed onto a hard but not essentially unyielding target. The container is typically not protected by an impact limiter. The requirements for a potential test facility are described in the regulations for the Konrad repository. The mechanical strength of the target is defined as a concrete strength equivalent to the identified properties of the rock ground of the mine.
Since 1991 BAM has consistently used precast reinforced concrete slabs as target for drop tests in the framework of licensing procedures as well as in research projects. While the original design fulfilled the requirement for the integrity of the concrete slab in most cases, it failed when drop tests onto an edge of a container were performed. A redesigned concrete slab developed in a research project and suggested as a reference target in 2009 has been successfully used in Konrad licensing procedures since then.
The paper gives a brief overview of the historical development and it describes BAM’s efforts and approaches to continuously guarantee a concrete slab of defined quality and to provide a test setup for valid drop tests from the applicants and the authorities view.
Beginning in 1976 the former iron ore mine Konrad was geologically investigated concerning its suitability as a location for a German final repository for low and intermediate level waste. After a comprehensive licensing procedure it was approved and is now being prepared and equipped for the planned start of storage in 2027. At the end of the 1980s, the requirements for waste containers for storage in this repository were defined for the first time on the basis of an incident analysis of the on-site handling procedures, beginning with the unloading of the packages after the arrival at the site up to the final positioning in the underground storage galleries. A 5-meter drop onto the rock ground of the mine was identified as the covering case for high mechanical requirements (ABK II container class). In contrast to the 9-meter drop according to the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, the 5-meter drop is performed onto a hard but not essentially unyielding target. The container is typically not protected by an impact limiter. The requirements for a potential test facility are described in the regulations for the Konrad repository. The mechanical strength of the target is defined as a concrete strength equivalent to the identified properties of the rock ground of the mine.
Since 1991 BAM has consistently used precast reinforced concrete slabs as target for drop tests in the framework of licensing procedures as well as in research projects. While the original design fulfilled the requirement for the integrity of the concrete slab in most cases, it failed when drop tests onto an edge of a container were performed. A redesigned concrete slab developed in a research project and suggested as a reference target in 2009 has been successfully used in Konrad licensing procedures since then.
The paper gives a brief overview of the historical development and it describes BAM’s efforts and approaches to continuously guarantee a concrete slab of defined quality and to provide a test setup for valid drop tests from the applicants and the authorities view.
Cohesive Zone Modelling Approach on Irradiated Claddings Subjected to Long-Term Dry Interim Storage
(2023)
Long-term dry interim storage may adversely affect the mechanical properties of spent fuel rods, possibly resulting in a reduced resilience during handling or transport after storage. Pre-storage drying and the early stage of interim storage can subject the cladding to higher temperatures and higher pressure induced tensile hoop stresses than those associated with in-reactor operation and pool storage. Under these conditions, radial hydrides may precipitate in zirconium-based alloys (Zircaloy) during slow cooling, which may result in embrittlement of the cladding material and eventually a sudden failure of cladding under additional mechanical loads. Especially long, continuous radial hydride structures and low temperature can cause severe embrittlement of claddings and finally failure by fracture even at small deformations. The focus of the presented research is on the development of appropriate numerical methods for predicting the mechanical behaviour and identification of limiting conditions to prevent brittle fracture of Zircaloy claddings. An iterative inverse analysis method is used for deriving the elastic-plastic material properties in the hoop direction of a ring-shaped sample. A modelling approach based on cohesive zones is explained which can reproduce the propagation of cracks initiated at radial hydrides in the zirconium matrix. The developed methods are applied to defueled samples of cladding alloy ZIRLO®, which were subjected to a thermo-mechanical treatment to reorient existing circumferential hydrides to radial hydrides. A selected sample showing sudden load drops during a quasi-static ring compression test is analysed by means of fracture mechanics for illustrative purposes.
With the fast development in the field of additive manufacturing, triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) based porous media have recently found many uses in mechanical property tuning. However, there is still a lack of understanding in their porosity-dependent permeability and electrical as well as thermal conductivity. Here, we perform finite volume simulations on the solid and void domains of the Schoen gyroid (SG), Schwarz primitive (SP) and Schwarz primitive beam (SPB) TPMS with porosities between 63% and 88% in Ansys Fluent. A simple cubic lattice (CL) of equivalent porosity served as reference. The SPB and CL showed up to one order of magnitude higher permeabilities than the SG and SP. However, SG and SP have about 1.3 and 2.6 times the electrical and thermal conductivity of SPB and CL, respectively. Furthermore, the properties of SPB and CL are largely affected by the surface area density, whereas tortuosity variation does not impact permeability and conductivity to a major extent. Finally, empirical relations are adapted to describe the presented data and thus, they may enable future designers of TPMS based porous structures to fine-tune the geometries according to the requirements on permeability and electrical as well as thermal conductivity.
Acceptable limits for activity release from transport casks for high-level radioactive material specified in the IAEA regulations must be kept by the integrity of cask body and the cask sealing system. BAM as the German competent authority for mechanical, thermal and containment assessment of packages liable for approval verifies the activity release compliance with the regulatory limits. One of the fundamental aspects in assessment is the specification of conservative package design leakage rates.
To ensure the required package tightness for both, storage, and transport of the cask before and after storage usually metal seals of the Helicoflex® Type are used. Due to the long-term use the seal behavior is influenced by temperature and time. The mechanical and thermal loadings associated with the routine, normal and accident conditions of transport specified in the regulations can have a significant effect on the leak tightness of the sealing system. Whereas the safety for application of new, non- aged Helicoflex® seals is verified sufficiently, there are still technical data gaps concerning the efficiency of aged Helicoflex® seals.
BAM performed experiments to learn more about the sealing efficiency of aged Helicoflex® seals with Aluminum and Silver outer jackets. The seals were compressed in test-flanges and for artificial ageing the complete flange systems were stored in an oven for several month at a high temperature. During the compression and decompression tests after the aging, load-deformation characteristics of the seals, and leakage rates were measured. With these tests a load situation was simulated, which can occur in the regulatory drop test of the cask: Under high impact loads the bolted lid can lift a little for a short moment, allowing a little movement of the seal, so that the contact area can change before compressing again.
The poster presentation will show details about test conditions and first results.
The development of more powerful and more efficient lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is a key area in battery research, aiming to support the ever-increasing demand for energy storage systems. To better understand the causes and mechanisms of degradation, and thus the diminishing cycling performance and lifetime often observed in LIBs, in operando techniques are essential, because battery chemistry can be monitored non-invasively, in real time. Moreover, there is increasing interest in developing new battery chemistries. Beyond LIBs, sodium ion batteries (NIBs) have gained increasing interest in recent years, as they are a promising candidate to complement LIBs, owing to their improved sustainability and lower cost, while still maintaining high energy density.[1] Initial phases of NIB commercialisation have occurred in the past year. However, for the widespread commercialisation of NIBs, there are still challenges that need to be overcome in developing optimized electrode materials and electrolytes. For the development of such materials and greater understanding of sodium storage mechanisms, solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formation and stability, and degradation processes, in operando methodologies are crucial.
Among the techniques available for in operando analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and imaging (MRI) are becoming increasingly used to characterize the chemical composition of battery materials, study the growth and distribution of dendrites, and investigate battery storage and degradation mechanisms. In situ and in operando 1H, 7Li and 23Na NMR and MRI have recently been used to study LIBs and NIBs, identifying chemical changes in Li and Na species respectively, in metallic, quasimetallic and electrolytic environment as well as directly and indirectly studying dendrite formation in both systems.[2-4] The ability of NMR and MRI to probe battery systems across multiple environments can further be complemented by the enhanced spatial resolution of micro-computed X-ray tomography (μ-CT) which can provide insight into battery material microstructure and defect distribution.
Here, we report in operando 1H and 7Li NMR and MRI experiments that investigate LIB performance, and the identification of changes in the Li signal during charge cycling, as well as the observation of signals in both 1H and 7Li NMR spectra that we attribute to diminishing battery performance, capacity loss and degradation. Additionally, recent operando methodology are adapted and implemented to study Sn based anodes in NIBs. 23Na spectroscopy is performed to monitor the formation and evolution of peaks assigned to stages of Na insertion into Sn, while 1H MRI is used to indirectly visualize the volume expansion of Sn anodes during charge cycling. Battery operation and degradation is further explored in these NIBs, using μ-CT, where the anode is directly visualized to a higher resolution and the loss of electrolyte in the cell, during cycling is observed
The European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (EURAD) is working on Spent Fuel Characterization (SFC) in its work package (WP) 8. Inspired by the EURAD activities, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established an international Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on SFC. The EURAD WP SFC
participants are collaborating as a team on the IAEA CRP on SFC. The EURAD WP SFC project consists of four tasks. Task 3 investigates the behaviour of nuclear fuel and cladding after discharge. The aim of these activities is to understand and describe the evolution of the cladding-pellet system and its ageing under conditions of extended interim storage, transportation and emplacement in a final disposal system. At a Consultancy Meeting, BAM as contributor to Task 3 presented current results of the failure analysis of irradiated ZIRLO® claddings under conditions of the Ring Compression Test.
Packagings for the transport of dangerous goods need to meet special requirements to get an approval. This includes free fall drop testing onto an essentially unyielding surface as a means to assess a package’s resistance to mechanical damage. A main requirement for drop tests is that the impact target’s mass shall be at least 50 times that of the heaviest package to be tested. Nevertheless, many manufacturers do not possess foundation structures with the required mass ratio. Previous evidence highlights that the mass ratio is not a decisive criterion on its own. Parameters such as the impact target foundation’s connection and the impulse experienced by the impacting object are essential as well. However, these factors are not easily verifiable since experimental measurements are not possible at most facilities. The objective of this work is to provide a detailed analysis on the interaction between impact target foundation and subgrade in dynamic impact testing using validated finite-element (FE) models. This research is highly beneficial for industrial application since it allows manufacturers to make informed predictions about the mechanical response of installed impact target foundations.
Elastomeric seals are essential components in the infrastructure which prevent leakage of gas and proper function of technical devices and are therefore highly safety relevant. For proper function a remaining resilience and tolerance to pressure changes is required.
The ageing of elastomers is an undesirable but inevitable process leading to a limited lifetime of rubber products such as seals. Independent of the application, as e.g. automotive, piping or container applications, a long lifetime or at least a timely exchange of a seal before occurrence of critical failure is desired.
Hydrogen is a key element for the energy turnaround and therefore the compatibility of seals with hydrogen is essential. In addition to the effect of hydrogen uptake and release, which might also cause destructive effects such as rapid gas decompression, ageing at high temperature under hydrogen atmosphere is of interest too. Most of the existing work is addressing the performance of new materials and comprises only very limited investigations concerning long-term use and the behaviour of aged materials in contact with hydrogen. As ageing can lead to substantial changes of material properties, it must be evaluated whether these changes are beneficial or deteriorating for the component function.
In this work we present and compare results of the characterisation of three sealing materials (EPDM, HNBR, FKM) after ageing at high temperature under hydrogen and air. Despite the common assumption that ageing under hydrogen atmosphere should be less severe for the material in comparison to air ageing, this is not the case for every material.
BAM acts as authority and for service in safety assessment of packages for transport and storage of radioactive materials. We offer extensive test capabilities and application of analytical methods for design verification and simulation for all types of packages for the transport and storage of radioactive materials according with the international IAEA Regulations for the safe transport and for national storage acceptance criteria. BAM operates several test facilities for drop and stacking testing, leak testing and thermal testing. The large drop test tower allows dropping full-scale specimens up to 200,000 kg in any drop orientation as requested. The comprehensive test facilities combined with long-term experience, newest equipment and measurement devices according to the latest state-of-the-art technology ensures realisation of complex test campaigns for package safety evaluation.
Beyond that, non-destructive and destructive material test devices and experts are available. Equipment and application of all kinds of typical measurement categories can be offered for testing campaigns.
In recent years we performed testing of full-scale type B package models with complex handling and preparation procedures. The results were contributed for different package design approval procedures. Type A packages mainly designed for medical related transport purposes, were continuously tested according to the transport regulations over recent years as well. Moreover, we work on research topics with relevance to package safety. The mechanical behaviour of lid closure systems under transport and storage conditions and the thermal behaviour of impact limiters were recently of special importance for the assessment competencies of BAM and were investigated under use of our test facilities.
The paper describes the test facilities and capabilities for package design safety evaluation at BAM and shows examples from our recent work.
We analyse electromotive force measurements of concentration cells using non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and determine the transference coefficients of ion-exchange membranes in aqueous KCl solutions. By taking advantage of the analytical expression for the permselectivity, we extract transport coefficients with high accuracy. The transport number of K+ and the transference coefficient of water in the Selemion CMVN cationexchange membrane are found to be 100𝑡K+ = 99.59 ± 0.56 and 𝑡𝑤 = 3.69 ± 0.40 respectively, while for the Selemion AMVN anion-exchange membrane they are 100𝑡Cl− = 100.21 ± 0.37 and 𝑡𝑤 = −3.75 ± 0.27. These results suggest that the membranes are perfectly selective to the target ion, and that each ion carries 3-4 water molecules through the membrane, which reduces the membrane permselectivity. In these concentration cells, the electrical potential contribution of the membrane alone was more easily isolated with bare Ag/AgCl electrodes without reference solutions and liquid junction plugs. Additionally, we find a large contribution to the measured concentration cell voltage from concentration gradients across the porous plug of the reference electrode, which cannot be explained by Henderson’s equation alone. For most of the concentration range, the transport number of the porous plug is determined to be 100𝑡K+ = 49.43 ± 0.78 with negligible water transport, similar to literature values for bulk electrolyte. In dilute electrolyte solutions with concentrations below 0.1 mol kg−1, the plug shows anomalous behaviour consistent with an increase in K+ selectivity and water co-transport.
Degradation and damage analysis of composite pressure vessels via experimental modal analysis
(2023)
For mobile gas storage systems, the application of type IV pressure vessels is state of the art. Type IV tanks consist of an inner polymer liner fully wrapped with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP). Because of the complex fabric of the FRP as well as a difficulty estimable interaction behaviour between the single components under load, there are still no satisfying non-destructive testing methods to assess the current state of failure nor to estimate the level of degradation accurately and economically. At BAM division 3.5, analysing the ageing process of mobile composite pressure vessels is a major task to ensure safe usage over the whole lifetime. In this context, key aspects of our ongoing research activities are the invention of new test procedures and the development of accurate lifetime prediction models. In order to determine the level of degradation or damage, one meaningful non-destructive approach is to analyse the structural dynamic behaviour via an experimental modal analysis (EMA). Over the last few years, different types and sizes of composite pressure vessels have been tested in several research projects. The presented paper gives an insight into how to extract and interpret modal parameters and how to fit them to the results of residual strength tests.
Degradation and damage analysis of composite pressure vessels via experimental modal analysis
(2023)
For mobile gas storage systems, the application of type IV pressure vessels is state of the art. Type IV tanks consist of an inner polymer liner fully wrapped with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP). Because of the complex fabric of the FRP as well as a difficulty estimable interaction behaviour between the single components under load, there are still no satisfying non-destructive testing methods to assess the current state of failure nor to estimate the level of degradation accurately and economically. At BAM division 3.5, analysing the ageing process of mobile composite pressure vessels is a major task to ensure safe usage over the whole lifetime. In this context, key aspects of our ongoing research activities are the invention of new test procedures and the development of accurate lifetime prediction models. In order to determine the level of degradation or damage, one meaningful non-destructive approach is to analyse the structural dynamic behaviour via an experimental modal analysis (EMA). Over the last few years, different types and sizes of composite pressure vessels have been tested in several research projects. The presented paper gives an insight into how to extract and interpret modal parameters and how to fit them to the results of residual strength tests.
While hydrogen is one of the most promising energy carriers, the safety of hydrogen storage technology remains one of the most important factors for technological and societal approval. While the engineering safety factors of the pressure vessels are kept high, the periodic inspection and the limited lifetime are making the application very costly considering manpower, time, money, and material waste. The development of an integrated structural health monitoring system can allow an easy transition from the current situation to cost-effective predictive maintenance. Hence, we propose to integrate three different SHM systems into hydrogen pressure vessels, namely guided wave ultrasonics, acoustic emission, and fibre optic sensing, to continuously monitor the condition and integrity.
In this work, we evaluated the condition of a Type IV composite overwrapped pressure vessel using ultrasonic guided wave propagation. We mounted fifteen piezo-electric wafers on the composite cylinder by shaping three rings containing five sensors each. We acquired data from the sensor network following different boundary conditions with artificial damages on the selected locations. The data were evaluated with guided wave tomography techniques using ultrasonic features (amplitude, frequency, etc.) as well as artificial intelligence (AI). The results suggest that both traditional guided wave fusion techniques and AI-based characterization methods can detect artificial damages. In future work, it is planned to integrate acoustic emission and fibre optic sensing. Moreover, the measurement and the test results will be implemented into a digital twin to derive trends and make predictions on the damage propagation as well as the remaining useful lifetime.
This work has received funding from German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Actions within the QI-Digital initiative (www.qi-digital.de).
The consideration of ageing mechanisms is with integration into the IAEA-requirements now obligatory for the design of transport packages. For packages intended to be used for shipment after storage the consideration of the effects of ageing mechanisms during storage in safety analyses and the implementation of corresponding instructions for operation and maintenance are required. Therefore, these packages have been maintained during storage in a manner that all requirements specified in the IAEA-requirements and in the applicable certificates of approval have been fulfilled.
BAM is the competent authority in Germany for evaluating the thermal and mechanical design of packages for the transport of radioactive materials. In this context, BAM also evaluates the aging mechanisms and aging effects occurring during the long-term storage period of such transport packages. BAM has developed a guideline for the implementation of ageing assessment and of the measures for ageing management into the approval procedure based on IAEA-requirements.
The goal of the presented paper is to introduce this guideline and the general approach for ageing management requirements and to describe the application to a specific package design. The type and amount of the ageing management not only depend on the use of the packaging, but also on the accessibility of the components that are considered in the ageing assessment. The different operating phases of a packaging are considered for the ageing assessment, such as loading, interim storage or transport.
The implementation of measures for ageing management is divided into three levels – systemic measures, package design related measures and documentation. The systemic measures are attributed to the general management system and define the whole activities for organization of ageing management like structure, responsibilities, documentation, reports and evaluation. The package design related measures are defined in an ageing management plan (AMP). Therefore, an ageing surveillance program (ASP) and, if necessary, a gap analysis program has to be developed. The ageing management documentation (AMD) ensures the continuous documentation of the compliance of a specific package to the approved package design, comprising mainly records resulting from operation and surveillance.
The importance of tanks for storing cryogenic fluids in the energy industry is increasing because of ongoing political conflicts and the implementation of more environmentally friendly energy sources. Key representatives for the application of cryogenic tanks are natural gas in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and hydrogen, e. g. in the form of Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2), for which significantly higher transport capacities can be achieved with the same transport volume using cryogenic storages than with storages based solely on overpressure.
What applies to all cryogenic transported fluids in common is their condition that must be maintained. Hence heat flows into the preserved fluid must be minimized. Thermal super Insulations (TSI) based on e. g. multilayer insulations (MLI), perlites, and vacuum are utilized for this purpose and have already proven themselves in similar applications. However, for the use of tanks for cryogenic fluids in the transport sector, there is insufficient knowledge regarding the course and consequences of incidents, which is due to the still short period of use and the few documented incidents, hence few investigations carried out in this field. Typical scenarios in the transport sector represent car accidents with collisions, fires, and their combination, which are associated with extraordinary loads on the tank.
The focus of this study is to investigate the behavior of TSI as a result of their thermal exposure to a heat source representing a fire. It is worth mentioning that this could lead to an increase of the heat flux into a tank by several orders of magnitude, and to permanent damage of the TSI, ultimately rapid release of flammable gas as well as a Boiling Liquide Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). For this purpose, a high temperature thermal vacuum chamber (HTTVC) has been developed that allows thermal loading of MLI or perlites in a vacuum and simultaneous measurement of heat flow through this TSI. The HTTVC is designed to represent realistic insulation conditions and to withstand thermal loads from typical design fires.
The HTTVC was applied to investigate TSI based on MLI and vacuum. It is shown that the thermal stress caused permanent damage to the TSI, with shrinkage, phase change, pyrolysis, and condensation being significant damage mechanisms. The results are relevant for the evaluation of accident scenarios and can thus contribute to the improvement of TSI and the development of emergency measures for the protection of persons and infrastructures.
The importance of tanks for storing cryogenic fluids in the energy industry is increasing because of ongoing political conflicts and the implementation of more environmentally friendly energy sources. Key representatives for the application of cryogenic tanks are natural gas in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and hydrogen, e. g. in the form of Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2), for which significantly higher transport capacities can be achieved with the same transport volume using cryogenic storages than with storages based solely on overpressure.
What applies to all cryogenic transported fluids in common is their condition that must be maintained. Hence heat flows into the preserved fluid must be minimized. Thermal super Insulations (TSI) based on e. g. multilayer insulations (MLI), perlites, and vacuum are utilized for this purpose and have already proven themselves in similar applications. However, for the use of tanks for cryogenic fluids in the transport sector, there is insufficient knowledge regarding the course and consequences of incidents, which is due to the still short period of use and the few documented incidents, hence few investigations carried out in this field. Typical scenarios in the transport sector represent car accidents with collisions, fires, and their combination, which are associated with extraordinary loads on the tank.
The focus of this study is to investigate the behavior of TSI as a result of their thermal exposure to a heat source representing a fire. It is worth mentioning that this could lead to an increase of the heat flux into a tank by several orders of magnitude, and to permanent damage of the TSI, ultimately rapid release of flammable gas as well as a Boiling Liquide Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). For this purpose, a high temperature thermal vacuum chamber (HTTVC) has been developed that allows thermal loading of MLI or perlites in a vacuum and simultaneous measurement of heat flow through this TSI. The HTTVC is designed to represent realistic insulation conditions and to withstand thermal loads from typical design fires.
The HTTVC was applied to investigate TSI based on MLI and vacuum. It is shown that the thermal stress caused permanent damage to the TSI, with shrinkage, phase change, pyrolysis, and condensation being significant damage mechanisms. The results are relevant for the evaluation of accident scenarios and can thus contribute to the improvement of TSI and the development of emergency measures for the protection of persons and infrastructures.
BAM acts as authority and for service in safety assessment of packages for transport and storage of radioactive materials. We offer extensive test capabilities and application of analytical methods for design verification and simulation for all types of packages for the transport and storage of radioactive materials according with the international IAEA Regulations for the safe transport and for national storage acceptance criteria. BAM operates several test facilities for drop and stacking testing, leak testing and thermal testing. The large drop test tower allows dropping full-scale specimens up to 200,000 kg in any drop orientation as requested. The comprehensive test facilities combined with long-term experience, newest equipment and measurement devices according to the latest state-of-the-art technology ensures realisation of complex test campaigns for package safety evaluation.
Beyond that, non-destructive and destructive material test devices and experts are available. Equipment and application of all kinds of typical measurement categories can be offered for testing campaigns.
In recent years we performed testing of full-scale type B package models with complex handling and preparation procedures. The results were contributed for different package design approval procedures. Type A packages mainly designed for medical related transport purposes, were continuously tested according to the transport regulations over recent years as well. Moreover, we work on research topics with relevance to package safety. The mechanical behaviour of lid closure systems under transport and storage conditions and the thermal behaviour of impact limiters were recently of special importance for the assessment competencies of BAM and were investigated under use of our test facilities.
The paper describes the test facilities and capabilities for package design safety evaluation at BAM and shows examples from our recent work.
Hydrogen is among the most promising candidates to replace fossil fuels in the energy transition. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are already a reality, and their number is foreseen to increase considerably in the next decade. Among the possible solutions to store hydrogen in such vehicles, cryogenic tanks equipped with multi-layer insulation (MLI) appear to be one of the most effective to ensure high volumetric energy density. A potential loss of integrity of this kind of storage equipment might lead to severe consequences due to high flammability of hydrogen. This might occur, for instance, as a consequence of the exposure to an external source of heat such as a fire following a car accident. Real scale fire test results suggest that the super insulating performance of MLI systems may undergo severe degradation when this is subjected to high temperature, leaving the tank almost unprotected and leading to failure in a relatively short time. Characterizing this kind of accident scenario is crucial to ensure a safe design of storage tanks for Hydrogen-powered vehicles.
This presentation provides an overview of the ongoing research work on modelling MLI LH2 tanks exposed to fire. Lumped and computational fluid dynamic based models are presented, highlighting current gaps. The relevance of taking MLI degradation into account when simulating the pressure increase due to external fire exposure is here demonstrated through the analysis case studies.
BAM-GGR 023 was published in June 2022
BAM-GGR 023 gives guidance to applicants regarding ageing management for competent authority approved package designs
Ageing management with evaluation of ageing mechanisms according to para 613A of IAEA SSR-6 (Rev. 1) and their effects are part of the general management system.
Essential items are: AMS (systemic-related), AMP (package design-related) and AMD (package-related)
There are different requirements for organization and extent of ageing management depending on type of use
There are also different requirements for ageing evaluation depending on type of use for packaging/package, classification of components and their accessibility and replaceability
Wood is widely used in impact limiters of Transport casks for radioactive material. Encapsulated by an outer and inner Steel structure, spruce wood is offen applied in layers of altemating direction. The friction at the interfaces between these layers is of crucial importance for the impact and energy absorption e.g., at an accidental impact of a cask against a hard component.
In order to get detailed Information for corresponding numerical calculations, in this study the friction coefficient for the combinations wood-wood and wood-steel was measured in the temperature ränge between -40 °C and 90 °C according to the relevant stress conditions for such casks. Results show decreasing friction with increasing temperature, ranging from 0.43 at -40 °C to 0.22 for 90 °C for wood-steel combinations and from 0.3 at -40 °C to 0.24 at 90 °C to for a wood-wood combination.
In accordance with the IAEA transport regulations, the design of special form radioactive material (SFRM) shall resist a severe transport accident without undue loss or dispersal of radioactive material. The safety assessment for design approval includes besides the program for physical tests (impact, percussion, bending and heat test) also the evaluation of the management system for design, manufacture, testing, documentation, use, maintenance, and inspection.
SFRM source design plus management system shall ensure, that every specimen of the approved design is able to survive the severe mechanical and thermal tests at any time of its SFRM-working life.
Due to the long-term use of SFRM designs in most cases, the assessment of the source ageing behavior is an important aspect in the approval procedure. Different fields of application imply a wide range of environmental conditions, from clean room atmosphere to highly aggressive industrial conditions. Besides of radioactive content, corrosion is a main factor for possible SFRM design degradation.
Although the IAEA Advisory Material SSG-26 already implies an indication of the need for considering ageing mechanisms, suitable amendments in the regulatory requirements of SSR-6 should be introduced to make the approval procedure more transparent and help to reduce rounds of questions by the authority. A supplementary requirement for considering of ageing mechanisms could be a helpful contribution to an international harmonization of the approval procedure.
This paper will describe major influencing factors to be considered to assess the ageing behavior of a SFRM design and will identify the need for a regulatory specification of a SFRM-working life as basis for the assessment of the SFRM design regarding time-dependent weakening. A proposal for an explicit requirement for consideration of ageing mechanisms in safety assessment of SFRM, which should be considered in the ongoing SSR-6 revision cycle, will be explained.
In accordance with the IAEA transport regulations, the design of special form radioactive material (SFRM) shall resist a severe transport accident without undue loss or dispersal of radioactive material. The safety assessment for design approval includes besides the program for physical tests (impact, percussion, bending and heat test) also the evaluation of the management system for design, manufacture, testing, documentation, use, maintenance, and inspection.
SFRM source design plus management system shall ensure, that every specimen of the approved design is able to survive the severe mechanical and thermal tests at any time of its SFRM-working life.
Due to the long-term use of SFRM designs in most cases, the assessment of the source ageing behavior is an important aspect in the approval procedure. Different fields of application imply a wide range of environmental conditions, from clean room atmosphere to highly aggressive industrial conditions. Besides of radioactive content, corrosion is a main factor for possible SFRM design degradation.
Although the IAEA Advisory Material SSG-26 already implies an indication of the need for considering ageing mechanisms, suitable amendments in the regulatory requirements of SSR-6 should be introduced to make the approval procedure more transparent and help to reduce rounds of questions by the authority. A supplementary requirement for considering of ageing mechanisms could be a helpful contribution to an international harmonization of the approval procedure.
This paper will describe major influencing factors to be considered to assess the ageing behavior of a SFRM design and will identify the need for a regulatory specification of a SFRM-working life as basis for the assessment of the SFRM design regarding time-dependent weakening. A proposal for an explicit requirement for consideration of ageing mechanisms in safety assessment of SFRM, which should be considered in the ongoing SSR-6 revision cycle, will be explained.
The consideration of ageing mechanisms is with integration of the new para 613A into IAEA SSR-6 (Rev. 1) now obligatory for the design of transport packages. In addition, para 809(f) requires for packages intended to be used for shipment after storage the consideration of the effects of ageing mechanisms during storage in safety analyses and the implementation of corresponding instructions for operation and maintenance. Para 503(e) requires that all packaging components and radioactive contents have been maintained during storage in a manner that all requirements specified in IAEA SSR-6 (Rev.1) and in the applicable certificates of approval have been fulfilled.
The evaluation of ageing mechanisms and their effects including monitoring are part of BAM’s authority assessment tasks related to the mechanical and thermal package design and quality assurance aspects. BAM has compiled a guideline for the implementation of ageing assessment and of the measures for ageing management of the approval procedure based on requirements of IAEA SSR-6 (Rev.1). The guideline is applicable only for packages requiring a competent authority approval.
The paper aims to describe the structure of the guideline and the general approach for ageing management requirements. The type and amount of measures for ageing management depend mainly on the use of the package and on the ageing effects for the component, which result from relevant ageing mechanisms during package operation time.
The implementation of measures for ageing management is divided into three levels – systemic measures, package design related measures and documentation. The systemic measures are attributed to the general management system and define the whole activities for organization of ageing management like structure, responsibilities, documentation, reports and evaluation. The package design related measures are defined in an ageing management plan (AMP). These measures shall ensure that the anticipated changes of the package design under consideration of ageing effects still complies with the design approval specification. Therefore, an ageing surveillance program (ASP) and, if necessary, a gap analysis program shall be developed. The ageing management documentation (AMD) ensures the continuous documentation of the compliance of a specific package to the approved package design, comprising mainly records resulting from operation and surveillance.
The decommissioning or refurbishment of nuclear facilities necessitates either the storage or disposal of large radioactive components such as steam generators, pressurizers, reactor pressure vessels and heads, and coolant pumps, to list the major contributors. These components or objects are large in size and mass, measuring up to approximately 6 meters in diameter, up to 20 meters in length, and weighing over 400 000 kg. In many situations, the components are transported off-site to a storage, disposal or recycling/treatment facility. Previously, many large objects had to be transported under special arrangement.
Packages for the transport of radioactive materials shall fulfil the requirements of the IAEA regulations for the safe transport. The requirements define mechanical and thermal test conditions including criteria ensuring the package design’s ability to withstand severe accidents and provide a high level of technical safety. Different methods can be used for safety demonstration showing compliance with the regulations.
The central part of a safety demonstration which is presented in this paper was a comprehensive drop test program with a full-scale model of a transport package accompanied by pre- and post-test FE analyses. Using full-scale drop test models allow the benefit that similarity and scaling issues become a significant smaller issue, additional material investigations can be limited and analyses for transferring test results to the original package design are reduced. Additionally, experience for the future serial packaging manufacturing and handling procedures can be collected in a very early state of the design approval process. The pre-test finite element analyses derived and justified the drop test program consisting of several drop sequences with different drop orientations of the specimen. The performance and the results of the drop test sequences shows the manageability and the advantage e.g., in view of the direct availability of test results for the package licensing. On the other hand, the drop test performance shows the difficulties during handling and the need for additional equipment during preparation of the specimen.
The package presented was intended for the transport and storage of compacted radioactive waste from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel assemblies - designed and applied for approval by the AGC consortium. The project ended in 2021. The package design was characterized by a cask body made of a forged thick stainless-steel shell, a bolted double lid system with metallic gaskets and wood filled shock absorbers at both ends. The total mass of the entire transport package including content was 120,000 kg, the total length was about 7000 mm and the diameter approximately
3000 mm, both measures include the shock absorbers.
The paper provides an insight into the performance of a full-scale drop testing campaign within the package safety evaluation and shows some selected test results.
Packages for the transport of radioactive material shall meet the mechanical and thermal test requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations for package design approval. Besides mechanical testing, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) performs thermal tests in accordance with the IAEA regulations. The thermal test includes a 30-minute 800°C fully engulfing fire.
BAM continuously performs various thermal experiments for the investigation of the thermal response of packages with respect to the IAEA fire. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the already performed, ongoing and future physical tests and experiments of BAM in the field of thermal investigations. These research and development works shall support our competencies for the authority package design assessment.
BAM operates a propane gas fire test facility. To be able to carry out comparative investigations and validity between the propane fire and the in detail prescribed pool fire test in the regulations, BAM carries out various calorimetric tests and investigates the boundary conditions of the fire with the help of fire reference packages. At the same time, we are conducting various fire scenarios with wood-filled impact limiters. Large-scale fire tests of impact limiters are carried out on a full scale as well as on a small scale. Influencing variables are investigated in particular by means of geometric changes and the consideration of artificial damages, in particular holes. In addition to propane fire as a heat source, thermal scenarios are also investigated with hydrogen as heat source and an infrared radiator system to ignite test specimens. For these numerous test arrangements, the transferability to existing and newly developed transport package designs is essential and fruitful within the review of design approvals, especially for Dual Purpose casks with a long-lasting operation time.
Packages for the transport of radioactive materials shall fulfil the requirements of the IAEA regulations for the safe transport. The requirements define mechanical and thermal test conditions including criteria ensuring the package design’s ability to withstand severe accidents and provide a high level of technical safety. Different methods can be used for safety demonstration showing compliance with the regulations.
The central part of a safety demonstration which is presented in this paper was a comprehensive drop test program with a full-scale model of a transport package accompanied by pre- and post-test FE analyses. Using full-scale drop test models allow the benefit that similarity and scaling issues become a significant smaller issue, additional material investigations can be limited and analyses for transferring test results to the original package design are reduced. Additionally, experience for the future serial packaging manufacturing and handling procedures can be collected in a very early state of the design approval process. The pre-test finite element analyses derived and justified the drop test program consisting of several drop sequences with different drop orientations of the specimen. The performance and the results of the drop test sequences shows the manageability and the advantage e.g., in view of the direct availability of test results for the package licensing. On the other hand, the drop test performance shows the difficulties during handling and the need for additional equipment during preparation of the specimen.
The package presented was intended for the transport and storage of compacted radioactive waste from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel assemblies - designed and applied for approval by the AGC consortium. The project ended in 2021. The package design was characterized by a cask body made of a forged thick stainless-steel shell, a bolted double lid system with metallic gaskets and wood filled shock absorbers at both ends. The total mass of the entire transport package including content was 120,000 kg, the total length was about 7000 mm and the diameter approximately
3000 mm, both measures include the shock absorbers.
The paper provides an insight into the performance of a full-scale drop testing campaign within the package safety evaluation and shows some selected test results.
Packages for the transport of radioactive material shall meet the mechanical and thermal test requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations for package design approval. Besides mechanical testing, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) performs thermal tests in accordance with the IAEA regulations. The thermal test includes a 30-minute 800°C fully engulfing fire.
BAM continuously performs various thermal experiments for the investigation of the thermal response of packages with respect to the IAEA fire. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the already performed, ongoing and future physical tests and experiments of BAM in the field of thermal investigations. These research and development works shall support our competencies for the authority package design assessment.
BAM operates a propane gas fire test facility. To be able to carry out comparative investigations and validity between the propane fire and the in detail prescribed pool fire test in the regulations, BAM carries out various calorimetric tests and investigates the boundary conditions of the fire with the help of fire reference packages. At the same time, we are conducting various fire scenarios with wood-filled impact limiters. Large-scale fire tests of impact limiters are carried out on a full scale as well as on a small scale. Influencing variables are investigated in particular by means of geometric changes and the consideration of artificial damages, in particular holes. In addition to propane fire as a heat source, thermal scenarios are also investigated with hydrogen as heat source and an infrared radiator system to ignite test specimens. For these numerous test arrangements, the transferability to existing and newly developed transport package designs is essential and fruitful within the review of design approvals, especially for Dual Purpose casks with a long-lasting operation time.
Fire Influence to Wood Filled Impact Limiters - Implications for the Package Design Safety Case
(2023)
Impact limiters with wooden components are widely used in the design of packages for transportation of radioactive material. In most designs, the wood is encapsulated with steel sheets. Impact limiters mainly determine the mechanical and thermal behaviour of the package in accident conditions of transport in accordance with the IAEA Regulations.
In context with research and development for package design approval competence, the thermal behaviour of heavy-weight packages was investigated at BAM with an artificially pre-damaged generic impact limiter design. Within this first investigation, the pre-damaged impact limiter with a diameter of 2.3 meters was mounted on a water tank simulating the thermal capacity of a cask during the fire test. The water tank is part of a water circulating system built of several components such as pump, heater, cooler, sliding valve, flow meter, thermocouples and control unit in order to measure the heat flux.
Furthermore, the investigations focus on the effects this additional heat generation would have on the cask and especially on the lid-closure system with the gasket.
The results of these experiments could find consideration in the safety case of the transport packages of radioactive material using wood filled impact limiters.
For dangerous goods packagings, drop testing onto an essential unyielding target can be used to assess the mechanical resistance to impact loads. Adopted regulations like ADR/RID require that the impact surface provided shall be integral with a mass at least 50 times than that of the heaviest package to be tested. The problem is that many manufacturers do not possess impact targets that satisfy the required 50 times mass ratio for regulative drop tests during series production. The objective of this work is to verify existing and define improved criteria for impact target structures based on systematic investigations. Previous evidence highlights the relevance of other parameters in addition to the mass ratio. Therefore, in this research, a variation of drop test parameters was carried out experimentally. Furthermore, numerical vibration analysis was applied to investigate the deformability of the impact surface. The results conclude that the mass ratio of 1:50 cannot be defined as a decisive criterion. In order to determine the influence of further drop test parameters, the research findings were used to validate a parametric model which assesses impact target deflection. An approximation quality of over 90 % was achieved. As a result, new evaluation criteria are proposed. Firstly, a method for identifying critical impact target designs is provided. Secondly, a new comprehensive formula compares the approximated maximum deflection of a real impact target to the respective theoretical threshold derived from a worst-case assumption. In practice, this leads to great advantages in the evaluation of already installed impact targets for dangerous goods packagings.
Overview of ongoing research and future prospects on polyethylene neutron shielding materials at BAM
(2023)
The extension of the interim storage period of radioactive waste before disposal will cause additional challenges for the nuclear waste management in Germany, so that an extensive knowledge of the long-term performance of casks, including their components and inventories, will be required for future extended storage licenses.
Ultra-high and high molecular weight polyethylenes ((U)HMW-PE) are used for neutron shielding purposes in casks for storage and transport of spent fuel and high-level waste due to their extremely high hydrogen content. During their service life of several decades as cask components, the PE materials are exposed to neutron and gamma radiation from the radioactive inventory of the casks, mechanical assembling stresses and temperature. All these combined effects affect the material properties of such components which in turn may be crucial for some possible accident scenarios.
At the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), the effects of high temperature exposure in combination with subsequent or previous irradiation were investigated with a comprehensive aging program including thermal aging at 125 °C for different aging periods up to 5 years and irradiation with doses ranging from 50 to 600 kGy.
This contribution provides an overview of the ongoing research related to the structural changes of (U)HMW-PE induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature exposure and focuses on current research perspectives at BAM with regard to the prediction of the dynamic behavior of the material during extended interim storage in case of an accident scenario. First results of the coupled effect of temperature, radiation and mechanical loading will be presented. The effect of microstructural changes induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature on the mechanical behavior of (U)HMW-PE will be assessed.
Overview of ongoing research and future prospects on polyethylene neutron shielding materials at bam
(2023)
The extension of the interim storage period of radioactive waste before disposal will cause additional challenges for the nuclear waste management in Germany, so that an extensive knowledge of the long-term performance of casks, including their components and inventories, will be required for future extended storage licenses.
Ultra-high and high molecular weight polyethylenes ((U)HMW-PE) are used for neutron shielding purposes in casks for storage and transport of spent fuel and high-level waste due to their extremely high hydrogen content. During their service life of several decades as cask components, the PE materials are exposed to neutron and gamma radiation from the radioactive inventory of the casks, mechanical assembling stresses and temperature. All these combined effects affect the material properties of such components which in turn may be crucial for some possible accident scenarios.
At the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), the effects of high temperature exposure in combination with subsequent or previous irradiation were investigated with a comprehensive aging program including thermal aging at 125 °C for different aging periods up to 5 years and irradiation with doses ranging from 50 to 600 kGy.
This contribution provides an overview of the ongoing research related to the structural changes of (U)HMW-PE induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature exposure and focuses on current research perspectives at BAM with regard to the prediction of the dynamic behavior of the material during extended interim storage in case of an accident scenario. First results of the coupled effect of temperature, radiation and mechanical loading will be presented. The effect of microstructural changes induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature on the mechanical behavior of (U)HMW-PE will be assessed.
German spent nuclear fuel and high level waste is stored in dry conditions in interim storage facilities until a final repository will be ready for operation in the future. Dual purpose casks are used for the packaging of the materials to ensure transportability at any time during long-term interim storage and fulfilling both requirements from interim storage as well as transport. Germany’s 2011 decision to phase out utilization of nuclear energy has led to a high demand for casks for decommissioning power plants as quickly as possible. Cask serial production will continue at a high level for the next few years. In the process, a system of quality assurance measures ensures that every cask reliably complies with design specification according the transport approval certificate and storage license.
When the first casks were manufactured in Germany about 40 years ago, quality assurance was oriented towards pressure vessel and general nuclear manufacturing. The system was continuously adapted to the state of the art. In particular serial production, globalization of manufacturing and deep supplier chains had to be taken into account. The system of quality assurance measures applied today for cask manufacturing shall be presented here.
The quality assurance measures can be categorized as system-related and design-related. With respect to transport regulations for example, they are independently approved and monitored by the competent authority BAM and its authorized inspection experts. The qualification of the applicant is reviewed first in the context of the design approval procedure and then periodically. The qualification of component and cask manufacturers is also checked at the start of manufacturing and then periodically. Before the start of manufacturing documents such as quality plans are pre-assessed. Manufacturing and inspection are then performed according to the pre-assessed documents. Cask manufacturing is completed by a final inspection before commissioning. Periodic inspections during operation ensure preservation of the properties specified in the approval certificate over package life time. The type and the time interval of periodic inspections depend on the use of the package. For transport after interim storage a system of specific tests and inspections is prescribed.
Most transports of radioactive materials are carried out with packages not requiring competent authority approval of design. These encompass – in accordance with the IAEA SSR-6 [1] regulations – packages of the classification excepted, Industrial packages Type 1, 2 and 3 and Type A packages. Currently an upsurge in number and variation of these package designs can be seen in Germany, resulting from the phase out of nuclear energy in Germany as well as e. g. increased use of radioactive material for medical purposes.
A design assessment regarding the package safety is required in the international IAEA SSR-6 [1] regulations. BAM operates facilities for the performance of all regulatory tests required such as drop towers for a wide range of package masses and dimensions, fire test, leak tightness measurements and pressure test facilities. Experiences with several package types are shown.
Additionally, IAEA SSR-6 [1] requires the establishment of a management system for design, manufacture, maintenance, and repair of the packaging as well as for the preparation, consigning, loading, carriage, unloading and receipt of the package. Relevant for Germany, BAM has published guidance material on the process of management system acceptance in the technical guide BAM-GGR 016 [2]. The requirements encompass quality management plans for the manufacturing of packages including independent manufacturing surveillance and specific instructions for operation, maintenance, and repair of packagings. Examples for management system specifics and requirements are given.
Since the latest edition of the IAEA SSR-6 [1] regulations an ageing evaluation including systematic ageing management measures are required for all kind of package types. BAM is going to update the guidance material BAM-GGR 016 [2] to support the stakeholders with relevant information to fulfil the ageing aspect for packages not requiring competent authority approval. The paper explains how the ageing aspect may be included in the safety evaluation process and the management system measures and will give an outlook for the future guidance material.
Most transports of radioactive materials are carried out with packages not requiring competent authority approval of design. These encompass – in accordance with the IAEA SSR-6 regulations – packages of the classification excepted, Industrial packages Type 1, 2 and 3 and Type A packages. Currently an upsurge in number and variation of these package designs can be seen in Germany, resulting from the phase out of nuclear energy in Germany as well as e. g. increased use of radioactive material for medical purposes.
A design assessment regarding the package safety is required in the international IAEA SSR-6 regulations. BAM operates facilities for the performance of all regulatory tests required such as drop towers for a wide range of package masses and dimensions, fire test, leak tightness measurements and pressure test facilities. Experiences with several package types are shown.
Additionally, IAEA SSR-6 requires the establishment of a management system for design, manufacture, maintenance, and repair of the packaging as well as for the preparation, consigning, loading, carriage, unloading and receipt of the package. Relevant for Germany, BAM has published guidance material on the process of management system acceptance in the technical guide BAM-GGR 016. The requirements encompass quality management plans for the manufacturing of packages including independent manufacturing surveillance and specific instructions for operation, maintenance, and repair of packagings. Examples for management system specifics and requirements are given.
Since the latest edition of the IAEA SSR-6 regulations an ageing evaluation including systematic ageing management measures are required for all kind of package types. BAM is going to update the guidance material BAM-GGR 016 to support the stakeholders with relevant information to fulfil the ageing aspect for packages not requiring competent authority approval. The paper explains how the ageing aspect may be included in the safety evaluation process and the management system measures and will give an outlook for the future guidance material.
Friction coefficients for wood-wood and wood-steel interfaces in impact limiters for transport casks
(2023)
Wood is widely used in impact limiters of transport casks for radioactive material. Encapsulated by an outer and inner steel structure, spruce wood is often applied in layers of alternating direction. The friction at the interfaces between these layers is of crucial importance for the impact and energy absorption e.g., at an accidental impact of a cask against a hard target. In order to get detailed information for corresponding numerical calculations, in this study the friction coefficient for the combinations wood-wood and wood-steel was measured in the temperature range between -40°C and 90°C according to the relevant stress conditions for such casks. Results show decreasing friction with increasing temperature, ranging from 0.43 at -40°C to 0.22 for 90°C for wood-steel combinations and from 0.3 at -40°C to 0.24 at 90°C to for a wood-wood combination.
The safety demonstration of heavy weight type B transport packages used for storing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or radioactive waste is ensured by a combination of physical testing and numerical calculations. While experiments are performed in accordance with the IAEA regulations for selected drop scenarios, Finite-Element-Method (FEM) simulations are used to predict the most damaging case and to investigate additional drop positions.
BAM as competent authority in Germany has performed different investigations of a welding seam for a typical large transport package made of A508 forged steel, where the bottom plate is welded to the cylindrical shell. The package has a mass of approx. 120 t. Results of physical drop tests with a full-scale model and accompanying preliminary FEM simulations are presented to determine the decisive stresses in the welding seam. A drop test only represents one set of a package and test parameters. A further parameter analysis is considered to account for allowable variations of packaging properties (e.g. resulting from the manufacturing process) and, based on IAEA requirements, the temperature dependence of the material behaviour. The results of the stress analyses from the drop test and the simulation form the basis and provide the input parameters for a fracture mechanics analysis. In addition to the IAEA specifications, further standards are taken into account for an in-depth investigation, see R6 [1], BS 7910 [2] and API 579-1/ASME FFS1 [3].
All the above-mentioned standards require a manufacturer-specific defect analysis with respect to size and position. Both result from the welding process and the following heat treatment regime. The maximum defect sizes are ensured with non-destructive test methods (such as ultrasonic or particle methods) as integral part of the manufacturing process of the welding seam. Another important parameter in the welding process is the residual stress (secondary stress). The combination of the primary and secondary stress determines the total stress in the welding seam. The most damaging case of the welding seam is determined and evaluated with help of the above-mentioned standards and taking into account the IAEA requirements with respect to defect sizes, material properties, primary and residual stress, yield strength etc.
For dangerous goods packagings, drop testing onto an essential unyielding target can be used to assess the mechanical resistance to impact loads. Adopted regulations like ADR/RID require that the impact surface provided shall be integral with a mass at least 50 times than that of the heaviest package to be tested. The problem is that many manufacturers do not possess impact targets that satisfy the required 50 times mass ratio for regulative drop tests during series production. The objective of this work is to verify existing and define improved criteria for impact target structures based on systematic investigations. Previous evidence highlights the relevance of other parameters in addition to the mass ratio. Therefore, in this research, a variation of drop test parameters was carried out experimentally. Furthermore, numerical vibration analysis was applied to investigate the deformability of the impact surface. The results conclude that the mass ratio of 1:50 cannot be defined as a decisive criterion. In order to determine the influence of further drop test parameters, the research findings were used to validate a parametric model which assesses impact target deflection. An approximation quality of over 90 % was achieved. As a result, new evaluation criteria are proposed. Firstly, a method for identifying critical impact target designs is provided. Secondly, a new comprehensive formula compares the approximated maximum deflection of a real impact target to the respective theoretical threshold derived from a worst-case assumption. In practice, this leads to great advantages in the evaluation of already installed impact targets for dangerous goods packagings.