Package plutonium metal and oxide in flowformed canisters

Abstract

Plutonium metal and oxide are typically handled and processed in isolated enclosures (gloveboxes) and then transferred to storage packing systems. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) outlines general requirements relevant to the planned DOE activities to stabilise and package plutonium materials in containers, and place them in long term storage. Inner and outer containers have been qualified as the primary barrier to the environment during storage of the plutonium materials. The design and fabrication of the containers are consistent across the DOE complex. The flowform manufacturing process has been used for over 20 years to fabricate the weld free, precise containers for several DOE sites meeting ASME section III code, subsection NCA-3851.2 (a)(1).