| Abstract: | As part of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (USNRC) Containment Integrity Program, a full-size personnel airlock for a nuclear containment building was subjected to conditions simulating a severe accident.The objective of the test was to characterize the performance of an airlock when subjected to conditions that exceeded design. The gasket tested was a “double dog-ear” configuration made from an elastomer known as EPDM E603. The data obtained from this test will be used by SNL as a benchmark for development of analytical methods.Strain, temperature, displacements, pressure, and leak rate data were measured and recorded from over 330 transducers. The test lasted approximately 60 hours. Data were recorded at regular intervals during heating, pressurization and depressurization.The airlock was originally designed for 340°F and 60 psig. The airlock inner door and bulkhead were exposed to a maximum air temperature of approximately 850°F and a maximum air pressure of 300 psig. Two heating and pressurization cycles were planned; one to heat the air to 400°F and pressurize to 300 psig, and the second to heat to 800°F and pressurize to 300 psig. No significant leakage was recorded during these two cycles. A third cycle was added to the test program. The air temperature was increased to approximately 850°F and held at this temperature for nearly 12 hours. Pressure was increased and the inner door seal failed at a pressure of 150.5 psig. The maximum leak rate recorded past the inner door seal was 706 SCFM. The outer door seal did not fail. |
