LIFETIME PREDICTION FOR MODEL 9975 O-RINGS IN KAMS

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is currently storing plutonium materials in the K-Area Materials Storage (KAMS) facility. The materials are packaged per the DOE 3013 Standard and transported and stored in KAMS in Model 9975 shipping packages, which include double containment vessels sealed with dual O-rings made of Parker Seals compound V0835-75 (based on Viton{reg_sign} GLT). The outer O-ring of each containment vessel is credited for leaktight containment per ANSI N14.5. O-ring service life depends on many factors, including the failure criterion, environmental conditions, overall design, fabrication quality and assembly practices. A preliminary life prediction model has been developed for the V0835-75 O-rings in KAMS. The conservative model is based primarily on long-term compression stress relaxation (CSR) experiments and Arrhenius accelerated-aging methodology. For model development purposes, seal lifetime is defined as a 90% loss of measurable sealing force. Thus far, CSR experiments have only reached this target level of degradation at temperatures {ge} 300 F. At lower temperatures, relaxation values are more tolerable. Using time-temperature superposition principles, the conservative model predicts a service life of approximately 20-25 years at a constant seal temperature of 175 F. This represents a maximum payload package at a constant ambient temperature of 104 F, the highest recorded in KAMS to date. This is considered a highly conservative value as such ambient temperatures are only reached on occasion and for short durations. The presence of fiberboard in the package minimizes the impact of such temperature swings, with many hours to several days required for seal temperatures to respond proportionately. At 85 F ambient, a more realistic but still conservative value, bounding seal temperatures are reduced to {approx}158 F, with an estimated seal lifetime of {approx}35-45 years. The actual service life for O-rings in a maximum wattage package likely lies higher than the estimates due to the conservative assumptions used for the model. For lower heat loads at similar ambient temperatures, seal lifetime is further increased. The preliminary model is based on several assumptions that require validation with additional experiments and longer exposures at more realistic conditions. The assumption of constant exposure at peak temperature is believed to be conservative. Cumulative damage at more realistic conditions will likely be less severe but is more difficult to assess based on available data. Arrhenius aging behavior is expected, but non-Arrhenius behavior is possible. Validation of Arrhenius behavior is ideally determined from longer tests at temperatures closer to actual service conditions. CSR experiments will therefore continue at lower temperatures to validate the model. Ultrasensitive oxygen consumption analysis has been shown to be useful in identifying non-Arrhenius behavior within reasonable test periods. Therefore, additional experiments are recommended and planned to validate the model