Savannah River National Laboratory Ships Safety CAPS Units for Nuclear Operations at Y-12
Savannah River National Laboratory’s Nonproliferation & Packaging Technology group recently shipped 30 production units of the new Compact Augmented Permeation System (CAPS) components to Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), a premier manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for use in the 9979 package. Y-12 is a premier manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that primarily supports DOE’s mission of maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile.
The SRNL Nonproliferation & Packaging Technology group designs, tests, procures, and obtains certification for radioactive material packages intended for transport of radioactive materials. In 2024, Packaging team members Kurt Eberl, Joshua Flach, and William Johnson were granted patent US-12084238-B2, Compact Augmented Permeation System (CAPS) Assemblies and Related Systems and Methods.
CAPS is a safety feature designed to safely remove flammable gases from a containment volume while preventing the release of highly enriched uranium and other nuclear materials. CAPS comprises a non-planar, elastomer membrane that allows gases to permeate from the package while restricting the passage of liquids and solids, thus reducing hydrogen build-up concerns within nuclear material packages. The membrane is between porous components that provide support while allowing gasses to flow freely. The outer casing’s design makes it easy to install in commercial packages. CAPS can also be customized to prevent other hazardous gases from building up during transport.
Compact Augmented Permeation System (CAPS)
The first package to include the CAPS assembly is the SRNL-designed Model 9979 Type A Fissle package, which is used to support the Y-12 and the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM). Y-12 primarily supports DOE’s mission of maintaining the nuclear weapons stockpile. The 9979 package is a 55-gallon advanced nuclear waste package equipped with a welded drum liner and a 200-pound payload. The 9979 package is manufactured by Paragon D&E. SRNL and Paragon D&E have collaborated for over a decade as strategic partners in the testing and manufacture of several advanced nuclear waste packages for the shipment of fissile and non-fissile radioactive materials. Currently, the 9979 is the only package approved for use with CAPS.
SRNL plans to provide Y-12 with an additional 70 CAPS units within the next year to support their storage and transportation mission. This project underscores the commitment by SRNL to ensure safety in nuclear operations.
Compact Augmented Permeation System (CAPS)