Valve cover for 48 Y cylinders

On August 25, 1984, the ship Mont-Louis was wrecked with a lading of thirty 48 Y cylinders of UF6. Each cylinder was equipped with a protective valve cover. After recovery of the cylinders, an evaluation program was carried out. Inspections showed that 3 of the 30 cylinders showed abnormal internal pressure due to small water leaks caused by warping in the valves. In particular, the evaluation showed that the deformation observed was due to a displacement of the valve cover. To develop more effective protection for the valves, a study was conducted by a working team set up under the aegis of the Nuclear Safety and Protection Institute and coordinated by COGEMA. The author concludes that the new valve cover model presents a real improvement with regard to the existing model and should receive, after an examination by the competent authorities, use approval for the UF6 cylinders 48 Y transports