Program for static testing cask seals

Containment of radioactive material in a spent fuel shipping cask can be assured if the pressure boundary of the shipping cask's internal cavity can be maintained for all normal and accident conditions. A finite element elastic-plastic stress analysis of the Grayloc 292 (29.25 inch inside diameter) seal ring fabricated of AISI 630 stainless steel was performed with PLAST to provide data required for planning the static seal test program. The seat-seal ring assembly was modeled as a rigid seat and an elastic-plastic seal ring. Loading and unloading of the seal ring was simulated by axial translation of the seat. This model permitted the analysis to include the effect of (1) friction between the seat and the seal ring, and (2) plasticity on the seal ring's response