For most Deparment of Energy Nactional Nuclear Security Administration sites (DOE / NNSA) , hazardous material (in oxide form) is stored in robust containers with an undetermined response to fire induced thermal stresses. Lack of empirical fire test data requires accident analysts to assume potentially overly conservative accident progressions, such as a high internal pressure (greater than 2000 psig) build-up followed by catastrophic rupture and content release. These potentially overly conservative analysis assumptions have resulted in numerous controls that might realistically be avoided, such as restrictions on inventory and strict limitations on concurrent operations activities in the facility. &nbsp; 
In response to this need, a series of tests were undertaken at Sandia National Labs using representative thick-walled, stainless steel, gasketed primary containment vessels exposed to controlled fire conditions. The thermal - mechanical response of five differently oriented vessels with the same bounding payload, exposed to a standard ASTM - E1529 Fire Environment, produced data that bounded vessel failure modes dependent on payload content and vessel orientation. 
Reasoning behind chosen payload content and vessel orientation selection is discussed in this presentation with the aim of demonstrating bounding conditions that encompass vessels of this type. The actual testing is described, and results are discussed.

Fire-Induced Pressure Response and Failure of Primary Containment Vessels

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/PVP/PVP2021/volume/85314

ASME 2021 Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference (PVP2021)

Supporting the need among researchers worldwide for additional online and multimedia content, ASME now offers the ASME Conference Video Collection. This platform will collect and provide long-term access to conference presentation videos, encompassing all technology areas within ASME's technical conference and events program. About 30,000-40,000 engineers across all mechanical engineering and related disciplines participate in ASME conferences each year. This includes authors of approximately 6,000 to 8,000 technical papers published by ASME, the majority of whom also submit video presentations for our virtual conferences. The video collection will be available as an add-on to existing product packages or as a separate subscription.