Qualification and Performance of An Improved Inflatable Seal for Containment

Abstract

Airlocks provide passageways through nuclear containment. Therefore, limitations in their functionality and availability can adversely affect the operation of a nuclear station. A program to develop and qualify inflatable seals has been driven primarily by the needs of operating CANDU stations. In response to these needs, the Fluid Sealing Technology Branch of AECL has designed and developed an inflatable seal—the DSA3 (Door Seal Alternate Design 3). This design incorporates optimized geometry and improved materials and it has been environmentally qualified by test to meet CANDU 6 station requirements for both containment and confinement boundaries.