A Tier one supplier to the nuclear industry engaged Promation for the design, engineering, manufacturing, examination and testing of an energy-absorbing crash pad.
The Challenge
As part of the waste processing activities at the Retube Waste Processing Building (RWPB), heavy flasks containing radioactive waste are transported using overhead cranes. Due to a potential crane failure scenario, energy-absorption systems (crash pads) were required to provide safe landing for the flasks. The challenge was to safely absorb the resulting kinetic energy of a 32,000-pound flask being dropped from a height of 23 feet. Additional manufacturability challenges resulted from the overall size of the crash pad at 14.5 feet wide by 35 feet long.
The Solution
Promation worked closely with a honeycomb structure supplier to design and perform the required drop test analysis of the crash pad. With a total area of 500 square feet, the crash pad was carefully designed, manufactured and constructed to minimize potential cracking and undesirable stresses over such large areas. Promation also designed a custom transportation nest that was capable of properly securing the crash pad to minimize applied stresses during transportation and lifting operations. This transportation nest was compliant with ASME B30.20.
The Benefit
This project was a critical path for the end customer’s life extension program, requiring execution within a very tight schedule. Promation successfully delivered the crash pad.