The Los Alamos National Laboratory/New Mexico State University Filter Plugging Test Facility: Description and Preliminary Test Results (NUREG/CR-3242, LA-9929-MS)

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• Abstract

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: October 1983
Date Published: October 1983

Prepared by:
D.L. Fenton, J.J. Dallman, P.R. Smith
Mechanical Engineering Department
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003

and

R.A. Martin, W.S. Gregory
LosAlamos National Laboratory
LosAlamos, New Mexico 87545

Prepared for:
Division of Risk Analysis
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

NRC FIN A-7029

Availability Notice

Abstract

A facility to test the plugging effects of combustion products on high-efficiency particulate air filters has been constructed. This facility can supply experimental data to support pressure-drop models of filter plugging under fire accident conditions, which are needed for use in an existing fire accident analysis computer code. The test facility includes a specially designed null-balance filter-weighing system. The resolution of this system is approximately 2 to 3g out of 14 kg for a commercial 0.6- by 0.6-m filter. Using this system, commercial filters can be tested to provide data with which to correlate pressure drop and smoke aerosol mass accumulation and flow rate. Some recently accomplished tests and future test plans are discussed.