Operation of gloveboxes containing radiological hazards relies on risks being broadly acceptable. Worker protection is maintained in the event of damage to the containment wall or gloves by a vortex amplifier (VXA). The most recent gloveboxes to be made active at the Sellafield site are protected by a ‘Mini-VXA’, which is a geometrically scaled down version of the previous standard version. This article describes the assembly that incorporates the mini-VXA. It traces the major innovations in VXA system technology that have been employed on alpha gloveboxes at Sellafield since 1970, culminating in the discovery of high levels of O2 in gloveboxes protected by the mini-VXA during commissioning of same. Laboratory tests and field trials are reported that were aimed at overcoming the unexpectedly high demand of the mini-VXA for inert gas; and the solution eventually adopted.
Health and Safety Executive.Guidance on the purpose, scope and content of nuclear safety cases. Technical Assessment Guide T/AST/051, 2002.
2.
Grant, J. and Tippetts, J. R. Ventilation systems for toxic plants. In Proceedings of the 2nd Conference on Power fluidics for process control Process Control by Power Fluidics, Institute of Measurement and Control, Sheffield, September 1975, Paper 22.
3.
TippettsJ. R.PriestmanH. J.ThompsonD.Developments in power fluidics for application in nuclear plant. J. Dyn. Syst. Meas. Control, 1981, 103(Part 4), 342–351.
4.
GrantJ.RimmerE.Vortex control of safety enclosures. Nuc Energy, 1981, 20(Part 4), 303–309.
5.
Tippetts J. R. Analysis of vortex amplifier controlled reverse purge glove box circuits. In Proceedings of American Society of Mechanical Engineers Winter Annual Meeting, Washington DC, November 1981, Paper 81-WA/DSC-2.
6.
Boucher R. F. and Kissane M. P. A computational modelling approach to the design of stable ventilation systems. Proc. IMechE, Part E: J. Process Mechanical Engineering, 1991, 205, 39–43.
7.
Doig R. and Standring T. A. Ventilation systems for nuclear plants. BNFL internal report, Warrington, 1998.
8.
Doig R. and Steer J. W. Considerations for ventilation for decommissioning of nuclear plant. BNFL internal report, Warrington, 1996.
9.
TippettsJ. R.RimmerE.HigginsonJ.McGuiganJ. A. K.Vortex amplifier controlled ventilation systems for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. Fluidics Qtly, 1978, 10, 67–83.
10.
BlanchardA.Some characteristics of fluidic vortex amplifiers in ventilation control. 1982. Proceedings of ‘Design 82’, Institution of Chemical Engineers Symposium Series, No. 76, Birmingham, September, 210–219.
11.
GrantJ.StrongR. E.Power fluidics. April 1973Vol. 5Proceedings of the Symposium on Power fluidics for process control, The Institute of Measurement and Control at University of Surrey, London.
12.
Rose A. Vortex amplifier design methods. BNFL project Report, Project No. ET5158/1,Warrington, 1995.
13.
TippettsJ. R.SyredN.GrantJ.StrongR. E.Flow control circuits for toxic fluids. 1974Vol. 5Proceedings of Fluidic state of the art symposium, Washington DC, Harry Dimond Labs. 377–424. October 1974.
14.
Syred, N. An investigation of high performance vortex valves and amplifiers. PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, 1974.
15.
SyredN.RoyleJ. K.TippettsJ. R.Optimisation of high gain vortex devices. 1968J3Proceedings of the 3rd cranfield fluidics conference, BHRA Fluid Engineering, Turin. 37–48.
16.
SyredN.RoyleJ. K.Operating characteristics of high performance vortex amplifiers. 1971B5Proceedings of the 2nd IFAC symposium on fluidics, Prague. 1–18.
17.
SaundersD. H.The development of a vortex valve as a flow control valve. April 1973. Proceedings of the Symposium on Power fluidics for process control Institution of Measurement and Control at University of Surrey, London.
18.
Al-Shamma, K. A. A. Vortex amplifiers for flow control. PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, 1971.
19.
Koerper, P. E. Design of an optimised vortex amplifier. Masters Thesis for the Case Institute of Technology, Cleveland, Ohio, 1965.
20.
Blanchard, A. Fluidic control devices. US Patent 4422476, 1983.
21.
Wormley, D. N. and Richardson, H. H. Experimental study and design basis for vortex amplifiers operating in the incompressible flow regime. Engineering projects laboratory report 70167-1, Massachusetts, Institute of Technology, 1968.
22.
Strong, R., Boyle, K., and Grant J. Gloveboxes and similar containments. US Patent 3888556, 1975.
23.
MacGregorS. A.SyredN.MarklandE.Instabilities in axial vortex amplifiers. 1982. Proceedings of the ASME winter meeting.
24.
Parker, D. Applications of experimental and computational fluid dynamics to the design of vortex amplifiers. PhD Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2010.
25.
Rimmer, E. and McGuigan, J. Improved extract system for a containment. US Patent 2238503, 1989.
26.
Doig, E. and Buckley, C.P. Filter unit for miniaturised vortex amplifier. BNFL Internal Patent Application No. PCT/GB96/01080, 1996.
27.
Zhang, G. Performance of reduced-scale vortex amplifiers used to control glovebox dust. PhD Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2005.
28.
Zhang, G. and Francis, J. Back flow in mini-vortex amplifiers. In Proceedings of University of Central Lancashire Design & Technology, Internal Research Conference, 2004, Preston; available from JFrancis1@uclan.ac.uk.
29.
Hackett, P. T. BTC-VXA Characterisation BNFL internal document, (not available).
30.
WormleyD. N.RichardsonH. H.Experimental study and design basis for vortex amplifiers operating in the incompressible flow regime. J. Basic Eng, 1970, 92, 369–376.
31.
King, C. F. Some studies of vortex devices – vortex amplifier performance and behaviour. PhD Thesis, University College Cardiff, 1979.
32.
KingC. F.Vortex amplifier internal geometry and its effects on performance. Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow, 1985, 6, 160–170.
33.
KingC. F.SyredN.Low control pressure ratio vortex amplifiers and their applications in nuclear plants. Fluidics Qtly, 1978, 10, 29–48.
34.
BicharaR. T.OrnerP. A.Analysis and modelling of the vortex amplifier. J. Basic Eng, 1969, 91, 755–763.
35.
WoolhouseR. J.TippettsJ. R.BeckS. B. M.A comparison of the experimental and computational modelling of the fluidic turn-up vortex amplifier at full and zero swirl conditions. Proc. IMechE, Part C: J.Mechanical Engineering Science, 2001, 215, 893–904.
36.
PengW.HoffmanA. C.BootP. J. A. J.UddingA.DriesH. W. A.EkkerA.KaterJ.Flow Patterns in reverse-flow centrifugal separators. Powder Technol, 2002, 127, 212–222.
37.
SkyeH. M.NellisG. F.KleinS. A.Comparison of CFD analysis to empirical data in a commercial vortex tube. Int J Refrigeration, 2006, 29, 71–80.
