Nuclear Filter Technology, Inc.

Gilbert Brassell

Terry J Wickland

Michael D Peterson

Darold M Popish

Fred Louis Popish

Mark A Castagneri

David E Joseffy

A probe with an integral filtered vent and sampling port has a hollow shaft configured as a drill bit which in use passes through the lid of a drum containing waste products within a liner. The hollow shaft has a penetrating tip and at lest two radial bores, one of which is positioned to open to the space within the liner and the other of which is positioned to open to the space above the liner and between the liner and drum lid. The shaft has a head with a pocket which contains a filter element, the head also having a radial sampling port with a septa seal. In order to sample head space gases, a hypodermic needle is pushed through the septa seal into the longitudinal bore of the hollow shaft, and then withdrawn, allowing the septa seal to close behind the needle. The probe is especially useful for sampling nuclear waste stored within drums having liners. This is because the probe has a first radial port adjacent the penetrating tip thereof which samples gas within the liner and a second radial port disposed between the liner and lid for sampling gas which has escaped past the liner.

Probe with integral vent, sampling port and filter element

A headspace gas sampling and venting method utilizes a vent port and a sampling port which are punched through the lid of a drum containing hazardous materials, such as transuranic waste. In accordance with the system, a punch having a hollow passage therethrough, which passage has a filter element therein is first inserted through the lid using a pneumatic gun. A second punch, similar to the first punch, but having a passage with a septa seal therein is thereafter inserted through the lid with the pneumatic gun. Headspace gas beneath the lid is then sampled with a needle inserted through the septa seal. Both the venting port and sampling port are configured with detachable punch points which pass through the lid and are then released from the venting and sampling ports so as to open ends of the passages therethrough for communication with the headspace. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the punch points are held on the venting and sampling ports by annular plastic retainers which break when the ports are inserted through the drum lid, thus allowing detachable punch points to fall away.

Headspace gas sampling and venting method and arrangement, and filtering and sampling ports used therewith

Head space gas sampling and venting method and arrangement, and filtering and sampling ports used therewith

Vent filters for containers such as barrels which contain hazardous waste, such as transuranic (nuclear) waste, include a bore therethrough which does not intersect the material of carbon-to-carbon filter media inserts disposed within the vent filter. Each of the bores has a stainless steel tube disposed therein wherein the stainless steel tube has at an interior end a septa-type seal and at an outer end an impenetrable plug. In order to sample head gases, a syringe is used with a needle that penetrates the septa-type seal. After the needle is withdrawn, the septa-type seal closes and the impenetrable plug is replaced.

Vent filter with direct sample capability

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Golden, CO, United States of America

Gilbert Brassell