ASTM_D_3803_-_91_2014.pdf

Designation:D380391(Reapproved 2014)Standard Test Method forNuclear-Grade Activated Carbon1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D3803;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method is a very stringent procedure forestablishing the capability of new and used activated carbon toremove radio-labeled methyl iodide from air and gas streams.The single test method described is for application to both newand used carbons,and should give test results comparable tothose obtained from similar tests required and performedthroughout the world.The conditions employed were selectedto approximate operating or accident conditions of a nuclearreactor which would severely reduce the performance ofactivated carbons.Increasing the temperature at which this testis performed generally increases the removal efficiency of thecarbon by increasing the rate of chemical and physical absorp-tion and isotopic exchange,that is,increasing the kinetics ofthe radioiodine removal mechanisms.Decreasing the relativehumidity of the test generally increases the efficiency of methyliodide removal by activated carbon.The water vapor competeswith the methyl iodide for adsorption sites on the carbon,andas the amount of water vapor decreases with lower specifiedrelative humidities,the easier it is for the methyl iodide to beadsorbed.Therefore,this test method is a very stringent test ofnuclear-grade activated carbon because of the low temperatureand high relative humidity specified.This test method isrecommended for the qualification of new carbons and thequantification of the degradation of used carbons.1.1.1 Guidance for testing new and used carbons usingconditions different from this test method is offered in AnnexA1.1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D1193 Specification for Reagent WaterD2652 Terminology Relating to Activated CarbonD2854 Test Method for Apparent Density of ActivatedCarbonE300 Practice for Sampling Industrial ChemicalsE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test Method2.2 Code of Federal Regulations:CFR Title 49,Section 173.34,“Qualification,Maintenance,and Use of Cylinders3CFR Title 49,Part 178,Subpart C,“Specifications forCylinders32.3 Military Standards:MIL-F-51068DFilter,Particulate High Efficiency,FireResistant4MIL-F-51079A Filter,Medium Fire Resistant,High Effi-ciency4MIL-STD-45662Calibration Systems Requirements42.4 Other Standards:ANSI/ASMEN45.2.6 QualificationsofInspection,Examination,and Testing Personnel for Nuclear PowerPlants53.Terminology3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.1.1 counter effciency(CE)the fraction of the actualnumber of disintegrations of a radioactive sample that isrecorded by a nuclear counter.3.1.2 effciency(E)the percentage of the contaminantremoved from a gas stream by an adsorption bed;expressedmathematically as E=100 P,where E and P are given inpercent.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D28 onActivated Carbon and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D28.04 on GasPhase Evaluation Tests.Current edition approved July 1,2014.Published September 2014.Originallyapproved in 1979.Last previous edition approved in 2009 as D3803 91(2009).DOI:10.1520/D3803-91R14.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Published by the General Service Administration,18th and“F”St.,N.W.,Washington,DC 20405.4Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk,DODSSP,Bldg.4,SectionD,700RobbinsAve.,Philadelphia,PA19111-5098,http:/dodssp.daps.dla.mil.5Available from American National Standards Institute(ANSI),25 W.43rd St.,4th Floor,New York,NY 10036,http:/www.ansi.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.1.3 penetration(P)the percentage of the contaminant(CH3I)which passes through the equilibrated test bed ofstandard depth,and is collected on the backup beds during thefeed and elution periods under specified conditions.3.1.4 relative humidity(RH)for the purpose of this testmethod,relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the partialpressure of water in the gas to the saturation va