Apparatus and method for monitoring the pressure within a cask containing potentially hazardous gas.

摘要

Both an apparatus (1) and a method for monitoring the pressure within a cask (5) containing radioactive materials. The apparatus (1) comprises a differential pressure sensor (55) sealingly connected to a bore (41) that penetrates through the wall (7) of the cask (5) for directly monitoring the pressure of the helium gas contained within the cask (5) and for providing a first barrier between the helium gas and the ambient atmosphere. An evacuated sensor chamber (35) surrounds both the outlet end (40) of the through-wall bore (41), and the differential pressure sensor (55) for providing a second barrier between the helium and the ambient atmosphere as well as a vacuum reference point for the differential pressure sensor (55). An absolute pressure sensor (56) is connected in parallel to the through-wall bore (41) to allow the system operator to determine whether or not a reduction in the pressure sensed by the differential pressure sensor (55) is the result of a leakage condition in the cask (5), or in the evacuated sensor chamber (35). <IMAGE>