General Plastics’ Rick J. Brown, Ph.D. to Present Paper on Crash and Fire Protection for Nuclear Transportation Containers September 20 at PATRAM 2016

Polyurethane foam innovator will also spotlight its flame-retardant foam series for nuclear material applications and transportation

TACOMA, Wash. – September 12, 2016 – Nuclear Packaging Manager Rick J. Brown, Ph.D., will present the results of dynamic and static strength tests conducted on General Plastics’ LAST-A-FOAM^® FR-3700 foam series at PATRAM 2016. The information presented will help designers of radioactive material shipping containers understand the value of time afforded by this flame-retardant formulation. Dr. Brown’s oral presentation, Session #5002, is scheduled from 10:20-10:40 a.m. JST on Tuesday, September 20 during the 18th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials.

Held every three years, PATRAM brings together experts from governments, industry and research organizations worldwide to exchange information on safely packaging and transporting radioactive materials. It will take place September 18-23, 2016 at the Kobe Portopia Hotel in Kobe, Japan. In addition to Dr. Brown’s oral presentation, General Plastics will showcase its flame-retardant FR-3700 nuclear collision- and fire-protection foams for container linings at Booth A6 in the PATRAM exhibit hall.

Formulated to perform under fire
After 40-plus years of successful use, General Plastics’ FR-3700 series has proven to be the most effective material for impact mitigation and fire protection as an insulating liner in radioactive material shipping containers. Energy, defense and medical customers all over the world depend on its unique properties, performance, quality, and lifecycle traceability to protect and transport their radioactive waste. Its slow heat-transfer rate gives first responders sufficient time to react effectively to a radioactive material shipping container accident that includes an accidental fire.

To simulate a severely damaged nuclear transportation container, various densities of FR-3700 foams were subjected to crush strengths exceeding 50 percent, followed by thermal attack using an oil burner test apparatus. Dr. Brown will discuss the monitored results, which spanned thermal transfer through the foam, intumescence, burn distance and plastic memory.

Rick Brown is a veteran of the chemical industry and earned his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Arizona State University. He is responsible for technical sales across Western North America and globally for nuclear transportation container products. Dr. Brown has been with General Plastics since 2008.

“It’s always a privilege to participate in this prestigious global symposium for education and collaboration,” said General Plastics Executive Vice President Mitchell Johnson, Ph.D. “We are honored by this opportunity for Rick to share key insights from this research and look forward to helping PATRAM attendees select the right foam material for their particular container transport needs.”