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ANP PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT
system was 1000°F, the temperature of the lubri-
cant was 16OoF (max), the pump speed was 2400
rpm, and the gas pressure in the system was 5 psig.
There was no liquid in the main pump loop. The
seal leakage data were obtained by bleeding 550
liters of helium through the pump into the loop
system each day and at the same time bleeding
500 liters of argon into the loop system directly.
Fifty liters of gas was bled from the pump catch-
basin drain each day and lo00 liters of gas was
bled from the pump loop system. Gas samples
were taken by evacuating a glass container and
then filling it through a line connected to a sample
joint. The sample joints were at the catch-basin
drain, the off-gas line from the loop system, and
the gas space over the lube-oil reservoir. The
samples were analyzed spectrographically for
argon, helium, oxygen, and nitrogen. The appear-
ance of argon in a sample taken at the catch-basin
drain was an indication that the argon had back-
diffused up the annulus between the pump shaft
and shield-barrier plug. The appearance of argon
in the sample taken at the lube-oil reservoir gas
space was an indication that the argon was leaking
across the lower pump seal. The data obtained
from this test are presented in Table 1.4.1.
48
During the tests it became apparent that the
control of the small gas flow rates and low pres-
sures was more difficult that had &en anticipated
and that the adequacy of the method of gas sampling
was questionable. Therefore the data presented
in Table 1.4.1 give only qualitative indications of
the leakage. Future seal leakage tests will be
made by bleeding argon down the pump shaft and
using helium as the trace gas. This should improve
the accuracy of the data obtained spectrographically.
The masking effect of air will also be less. The
sampling technique will be improved by continuously
bleeding gas through the sample bottles to elimi-
nate the possibility of drawing gas from regions
other than the sampling points.
Fuel Pump Endumnce Tests
S. M. Decamp
An endurance test of an ART fuel pump (model
MF) was started on April 10, 1956 with the fuel
mixture (No. 30) NaF-ZrF4-UF, (50.46-4 mole %)
as the pump fluid. The first 1488 hr of operation
of the system is described here. The operating
conditions are indicated on Fig. 1.4.1, which gives
the system temperatures, oil flow rates, and seal
TABLE 1.41. FUEL PUMP (MODEL MF-2) SEAL LEAKAGE AS MEASURED BY THE
AMOUNT OF ARGON DIFFUSION FROM THE PUMP LOOP INTO GAS
SAMPLES TAKEN AT POINTS EXTERIOR TO THE PUMP SEALS
Date of Sample
Sampling No.
3-24-56
~ ~~ ~~ _________~~~
Argon Found (ppm)
At Catch- At Off-Gas At Lu be-Oi I
Basin Drain Vent Reservoir
1 3,200 260, OOO 280
3-26-56
2 16 218,000 344
3-27-56
3-27-56
3 15,000 230,000 400
3-28-56
3-29-56 :> 6
Samples taken but lost through mishandling
4-3-56
7 124 290,000 1830
4-4-56
8
7 247,600 137
4-5-56 9 15 174,600 4%
4-8-56 10 0 193,600 86
4-9-56 11 738 152,000 84
4-9-56 12 9 1 06,400 20 1
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