The primary function of air locks in nuclear process facilities is to control the spread of radioactive contamination. Proper architectural and ventilation design of air locks is essential for this effective contamination control; however, there are no industrial standards for air lock design despite its importance.

To develop air lock design guidelines, tests, along with an extensive literature search, were conducted at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) in Aiken, South Carolina. Three different air lock design methods were evaluated, and it was found that the combined ventilation air method is the most effective. The fiterature search supported the tests, and design guidelines were developed that en, hanced the process of contamination control.