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Title: Proof Testing of Small-Scale HE Press Shielding

Abstract

High explosives pressing activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory have played a critical role in meeting the core missions of the lab since its early days. Small scale pressing (25 grams of energetic material or less) constitutes a significant portion of current production and much of this occurs as an attended operation. Workers that are present during HE pressing operations are to be protected from blast and fragment dangers associated with the potential violent reaction of the energetic material being pressed. Safety is paramount in all HE operations, and the ongoing evolution of analysis and mitigation of hazards contributes strongly to the development of adequate protections for personnel. Attended pressing operations satisfying Class 1 Level Protection criteria, until recently, have been allowed for small scale pressing activities on the basis of an undocumented design of shielding enclosures used at LANL. Recent review of the shield design has determined the necessity of proof testing an adequate enclosure and thoroughly documenting the test results and fabrication specifications. This will provide a basis for continuing attended operations and guidance for future design iterations. The results of the testing described in this report provide sufficient assurance that the new shield design is adequate tomore » protect attendant workers against injury from direct blast and fragments resulting from full detonation of the maximum allowable mass of explosives (less than 25 grams) confined in a uniaxial pressing configuration typical for Los Alamos National Laboratory.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1511184
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-19-23678
DOE Contract Number:  
89233218CNA000001
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; 45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE

Citation Formats

Novak, Alan M. Proof Testing of Small-Scale HE Press Shielding. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.2172/1511184.
Novak, Alan M. Proof Testing of Small-Scale HE Press Shielding. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1511184
Novak, Alan M. 2019. "Proof Testing of Small-Scale HE Press Shielding". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1511184. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1511184.
@article{osti_1511184,
title = {Proof Testing of Small-Scale HE Press Shielding},
author = {Novak, Alan M.},
abstractNote = {High explosives pressing activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory have played a critical role in meeting the core missions of the lab since its early days. Small scale pressing (25 grams of energetic material or less) constitutes a significant portion of current production and much of this occurs as an attended operation. Workers that are present during HE pressing operations are to be protected from blast and fragment dangers associated with the potential violent reaction of the energetic material being pressed. Safety is paramount in all HE operations, and the ongoing evolution of analysis and mitigation of hazards contributes strongly to the development of adequate protections for personnel. Attended pressing operations satisfying Class 1 Level Protection criteria, until recently, have been allowed for small scale pressing activities on the basis of an undocumented design of shielding enclosures used at LANL. Recent review of the shield design has determined the necessity of proof testing an adequate enclosure and thoroughly documenting the test results and fabrication specifications. This will provide a basis for continuing attended operations and guidance for future design iterations. The results of the testing described in this report provide sufficient assurance that the new shield design is adequate to protect attendant workers against injury from direct blast and fragments resulting from full detonation of the maximum allowable mass of explosives (less than 25 grams) confined in a uniaxial pressing configuration typical for Los Alamos National Laboratory.},
doi = {10.2172/1511184},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1511184}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Fri Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}