Abstract
The results of development testing of the Inner Pressure Confinement Vessel (IPCV) are presented here. The IPCV is part of a two-vessel confinement and containment system designed to support proton radiography of shock physics experiments at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The IPCV is explosively loaded and designed to confine the high-pressure detonation products, material fragments and any other hazardous materials created by explosively driving materials to extreme loading conditions. The IPCV is designed to meet the requirements of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII, Division 3, Code case 2564. The unique and challenging design consideration for the IPCV is the proximity of the High Explosive (HE) charge to the radiographic imaging windows. The radiographic windows are fabricated from low-attenuating Beryllium which aids in obtaining high resolution radiographic images but is also brittle and susceptible to damage. Several rounds of developmental tests were conducted over the course of a few years.
The IPCV is designed to withstand a maximum HE charge size of 30g TNT equivalent. The main components of the IPCV are the Experimental Physics Package (EPP), fragment mitigation assembly, radiographic windows, and gas handling equipment. The radiographic windows are located only a few cm away from the EPP (which houses the HE) and are protected by the fragment mitigation assembly. The gas handling equipment allows for post-shot pressure monitoring and eventual venting of the vessel. The development tests were used to advise the design of the fragment mitigation strategy, develop testing processes and procedures, and collect data for comparison with the engineering models.
