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Test Problems for Programmed Burn [Slides]

This document presents updated FLAG results for the Kenamond programmed burn test problems. Problem definition, exact solutions for constant detonation velocity, and FLAG results using a Huygens solution are provided in Kenamond’s “Lund High Explosive Programmed Burn Model in the FLAG Code” LA-UR-09-08297. FLAG results using Line-of-Sight (LOS) preconditioning of the Huygens solution are presented in Kenamond’s “Line-of-Sight (LOS) High Explosive Programmed Burn Model in the FLAG Code” LA-UR-09-08296. FLAG has an old, serial, uniform-grid “mapped” 2D DSD solver and a new, inline, parallel, conformal mesh 2D/3D DSD solver. These solvers will be exercised with flat Dn-Kappa relations to facilitate comparison with analytic solutions. The remaining slides document FLAG results with 1) Huygens, 2) Huygens with LOS, 3) old DSD, and 4) new DSD. By design, these geometries are coarsely meshed. Plotting error with respect to the analytic solutions reveals sensitivities to element type, element aspect ratio, boundary conditions, detonator timing, and discontinuous detonation velocity. In all plots of this document, color is absolute error relative to the exact solution. In all plots of this document, contours are burntime isochrones of the numerical solution.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A study of the role of pyrotechnic systems on the space shuttle program

Pyrotechnic systems, high burn rate propellant and explosive-actuated mechanisms, have been used extensively in aerospace vehicles to perform a variety of work functions, including crew escape, staging, deployment and destruction. Pyrotechnic system principles are described in this report along with their applications on typical military fighter aircraft, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and a representative unmanned spacecraft. To consider the possible pyrotechnic applications on the space shuttle the mechanical functions on a large commercial aircraft, similar in scale to the shuttle orbiter, were reviewed. Many potential applications exist for pyrotechnic system on the space shuttle, both in conventional short-duration functions and in longer duration and/or repetitive type gas generators.

Lake, E. R.↗

Verification and Validation of High Explosive Reactive Burn Models Implemented in LANL's EAP and LAP Code Base

Reactive burn models represent a significant leap in high explosive (HE) modeling capability. The first generation of engineering models of HE detonation are called programmed burn models and they are largely based on the distance between a prescribed detonation point and each zone in a simulation. There have been many advancements to programmed burn models over the years and when the assumptions upon which they are based are met, a properly tuned programmed burn model can be highly accurate but if any of their assumptions is not met, as is the case for corner turning or weakly initiated HE burn, they will give the wrong answer. Reactive burn models represent an entirely new way of modeling HE burn. They use the local conditions of a zone – e.g. temperature, pressure or density – as calculated by a hydrocode to determine if and when the zone is going to detonate and if so, how rapidly. This difference opens up an entirely new set of capabilities for HE modeling. It makes it possible to accurately and predictively model phenomena like the effect of confinement and the formation of dead zones. Reactive burn models have seen sustained development effort at LANL for at least the last decade but several recent developments make it timely to transition reactive burn models from a research topic to a production tool. The main goal of this milestone is to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of reactive burn as a commonly available modeling option, with recommendations on the resolution that will be required and uncertainties associated with their modeling choices. To achieve this, we have performed verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification (UQ) assessments of AWSD and SURF/SURFplus in xRage and FLAG on a variety of different problems.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Physical Sciences Vistas: Issue 4 2021

In this issue of Physical Sciences Vistas we highlight examples of “excellence in nuclear security.” In this issue, highlights of our outstanding work supporting the Laboratory’s nuclear security enterprise include the following: The complete refurbishment of Sigma’s surface finishing lab. Pride in the lab’s revitalized condition on the part of the operations and R&D staff responsible for this complex operation is well justified. Development of advanced materials and processes enabling next-generation weapons designs, much of which has been facilitated by projects supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program. The use of proton radiography in illuminating elements important to validating high explosive burn models. The experimental series was a collaboration between Los Alamos researchers and staff at Lawrence Livermore and Sandia national laboratories and the United Kingdom’s Atomic Weapons Establishment. Deployment of a sophisticated remote handling unit to safely transfer highly radioactive materials required to support mission-critical projects. The skillful swap of an electrical transformer at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). The deliberate operation restored power to the accelerator in less than estimated time. A look at George Goff ’s role in translating fundamental science into applied solutions essential to the Lab’s nuclear security mission.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Physics Flash Fall 2020

The Fall 2020 edition of Physics Flash includes article briefs on: Patrick Younk, Fusing concepts, technology to past performance of nuclear explosives; LANL inertial confinement fusion programs aims to develop burning plasma for weapons science; Lab's high energy nuclear physics explored at international conference; and, Novel study reveals new details on the impact of thermal interfaces in dynamic compression experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Verification and Validation of High Explosive Reactive Burn Models Implemented in LANL's EAP and LAP Code Base (FY2020 L2 Milestone MRT 7129) [Slides]

Advanced reactive burn models enable phenomena to be modeled that aren’t possible with programmed burn. Programmed burn propagates a burn front at a prescribed speed from a prescribed initiation point. Reactive burn uses the hydro variables (pressure, temperature, etc.) to determine when, how rapidly, and to what extent a zone detonates. This enables a completely new set of problems to be simulated. Our goal in this milestone has been to improve the usability of reactive burn modes. Thus, the closure criteria are: 1. Perform code and solution verification of the reactive burn models using appropriate solutions and simplified HE setups. 2. Perform validation assessments using small-scale experiments. 3. Evaluate sensitivities and quantify uncertainties due to model form variations and mesh dependencies.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

Detonation performance experiments and modeling for the DAAF-based high explosive PBX 9701

Detonation performance experiments and modeling are reported for the explosive PBX 9701, which is composed of 97% 3,3$\acute{-}$diamino-4,4$\acute{-}$azoxyfurazan (DAAF) and 3% vinylidene uoride-chlorotriuoroethylene copolymer (Kel-F 800) binder by weight. PBX 9701 is a newly-developed reducedsensitivity explosive with increased performance relative to the triaminotrinitrobenzene or TATB-based PBX 9502 while still retaining low sensitivity to mechanical insult. The first detonation performance measurements for this formulation are presented, including front-curvature ratesticks and cylinder expansion test data. Prior shock initiation data is also reviewed. These data are used to develop programmed burn and reactive flow calibrations for existing commonly-used performance models which allow engineering calculations with PBX 9701. The calibration process involves several enhancements relative to conventional approaches including the use of an analytical scaling correlation to speed the calibration process and development of a new methodology to improve the consistency between the programmed burn and reactive model calibration process and the resulting calculations. Overall, PBX 9701 is seen to exhibit improved performance relative to insensitive explosives, with a trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalence of 1.24. The detonation performance properties are found to be well captured by existing models.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2003

Topics covered include: Stable, Thermally Conductive Fillers for Bolted Joints; Connecting to Thermocouples with Fewer Lead Wires; Zipper Connectors for Flexible Electronic Circuits; Safety Interlock for Angularly Misdirected Power Tool; Modular, Parallel Pulse-Shaping Filter Architectures; High-Fidelity Piezoelectric Audio Device; Photovoltaic Power Station with Ultracapacitors for Storage; Time Analyzer for Time Synchronization and Monitor of the Deep Space Network; Program for Computing Albedo; Integrated Software for Analyzing Designs of Launch Vehicles; Abstract-Reasoning Software for Coordinating Multiple Agents; Software Searches for Better Spacecraft-Navigation Models; Software for Partly Automated Recognition of Targets; Antistatic Polycarbonate/Copper Oxide Composite; Better VPS Fabrication of Crucibles and Furnace Cartridges; Burn-Resistant, Strong Metal-Matrix Composites; Self-Deployable Spring-Strip Booms; Explosion Welding for Hermetic Containerization; Improved Process for Fabricating Carbon Nanotube Probes; Automated Serial Sectioning for 3D Reconstruction; and Parallel Subconvolution Filtering Architectures.

Source record↗

Titanium-Oxygen Reactivity Study

A program has been conducted at Astronautics to investigate the likelihood of occurrence of the catastrophic oxidation of titanium alloy sheet under conditions which simulate certain cases of accidental failure of the metal while it is in contact with liquid or gaseous oxygen. Three methods of fracturing the metal were used; they consisted of mechanical puncture, tensile fracture of welded joints, and perforation by very high velocity particles. The results of the tests which have been conducted provide further evidence of the reactivity of titanium with liquid and gaseous oxygen. The evidence indicates that the rapid fracturing of titanium sheet while it is in contact with oxygen initiates the catastrophic oxidation reaction. Initiation occurred when the speed of the fracture was some few feet per second, as in both the drop-weight puncture tests and the static tensile fracture tests of welded joints, as well as when the speed was several thousand feet per second, as in the simulated micrometeoroid penetration tests. The slow propagation of a crack, however, did not initiate the reaction. It may logically be concluded that the localized frictional heat of rapid fracture and/or spontaneous oxidation (exothermic) of minute particles emanating from the fracture cause initiation of the reaction. Under conditions of slow fracture, however, the small heat generated may be adequately dissipated and the reaction is not initiated. A portion of the study conducted consisted of investigating various means by which the reaction might be retarded or prevented. Providing a "barrier" at the titanium-oxygen interface consisting of either aluminum metal or a coating of a petroleum base corrosion inhibitor appeared to be only partially effective in retarding the reaction. The accidental puncturing or similar rupturing of thin-walled pressurized oxygen tanks on missiles and space vehicle will usually constitute loss of function, and may sometimes cause their catastrophic destruction by explosive decompression regardless of the type of material used for their construction. In the case of tanks constructed of titanium alloys the added risk is incurred of catastrophic burning of the tanks. In view of this it is recommended that thin-walled tanks constructed of titanium alloys should not be used to contain liquid or gaseous oxygen.

Chafey, J. E.↗