| DESIGN OF PRESSURE VESSELS FOR CONFINING EXPLOSIVES. (2005) | |||||||||
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| Factors which must be considered in designing pressure vessels to withstand, in a radiation environment, high, rapidly applied dynamic impulses (such as explosions) are defined and discussed. Of various metals tested for use in the walls of such vessels, several aluminum alloys were found most promising. Small amounts of explosive were initiated inside cylinders made of various metals (aluminum alloys, stainless steel, and lead), the cylinders being closed at the ends by being placed vertically on a steel plate and topped with a second steel plate held in place with a 500-pound lead weight. Cylinder length was varied from 18 to 24 inches, diameter from 3 to 12 inches, and wall thickness from 1/8 to 1 inch. As an xplosive, spherical charges of C4 were used. The wall materials tested were 6061-T6, 2024-T4, 5086-H32, 5456-H323, and 7075-T6 aluminum alloys; 304 stainless steel; and lead. The report contains special sections on the design of end closures, shock attenuation, providing for electrical lead-throughs needed for instrumentation, and the use of a thin window in the vessel (needed for irradiation experiments). From this information a pressure vessel for a particular application can be designed. (Author) | |||||||||
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