Brief Introduction to the High Explosives Application Facility

Welcome to the High Explosives Applications Facility commonly referred to as HEAF. HEAF is the only known place in the world where explosives ranging from a single crystal up to 22 pounds can be safely detonated right across the hallway from labs that conduct explosive material research and development. HEAF is a crucial part of LLNL's energetic materials enterprise which encompasses novel capabilities on the LLNL main site in Livermore and large scale testing and evaluation conducted at Site 300 in Tracy, California. It's not just the detonation of explosives we are interested in here at LLNL. Nearly all aspects of high explosives research and development can be conducted inside HEAF making IEF, the global leader in high explosives research and a center of excellence for the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration. So how do we do it? Let's first begin with HEAF's building size over 120,000 square feet of space the size of about two football fields combined, which provides enough space for laboratories where new explosives can be made. Manufacturing rooms where 3d printers can safely print explosives and a whole floor with 62 independent blast hardened explosive work rooms where staff can safely detonate explosives and study their explosive characteristics with the assistance of advanced diagnostics and equipment. HEAF's ability to safely explore new and novel explosives relies on the uniqueness of its testing equipment in the robust design of the facility. The special equipment in the HEAF gun bay provides the capability to fire various projectiles at targets to measure velocities, pressures and temperatures within the confines of a containment tank. And HEAF's seven firing tanks provide a way to conduct explosive experiments indoors under well controlled conditions with elaborate dynamic diagnostics. With the help of lasers, X rays and other diagnostics the data collected from Heath experiments has advanced counterterrorism efforts in detection and defeat of improvised explosive devices informed our computational models to better predict high explosive behavior and supported LLNL stockpile stewardship efforts to replace aging explosives in the US nuclear stockpile with modernized materials that will keep the stockpile safe, secure and reliable for years to come. HEAF's one of a kind uniqueness extends beyond just equipment and resources but also to its workforce inside over 200 plus LLNL staff members representing multidisciplinary backgrounds in science, engineering, computing, safety and operations work together with a common purpose of better understanding energetic materials. As a unique facility supporting the multidisciplinary and multifaceted mission of high explosives research all under one roof, the science conducted inside HEAF has propelled Livermore to the forefront of energetic Materials Research and Development and will continue to offer key insights for future national security initiatives.

Channel: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Views: 2,246

Keywords: LLNL, Computing, Supercomputing, HPC, Global Security, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, STEM, National Ignition Facility, Fusion Energy, Energy, Cyber Security, Nuclear, Lawrence Livermore, Physics

Id: poCjeCo3Ha8

Length: 3min 23sec (203 seconds)

Published: Thu May 11 2023