Packaging Certification Thermal Testing at Sandia

The approach to radioactive material (RAM) package thermal certification at Sandia National Laboratories is presented in here. The paper shows how programmatic risks associated with underor over-testing high value prototype packages are virtually eliminated through the use of test facilities with well-controlled boundary conditions. Evolution of this capability at Sandia and details of the resulting facilities are presented. Advantages of utilizing high-fidelity simulations as part of the test design process and the utilization of modern diagnostics and facilities are also discussed.