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Title: Ignition of deuterium-tritium fuel targets

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of igniting a deuterium-tritium ICF fuel target to obtain fuel burn in which the fuel target initially includes a hollow spherical shell having a frozen layer of DT material at substantially uniform thickness and cryogenic temperature around the interior surface of the shell. The target is permitted to free-fall through a target chamber having walls heated by successive target ignitions, so that the target is uniformly heated during free-fall to at least partially melt the frozen fuel layer and form a liquid single-phase layer or a mixed liquid/solid bi-phase layer of substantially uniform thickness around the interior shell surface. The falling target is then illuminated from exteriorly of the chamber while the fuel layer is at substantially uniformly single or bi-phase so as to ignite the fuel layer and release energy therefrom. 5 figures.

Inventors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
KMS Fusion Inc
OSTI Identifier:
7171191
Patent Number(s):
US 5043131; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-451607
Assignee:
KMS Fusion, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-87DP10560
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 18 Dec 1989
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; THERMONUCLEAR FUELS; THERMONUCLEAR IGNITION; CONFIGURATION; DEUTERIUM; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; TARGETS; TRITIUM; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CONFINEMENT; FUELS; HYDROGEN ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; ODD-ODD NUCLEI; PLASMA CONFINEMENT; RADIOISOTOPES; STABLE ISOTOPES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 700411* - Inertial Confinement Devices- (1992-)

Citation Formats

Musinski, D L, and Mruzek, M T. Ignition of deuterium-tritium fuel targets. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Musinski, D L, & Mruzek, M T. Ignition of deuterium-tritium fuel targets. United States.
Musinski, D L, and Mruzek, M T. 1991. "Ignition of deuterium-tritium fuel targets". United States.
@article{osti_7171191,
title = {Ignition of deuterium-tritium fuel targets},
author = {Musinski, D L and Mruzek, M T},
abstractNote = {Disclosed is a method of igniting a deuterium-tritium ICF fuel target to obtain fuel burn in which the fuel target initially includes a hollow spherical shell having a frozen layer of DT material at substantially uniform thickness and cryogenic temperature around the interior surface of the shell. The target is permitted to free-fall through a target chamber having walls heated by successive target ignitions, so that the target is uniformly heated during free-fall to at least partially melt the frozen fuel layer and form a liquid single-phase layer or a mixed liquid/solid bi-phase layer of substantially uniform thickness around the interior shell surface. The falling target is then illuminated from exteriorly of the chamber while the fuel layer is at substantially uniformly single or bi-phase so as to ignite the fuel layer and release energy therefrom. 5 figures.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7171191}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 27 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Tue Aug 27 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}