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Title: On the Fielding of a High Gain, Shock-Ignited Target on the National Ignitiion Facility in the Near Term

Abstract

Shock ignition, a new concept for igniting thermonuclear fuel, offers the possibility for a near-term ({approx}3-4 years) test of high gain inertial confinement fusion on the National Ignition Facility at less than 1MJ drive energy and without the need for new laser hardware. In shock ignition, compressed fusion fuel is separately ignited by a strong spherically converging shock and, because capsule implosion velocities are significantly lower than those required for conventional hotpot ignition, fusion energy gains of {approx}60 may be achievable on NIF at laser drive energies around {approx}0.5MJ. Because of the simple all-DT target design, its in-flight robustness, the potential need for only 1D SSD beam smoothing, minimal early time LPI preheat, and use of present (indirect drive) laser hardware, this target may be easier to field on NIF than a conventional (polar) direct drive hotspot ignition target. Like fast ignition, shock ignition has the potential for high fusion yields at low drive energy, but requires only a single laser with less demanding timing and spatial focusing requirements. Of course, conventional symmetry and stability constraints still apply. In this paper we present initial target performance simulations, delineate the critical issues and describe the immediate-term R&D program that must bemore » performed in order to test the potential of a high gain shock ignition target on NIF in the near term.« less

Authors:
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Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1013209
Report Number(s):
LLNL-TR-428513
TRN: US1102459
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; DESIGN; FOCUSING; FUSION YIELD; IGNITION; IMPLOSIONS; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; LASERS; PERFORMANCE; STABILITY; SYMMETRY; TARGETS; THERMONUCLEAR FUELS; THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS; US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY

Citation Formats

Perkins, L J, Betti, R, Schurtz, G P, Craxton, R S, Dunne, A M, LaFortune, K N, Schmitt, A J, McKenty, P W, Bailey, D S, Lambert, M A, Ribeyre, X, Theobald, W R, Strozzi, D J, Harding, D R, Casner, A, Atzemi, S, Erbert, G V, Andersen, K S, Murakami, M, Comley, A J, Cook, R C, and Stephens, R B. On the Fielding of a High Gain, Shock-Ignited Target on the National Ignitiion Facility in the Near Term. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.2172/1013209.
Perkins, L J, Betti, R, Schurtz, G P, Craxton, R S, Dunne, A M, LaFortune, K N, Schmitt, A J, McKenty, P W, Bailey, D S, Lambert, M A, Ribeyre, X, Theobald, W R, Strozzi, D J, Harding, D R, Casner, A, Atzemi, S, Erbert, G V, Andersen, K S, Murakami, M, Comley, A J, Cook, R C, & Stephens, R B. On the Fielding of a High Gain, Shock-Ignited Target on the National Ignitiion Facility in the Near Term. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1013209
Perkins, L J, Betti, R, Schurtz, G P, Craxton, R S, Dunne, A M, LaFortune, K N, Schmitt, A J, McKenty, P W, Bailey, D S, Lambert, M A, Ribeyre, X, Theobald, W R, Strozzi, D J, Harding, D R, Casner, A, Atzemi, S, Erbert, G V, Andersen, K S, Murakami, M, Comley, A J, Cook, R C, and Stephens, R B. 2010. "On the Fielding of a High Gain, Shock-Ignited Target on the National Ignitiion Facility in the Near Term". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1013209. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1013209.
@article{osti_1013209,
title = {On the Fielding of a High Gain, Shock-Ignited Target on the National Ignitiion Facility in the Near Term},
author = {Perkins, L J and Betti, R and Schurtz, G P and Craxton, R S and Dunne, A M and LaFortune, K N and Schmitt, A J and McKenty, P W and Bailey, D S and Lambert, M A and Ribeyre, X and Theobald, W R and Strozzi, D J and Harding, D R and Casner, A and Atzemi, S and Erbert, G V and Andersen, K S and Murakami, M and Comley, A J and Cook, R C and Stephens, R B},
abstractNote = {Shock ignition, a new concept for igniting thermonuclear fuel, offers the possibility for a near-term ({approx}3-4 years) test of high gain inertial confinement fusion on the National Ignition Facility at less than 1MJ drive energy and without the need for new laser hardware. In shock ignition, compressed fusion fuel is separately ignited by a strong spherically converging shock and, because capsule implosion velocities are significantly lower than those required for conventional hotpot ignition, fusion energy gains of {approx}60 may be achievable on NIF at laser drive energies around {approx}0.5MJ. Because of the simple all-DT target design, its in-flight robustness, the potential need for only 1D SSD beam smoothing, minimal early time LPI preheat, and use of present (indirect drive) laser hardware, this target may be easier to field on NIF than a conventional (polar) direct drive hotspot ignition target. Like fast ignition, shock ignition has the potential for high fusion yields at low drive energy, but requires only a single laser with less demanding timing and spatial focusing requirements. Of course, conventional symmetry and stability constraints still apply. In this paper we present initial target performance simulations, delineate the critical issues and describe the immediate-term R&D program that must be performed in order to test the potential of a high gain shock ignition target on NIF in the near term.},
doi = {10.2172/1013209},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1013209}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Apr 12 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Mon Apr 12 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}