Hohlraum drive and implosion experiments on Nova
High gain inertial confinement fusion will most readily be achieved with hot spot ignition, where a small mass of gaseous fuel is compressed to a high density and heated to {approximately}10 keV, igniting a cooler, surrounding fuel. Recent laser driven implosions have achieved high shell density but without a well defined hot spot. X-ray driven implosions require high hohlraum drive pressure and symmetry. Eight years of experiments on Nova have led to a relatively comprehensive understanding of the energetics and symmetry of laser heated hohlraums. Relatively simple models can explain most of the features observed these experiments. Detailed 2-D Lasnex simulations satisfactorily reproduce Nova`s drive and symmetry scaling data bases, giving it credibility as a target design tool for the proposed National Ignition Facility (NIF). Implosion experiments achieved high convergence ratios (initial capsule radius/final fuel radius) in the range required for ignition scale capsules, and resulted in an imploded configuration of high density glass with hot gas fill, equivalent to the hot spot configuration of ignition scale capsules.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 10185663
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC-118255; CONF-940933-5; ON: DE95000555; IN: IAEA-SN--60/BII-3; TRN: 94:020304
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. international conference on plasma physics and controlled nuclear fusion research, Madrid (Spain), 26 Sep - 1 Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: 28 Jul 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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