Improving the feasibility of economical proton-boron-11 fusion via alpha channeling with a hybrid fast and thermal proton scheme

Ochs, Ian E.; Kolmes, Elijah J.; Mlodik, Mikhail E.; Rubin, Tal; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

doi:10.1103/physreve.106.055215

Title: Improving the feasibility of economical proton-boron-11 fusion via alpha channeling with a hybrid fast and thermal proton scheme

Journal Article · Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2022 · Physical Review. E

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.106.055215· OSTI ID:1908332

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Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

The proton-boron-11 (p-B11) fusion reaction is much harder to harness for commercial power than the easiest fusion reaction, namely, the deuterium and tritium (DT) reaction. The p-B11 reaction requires much higher temperatures, and, even at those higher temperatures, the cross section is much smaller. However, as opposed to tritium, the reactants are both abundant and nonradioactive. It is also an aneutronic reaction, thus avoiding radioactivity-inducing neutrons. Economical fusion can only result, however, if the plasma is nearly ignited; in other words if the fusion power is at least nearly equal to the power lost due to radiation and thermal conduction. Because the required temperatures are so high, ignition is thought barely possible for p-B11, with fusion power exceeding the bremsstrahlung power by only around 3%. We show that there is a high upside to changing the natural flow of power in the reactor, putting more power into protons, and less into the electrons. This redirection can be done using waves, which tap the alpha particle power and redirect it into protons through alpha channeling. Using a simple power balance model, we show that such channeling could reduce the required energy confinement time for ignition by a factor of 2.6 when energy is channeled into thermal protons, and a factor of 6.9 when channeled into fast protons near the peak of the reactivity. Furthermore, alpha channeling could dramatically improve the feasibility of economical p-B11 fusion energy.

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Research Organization:: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

Grant/Contract Number:: AR0001554; SC0014664

OSTI ID:: 1908332

Journal Information:: Physical Review. E, Vol. 106, Issue 5; ISSN 2470-0045

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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