Theory of Wire Number Scaling in Wire-Array Z Pinches
Pulsed-power-driven z-pinches, produced by imploding cylindrical arrays of many wires, have generated very high x- ray radiation powers (> 200 TW) and energies (2 M J). Experiments have revealed a steady improvement in z-pinch perfor- mance with increasing wire number at fixed total mass and array radius. The dominant mechanism acting to limit the performance of these devices is believed to be the Rayleigh-Taylor instability which broadens the radially imploding plasma sheath and consequently reduces the peak radiation power. A model is presented which describes an amplification over the two dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor growth rate brought about by kink-like forces on the individual wires. This amplification factor goes to zero as the number of wires approaches infinity. This model gives results which are in very good agreement with the experimental data and provides a scaling for wire-array z-pinches.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1071
- Report Number(s):
- SAND98-2292C; ON: DE00001071
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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