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Title: Numerical simulation of a compact torus initiated dense plasma focus (CT-DPF)

Abstract

The Phillips Laboratory has been involved in the computational and experimental investigation of compact toroid formation and acceleration. Recently, effort has been directed toward using a compact torus as the driver for a dense plasma focus. In the typical Fillipov and Mather type prefill DPFs, insulator-initiated discharges have been limited to approximately one megajoule levels by insulator restrike, erosion, or strength issues. Gas-puff, coaxial DPFs mitigate this problem at the expanse of performance. An alternative, explored here, is the use of a compact plasma torus as the initiator of the DPF discharge (CT-DPF). The CT-DPF takes advantage of the stable plasma-flow-switch capabilities of the compact torus. Compact toroids have been generated and accelerated (numerically as well as experimentally) to tens of centimeters per microsecond. This provides for rapid transfer of multi-megamperes of current to the DPF load, which is placed at the end of the acceleration region, in tenths of a microsecond. This paper describes the numerical simulations which have been performed to predict CT-DPF performance in support of the experimental program. The simulations were conducted using the Phillips Laboratory`s Mach2 code, a 2 1/2-dimension Arbitrary Eulerian-Lagrangian MHD code. Argon and neon plasmas are investigated with various target densities andmore » bank energies. Performance is assessed in terms of density and temperature increases along the focus centerline as well as implosion velocities.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Phillips Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
163139
Report Number(s):
CONF-950612-
ISBN 0-7803-2669-5; TRN: IM9604%%243
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 22. international conference on plasma science, Madison, WI (United States), 5-8 Jun 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of IEEE conference record -- abstracts: 1995 IEEE international conference on plasma science; PB: 312 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION; PLASMA FOCUS DEVICES; DESIGN; PERFORMANCE; COMPACT TORUS; PLASMA SWITCHES; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; PLASMA SIMULATION; PLASMA DENSITY

Citation Formats

Lileikis, D E. Numerical simulation of a compact torus initiated dense plasma focus (CT-DPF). United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Lileikis, D E. Numerical simulation of a compact torus initiated dense plasma focus (CT-DPF). United States.
Lileikis, D E. 1995. "Numerical simulation of a compact torus initiated dense plasma focus (CT-DPF)". United States.
@article{osti_163139,
title = {Numerical simulation of a compact torus initiated dense plasma focus (CT-DPF)},
author = {Lileikis, D E},
abstractNote = {The Phillips Laboratory has been involved in the computational and experimental investigation of compact toroid formation and acceleration. Recently, effort has been directed toward using a compact torus as the driver for a dense plasma focus. In the typical Fillipov and Mather type prefill DPFs, insulator-initiated discharges have been limited to approximately one megajoule levels by insulator restrike, erosion, or strength issues. Gas-puff, coaxial DPFs mitigate this problem at the expanse of performance. An alternative, explored here, is the use of a compact plasma torus as the initiator of the DPF discharge (CT-DPF). The CT-DPF takes advantage of the stable plasma-flow-switch capabilities of the compact torus. Compact toroids have been generated and accelerated (numerically as well as experimentally) to tens of centimeters per microsecond. This provides for rapid transfer of multi-megamperes of current to the DPF load, which is placed at the end of the acceleration region, in tenths of a microsecond. This paper describes the numerical simulations which have been performed to predict CT-DPF performance in support of the experimental program. The simulations were conducted using the Phillips Laboratory`s Mach2 code, a 2 1/2-dimension Arbitrary Eulerian-Lagrangian MHD code. Argon and neon plasmas are investigated with various target densities and bank energies. Performance is assessed in terms of density and temperature increases along the focus centerline as well as implosion velocities.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/163139}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Conference:
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