Plasma physics simulations of double potential wells in an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) device

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:178283

Tzonev, I V; Miley, G H ^[1]; Nebel, R A ^[2]

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1. NEL, Urbana, IL (United States). Fusion Studies Lab.
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

The formation and behavior of double potential wells in an IEC fusion device was investigated using IXL--a one-dimensional code that solves the Poisson-Vlasov equations for a collisionless spherical plasma. IXL results represent an important limiting case where space charge effects dominate. The formation of a deep and stable double well is essential for good ion confinement, hence successful development of the IEC device as a future power source. The dependence of the double well depth and width on the plasma parameters was studied. The changes of the ion and electron densities and the fusion rate in the presence of the double well were investigated. The fusion core radius and its variation with plasma parameters were evaluated. The most favorable conditions for 80%--100% deep second well formation were shown to be high perpendicular ion energy spread, low perpendicular electron energy spread, low radial ion energy spread, and high ion and electron currents. The observed double well structures and ion densities follow the ideal model developed by Hirsch, despite the introduced high angular momentum. The ion core radius varies in the range 0.2 cm--1.3 cm. This confirms that the IEC dense plasma core can be maintained at high perpendicular ion energies.

• OSTI ID: 178283
• Report Number(s): CONF-950612--; ISBN 0-7803-2669-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ICF DEVICES
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA SIMULATION