Flow Z-pinch plasma production on the FuZE experiment

Stepanov, A. D.; Shumlak, U.; McLean, H. S.; Nelson, B. A.; Claveau, E. L.; Forbes, E. G.; Weber, T. R.; Zhang, Y.

doi:10.1063/5.0020481

Flow Z-pinch plasma production on the FuZE experiment

Journal Article · Mon Nov 02 23:00:00 EST 2020 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0020481· OSTI ID:1868854

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Nelson, B. A. ^[4]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Weber, T. R. ^[1]; ^[4]

Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Zap Energy, Inc., Seattle, WA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Zap Energy, Inc., Seattle, WA (United States)

The Fusion Z Pinch Experiment (FuZE) investigates sheared-flow stabilization of classic m = 0 and m = 1 instabilities in Z pinches with an embedded axial flow. FuZE consists of a 100 cm coaxial plasma accelerator, where neutral gas is ionized and accelerated in a pulsed electrical discharge, followed by a 50 cm assembly region, where pinches are formed. Maintaining the pinch requires continuous plasma injection provided by a deflagration mode in the coaxial accelerator. Two discharge modes, with and without deflagration, are investigated on FuZE. Pinch formation is observed with deflagration only. Plasma velocities in the assembly region are found to match the E × B velocity estimated in the accelerator based on a 1D circuit model, indicating that a 1D MHD approximation may offer a valid description of the plasma in the accelerator channel. The velocity of magnetic field propagation is found to agree with the snowplow model based on momentum conservation, and the lifetime of the pinch is shown to be in agreement with constraints imposed by mass conservation.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344; AR0000571; NA0001860

OSTI ID:: 1868854

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1698191

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-825917; 1040301

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 27; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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