Sustained Neutron Production from a Sheared-Flow Stabilized Z Pinch

Zhang, Y.; Shumlak, U.; Nelson, B.  A.; Golingo, R.  P.; Weber, T.  R.; Stepanov, A.  D.; Claveau, E.  L.; Forbes, E.  G.; Draper, Z.  T.; Mitrani, J.  M.; McLean, H.  S.; Tummel, K.  K.; Higginson, D.  P.; Cooper, C.  M.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.122.135001

Sustained Neutron Production from a Sheared-Flow Stabilized Z Pinch

Journal Article · Thu Apr 04 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.122.135001· OSTI ID:1961753

Zhang, Y. ^[1]; Shumlak, U. ^[1]; Nelson, B. A. ^[1]; Golingo, R. P. ^[1]; Weber, T. R. ^[1]; Stepanov, A. D. ^[1]; Claveau, E. L. ^[1]; Forbes, E. G. ^[1]; Draper, Z. T. ^[1]; Mitrani, J. M. ^[2]; McLean, H. S. ^[2]; Tummel, K. K. ^[2]; Higginson, D. P. ^[2]; Cooper, C. M. ^[2]

University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

The sheared-flow stabilized Z pinch has demonstrated long-lived plasmas with fusion-relevant parameters. Here we present the first experimental results demonstrating sustained, quasi-steady-state neutron production from the fusion Z -pinch experiment, operated with a mixture of 20% deuterium/80% hydrogen by pressure. Neutron emissions lasting approximately 5 μs are reproducibly observed with pinch currents of approximately 200 kA during an approximately 16 μs period of plasma quiescence. The average neutron yield is estimated to be ( 1.25 ± 0.45 ) x 10⁵ neutrons / pulse and scales with the square of the deuterium concentration. Coincident with the neutron signal, plasma temperatures of 1–2 keV and densities of approximately 10¹⁷ cm^-3 with 0.3 cm pinch radii are measured with fully integrated diagnostics.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

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

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

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

OSTI ID:: 1961753

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1505005

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-839614; 1060624

Journal Information:: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 122; ISSN 0031-9007

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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