Target Physics Scaling for Z-Pinch Inertial Fusion Energy
- Sandia National Laboratories (United States)
The Z-pinch fusion energy power plant concept is based upon an X-ray driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule having a hypothetical yield of 3 GJ with an overall target gain in the range of 50-100. In the present paper, a combination of analytic arguments, results of radiation-hydrodynamic computational simulations, and empirical scalings from Z-pinch hohlraum experiments are used to demonstrate that the absorption of approximately 6 MJ of X-ray energy by the capsule and 26 MJ by the hohlraum walls of an ICF target ({approx} 32 MJ total X-ray input) will be adequate to provide a 3 GJ yield. As a result, it appears that the Ref. 1 assumption of a 3 GJ thermonuclear yield with an overall target gain approaching 100 is conceptually feasible.
- OSTI ID:
- 20854063
- Journal Information:
- Fusion Science and Technology, Journal Name: Fusion Science and Technology Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 47; ISSN 1536-1055
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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