Scaling laws for spherical pinch experiments
Spherical pinch experiments are characterized by a central discharge in a spherical vessel followed by an inductive discharge in the vessel's peripheral shell gas. An analysis is carried out of the evolution of the imploding shock waves produced by the shell explosion in order to find out if the central discharge can be contained and compressed by the converging shocks, so as to maintain its temperature for a time sufficiently long for breakeven. The analytical model adopted is essentially that of the recent paper of Ahlborn and Key (Plasma Phys. 23: 435, 1981). One finds that the converging shocks are indeed capable of containing and compressing the central plasma. In addition, if the central spark reaches the critical temperature T /SUB L/ =2.58 keV by the deposition of an energy density of 1.86x10/sup 8/JXg/sup -1/, the scaling law required in order to contain such a plasma for breakeven is /rho//sub 0/R(E /SUB s/ /M /SUB s/ ) /SUP 1/2/ greater than or equal to1.96 X 10/sup 6/, where /rho//sub 0/ is the initial fill gas density, R is the radius of the spherical vessel, and E /SUB s/ is the energy deposited in the peripheral shell mass M /SUB s/ . The general applicability of the model to other fusion devices based on the implosion principle is discussed.
- Research Organization:
- National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa
- OSTI ID:
- 5137220
- Journal Information:
- J. Fusion Energy; (United States), Journal Name: J. Fusion Energy; (United States) Vol. 3:3; ISSN JFEND
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
700101 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
700200* -- Fusion Energy-- Fusion Power Plant Technology
700202 -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Magnet Coils & Fields
BREAKEVEN
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
D-T REACTORS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
EMISSION
ENERGY BALANCE
HEATING
IMPLOSIONS
LAWSON CRITERION
NEUTRON EMISSION
NEUTRON SPECTRA
PINCH DEVICES
PINCH EFFECT
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA HEATING
SCALING LAWS
SHOCK HEATING
SHOCK WAVES
SIMULATION
SPECTRA
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR IGNITION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS