Review of the Department of Energy's Inertial Confinement Fusion Program
The ultimate goal of the ICF Program is to demonstrate that a small capsule filled with a mixture of deuterium and tritium fuel can be compressed and heated sufficiently in the laboratory with laser or particle beam energy to undergo an efficient thermonuclear reaction while the capsule is confined by its own inertia. This miniature explosion must yield substantially more energy than was delivered by the driver. Best current estimates are the 1-10 MJ of driver energy will be needed and 100-1000 MJ of thermonuclear energy may be produced by the burning pellet. The Committee has taken as its charge to study ICF efforts with laser or particle beam drivers within the weapons R and D program. Since heavy ion fusion is supported primarily in other DOE programs, it was only briefly reviewed and not given much subsequent thought by the Committee. Also, alternative ICF schemes have been considered. The Committee did not attempt to compare ICF with other weapons or weapons research programs or with other energy programs.
- Research Organization:
- National Research Council, Washington, DC (USA). Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC01-85DP20137
- OSTI ID:
- 5152916
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/DP/20137-T2; ON: DE88006568
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ICF DEVICES
INSTABILITY
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NOVA FACILITY
PARTICLE BEAM FUSION ACCELERATOR
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES