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Fusion with highly spin polarized HD and D sub 2

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5603745
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Syracuse Univ., NY (USA). Dept. of Physics
  2. Rochester Univ., NY (USA). Lab. for Laser Energetics

During the course of this grant, we succeeded in overcoming essentially all of the obstacles on the route to carrying out ICF shots with polarized deuteron fuel in plastic target shells. ICF with polarized deuterons is expected to answer the question of survival of polarization in the high temperature plasma prior to fusion, as well as to give quantitative information on anisotropic particle emissions and possible suppression of particular fusion reactions. The techniques previously developed for high D polarization in large solid HD samples have been adapted to polystyrene target shells which are cooled conductively via very thin metal wire supports. An independent NMR experiment on a normal-D{sub 2}-filled glass target shell with 2 {mu}m copper-coated spider silk supports affirmed the thermal conduction adequacy by registering very low sample temperatures in the presence of the generation of considerable D{sub 2} conversion heat. In a permeation experiment employing very pure ortho-D{sub 2}, it was demonstrated that hydrogens diffuse into polystyrene shells at room temperature without molecular dissociation, a requirement for preservation of the composition of our HD samples used for polarization. An advanced version of the permeation apparatus was designed and constructed which permits preparation of target shells loaded with very high density HD or D{sub 2} fuels. That system includes provision for cryocondensation and cold-transfer either to the dilution refrigerator for polarization or to the OMEGA fusion chamber for ICF experiments with denser unpolarized fuel targets than were heretofore realizable in plastic target shells. a major effort resulted in improvements of cold-transfer inter-apparatus mating procedures which minimize the temperature rise of the target shells over that of the helium reservoir temperature. High D polarization in solid pure 0-D{sub 2} was shown to be retained into the liquid state after rapid melting.

Research Organization:
Syracuse Univ., NY (USA). Dept. of Physics
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG03-90SF18437
OSTI ID:
5603745
Report Number(s):
DOE/SF/18437-T2; ON: DE91014178
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English