Heat transfer in inertial confinement fusion reactor systems

Conference · Mon May 14 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5934769

Hovingh, J

The transfer of energy produced by the interaction of the intense pulses of short-ranged fusion microexplosion products with materials is one of the most difficult problems in inertially-confined fusion (ICF) reactor design. The short time and deposition distance for the energy results in local peak power densities on the order of 10/sup 18/ watts/m/sup 3/. High local power densities may cause change of state or spall in the reactor materials. This will limit the structure lifetimes for ICF reactors of economic physical sizes, increasing operating costs including structure replacement and radioactive waste management. Four basic first wall protection methods have evolved: a dry-wall, a wet-wall, a magnetically shielded wall, and a fluid wall. These approaches are distinguished by the way the reactor wall interfaces with fusion debris as well as the way the ambient cavity conditions modify the fusion energy forms and spectra at the first wall. Each of these approaches requires different heat transfer considerations.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5934769
• Report Number(s): UCRL-81673; CONF-790802-77
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700208* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
CONFINEMENT
COOLING SYSTEMS
COST
DESIGN
ENERGY TRANSFER
FIRST WALL
HEAT TRANSFER
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
LASER FUSION REACTORS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
SIZE
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS