Processes terminating radiative collapse in a hydrogen fiber Z pinch

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Physics of Fluids B; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.859460· OSTI ID:6682677

Chittenden, J P; Haines, M G ^[1]

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1. Plasma Physics Group Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ (England)

The processes terminating radiative collapse, of relevance to the present generation of hydrogenic fiber Z pinch experiments, are identified and discussed. Computational analogs for these processes are developed and used to modify a basic model consisting of a one-dimensional (1-D) Lagrangian resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, coupled to a model of a realistic external circuit. A radiation transport package, tailored to the problem, is used to simulate radiation energy transfer within the pinch. Other effects accounted for include modification of the electron transport coefficients for high electron magnetization as well as the effect of free-electron degeneracy upon electron transport coefficients, the equation of state, and the opacity. Results suggest that termination is dominated by rapid changes in the radial profiles of both degenerate electron pressure and the radiation energy loss per unit volume (the gradient of the latter profile changing sign as the high-density pinch core becomes optically thick to lower frequencies). The termination process is shown to be a hybrid of radiation transport and free-electron degeneracy effects for all line densities considered, with electron degeneracy becoming increasingly important at lower line densities.

• OSTI ID: 6682677
• Journal Information: Physics of Fluids B; (USA), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (USA) Vol. 2:8; ISSN 0899-8221; ISSN PFBPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CONSERVATION LAWS
ELECTRIC HEATING
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DRIFT
ENERGY BALANCE
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONS
HEATING
HYDRODYNAMICS
JOULE HEATING
LAGRANGIAN FUNCTION
LINEAR PINCH DEVICES
LINEAR Z PINCH DEVICES
LOSSES
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
MODIFICATIONS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
PINCH DEVICES
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA PRESSURE
PLASMA SIMULATION
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
RADIATIONS
RESISTANCE HEATING
SIMULATION
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES