An alternative to the compact torus ICF driver
Plasma guns have been used in the Controlled Thermonuclear Reaction (CTR) Program to inject energetic deuterium-tritium plasma into a magnetic confinement machine, also for dense-plasma-focus devices to achieve fusion utilizing Z-pinches. In this report we propose another CTR application of a plasma gun: accelerating the plasma in a coaxial geometry to a speed in the neighborhood of a centimeter per shake with a total kinetic energy of about 20 MJ. The kinetic energy is efficiently converted to x-rays in a time of about a shake, and the x-ray pulse is used to implode an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) capsule. As far as we know the plasma gun application we are proposing has not been explored before, but we observe that the LLNL Compact Torus Program hopes to accelerate a compact-torus-plasma to a comparable speed and energy and, in one of its applications, to generate x-rays for ICF purposes. In fact, the only difference between the LLNL Compact Torus Program and what we are proposing is that our plasma does not rely on imbedded magnetic fields and currents to minimize instabilities. We minimize instabilities by snowplowing the plasma to its required speed in a single shock. Which approach is better requires additional investigation.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., El Segundo, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6706396
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-111408; ON: DE93009453
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Compact torus accelerator as a driver for ICF
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Related Subjects
700411* -- Inertial Confinement Devices-- (1992-)
CONFINEMENT
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
IMPLOSIONS
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
IONIZING RADIATIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA GUNS
RADIATIONS
X RADIATION