Fast liner proposal. [Magnetic implosions of cylindrical liners]

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7284736· OSTI ID:7284736

Sherwood, A R; Freeman, B L; Gerwin, R A; Jarboe, T R; Krakowski, R A; Malone, R C; Marshall, J; Miller, R L; Suydam, B

This is a proposal to study, both theoretically and experimentally, the possibility of making a fusion reactor by magnetically imploding a cylindrical metallic shell on a prepared plasma. The approach is characterized by the following features: (1) the nonrotating liner would be driven by an axial current, (2) the plasma would also carry an axial current that provides an azimuthal magnetic field for thermal insulation in both the radial and longitudinal directions, (3) solid end plugs would be utilized to prevent axial loss of particles, and (4) liner speeds would be in the 10/sup 6/ cm/s range. The preliminary calculations indicate (1) that the energetics are favorable (energy inputs of about 10 MJ might produce a machine in the break-even regime), (2) that radiation and heat losses could be made tolerable, (3) that alpha-particle heating could be made very effective, and (4) that Taylor instabilities in a fast liner might be harmless because of the large viscosities at high pressures. A preliminary conceptual design of the sort of fusion reactor that might result from such an approach is discussed, as are some of the relevant reactor scaling arguments.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7284736
• Report Number(s): LA-6707-P
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700200* -- Fusion Energy-- Fusion Power Plant Technology
CONFIGURATION
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
ENERGY BALANCE
IMPLOSIONS
PERFORMANCE
SCALING LAWS
SHELLS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS