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Title: Liner Compression of a MAGO / Inverse-Pinch Configuration

Abstract

In the ''metal liner'' approach to Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF), a preheated magnetized plasma target is compressed to thermonuclear temperature and high density by externally driving the implosion of a flux conserving metal enclosure, or liner, which contains the plasma target. As in inertial confinement fusion, the principle fusion fuel heating mechanism is pdV work by the imploding enclosure, called a pusher in ICF. One possible MTF target, the hard-core diffuse z pinch, has been studied in MAGO experiments at VNIIEF, and is one possible target being considered for experiments on the Atlas pulsed power facility. Numerical MHD simulations show two intriguing and helpful features of the diffuse z pinch with respect to compressional heating. First, in two-dimensional simulations the m=0 interchange modes, arising from an unstable pressure profile, result in turbulent motions and self-organization into a stable pressure profile. The turbulence also gives rise to convective thermal transport, but the level of turbulence saturates at a finite level, and simulations show substantial heating during liner compression despite the turbulence. The second helpful feature is that pressure profile evolution during compression tends towards improved stability rather than instability when analyzed according to the Kadomtsev criteria. A liner experiment is plannedmore » for Atlas to study compression of magnetic flux without plasma as a first step. The Atlas geometry is compatible with a diffuse z pinch, and simulations of possible future experiments show that keV temperatures and useful neutron production for diagnostic purposes should be possible if a suitable plasma injector is added to the Atlas facility.« less

Authors:
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Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
887265
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JRNL-212421
TRN: US0604226
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Nuclear Fusion
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 49; Journal Issue: 9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; COMPRESSION; CONFIGURATION; GEOMETRY; HEATING; IMPLOSIONS; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; INSTABILITY; LINERS; MAGNETIC FLUX; NEUTRONS; STABILITY; TARGETS; THERMONUCLEAR FUELS; TRANSPORT; TURBULENCE

Citation Formats

Siemon, R E, Atchison, W L, Awe, T, Bauer, B S, Buyko, A M, Chernyshev, V K, Cowan, T E, Degnan, J H, Faehl, R J, Fuelling, S, Garanin, S F, Goodrich, T, Ivanovsky, A V, Lindemuth, I R, Makhin, V, Mokhov, V N, Reinovsky, R E, Ryutov, D D, Scudder, D W, Taylor, T, and Yakubov, V B. Liner Compression of a MAGO / Inverse-Pinch Configuration. United States: N. p., 2005. Web.
Siemon, R E, Atchison, W L, Awe, T, Bauer, B S, Buyko, A M, Chernyshev, V K, Cowan, T E, Degnan, J H, Faehl, R J, Fuelling, S, Garanin, S F, Goodrich, T, Ivanovsky, A V, Lindemuth, I R, Makhin, V, Mokhov, V N, Reinovsky, R E, Ryutov, D D, Scudder, D W, Taylor, T, & Yakubov, V B. Liner Compression of a MAGO / Inverse-Pinch Configuration. United States.
Siemon, R E, Atchison, W L, Awe, T, Bauer, B S, Buyko, A M, Chernyshev, V K, Cowan, T E, Degnan, J H, Faehl, R J, Fuelling, S, Garanin, S F, Goodrich, T, Ivanovsky, A V, Lindemuth, I R, Makhin, V, Mokhov, V N, Reinovsky, R E, Ryutov, D D, Scudder, D W, Taylor, T, and Yakubov, V B. 2005. "Liner Compression of a MAGO / Inverse-Pinch Configuration". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/887265.
@article{osti_887265,
title = {Liner Compression of a MAGO / Inverse-Pinch Configuration},
author = {Siemon, R E and Atchison, W L and Awe, T and Bauer, B S and Buyko, A M and Chernyshev, V K and Cowan, T E and Degnan, J H and Faehl, R J and Fuelling, S and Garanin, S F and Goodrich, T and Ivanovsky, A V and Lindemuth, I R and Makhin, V and Mokhov, V N and Reinovsky, R E and Ryutov, D D and Scudder, D W and Taylor, T and Yakubov, V B},
abstractNote = {In the ''metal liner'' approach to Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF), a preheated magnetized plasma target is compressed to thermonuclear temperature and high density by externally driving the implosion of a flux conserving metal enclosure, or liner, which contains the plasma target. As in inertial confinement fusion, the principle fusion fuel heating mechanism is pdV work by the imploding enclosure, called a pusher in ICF. One possible MTF target, the hard-core diffuse z pinch, has been studied in MAGO experiments at VNIIEF, and is one possible target being considered for experiments on the Atlas pulsed power facility. Numerical MHD simulations show two intriguing and helpful features of the diffuse z pinch with respect to compressional heating. First, in two-dimensional simulations the m=0 interchange modes, arising from an unstable pressure profile, result in turbulent motions and self-organization into a stable pressure profile. The turbulence also gives rise to convective thermal transport, but the level of turbulence saturates at a finite level, and simulations show substantial heating during liner compression despite the turbulence. The second helpful feature is that pressure profile evolution during compression tends towards improved stability rather than instability when analyzed according to the Kadomtsev criteria. A liner experiment is planned for Atlas to study compression of magnetic flux without plasma as a first step. The Atlas geometry is compatible with a diffuse z pinch, and simulations of possible future experiments show that keV temperatures and useful neutron production for diagnostic purposes should be possible if a suitable plasma injector is added to the Atlas facility.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/887265}, journal = {Nuclear Fusion},
number = 9,
volume = 49,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2005},
month = {Wed May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2005}
}