Preparing for Ignition Experiments on the National Ignition Facility

Conference · Tue Aug 28 00:00:00 EDT 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2008.05.043· OSTI ID:924969

Moses, E; Meier, W

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a 192-beam Nd-glass laser facility presently under construction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for performing ignition experiments for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and experiments studying high energy density (HED) science. NIF will produce 1.8 MJ, 500 TW of ultraviolet light ({lambda} = 351 nm) making it the world's largest and most powerful laser system. NIF will be the world's preeminent facility for the study of matter at extreme temperatures and densities for producing and developing ICF. The ignition studies will be an essential step in developing inertial fusion energy (IFE). the NIF Project is over 93% complete and scheduled for completion in 2009. Experiments using one beam have demonstrated that NIF can meet all of its performance goals. A detailed plan called the National Ignition Campaign (NIC) has been developed to begin ignition experiments in 2010. The plan includes the target physics and the equipment such as diagnostics, cryogenic target manipulator and user optics required for the ignition experiment. Target designs have been developed that calculate to ignite at energy as low as 1 MJ. Plans are under way to make NIF a national user facility for experiments on HED physics and nuclear science, including experiments relevant to the development of IFE.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 924969
• Report Number(s): UCRL-CONF-234135
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
CONSTRUCTION
CRYOGENICS
ENERGY DENSITY
IGNITION
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
LASERS
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
MANIPULATORS
OPTICS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICS
TARGETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY