PHELIX: design of transformer-driven linear implosion system

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2008

OSTI ID:957723

Turchi, Peter J ^[1]; Atchison, Walter L ^[1]; Rousculp, Chris L ^[1]; Reinovsky, Robert E ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory

Experiments involving electromagnetically-imploded, solid-density liners can be achieved at reduced cost and energy if we start with a scale-size based on diagnostic resolution, rather than on the largest capacitor bank or generator we could bring to bear. For minimum resolution of 100 microns or less, many useful experiments could be performed with initial liner diameters that are factors of two to three smaller than used on high-energy systems, such as Atlas, thereby reducing energy requirements to sub-megajoule levels. Reduction in scale-size, however, also decreases the inductance change associated with liner motion relative to other inductances in the circuit. To improve coupling efficiency to liner kinetic energy, we invoke a current step-up transformer. Scaling relations have been developed for reducing the size and energy of such systems and compared with detailed numerical simulations. We discuss these calculations and describe the engineering embodiment of the resulting design for a system called PHELIX (Precision High Energy-density Liner Implosion eXperiment).

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 957723
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-08-04312; LA-UR-08-4312
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
ACCURACY
CAPACITORS
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY DENSITY
IMPLOSIONS
INDUCTANCE
KINETIC ENERGY
LINERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
RESOLUTION