Parabolic lithium mirror for a laser-driven hot plasma producing device
Abstract
A hot plasma producing device is provided, wherein pellets, singly injected, of frozen fuel are each ignited with a plurality of pulsed laser beams. Ignition takes place within a void area in liquid lithium contained within a pressure vessel. The void in the liquid lithium is created by rotating the pressure vessel such that the free liquid surface of molten lithium therein forms a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloid functions as a laser mirror with a reflectivity greater than 90%. A hot plasma is produced when each of the frozen deuterium-tritium pellets sequentially arrive at the paraboloid focus, at which time each pellet is illuminated by the plurality of pulsed lasers whose rays pass through circular annuli across the top of the paraboloid. The beams from the lasers are respectively directed by associated mirrors, or by means of a single conical mirror in another embodiment, and by the mirror-like paraboloid formed by the rotating liquid lithium onto the fuel pellet such that the optical flux reaching the pellet can be made to be uniform over 96% of the pellet surface area. The very hot plasma produced by the action of the lasers on the respective singly injected fuel pellets inmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Clinton, TN
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Energy Research and Development Administration
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863374
- Patent Number(s):
- 4158598
- Application Number:
- 05/695,661
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21B - FUSION REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- parabolic; lithium; mirror; laser-driven; hot; plasma; producing; device; provided; pellets; singly; injected; frozen; fuel; ignited; plurality; pulsed; laser; beams; ignition; takes; void; liquid; contained; pressure; vessel; created; rotating; free; surface; molten; therein; forms; paraboloid; revolution; functions; reflectivity; 90; produced; deuterium-tritium; sequentially; arrive; focus; time; pellet; illuminated; lasers; rays; pass; circular; annuli; top; respectively; directed; associated; mirrors; means; single; conical; embodiment; mirror-like; formed; optical; flux; reaching; uniform; 96; action; respective; produces; copious; quantity; neutrons; x-rays; utility; neutron; source; x-ray; addition; utilized; produce; tritium; blanket; mechanism; hot plasma; plasma produced; neutrons produced; pulsed lasers; fuel pellet; liquid lithium; fuel pellets; molten lithium; x-ray source; laser beams; pressure vessel; laser beam; pulsed laser; neutron source; plasma producing; producing device; producing tritium; free liquid; rotating liquid; lithium blanket; liquid surface; frozen fuel; injected fuel; therein form; rays pass; laser mirror; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Baird, James K. Parabolic lithium mirror for a laser-driven hot plasma producing device. United States: N. p., 1979.
Web.
Baird, James K. Parabolic lithium mirror for a laser-driven hot plasma producing device. United States.
Baird, James K. Tue .
"Parabolic lithium mirror for a laser-driven hot plasma producing device". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863374.
@article{osti_863374,
title = {Parabolic lithium mirror for a laser-driven hot plasma producing device},
author = {Baird, James K},
abstractNote = {A hot plasma producing device is provided, wherein pellets, singly injected, of frozen fuel are each ignited with a plurality of pulsed laser beams. Ignition takes place within a void area in liquid lithium contained within a pressure vessel. The void in the liquid lithium is created by rotating the pressure vessel such that the free liquid surface of molten lithium therein forms a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloid functions as a laser mirror with a reflectivity greater than 90%. A hot plasma is produced when each of the frozen deuterium-tritium pellets sequentially arrive at the paraboloid focus, at which time each pellet is illuminated by the plurality of pulsed lasers whose rays pass through circular annuli across the top of the paraboloid. The beams from the lasers are respectively directed by associated mirrors, or by means of a single conical mirror in another embodiment, and by the mirror-like paraboloid formed by the rotating liquid lithium onto the fuel pellet such that the optical flux reaching the pellet can be made to be uniform over 96% of the pellet surface area. The very hot plasma produced by the action of the lasers on the respective singly injected fuel pellets in turn produces a copious quantity of neutrons and X-rays such that the device has utility as a neutron source or as an x-ray source. In addition, the neutrons produced in the device may be utilized to produce tritium in a lithium blanket and is thus a mechanism for producing tritium.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 1979},
month = {Tue Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 1979}
}