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Title: Theory of alpha heating in inertial fusion: Alpha-heating metrics and the onset of the burning-plasma regime

Abstract

Here, a detailed and comprehensive 1-dimensional theory of alpha-heating metrics is developed to determine the onset of burning plasma regimes in inertial fusion implosions. The analysis uses an analytic model of the deceleration, stagnation, and burn phases of inertial confinement fusion implosions combined with the results from a database of radiation-hydrodynamic simulations. The onset of the burning-plasma regime occurs when the alpha-heating rate in the hot spot exceeds the compression power input and is represented by the parameter Qα = 1/2 α energy/PdV work. A second burning plasma regime is also identified, where the alpha-heating rate exceeds the compression input to the entire stagnated plasma, including the hot spot and confining shell, and is represented by Qtotα. It is shown that progress towards the burning-plasma regime is correlated with the yield enhancement caused by alpha-heating but is more accurately related to the fractional alpha energy fα = 1/2 α energy/hot-spot energy. In the analysis presented here, we develop a method to infer these intermediate metrics from experiments and show that the alpha power produced in National Ignition Facility High-Foot implosions is approximately 50% of the external input power delivered to the hot spot and 25% of the total external powermore » (from compression) delivered to the stagnated core.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
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  1. Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States). Fusion Science Center and Laboratory for Laser Energetics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1463091
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1460919
Grant/Contract Number:  
NA0001944
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 25; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Christopherson, A. R., Betti, R., Howard, J., Woo, K. M., Bose, A., Campbell, E. M., and Gopalaswamy, V. Theory of alpha heating in inertial fusion: Alpha-heating metrics and the onset of the burning-plasma regime. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1063/1.5030337.
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Christopherson, A. R., Betti, R., Howard, J., Woo, K. M., Bose, A., Campbell, E. M., & Gopalaswamy, V. Theory of alpha heating in inertial fusion: Alpha-heating metrics and the onset of the burning-plasma regime. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5030337
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Christopherson, A. R., Betti, R., Howard, J., Woo, K. M., Bose, A., Campbell, E. M., and Gopalaswamy, V. Thu . "Theory of alpha heating in inertial fusion: Alpha-heating metrics and the onset of the burning-plasma regime". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5030337. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1463091.
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@article{osti_1463091,
title = {Theory of alpha heating in inertial fusion: Alpha-heating metrics and the onset of the burning-plasma regime},
author = {Christopherson, A. R. and Betti, R. and Howard, J. and Woo, K. M. and Bose, A. and Campbell, E. M. and Gopalaswamy, V.},
abstractNote = {Here, a detailed and comprehensive 1-dimensional theory of alpha-heating metrics is developed to determine the onset of burning plasma regimes in inertial fusion implosions. The analysis uses an analytic model of the deceleration, stagnation, and burn phases of inertial confinement fusion implosions combined with the results from a database of radiation-hydrodynamic simulations. The onset of the burning-plasma regime occurs when the alpha-heating rate in the hot spot exceeds the compression power input and is represented by the parameter Qα = 1/2 α energy/PdV work. A second burning plasma regime is also identified, where the alpha-heating rate exceeds the compression input to the entire stagnated plasma, including the hot spot and confining shell, and is represented by Qtotα. It is shown that progress towards the burning-plasma regime is correlated with the yield enhancement caused by alpha-heating but is more accurately related to the fractional alpha energy fα = 1/2 α energy/hot-spot energy. In the analysis presented here, we develop a method to infer these intermediate metrics from experiments and show that the alpha power produced in National Ignition Facility High-Foot implosions is approximately 50% of the external input power delivered to the hot spot and 25% of the total external power (from compression) delivered to the stagnated core.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5030337},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 7,
volume = 25,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Thu Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5030337
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Cited by: 12 works
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Figures / Tables:

FIG. 1 FIG. 1: The fractional alpha-heating parameter $f_α$ is well correlated with the central value of the Lawson parameter $p_0τ/S_{α,0}$ for fα ≤ 1.4 (which corresponds to yield amplifications <10 of interest here).
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

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      Figures / Tables found in this record:

      FIG. 1 (p. 3)figure
      FIG. 2 (p. 4)figure
      FIG. 3 (p. 4)figure
      FIG. 4 (p. 5)figure
      FIG. 5 (p. 8)figure
      FIG. 6 (p. 9)figure
      FIG. 7 (p. 9)figure
      Figure 8 (p. 10)figure
      FIG. 10 (p. 11)figure
      FIG. 9 (p. 11)figure
      FIG. 11 (p. 12)figure
      Table I (p. 13)table
      Table II (p. 13)table
      Table III (p. 15)table
      Table IV (p. 15)table
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