Theory of ignition and burn propagation in inertial fusion implosions
Abstract
A detailed analytic model is presented here to investigate the physics of burn propagation in inertially confined plasmas. The onset of ignition and burn propagation occurs when alpha heating of the hot spot causes rapid ablation of shell mass into the hot spot. This allows large energy gains to be achieved since most of the fuel mass is located in the shell. Here, we first present a comprehensive review of previous analytic models that have been used to describe the physics of hot-spot evolution and ignition; we then show that a proper description of a propagating burn wave requires a comprehensive model of hot spot and shell evolution that includes proper mass conservation in the shell, fusion reactivity, and fuel depletion. The analytic theory is in good agreement with detailed radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that predict the onset of burn propagation as occurring when the yield enhancement caused by alpha heating is between 15- and 25-fold, $$f_α$$ ~ 1.4, where $$f_α$$ = alpha energy deposited/hot-spot energy at bang time, and the hot-spot burnup fraction is approximately 2%. We show that the definition of ignition is not sensitive to the alpha-particle stopping power nor asymmetries provided that the absorbed fraction of alpha particles $$θ_α$$ is correctly accounted for. Finally, we use the results of 2-D simulations to show that even when $$θ_α$$ is small and unknown (as is true in hot spots with mid modes that have significant leakage of alpha particles into the surrounding cold bubbles), one can still relate the experimentally measureable parameter $$\chi^{53}_α$$ to the yield amplification and the burning-plasma parameter $$Q^{\text{hs}}_α$$ = alpha energy deposited/total input work delivered to the hot spot
- Authors:
-
[1];
[1];
[1];
[2];
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1631033
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1630376
- Report Number(s):
- 2019-287; 2522; 1566
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; 2019-287, 2522, 1566; TRN: US2200731
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0003856
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physics of Plasmas
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 27; Journal Issue: 5; 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; Plasma confinement; Thermodynamic states and processes; Equations of fluid dynamics; Energy conservation; Hydrodynamics simulations; Alpha particles; Deflagration; Newtonian mechanics; Fluid mechanics
Citation Formats
Christopherson, A. R., Betti, R., Miller, S., Gopalaswamy, V., Mannion, O. M., and Cao, D. Theory of ignition and burn propagation in inertial fusion implosions. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.5143889.
Christopherson, A. R., Betti, R., Miller, S., Gopalaswamy, V., Mannion, O. M., & Cao, D. Theory of ignition and burn propagation in inertial fusion implosions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5143889
Christopherson, A. R., Betti, R., Miller, S., Gopalaswamy, V., Mannion, O. M., and Cao, D. Thu .
"Theory of ignition and burn propagation in inertial fusion implosions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5143889. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1631033.
@article{osti_1631033,
title = {Theory of ignition and burn propagation in inertial fusion implosions},
author = {Christopherson, A. R. and Betti, R. and Miller, S. and Gopalaswamy, V. and Mannion, O. M. and Cao, D.},
abstractNote = {A detailed analytic model is presented here to investigate the physics of burn propagation in inertially confined plasmas. The onset of ignition and burn propagation occurs when alpha heating of the hot spot causes rapid ablation of shell mass into the hot spot. This allows large energy gains to be achieved since most of the fuel mass is located in the shell. Here, we first present a comprehensive review of previous analytic models that have been used to describe the physics of hot-spot evolution and ignition; we then show that a proper description of a propagating burn wave requires a comprehensive model of hot spot and shell evolution that includes proper mass conservation in the shell, fusion reactivity, and fuel depletion. The analytic theory is in good agreement with detailed radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that predict the onset of burn propagation as occurring when the yield enhancement caused by alpha heating is between 15- and 25-fold, $f_α$ ~ 1.4, where $f_α$ = alpha energy deposited/hot-spot energy at bang time, and the hot-spot burnup fraction is approximately 2%. We show that the definition of ignition is not sensitive to the alpha-particle stopping power nor asymmetries provided that the absorbed fraction of alpha particles $θ_α$ is correctly accounted for. Finally, we use the results of 2-D simulations to show that even when $θ_α$ is small and unknown (as is true in hot spots with mid modes that have significant leakage of alpha particles into the surrounding cold bubbles), one can still relate the experimentally measureable parameter $\chi^{53}_α$ to the yield amplification and the burning-plasma parameter $Q^{\text{hs}}_α$ = alpha energy deposited/total input work delivered to the hot spot},
doi = {10.1063/1.5143889},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 5,
volume = 27,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu May 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Thu May 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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