Block Ignition Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) with Condensed Matter Cluster Type Targets for p-B11 Powered Space Propulsion
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, NPL Associates 216 Talbot Laboratory 104 S. Wright St. Urbana, IL 61801 (United States)
- Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales Sydney (Australia)
- Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland)
- Beijing National Laboratory for CondensedMatter Physics Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of ScienceBeijing 100080 (China)
- School of Computer Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Penrith (Australia)
- China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang (China)
- Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, Beijing (China)
- Institute of Physics, Academy of Science, Prague (Czech Republic)
The use of laser-driven Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) for space propulsion has been the subject of several earlier conceptual design studies, (see: Orth, 1998; and other references therein). However, these studies were based on older ICF technology using either 'direct' or 'in-direct x-ray driven' type target irradiation. Important new directions have opened for laser ICF in recent years following the development of 'chirped' lasers capable of ultra short pulses with powers of TW up to few PW which leads to the concept of 'fast ignition (FI)' to achieve higher energy gains from target implosions. In a recent publication the authors showed that use of a modified type of FI, termed 'block ignition' (Miley et al., 2008), could meet many of the requirements anticipated (but not then available) by the designs of the Vehicle for Interplanetary Space Transport Applications (VISTA) ICF fusion propulsion ship (Orth, 2008) for deep space missions. Subsequently the first author devised and presented concepts for imbedding high density condensed matter 'clusters' of deuterium into the target to obtain ultra high local fusion reaction rates (Miley, 2008). Such rates are possible due to the high density of the clusters (over an order of magnitude above cryogenic deuterium). Once compressed by the implosion, the yet higher density gives an ultra high reaction rate over the cluster volume since the fusion rate is proportional to the square of the fuel density. Most recently, a new discovery discussed here indicates that the target matrix could be composed of B{sup 11} with proton clusters imbedded. This then makes p-B{sup 11} fusion practical, assuming all of the physics issues such as stability of the clusters during compression are resolved. Indeed, p-B{sup 11} power is ideal for fusion propulsion since it has a minimum of unwanted side products while giving most of the reaction energy to energetic alpha particles which can be directed into an exhaust (propulsion) nozzle. Power plants using p-B{sup 11} have been discussed for such applications before, but prior designs face formidable physics/technology issues, largely overcome with the present approach.
- OSTI ID:
- 21293386
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1103, Issue 1; Conference: SPESIF-2009: International technical forum on space, propulsion and energy sciences, Huntsville, AL (United States), 24-26 Feb 2009; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3115576; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALPHA PARTICLES
ATOMIC CLUSTERS
BORON 11 TARGET
DESIGN
DEUTERIUM
ICF DEVICES
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
ION PROPULSION
ION THRUSTERS
LASER IMPLOSIONS
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PETAWATT POWER RANGE
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
PROTON REACTIONS
SPACE FLIGHT
THERMONUCLEAR FUELS
THERMONUCLEAR IGNITION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
X RADIATION