Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) [1] is a concept that involves using a pulsed electrical current to implode an initially-solid, cylindrical metal tube (liner) filled with preheated and magnetized fusion fuel. One-and two-dimensional simulations predict that if sufficient liner integrity can be maintained throughout the implosion, then significant fusion yield (>100 kJ) is possible on the 25-MA, 100-ns Z accelerator. The greatest threat to the liner integrity is the Magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability, which first develops on the outer liner surface, and then works its way inward toward the inner surface throughout the implosion. Two-dimensional simulations predict that a thick liner, with R outer /∆R=6, should be robust enough to keep the MRT instability from overly disrupting the fusion burn at stagnation. This talk will present the first experiments designed to study a thick, MagLIF-relevant liner implosion through to stagnation on Z [2]. The use of beryllium for the liner material enabled us to obtain penetrating monochromatic (6151±0.5 eV) radiographs that reveal information about the entire volume of the imploding liner. This talk will also discuss experiments that investigated Z's pulseshaping capabilities to either shock-or shocklessly-compress the imploding liners [3], as well as our most recent experiments that used 2-micron-thick aluminum sleeves to provide high-contrast tracers for the positions and states of the inner surfaces of the imploding beryllium liners. The radiography data to be presented provide stringent constraints on the simulation tools used by the broader high energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion communities, where quantitative areal density measurements, particularly of convergent fusion targets, are relatively scarce. We will also present power-flow tests of the MagLIF load hardware as well as new micro-B-dot measurements of the azimuthal drive magnetic field that penetrates the initially vacuum filled interior of the liner during the implosion.

Pulsed power accelerators compress electrical energy in space and time to provide versatile experimental platforms for high energy density and inertial confinement fusion science. The 80-TW “Z” pulsed power facility at Sandia National Laboratories is the largest pulsed power device in the world today. Z discharges up to 22 MJ of energy stored in its capacitor banks into a current pulse that rises in 100 ns and peaks at a current as high as 30 MA in low-inductance cylindrical targets. Considerable progress has been made over the past 15 years in the use of pulsed power as a precision scientific tool. This paper reviews developments at Sandia in inertial confinement fusion, dynamic materials science, x-ray radiation science, and pulsed power engineering, with an emphasis on progress since a previous review of research on Z in Physics of Plasmas in 2005.

Replacing aluminum with copper in the die cast squirrel cage conductor bars in electric induction motor rotors has enormous potential benefit in terms of improved efficiency, energy savings, reduced maintenance and reduced weight and cost. Energy savings in the US alone can eventually exceed the output of three to four new 600 megawatt generating plants. The major deterrent to that conversion has been the short tool life associated with casting molten copper. Research sponsored by the Copper Development Association has identified recommended tool materials and casting practices that significantly improve tool life. TBT Presses, Inc. has developed a vertical die casting machine with design features especially suitable for casting motor rotors, and have demonstrated capability to cast a wide range of copper motor sizes on that equipment. They now cast copper-alloy motor rotors for customer evaluation and for limited-volume production runs. THT's Sub Liquidus rheocasting process provides future opportunity for even better tool life when die casting copper alloys.

Jian (Ben) He will have earned a bachelor's of science degree in graphics and design technology at the Western Michigan University by 2012. He is currently serving as a vice president Tau Alpha Pi, an engineering honors society. He is also working part time as a Fire Extinguisher Assistant, a fire equipment restoration job to which he thoroughly enjoys. He has been a distinguished student in the WMU Physics and Engineering Design Technology Department as an elected physics student of the semester in 2010 and an outstanding student in 2012. In the late 1999, he immigrated to the United States for better education, and has always appreciated his parents and sister ever since. He embraces free-thinking philosophy and astronomy.

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