Numerical performance assessment of double-shell targets for Z-pinch dynamic hohlraum

Abstract

A Z-pinch dynamic hohlraum can create the high-temperature radiation field required by indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion. A dynamic hohlraum with peak radiation temperature over 300 eV can be obtained with a [Formula: see text]50 MA Z-pinch driver according to the scaling law of dynamic hohlraum radiation temperature vs drive current. Based on a uniform 300 eV radiation temperature profile with a width of 10 ns, three double-shell capsules with radii of 2, 2.5, and 3 mm are proposed, and the corresponding fusion yields from a one-dimensional calculation are 28.8, 56.1, and 101.6 MJ. The implosion dynamics of the 2.5 mm-radius capsule is investigated in detail. At ignition, the areal density of the fuel is about 0.53 g/cm2, the fuel pressure is about 80 Gbar, and the central ion temperature is about 4.5 keV, according to the one-dimensional simulation. A two-dimensional simulation indicates that the double-shell capsule can implode nearly spherically when driven by the radiation field of a Z-pinch dynamic hohlraum. The sensitivities of the fusion performance to the radiation temperature profiles and to deviations in the capsule parameter are investigated through one-dimensional simulation, and it is found that the capsule fusion yields are rather stable in a quite large parameter space. A one-dimensional simulation of a capsule embedded in 50 mg/cm3 CH foam indicates that the capsule performance does not change greatly in the mimicked environment of a Z-pinch dynamic hohlraum. The double-shell capsules designed here are also applicable to laser indirect-drive inertial fusion, if a laser facility can produce a uniform 300 eV radiation field and sustain it for about 10 ns.

Convergent Richtmyer–Meshkov instability on two-dimensional dual-mode interfaces

“…2014; Chu et al. 2022). An understanding of the various stages of these instabilities is an essential requirement of ICF efforts.…”

“…The RM instability is an important phenomenon occurring in many applications. For example, in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) reactions, the mixing induced by the RM instability (created by surface non-uniformities at the fuel-shell interface or by non-uniform radiation drive) results in the contamination of the fuel and limits the fusion energy gain (Lindl et al 2014;Chu et al 2022). An understanding of the various stages of these instabilities is an essential requirement of ICF efforts.…”

Interfacial instabilities driven by co-directional rarefaction and shock waves

“…Conversely, when continuous accelerations caused by such as rarefaction waves are exerted, Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability or stabilization occurs (Rayleigh 1883;Taylor 1950;Mikaelian 2009), depending upon whether the rarefaction waves propagate from heavy fluids into light fluids or vice versa. Interfacial instabilities have received much attention due to their significant role in various scientific and engineering applications such as supernova explosions (Kuranz et al 2018;Musci et al 2020), supersonic combustions (Yang, Chang & Bao 2014) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF) (Betti & Hurricane 2016;Chu et al 2022). In these applications, shocks and rarefaction waves, which provide complex acceleration histories, interact with the interfaces, significantly influencing the development of flow structures.…”

“…2020), supersonic combustions (Yang, Chang & Bao 2014) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF) (Betti & Hurricane 2016; Chu et al. 2022). In these applications, shocks and rarefaction waves, which provide complex acceleration histories, interact with the interfaces, significantly influencing the development of flow structures.…”

A two-layer single shell magnetized target for lessening the Nernst effect

“…Analytical models were proposed for a double-shell capsule driven by ZPDH and the fusion gain was expected to exceed 10 for a 50 MA peak current. Then, double-shell capsules driven by ZPDH were optimized [16]. It is found that the fusion energy yields from one-dimensional (1D) simulations are quite stable in a quite large parameter space.…”