Recent magneto-inertial fusion experiments on the field reversed configuration heating experiment

Degnan, J.H.; Amdahl, D.J.; Domonkos, Matthew T.; Lehr, F.M.; Grabowski, C.; Robinson, Paul R.; Ruden, E.L.; White, W.; Wurden, G. A.; Intrator, T.; Sears, J.; Weber, Thomas; Waganaar, W. J.; Frese, S.D.; Camacho, J. F.; Coffey, S.K.; Makhin, V.; Roderick, N. F.; Gale, D.; Kostora, M.; Lerma, A.; McCullough, J.; Sommars, W.; Kiuttu, G.F.; Bauer, Bruno; Fuelling, S.; Siemon, R. E.; Lynn, A. G.; Turchi, P. J.

doi:10.1088/0029-5515/53/9/093003

Cited by 33 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…In the last 10 years, there have been substantial advances and growing interest in MIF research and concepts. A team led by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has been investigating solid liner compression of magnetically confined field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas to achieve kilovolt temperatures [5][6][7]. The University of Rochester has introduced seed magnetic fields into the center of targets at the OMEGA laser facility, and compressed those fields by imploding a liner with the OMEGA laser.…”

Section: Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magneto-Inertial Fusion

et al. 2015

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In this community white paper, we describe an approach to achieving fusion which employs a hybrid of elements from the traditional magnetic and inertial fusion concepts, called magneto-inertial fusion (MIF). The status of MIF research in North America at multiple institutions is summarized including recent progress, research opportunities, and future plans.Keywords Magneto-inertial fusion Á Magnetized target fusion Á Liner Á Plasma jets Á Fusion energy Á MagLIF DescriptionMagneto-inertial fusion (MIF) (aka magnetized target fusion) [1][2][3] is an approach to fusion that combines the compressional heating of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) with the magnetically reduced thermal transport and magnetically enhanced alpha heating of magnetic confinement fusion (MCF). From an MCF perspective, the higher density, shorter confinement times, and compressional heating as the dominant heating mechanism reduce the impact of instabilities. From an ICF perspective, the primary benefits are potentially orders of magnitude reduction in the difficult to achieve qr parameter (areal density), and potentially significant reduction in velocity requirements and hydrodynamic instabilities for compression drivers. In fact, ignition becomes theoretically possible from qr B 0.01 g/cm 2 up to conventional ICF values of qr * 1.0 g/cm 2 , and as in MCF, Br rather than qr becomes the key figure-of-merit for ignition because of the enhanced alpha deposition [4]. Within the lower-qr parameter space, MIF exploits lower required implosion velocities (2-100 km/s, compared to the ICF minimum of 350-400 km/s) allowing the use of much more efficient (g C 0.3) pulsed power drivers, while at the highest (i.e., ICF) end of the qr range, both higher gain G at a given implosion velocity as well as lower implosion velocity and reduced hydrodynamic instabilities are theoretically possible. To avoid confusion, it must be emphasized that the wellknown conventional ICF burn fraction formula does not apply for the lower-qr ''liner-driven'' MIF schemes, since it is the much larger mass and qr of the liner (and not that of the burning fuel) that determines the ''dwell time'' and fuel burnup fraction. In all cases, MIF approaches seek to satisfy/ exceed the inertial fusion energy (IFE) figure-of-merit gG * 7-10 required in an economical plant with reasonable recirculating power fraction. A great advantage of MIF is indeed its extremely wide parameter space which allows it greater versatility in overcoming difficulties in implementation or technology, as evidenced by the four diverse approaches and associated implosion velocities shown in Fig. 1.MIF approaches occupy an attractive region in thermonuclear q-T parameter space, as shown in a paper by

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Section: Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magneto-Inertial Fusion

et al. 2015

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“…The last term in (17) describes the component of the force perpendicular to both the magnetic field and the electron temperature gradient (Nernst effect). This last term has a structure of the other advective terms, 1 and 2.…”

Section: Biermann Battery and Nernst Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To be more specific, we make numerical estimates for a set of parameters relevant to the MagLIF project. However, the same general approach can be used for other configurations involving plasma compression by the liners, in particular, compression of FRCs [16], [17]; for a general review of the FRC, see [62].…”

Section: A General Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Scaling relations between various experiments are provided in [13], whereas scaling relations between phenomena in distant astrophysical objects and laboratory Z -pinch plasmas are provided in [14]. The fusion applications include a MagLIF concept [15] that is based on a rapid adiabatic compression of a cylindrical plasma with a preimposed axial magnetic field and magnetized target fusion (MTF) approach (see [16], [17]) that involves compression of the closed-field-line configuration [e.g., the field-reversed configuration (FRC)] by somewhat slower (compared with MagLIF) implosions. We do not discuss the studies on the MHD stability of Z -pinchesthis would require at least one more tutorial.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterizing the Plasmas of Dense $Z$ -Pinches

Ryutov

2015

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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This mini-tutorial summarizes the plasma characteristics important for the Z-pinch research, with an emphasis on high-density collisional plasmas. It begins with the discussion of the most basic plasma properties related to collisionality and magnetization and then proceeds to more complex phenomena associated with magnetic field evolution in a highly dynamical plasma. Plasma transport properties are discussed mostly in conjunction with the Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion concept. Issues of interplay of the classical and anomalous transport in a plasma whose pressure is higher than the magnetic pressure are elucidated. Differences in magnetic reconnection in weakly versus highly collisional plasmas are discussed. Kinetic effects and the role of microturbulence are mentioned in conjunction with the formation of high-energy tails in the particle distribution functions and the generation of particle beams. The discussion is based on the order-of-magnitude estimates suitable for initial orientation in the problem. The two appendixes contain some auxiliary material.

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“…Investigation of this approach was carried out on the Magnetized Shock Experiment (MSX) 7 at Los Alamos National Laboratory with the intention of subsequent fielding on the Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX) [8][9][10][11] at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland, if the technique proved successful. The purpose of MSX is to study the physics of magnetized collisionless shocks 12,13 through the acceleration and subsequent stagnation of FRC plasmoids against a strong magnetic mirror and flux-conserving boundary.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma-gun-assisted field-reversed configuration formation in a conical θ-pinch

2015

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Injection of plasma via an annular array of coaxial plasma guns during the pre-ionization phase of field-reversed configuration (FRC) formation is shown to catalyze the bulk ionization of a neutral gas prefill in the presence of a strong axial magnetic field and change the character of outward flux flow during field-reversal from a convective process to a much slower resistive diffusion process. This approach has been found to significantly improve FRC formation in a conical h-pinch, resulting in a $350% increase in trapped flux at typical operating conditions, an expansion of accessible formation parameter space to lower densities and higher temperatures, and a reduction or elimination of several deleterious effects associated with the pre-ionization phase. V C 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

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Recent magneto-inertial fusion experiments on the field reversed configuration heating experiment

Abstract: Magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) approaches take advantage of an embedded magnetic field to improve plasma energy confinement by reducing thermal conduction relative to conventional inertial confinement fusion (ICF). MIF reduces required precision in the implosion and the convergence ratio.

Cited by 33 publications

References 25 publications

Magneto-Inertial Fusion

Magneto-Inertial Fusion

Characterizing the Plasmas of Dense $Z$ -Pinches

Plasma-gun-assisted field-reversed configuration formation in a conical θ-pinch

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