SOMBRERO-a solid breeder moving bed KrF laser driven IFE power reactor

Sviatoslavsky, I.N.; Sawan, M.E.; Peterson, R. R.; Kulcinski, G.L.; Macfarlane, J. J.; Wittenberg, L.J.; Mogahed, E.A.; Rutledge, S.; Ghose, Sunil; Bourque, R.F.

doi:10.1109/fusion.1991.218763

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…SOMBRERO (solid moving breeder reactor) was developed 881 in 1991 as a conceptual study initially led by W. J. Schafer Associates, teamed with the University of Wisconsin, Bechtel, General Atomics, and Textron. Wisconsin did considerable work refining the concept after the initial study was completed.…”

Section: Sombreromentioning

confidence: 99%

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Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion: A review

et al. 2015

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The direct-drive, laser-based approach to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is reviewed from its inception following the demonstration of the first laser to its implementation on the present generation of high-power lasers. The review focuses on the evolution of scientific understanding gained from target-physics experiments in many areas, identifying problems that were demonstrated and the solutions implemented. The review starts with the basic understanding of laser–plasma interactions that was obtained before the declassification of laser-induced compression in the early 1970s and continues with the compression experiments using infrared lasers in the late 1970s that produced thermonuclear neutrons. The problem of suprathermal electrons and the target preheat that they caused, associated with the infrared laser wavelength, led to lasers being built after 1980 to operate at shorter wavelengths, especially 0.35 μm—the third harmonic of the Nd:glass laser—and 0.248 μm (the KrF gas laser). The main physics areas relevant to direct drive are reviewed. The primary absorption mechanism at short wavelengths is classical inverse bremsstrahlung. Nonuniformities imprinted on the target by laser irradiation have been addressed by the development of a number of beam-smoothing techniques and imprint-mitigation strategies. The effects of hydrodynamic instabilities are mitigated by a combination of imprint reduction and target designs that minimize the instability growth rates. Several coronal plasma physics processes are reviewed. The two-plasmon–decay instability, stimulated Brillouin scattering (together with cross-beam energy transfer), and (possibly) stimulated Raman scattering are identified as potential concerns, placing constraints on the laser intensities used in target designs, while other processes (self-focusing and filamentation, the parametric decay instability, and magnetic fields), once considered important, are now of lesser concern for mainline direct-drive target concepts. Filamentation is largely suppressed by beam smoothing. Thermal transport modeling, important to the interpretation of experiments and to target design, has been found to be nonlocal in nature. Advances in shock timing and equation-of-state measurements relevant to direct-drive ICF are reported. Room-temperature implosions have provided an increased understanding of the importance of stability and uniformity. The evolution of cryogenic implosion capabilities, leading to an extensive series carried out on the 60-beam OMEGA laser [Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)], is reviewed together with major advances in cryogenic target formation. A polar-drive concept has been developed that will enable direct-drive–ignition experiments to be performed on the National Ignition Facility [Haynam et al., Appl. Opt. 46(16), 3276 (2007)]. The advantages offered by the alternative approaches of fast ignition and shock ignition and the issues associated with these concepts are described. The lessons learned from target-physics and implosion experiments are taken into account in ignition and high-gain target designs for laser wavelengths of 1/3 μm and 1/4 μm. Substantial advances in direct-drive inertial fusion reactor concepts are reviewed. Overall, the progress in scientific understanding over the past five decades has been enormous, to the point that inertial fusion energy using direct drive shows significant promise as a future environmentally attractive energy source.

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Section: Sombreromentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wisconsin did considerable work refining the concept after the initial study was completed. 881 SOMBRERO, shown in Fig. 17-5 variation on the SIRIUS series to determine if it would be possible to build a commercially viable IFE-based source of electricity.…”

Section: Sombreromentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion: A review

et al. 2015

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Computer modeling of ICF target chamber phenomena

Moses

Peterson

1994

Laser Part. Beams

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The target chamber of an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) power plant or high-yield test facility must be designed to absorb the target produced X rays and ions and survive the resulting effects. The target chamber conditions must be restored in fractions of a second for high repetition rate power applications. Computer modeling of these phenomena is essential because equivalent conditions cannot be produced in laboratory experiments prior to the first ignition of high-yield ICF targets. Choices of models are dictated by specific reactor design strategies. The two major strategies, gas protection and sacrificial first surfaces, are used as a guide to our discussion. Physical models for ion, electron, and X-ray deposition are discussed, along with physical and numerical modeling of the resulting phase changes in target chamber structures. The hydrodynamics and radiative transfer in the target chamber vapors and plasmas are central topics.

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Target chamber gas response and vaporization in a laser and a heavy ion beam IFE reactor

Peterson

Macfarlane

Wang

[Proceedings] the 14th IEEE/NPSS Symposium Fusion Engineering

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SOMBRERO-a solid breeder moving bed KrF laser driven IFE power reactor

Cited by 4 publications

References 5 publications

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion: A review

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion: A review

Computer modeling of ICF target chamber phenomena

Target chamber gas response and vaporization in a laser and a heavy ion beam IFE reactor

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