A Reactor Development Scenario for the FuZE Sheared-Flow Stabilized Z-pinch

We present a conceptual design, scaling calculations, and development path for a pulsed fusion reactor based on a flow-stabilized Z-pinch. Experiments performed on the ZaP [1] and ZaP-HD [2] devices have largely demonstrated the basic physics of sheared-flow stabilization at pinch currents up to 100 kA. Initial experiments on the FuZE device [3], a high-power upgrade of ZaP, have achieved $\sim$20 usec of stability at pinch current 100-200 kA and pinch diameter $\sim$few mm for a pinch length of 50 cm. Scaling calculations based on a quasi-steady-state power balance show that extending stable duration to $\sim$100 usec at a pinch current of $\sim$1.5 MA and pinch length of 50 cm, results in a reactor plant Q$\sim$5. Future performance milestones are proposed for pinch currents of: 300 kA, where Te and Ti are calculated to exceed 1-2 keV; 700 kA, where DT fusion power would be expected to exceed pinch input power; and 1 MA, where fusion energy per pulse exceeds input energy per pulse. [1]U. Shumlak, et. al., Nucl. Fusion 49 (2009) 075039. [2]U. Shumlak, et. al., Phys. Plasmas 24 (2017) 055702. [3]B.A. Nelson, et. al., this meeting.