Liner-on-target gas puff Z-pinch experiments on the CESZAR linear transformer driver.

ORAL

Abstract

Linear Transformer Drivers (LTDs) are pulse generators with low intrinsic impedance and potential for high energy coupling to gas puff Z-pinch loads. The CESZAR LTD, recently commissioned at UC San Diego, is used to drive gas puff Z-pinch experiments at 0.5 MA current levels with a 160 ns rise time. The Z-pinch load consists of a hollow shell (liner) of different materials (H2, O2, Ne, Ar, Kr) and a central D2 jet (target). An external axial magnetic field (Bz) can be pre-embedded in the plasma to mitigate magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability. We present a parametric study of the pinch performance in terms of Bz0 required for MRT stability, radial convergence, and radiation yield (X-rays from the liner and neutrons from the target) as a function of liner gas species. The Z-pinch implosion is characterized with multiple diagnostics, including time-gated XUV emission images, laser interferometry and schlieren imaging, time-resolved X-ray detectors, time-integrated spectroscopy, and neutron detectors. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations are performed for the different configurations and compared with the experimental pinch dynamics, e.g. Bz threshold for MRT mitigation and neutron production.

* This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number(s) DE-NA0003842.

–

Authors

  • Fabio Conti

    University of California, San Diego, University of California San Diego

  • Apsara Williams

    University of California, San Diego

  • Vladimir Fadeev

    University of California, San Diego

  • Jeff Narkis

    University of California, San Diego

  • David Reisman

    University of California, San Diego

  • Maylis Dozieres

    University of California San Diego, University of California, San Diego

  • Nicholas Aybar

    University of California, San Diego

  • Gil Collins

    University of California San Diego, University of California, San Diego

  • F. N. Beg

    University of California San Diego, University of California, San Diego, UCSD, CER, UCSD, USA