Superior performance of directly driven hydrogen ablator capsules

ORAL

Abstract

We investigate the unique physics of using hydrogen as the main ablation material to achieve high nuclear yields from a liquid DT-wetted layer capsule directly driven by the National Ignition Facility’s current laser capabilities. The capsule is composed of a thin plastic shell used to enclose a thick low-density annular 3D-printed matrix layer that contains the liquid hydrogen fuel. Simulations predict high laser absorption fractions consistent with previous polar direct drive (PDD) MJ-class NIF experiments where >95% capsule absorption of the laser drive energy was achieved using a 5 mm diameter plastic capsule with a surface intensity of 2.5x1014 W/cm2. Moreover, superior double-digit hydro-efficiency is predicted when hydrogen is the principal ablation material - higher than any other ablator material having equal shell mass. Simulations using the HYDRA and xRAGE rad-hydro codes show superior ablation pressure from hydrogen for extended times. Development of 3D printing techniques to enable construction of these hybrid capsules is being pursued. Investigation of the heterogeneous nature of the hydrogen/lattice ablator is being performed via planar cyrogenic experiments on Omega. An overview of these multi-Laboratory efforts will be shown.

R. E. Olson et al., Phys. Plasmas 28, 122704 (2021).


M. J. Schmitt, et al., https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/DPP22/Session/JO04.13.

*This work was supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program of Los Alamos National Laboratory under project number 20230034DR. Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy (Contract No. 89233218CNA000001).

–

Presenters

  • Mark Jude Schmitt

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

Authors

  • Mark Jude Schmitt

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Saba Goodarzi

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Richard E Olson

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Brian Michael Haines

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Blake A Wetherton

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Zaarah Mohamed

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Alexander G Seaton

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Derek W Schmidt

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Barak Farhi

    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Gregory E Kemp

    • Lawrence Livermore National Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Cliff A Thomas

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester
    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics
    • University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE)

  • Michael J Rosenberg

    • University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE)
    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester
    • University of Rochester

  • Stephen S Craxton

    • University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE)
    • University of Rochester
    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Alex Haid

    • General Atomics