Implosion and scaling study of a 2-D axisymmetric field-reversed configuration for pulsed-power liner fusion
POSTER
Abstract
Field-reversed configurations are being explored as potential targets for pulsed-powered implosions due to their unique plasma confinement structure offering reduced thermal end losses. Numerical simulations initialize a 2-D axisymmetric FRC equilibrium profile derived from the Grad-Shafranov equation, which is then imploded for a range of initial temperatures (100 - 500 eV), peak magnetic fields (10 - 30 T), and peak densities (10^-4 g/cm^3 - 10^-3 g/cm^3). Simulations are conducted via HYDRA - a single fluid, multi-material, arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) radiation, hydrodynamics code - which includes Ohmic heating, Nernst, Righi-Leduc, Hall physics, and anisotropic thermal conduction effects. The field-reversal, which is not studied here, is anticipated to be achieved using the AutoMag liner. The state parameters and liner dynamics will be investigated, particularly at peak compression, to determine the implosion velocity, compression ratio, and neutron yield.
*This work is supported by the Center for Magnetic Acceleration, Compression, and Heating (MACH), part of the U.S. DOE-NNSA Stewardship Science Academic Alliances Program under Cooperative Agreement DE-NA0004148. This work is performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by the National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract No. DE-NA0003525.
Presenters
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Jeffrey Contri