scholarly journals Production of Hollow Microspheres for Inertial Confinement Fusion Experiments

1994 ◽  
Vol 372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Cook
Keyword(s):  
Surface Finish ◽  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Surface Characterization ◽  
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
Powerful Laser ◽  
Confinement Fusion ◽  
Laser Drivers ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe targets used in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are plastic capsules roughly 0.5 mm in diameter. This paper reviews the fabrication of these capsules, focusing on the production of the thinwalled polystyrene microshell mandrel around which the capsule is built. The relationship between the capsule characteristics, especially surface finish, and capsule performance is discussed, as are the methods of surface characterization and modification necessary for experiments designed to study the effects of surface roughness on implosion dynamics. Targets for the next generation of ICF facilities using more powerful laser drivers will have to be larger while meeting the same or even more stringent symmetry and surface finish requirements. Some of the technologies for meeting these needs are discussed briefly.

Inertial Confinement Fusion Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: The National Ignition Facility, Inertial Fusion Energy, 100–1000 TW Lasers, and the Fast Igniter Concept

1997 ◽  
Vol 06 (04) ◽  
pp. 507-533
Author(s):  
W. Howard Lowdermilk
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Peak Power ◽  
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽  
Fusion Energy ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Inertial Fusion ◽  
Inertial Fusion Energy ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
National Ignition Facility ◽  
Confinement Fusion

The ultimate goal of worldwide research in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is to develop fusion as an inexhaustible, economic, environmentally safe source of electric power. Following nearly thirty years of laboratory and underground fusion experiments, the next step toward this goal is to demonstrate ignition and propagating burn of fusion fuel in the laboratory. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) Project is being constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for just this purpose. NIF will use advanced Nd-glass laser technology to deliver 1.8 MJ of 0.35 μm laser light in a shaped pulse, several nanoseconds in duration, achieving a peak power of 500 TW. A national community of U.S. laboratories is participating in this project, now in its final design phase. France and the United Kingdom are collaborating on development of required technology under bilateral agreements with the US. This paper presents key aspects of the laser design, and descriptions of principal laser and optical components. Follow-on development of lasers to meet the demands of an inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant is reviewed. In parallel with the NIF Project and IFE developments, work is proceeding on ultrashort pulse lasers with peak power in the range of 100–1000 TW. A beamline on the Nova laser at LLNL recently delivered nearly 600 J of 1 μm light in a 0.5 ps duration pulse, for a peak power in excess of a petawatt (1015 W). This beamline, with advanced adaptive optics, will be capable of focused intensities in excess of 1021 W/cm2. Its primary purpose will be to test technological and scientific aspects of an alternate ignition concept, called the "Fast Igniter", that has the potential to produce higher fusion gain than conventional ICF.

scholarly journals Professor Guillermo Velarde and the Madrid manifesto: a leap forward in ICF scientific collaboration

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (01) ◽  
pp. 141-158
Author(s):  
N. Carpintero-Santamaría ◽  
J. Manuel Perlado
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽  
Fusion Energy ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Confinement Fusion ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Secure Place

AbstractIn 1988 Professor Guillermo Velarde, founder of the Instituto de Fusión Nuclear (IFN), chaired the 19th European Conference on Laser Interaction with Matter held in Madrid on 3–7 October 1988. About 170 scientists from Europe, the Soviet Union, United States, Japan, Canada, Israel, Australia, China, and South Africa participated in the ECLIM 88. ECLIM 88 was among ECLIM's series a turning point in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research. The work already performed by different laboratories in Europe, Japan, and around the world had reached a level such that without explicitly expressing it, the collective scientific consensus wanted a change in the existing close policies in several ICF areas at large Laboratories in the USA, Russia, France, and UK.Dr. Erik Storm from the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory proposed to Professor Velarde to write a letter to be signed by the participants of the ECLIM in favor of having an open international collaboration in ICF. Professor Velarde then suggested drawing up a manifesto instead of a letter because the name manifesto had bigger historical connotations. The manifesto received a very successful response among the conference participants and was signed by more than 130 scientists. Our paper aims at twofold objective: (1) to put into account the positive repercussions derived from the MADRID MANIFESTO in the ICF research and (2) to remember the figure of Professor Guillermo Velarde, the most influential physicist in nuclear fusion energy by inertial confinement along the 20th century. His inspiration and leadership in science contributed to make this world a safer and secure place and for us, his disciples and colleagues, an irreplaceable personality in our lives.

scholarly journals INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION RESEARCH AT LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. H. Batha ◽  
B. J. Albright ◽  
D. J. Alexander ◽  
Cris W. Barnes ◽  
P. A. Bradley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Los Alamos ◽  
Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Fusion Research ◽  
Confinement Fusion

TRISO Particle and Beryllium Pebble Thermo-Mechanical Response in a Fusion/Fission Engine for Incineration of Weapons Grade Plutonium

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Caro ◽  
P. DeMange ◽  
J. Marian ◽  
A. Caro
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Boundary Behavior ◽  
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
Neutron Multiplier ◽  
Triso Particles ◽  
Weapons Grade Plutonium

Among the laser inertial fusion-fission energy (LIFE) engine concepts being considered at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), weapons-grade plutonium (WGPu) LIFE is of particular interest because it is designed to burn excess WGPu material and achieve over 99% fraction of initial metal atoms (FIMAs). At the center of the LIFE concept lies a point source of 14MeV neutrons produced by inertial-confinement fusion (ICF) which drives a sub-critical fuel blanket located behind a neutron multiplier. Current design envisions tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particles embedded in a graphite matrix as fuel and Be as multiplier, both in pebble bed form and flowing in Flibe molten salt coolant. In previous work, neutron lifetime modeling and design of Be pebbles was discussed [10]. Constitutive equations were derived and a design criteria were developed for spherical Be pebbles on the basis of their thermo-mechanical behaviour under continued neutron exposure in the neutron multiplier for the LIFE engine. Utilizing the available material property data, Be pebbles lifetime could be estimated to be a minimum of 6 years. Here, we investigate the thermo-mechanical response of TRISO particles used for incineration of WUPu under LIFE operating conditions of high temperature and high neutron fast fluence. To this purpose, we make use of the thermo-mechanical fuel performance code HUPPCO, which is currently under development. The model accounts for spatial and time dependence of the material elastic properties, temperature, and irradiation swelling and creep mechanisms. Preliminary results show that the lifetime of WGPu TRISO particles is affected by changes in the fuel materials properties in time. At high fuel burnup, retention of fission products relies on the SiC containment boundary behavior as a minute pressure vessel. The discussion underlines the need to develop high-fidelity models of the performance of these new fuel designs, especially in the absence of a fast neutron source to test these fuels under relevant conditions.

scholarly journals Surface characterization of ICF capsule by AFM-based profilometer

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Meng ◽  
Xuesen Zhao ◽  
Xing Tang ◽  
Yihao Xia ◽  
Xiaojun Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Surface Characterization ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
Complete Coverage ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Surface Fluctuations ◽  
Confinement Fusion ◽  
Surface Profiles

Outside surface fluctuations of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule greatly affect the implosion performance. An atomic force microscope (AFM)-based profilometer is developed to precisely characterize the capsule surface with nanometer resolution. With the standard nine surface profiles and the complete coverage data, 1D and 2D power spectra are obtained to quantitatively qualify the capsule. Capsule center fast aligning, orbit traces automatic recording, 3D capsule orientation have been studied to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the profilometer.

Fluoride crystals for Inertial Confinement Fusion laser drivers

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
J-P. Goossens ◽  
S. Montant ◽  
D. Stoffel ◽  
T. Bart ◽  
F. Picart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
Confinement Fusion ◽  
Laser Drivers ◽  
Fluoride Crystals

scholarly journals Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's activities to achieve ignition by X-ray drive on the National Ignition Facility

1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. KILKENNY ◽  
T.P. BERNAT ◽  
B.A. HAMMEL ◽  
R.L. KAUFFMAN ◽  
O.L. LANDEN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inertial Confinement Fusion ◽  
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Sandia National Laboratory ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Naval Research ◽  
Inertial Confinement ◽  
National Ignition Facility ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Omega Laser

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a MJ-class glass laser-based facility funded by the Department of Energy which has achieved thermonuclear ignition and moderate gain as one of its main objectives. In the summer of 1998, the project was about 40% complete, and design and construction was on schedule and on cost. The NIF will start firing onto targets in 2001, and will achieve full energy in 2004. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) together with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have the main responsibility for achieving X-ray driven ignition on the NIF. In the 1990s, a comprehensive series of experiments on Nova at LLNL, followed by recent experiments on the Omega laser at the University of Rochester, demonstrated confidence in understanding the physics of X-ray drive implosions. The same physics at equivalent scales is used in calculations to predict target performance on the NIF, giving credence to calculations of ignition on the NIF. An integrated program of work in preparing the NIF for X-ray driven ignition in about 2007, and the key issues being addressed on the current Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) facilities [(Nova, Omega, Z at Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) and NIKE at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)], are described.

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