Numerical solution of the gas compression problem at a specified law of action

Выполнено численное моделирование одномерных течений политропного газа, описывающее сжатие покоящегося газа с плотностью 1 в покоящийся газ, сжатый до значения 10. Описываемое сжатие происходит без ударных волн эффективным с точки зрения энерговложения способом, так как энергия тратится только на сжатие газа, но не на его разгон Controlled thermonuclear fusion (CTF) is an almost unlimited source of energy and scientists have been studying it for several decades. This requires an efficient and stable compression of diyterium-tritium fuel to a very high density. This work addresses shockless one-dimensional (plane, cylindrical and spherical symmetry cases) “compression from rest to rest”, when gas from the initial resting state under the influence of an impenetrable piston is shocklessly transferred to a resting homogeneous state, but compressed by 10000 times. This compression is energetically most advantageous, because work is spent only on the compression, but not on the gas acceleration. Earlier [10] this problem was solved in the opposite direction of time change. In this case, a density jump occurs on the piston which was taken into account in calculations [3] at the final moment of compression. The numerical solution of this problem in the opposite direction of time variation allows calculating the trajectory of the compressing piston in the form of a set of points ( t,r ) at which the gas velocity and density are determined. In this paper, the problem of shockless “compression from rest to rest” is numerically solved in the forward direction of time change if the compressing piston trajectory is known. The compression piston moves along a monotonous trajectory away from the axis or center of symmetry. It is important, when calculating in forward direction of time change, no internal characteristics are initially entered. They, like all gas flow in the calculation area, are determined in the process of direct calculation. This indicates that the trajectory of compressing piston is the recommendation for appropriate physical experiments

On the Program of Russian Research in the Field of Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion and Plasma Technologies

The main scientific problems solved within the “Development of controlled fusion technologies and innovative plasma technologies” federal project, part of the comprehensive program “Development of equipment, technologies, and scientific research in the field of atomic energy use in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2024” are described. A brief history of development of the project is given, and the description of its main components, participants, anticipated results, and possibilities for the future is p-resented. This paper is a foreword to the materials of the journal issue entirely devoted to the Tokamak with Reactor Technologies (TRT) project, which is to be developed within the federal project.

ECR discharge sustained by millimeter waves as a source of dense plasma flux

The results of the investigation of the dense ECR discharge hydrogen plasma flux formation in the single solenoid magnetic field are presented in this work. The transversal flux profile obtained at the optimal system parameters is shown. The possibility of the formation of homogeneous plasma fluxes with density of 750 mA/cm2 and total current of 5 A is demonstrated. The results of the first experiments of the hydrogen ion beam extraction from the ECR discharge plasma in the single magnetic coil are presented. The record values of the ion current density higher than 1.5 A/cm2 were obtained. The results of the research presented in this paper show the prospects of the proposed system for applications of the neutral beam injector development for the plasma heating in the controlled thermonuclear fusion installations.

Participation in thermonuclear research of EURATOM: results achieved under the HORIZON 2020 program and the prospects for the next EU program for 2021-2027 (transcript of the report at the meeting of the Presidium of NAS of Ukraine, February 17, 2021)

The report emphasizes the importance of developing thermonuclear research in the world, the need for further integration of Ukrainian research institutions into the European research area and increasing the participation of Ukrainian scientists in world-class research in plasma physics and controlled thermonuclear fusion. The urgency and complexity of the problem of controlled thermonuclear fusion, which covers not only various aspects of high-temperature plasma physics as the basis of energy of the future, but also problems of thermonuclear reactors, materials science, engineering aspects of thermonuclear energy, etc. are discussed.

TO THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KIPT TORSATRON PROGRAM

The paper is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of controlled thermonuclear fusion studies performed at the KIPT on the specific stellarator-type experimental installations commonly referred to as “the torsatron”. Detailed data are reported on the operating thermonuclear facility “Uragan-2M”, the research results obtained with it, and also, the prospects for its use as a reactor. The advantages of the torsatron of this type are described, among them being the wide-range parameter variation capability. This is of importance for finding out the regularities related to plasma stability, heating and confinement.

Electromagnetic Induction and Relativistic Double Layer: Mechanism for Ball Lightning Formation

What is the probability that ball lightning (BL) is a real phenomenon of nature? The answer depends on your prior information. If you are one of those lucky men who had a close encounter with a BL and escaped unscathed, your probability that it is real equals, of course, unity. On the other hand, if you are a theoretical physicist deeply involved in the problem of controlled thermonuclear fusion, your probability is likely to be zero. In this study, an attempt is being made to raise the likelihood of reality of BL phenomenon for everyone, plasma physicists included. BL is conceived here as highly structured formation of air, at roughly atmospheric pressure, with a set of nested sheaths, each of which is a double electrical layer with voltage drop in the order of 100 kV.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Diffusion and Aggregation Behavior of Helium in Tungsten Bulk Materials

Controlled thermonuclear fusion is a promising project. If it can be realized, it will certainly replace fossil fuels and solve the problem of energy exhaustion facing humanity. The fusion reaction fuel is a light core, which can be extracted from sea water. The source is very rich, and the fusion reaction of hydrogen and its isotopes is not radioactive, so the fusion energy can be efficient, cheap and clean. At present, the realization of this technology still faces many difficult problems that have not been overcome. The Tokamak device is the most promising device for realizing the controlled thermonuclear fusion. It utilizes a toroidal magnetic field to confine the high temperature plasma. Among them, the choice of plasma-facing materials is the key factor that determines whether or not controlled nuclear fusion can be achieved. For the time being, tungsten is the preferred plasma-facing material. In the case of fusion, tungsten is exposed to extreme conditions such as high temperature and strong radiation, and a large number of defects are generated inside. In this thesis, the molecular dynamics software LAMMPS was used to study one of the defects, interstitial atoms, and the interaction of helium atoms to understand the diffusion and aggregation behavior of helium and the evolution of defects in tungsten. The following aspects are mainly studied: one is the calculation of the binding energy of an interstitial atom and helium atoms, the other is the study of the interstitial and helium atoms’ space configurations, and the third is comparing trap mutation in defective tungsten materials with trap mutation in tungsten materials without defects, and the fourth is the recording of the displacement of the helium atoms and the interstitial atom at temperature control. The study found that the presence of the interstitial atom will indeed affect the aggregation and diffusion of helium atoms, which will trap the movement of helium atoms and cause the helium atoms to gather near the interstitial atoms and form small clusters of helium. As the cluster grows larger, trap mutations occur like a defect-free tungsten block.