John E. Rauch and Miriam Rauch (Nu-Trek), Kim Reed (Sandia National Laboratories), Farrokh Najmabadi, and Mark Tillack (University of California, San Diego)
miriam
nu-trek.com
The DT fusion process in the Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) Power Plant generates repetitive bursts of x-rays, debris, high-energy neutrons, gammas, and alpha particles. This results in complex phenomena that cannot be duplicated in present experimental facilities. Much of the progress to date has come from computer modeling. Unfortunately, simulation codes still do not contain all phenomena of interest and most importantly the models have not been benchmarked against relevant experimental data, because such data do not exist. Key engineering challenges include demonstrating wall, optic, and mirror survival (~2x108 shots per year) and chamber relaxation (the chamber returning to a quiescent state so that another shot can be initiated).
A pulsed power source can provide a low-cost opportunity to perform high fidelity, rep-rated tests of chamber wall and optical materials. We have explored a design using magnetic pulse compression which can support a variety of IFE chamber simulation and material damage studies including, but not limited to, armor, mirror and optical materials, armor attachment, heat removal schemes, chamber dynamics, and clearing. The effects simulator uses a pulsed e-beam to simulate the depth dose profiles generated by IFE x rays. In addition, it will be able to drive a number of distinctly different modes of operation, such as a plasma radiation source, a proton beam, and various ion beams.
The pulse generator is based on solid-state technology with three stages of magnetic pulse compression, an output line, and a diode. Stored energy and energy into the load will be up to 2.5 kJ and 0.5 kJ, respectively. E-beam end point voltage is between 50 and 300 keV. Additional diodes and loads that can be supported include plasma radiation source (gas jet), proton beam, and ion beam. Rep rate will be between 0 to 10 Hz.
The simulator would be extremely versatile and able to simulate numerous environments. To demonstrate one of the possible simulations, we compared (a) e-beam and (b) IFE indirect drive x-ray dose depth profiles in carbon at 6.5 m.
In the paper we will provide a more detailed description of the pulse generator and the expected simulation environments.
