Ryusuke TSUJI
Faculty of Engineering, Ibaraki University
4-12-1, Nakanarusawa, Hitachi, Ibaraki, 316 JAPAN
tsuji
ee.ibaraki.ac.jp
The residual vapor of the liquid metal in IFE reactor chamber causes (1) heat transport to the target, (2) drag force to the target and (3) deviation of the orbit of the target. To solve these difficulties, we propose the concept of the flying metal pipe for target transport in IFE reactor.
The metal pipe is composed of material identical to liquid metal used in the IFE reactor such as LiPb. The metal pipe (typically 1cm diameter and 2m of length) is injected to IFE reactor chamber. Subsequently IFE target is injected and it goes into the metal pipe, goes out from other side and arrives at the center of IFE reactor chamber.
The target in the metal pipe is protected from the radiation in IFE chamber. In the metal pipe, as the cryogenic pump effect is expected, temperature and pressure of vapor in the pipe is lower than those in IFE chamber. The heat transport from vapor to the target is decreased. This reduces the requirement of target injection speed. Drag force by the vapor is reduced. As the target goes through in the pipe, effect of the wind in IFE reactor chamber is vanished. Deviation of the orbit of IFE target does not occur.
After micro explosion of IFE target, the metal pipe is reached to the bottom of the reactor chamber and melted in the liquid metal pool.
