1
|
Paddock RW, Martin H, Ruskov RT, Scott RHH, Garbett W, Haines BM, Zylstra AB, Aboushelbaya R, Mayr MW, Spiers BT, Wang RHW, Norreys PA. One-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of low convergence ratio direct-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200224. [PMID: 33280567 PMCID: PMC7741005 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Indirect drive inertial confinement fusion experiments with convergence ratios below 17 have been previously shown to be less susceptible to Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instabilities, making this regime highly interesting for fusion science. Additional limitations imposed on the implosion velocity, in-flight aspect ratio and applied laser power aim to further reduce instability growth, resulting in a new regime where performance can be well represented by one-dimensional (1D) hydrodynamic simulations. A simulation campaign was performed using the 1D radiation-hydrodynamics code HYADES to investigate the performance that could be achieved using direct-drive implosions of liquid layer capsules, over a range of relevant energies. Results include potential gains of 0.19 on LMJ-scale systems and 0.75 on NIF-scale systems, and a reactor-level gain of 54 for an 8.5 MJ implosion. While the use of 1D simulations limits the accuracy of these results, they indicate a sufficiently high level of performance to warrant further investigations and verification of this new low-instability regime. This potentially suggests an attractive new approach to fusion energy. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R. W. Paddock
- Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - H. Martin
- University College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R. T. Ruskov
- University College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R. H. H. Scott
- Central Laser Facility, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, UK
| | - W. Garbett
- AWE plc, Aldermaston, Reading, Berkshire RG7 4PR, UK
| | - B. M. Haines
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS T087, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - A. B. Zylstra
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | | | - M. W. Mayr
- Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - B. T. Spiers
- Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R. H. W. Wang
- Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - P. A. Norreys
- Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- University College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Central Laser Facility, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Norreys PA, Ceurvorst L, Sadler JD, Spiers BT, Aboushelbaya R, Mayr MW, Paddock R, Ratan N, Savin AF, Wang RHW, Glize K, Trines RMGM, Bingham R, Hill MP, Sircombe N, Ramsay M, Allan P, Hobbs L, James S, Skidmore J, Fyrth J, Luis J, Floyd E, Brown C, Haines BM, Olson RE, Yi SA, Zylstra AB, Flippo K, Bradley PA, Peterson RR, Kline JL, Leeper RJ. Preparations for a European R&D roadmap for an inertial fusion demo reactor. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200005. [PMID: 33280565 PMCID: PMC7741006 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A European consortium of 15 laboratories across nine nations have worked together under the EUROFusion Enabling Research grants for the past decade with three principle objectives. These are: (a) investigating obstacles to ignition on megaJoule-class laser facilities; (b) investigating novel alternative approaches to ignition, including basic studies for fast ignition (both electron and ion-driven), auxiliary heating, shock ignition, etc.; and (c) developing technologies that will be required in the future for a fusion reactor. A brief overview of these activities, presented here, along with new calculations relates the concept of auxiliary heating of inertial fusion targets, and provides possible future directions of research and development for the updated European Roadmap that is due at the end of 2020. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P. A. Norreys
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- UKRI-STFC Central Laser Facility, Didcot, UK
| | - L. Ceurvorst
- CELIA, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, Talence, France
| | - J. D. Sadler
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - B. T. Spiers
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - M. W. Mayr
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R. Paddock
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - N. Ratan
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - A. F. Savin
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R. H. W. Wang
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - K. Glize
- UKRI-STFC Central Laser Facility, Didcot, UK
| | | | - R. Bingham
- UKRI-STFC Central Laser Facility, Didcot, UK
- University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - M. P. Hill
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - N. Sircombe
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - M. Ramsay
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - P. Allan
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - L. Hobbs
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - S. James
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - J. Skidmore
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - J. Fyrth
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - J. Luis
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - E. Floyd
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - C. Brown
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, UK
| | - B. M. Haines
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - R. E. Olson
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - S. A. Yi
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | | | - K. Flippo
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | | | | | - J. L. Kline
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - R. J. Leeper
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| |
Collapse
|