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Levitt B, Goyon C, Banasek JT, Bott-Suzuki SC, Liekhus-Schmaltz C, Meier ET, Morton LA, Taylor A, Young WC, Nelson BA, Sutherland DA, Quinley M, Stepanov AD, Barhydt JR, Tsai P, Morgan KD, van Rossum N, Hossack AC, Weber TR, McGehee WA, Nguyen P, Shah A, Kiddy S, Van Patten M, Youmans AE, Higginson DP, McLean HS, Wurden GA, Shumlak U. Elevated Electron Temperature Coincident with Observed Fusion Reactions in a Sheared-Flow-Stabilized Z Pinch. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:155101. [PMID: 38682996 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.155101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The sheared-flow-stabilized Z pinch concept has been studied extensively and is able to produce fusion-relevant plasma parameters along with neutron production over several microseconds. We present here elevated electron temperature results spatially and temporally coincident with the plasma neutron source. An optical Thomson scattering apparatus designed for the FuZE device measures temperatures in the range of 1-3 keV on the axis of the device, 20 cm downstream of the nose cone. The 17-fiber system measures the radial profiles of the electron temperature. Scanning the laser time with respect to the neutron pulse time over a series of discharges allows the reconstruction of the T_{e} temporal response, confirming that the electron temperature peaks simultaneously with the neutron output, as well as the pinch current and inductive voltage generated within the plasma. Comparison to spectroscopic ion temperature measurements suggests a plasma in thermal equilibrium. The elevated T_{e} confirms the presence of a plasma assembled on axis, and indicates limited radiative losses, demonstrating a basis for scaling this device toward net gain fusion conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Levitt
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - C Goyon
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - J T Banasek
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - S C Bott-Suzuki
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | | | - E T Meier
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - L A Morton
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - A Taylor
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - W C Young
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - B A Nelson
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | | | - M Quinley
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | | | - J R Barhydt
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - P Tsai
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - K D Morgan
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | | | - A C Hossack
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - T R Weber
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - W A McGehee
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - P Nguyen
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - A Shah
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - S Kiddy
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | | | - A E Youmans
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - D P Higginson
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - H S McLean
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - G A Wurden
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - U Shumlak
- Zap Energy Inc., Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
- Aerospace and Energetics Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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Banasek JT, Goyon C, Bott-Suzuki SC, Swadling GF, Quinley M, Levitt B, Nelson BA, Shumlak U, McLean HS. Probing local electron temperature and density inside a sheared flow stabilized Z-pinch using portable optical Thomson scattering. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2023; 94:023508. [PMID: 36859043 DOI: 10.1063/5.0135265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We report the first optical Thomson scattering measurements inside a high electron temperature (≳1 keV) and moderate electron density (mid 1016 cm-3) plasma. This diagnostic has been built to provide critical plasma parameters, such as electron temperature and density, for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy-supported fusion-energy concepts. It uses an 8 J laser at 532 nm in 1.5 ns to measure the high frequency feature of the Thomson scattering profile at 17 locations along the probe axis. It is able to measure electron density from 5 × 1017 cm-3 to several 1019 cm-3 and electron temperatures from tens of eV to several keV. Here, we describe the design, deployment, and analysis on the sheared flow stabilized Z-pinch machine at Zap Energy named FuZE. The probe beam is aimed at an axial distance of 20 cm from the central electrode and is timed within the temporal envelope of neutron emission. The high temperature and moderate density plasmas generated on FuZE lie in an unconventional regime for Thomson scattering as they are between tokamaks and laser-produced plasmas. We described the analysis considerations in this regime, show that the electron density was below 5 × 1016 cm-3 at all times during these measurements, and present a sample shot where the inferred electron temperature varied from 167 ± 16 eV to 700 ± 85 eV over 1.6 cm.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Banasek
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - C Goyon
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - S C Bott-Suzuki
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - G F Swadling
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - M Quinley
- Zap Energy, Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - B Levitt
- Zap Energy, Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - B A Nelson
- Zap Energy, Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - U Shumlak
- Zap Energy, Seattle, Washington 98203, USA
| | - H S McLean
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA
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Kawata S, Karino T, Gu YJ. Phase control of a z-current-driven plasma column. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:041201. [PMID: 32422791 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.041201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A dynamic mitigation is presented for sausage and kink instability growths of a z-current-driven magnetized plasma column. In this Rapid Communication we found that a wobbling motion of the z-current electron axis induces a phase-controlled perturbation, so that the growths of the sausage and kink instabilities are successfully and remarkably mitigated. In general, plasma instabilities emerge from perturbations, and the perturbation phase is normally unknown. However, if the perturbation phase is known or actively imposed by, for example, a designed driver wobbling behavior, the instability growth would be controlled and mitigated by a superimposition of the perturbations imposed. The results in this Rapid Communication demonstrate that the wobbling z-current electron beam would provide an improvement in the plasma column stability and uniformity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kawata
- Graduate School of Engineering, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Japan
| | - T Karino
- Graduate School of Engineering, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, Japan
| | - Y J Gu
- Institute of Physics of the ASCR, ELI-Beamlines, Na Slovance 2, 18221 Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS, Za Slovankou 1782/3, 18200 Prague, Czech Republic
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Forbes EG, Shumlak U, McLean HS, Nelson BA, Claveau EL, Golingo RP, Higginson DP, Mitrani JM, Stepanov AD, Tummel KK, Weber TR, Zhang Y. Progress Toward a Compact Fusion Reactor Using the Sheared-Flow-Stabilized Z-Pinch. FUSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/15361055.2019.1622971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor G. Forbes
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Uri Shumlak
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Harry S. McLean
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Fusion Energy Sciences Program, M/S L-440, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550
| | - Brian A. Nelson
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Elliot L. Claveau
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Raymond P. Golingo
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Drew P. Higginson
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Fusion Energy Sciences Program, M/S L-440, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550
| | - James M. Mitrani
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Fusion Energy Sciences Program, M/S L-440, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550
| | - Anton D. Stepanov
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Kurt K. Tummel
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Fusion Energy Sciences Program, M/S L-440, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550
| | - Tobin R. Weber
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Yue Zhang
- University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 3940 Benton Lane, Seattle, Washington 98195
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