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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. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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)'.
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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
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Norreys PA, Ridgers C, Lancaster K, Koepke M, Tynan G. Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy: an introduction to the second edition. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2021; 379:20200028. [PMID: 33280563 PMCID: PMC7741012 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Part II of this special edition contains the remaining 11 papers arising from a Hooke discussion meeting held in March 2020 devoted to exploring the current status of inertial confinement fusion research worldwide and its application to electrical power generation in the future, via the development of an international inertial fusion energy programme. It builds upon increased coordination within Europe over the past decade by researchers supported by the EUROFusion Enabling Research grants, as well as collaborations that have arisen naturally with some of America's and Asia's leading researchers, both in the universities and national laboratories. The articles are devoted to informing an update to the European roadmap for an inertial fusion energy demonstration reactor, building upon the commonalities between the magnetic and inertial fusion communities' approaches to fusion energy. A number of studies devoted to understanding the physics barriers to ignition on current facilities are then presented. The special issue concludes with four state-of-the-art articles describing recent significant advances in fast ignition inertial fusion research. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Norreys
- Atomic and Laser Physics Sub-department, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | - Kate Lancaster
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Mark Koepke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, White Hall, Box 5315, Morgantown, WV 26506-6315, USA
| | - George Tynan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Obenschain SP, Schmitt AJ, Bates JW, Wolford MF, Myers MC, McGeoch MW, Karasik M, Weaver JL. Direct drive with the argon fluoride laser as a path to high fusion gain with sub-megajoule laser energy. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2020; 378:20200031. [PMID: 33040651 PMCID: PMC7658751 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Argon fluoride (ArF) is currently the shortest wavelength laser that can credibly scale to the energy and power required for high gain inertial fusion. ArF's deep ultraviolet light and capability to provide much wider bandwidth than other contemporary inertial confinement fusion (ICF) laser drivers would drastically improve the laser target coupling efficiency and enable substantially higher pressures to drive an implosion. Our radiation hydrodynamics simulations indicate gains greater than 100 are feasible with a sub-megajoule ArF driver. Our laser kinetics simulations indicate that the electron beam-pumped ArF laser can have intrinsic efficiencies of more than 16%, versus about 12% for the next most efficient krypton fluoride excimer laser. We expect at least 10% 'wall plug' efficiency for delivering ArF light to target should be achievable using solid-state pulsed power and efficient electron beam transport to the laser gas that was demonstrated with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Electra facility. These advantages could enable the development of modest size and lower cost fusion power plant modules. This would drastically change the present view on inertial fusion energy as being too expensive and the power plant size too large. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 1)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. P. Obenschain
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
| | - A. J. Schmitt
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
| | - J. W. Bates
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
| | - M. F. Wolford
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
| | - M. C. Myers
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
| | | | - M. Karasik
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
| | - J. L. Weaver
- Laser Plasma Branch, Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375USA
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Norreys PA, Ridgers C, Lancaster K, Koepke M, Tynan G. Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy: an introduction to the first special edition. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci 2020; 378:20200006. [PMID: 33040658 PMCID: PMC7658753 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
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. The Hooke discussion meeting in March 2020 provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in inertial confinement fusion research world-wide to date. This first edition of two special issues seeks to identify paths forward to achieve high fusion energy gain. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 1)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. A. Norreys
- Atomic and Laser Physics sub-Department, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK
| | - C. Ridgers
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - K. Lancaster
- Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - M. Koepke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, White Hall Box 5315, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6315, USA
| | - G. Tynan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Abstract
Fusion energy holds the prospect of an energy source that is clean, safe, affordable and limitless. It will transform the global energy system. Today, around $1.5 billion in private capital has been invested in companies that are working on transformative approaches to fusion. Annually, even more than that is spent on fusion research by governments around the world. However, just achieving a scientific demonstration of fusion power will not be enough on its own to transition the global energy system. It will require innovations in the legal, regulatory, commercial and political spheres to support the massive deployment of fusion power that we know will be necessary to meet the global challenges of climate change and energy scarcity. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 1)'.
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