It has been shown that an m = 0 instability of a Z pinch carrying a current of the order of 10 MA with a rise time of less than 10 ns can generate a spark capable of igniting a fusion detonation in the adjacent DT plasma channel. A possible method for generating such currents, necessary for the implosion of an initial large radius, low temperature Z pinch, can be a radial implosion of a cylindrical fast liner. The problem has been addressed in previous publications without considering the role played by an initially impressed m = 0 perturbation, a mechanism indispensable for the generation of a spark. The liner-Z pinch dynamics can be solved at several levels of physical model completeness. The first corresponds to a zero dimensional model in which the liner has a given mass per unit length and a zero thickness, the plasma is compressed adiabatically and is isotropic, and there are no energy losses or Joule heating. The second level is one dimensional. The Z pinch plasma is described by the full set of MHD, two-fluid equations. The liner is treated first as thin and incompressible, and subsequently it is assumed that it has a finite thickness and is composed of a heavy ion plasma, having an artificial but realistic equation of state. Both plasma and liner are considered uniform in the Z direction and only DT reactions are considered. It is shown that, given sufficient energy and speed of the liner, the Z pinch can reach a volume ignition. The third level is two dimensional. Plasma and liner are treated as in the second level but either the Z pinch or the liner is perturbed by an m = 0 non-uniformity. Provided the liner energy is high enough and the initial m = 0 perturbation is correctly chosen, the final neck plasma can act as a spark for DT ignition. It is also shown that the liner energy required for generating a spark and the subsequent detonation propagation are considerably less than in the case of volume ignition.
Documento: | Artículo |
Título: | DT ignition in a Z pinch compressed by an imploding liner |
Autor: | Bilbao, L.; Bernal, L.; Linhart, J.G.; Verri, G. |
Filiación: | Instituto de Física del Plasma, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina INFM, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy |
Palabras clave: | Computer simulation; Energy dissipation; Ignition; Inertial confinement fusion; Nuclear energy; Perturbation techniques; Plasma confinement; Joule heating; Plasma energy; Plasma theory |
Año: | 2001 |
Volumen: | 41 |
Número: | 11 |
Página de inicio: | 1551 |
Página de fin: | 1558 |
DOI: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/41/11/304 |
Título revista: | Nuclear Fusion |
Título revista abreviado: | Nucl Fusion |
ISSN: | 00295515 |
CODEN: | NUFUA |
Registro: | https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00295515_v41_n11_p1551_Bilbao |