Favorable Collisional Demixing of Ash and Fuel in Magnetized Inertial Fusion

Abstract

Magnetized inertial fusion experiments are approaching regimes where the radial transport is dominated by collisions between magnetized ions, providing an opportunity to exploit effects usually associated with steady-state magnetic fusion. In particular, the low-density hotspot characteristic of magnetized liner inertial fusion results in diamagnetic and thermal frictions which can demix thermalized ash from fuel, accelerating the fusion reaction. For reactor regimes in which there is substantial burnup of the fuel, increases in the fusion energy yield on the order of 5% are possible. PACS numbers:

Maximum-entropy states for magnetized ion transport

“…The maximum-entropy state naturally enforces a spatially uniform tem-perature that is the same for all species. The physics of differential ion transport in the presence of temperature gradients and temperature differences is of significant theoretical and practical interest [2,5,[22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

MITNS: Multiple-Ion Transport Numerical Solver for Magnetized Plasmas

“…One possibility would be to add the capability to simulate plasma undergoing compression. There are a number of laboratory experiments that involve compressing magnetized plasmas, and there is significant upside potential in understanding and controlling differential ion transport in these devices [37,38]. These upsides could include the control of fuel mix and impurities in fusion devices and the control of high-Z species in compression devices used for X-ray generation.…”

Generalized Impurity Pinch in Partially Magnetized Multi-Ion Plasma

“…In fusion devices, it is typically advantageous to concentrate fuel ions in the hot core of the plasma and to flush out impurities and fusion products [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] . This is true for a broad range of devices.…”

“…Equlibrium in multi-ion magnetized plasmas in the absence of temperature gradients but in the presence of external forces was found by Kolmes et al 12,13 . Multi-ion plasma transport in the presence of temperature gradients, but in a very strong magnetic field (such that Hall parameters are much greater than 1) was studied by Ochs and Fisch 4,5 . More recently, the transport code MITNS has been developed 14 to study evolution of multi-ion transport in collisionally magnetized plasmas.…”