Overview of University of Wisconsin Inertial-Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Research

Santarius, J. F.; Kulcinski, G.L.; Ashley, Robert; Boris, David R.; Cipiti, B.B.; Murali, S. Krupakar; Piefer, G.; Radel, Ross; Radel, Tracy E.; Wehmeyer, A.L.

doi:10.13182/fst05-a857

Cited by 38 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The feed through is not covered with the insulator in order to prevent the charge up on the 80kV 50mA insulator. Recently the neutron production rate ofl.8 x 108 neutrons/second is achieved in the University of Wisconsin [1]. This device is expected to serve as the simple and portable neutron source.…”

Section: Deuterium Gas Feedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discharge Characteristics of Anode Size in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion

Osawa

Yoshimura

Tabata

et al. 2006

2006 International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum

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An IECF (Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion) device is a very simple and safe neutron source using the glow discharge in deuterium gas and deuterium -deuterium fusion. The discharge characteristic is studied experimentally. The gas pressure -applied voltage characteristics are examined altering the device's anode size. The gas pressure range that the device is able to work is differed by the anode's radius differs. With larger anode, the glow discharge is occurred even in less pressure and it is very stable for current change.

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Section: Deuterium Gas Feedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discharge Characteristics of Anode Size in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion

Osawa

Yoshimura

Tabata

et al. 2006

2006 International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum

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“…A pulse modulator for an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) neutron source is currently under development at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The IEC neutron source requires that a high electric potential be maintained between two grids within a hydrogen plasma [1]. In our device, the grids are arranged as concentric spheres, although several other arrangements are also possible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing a scaled pulsed modulator for an IEC neutron source into a resistive load

Dale

Wheat

Aragonez

2009

2009 IEEE Pulsed Power Conference

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A 1/10 th scaled prototype pulse modulator for an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) neutron source has been designed and tested at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The scaled prototype modulator is based on a solid-state Marx architecture and has an output voltage of 13 kV and an output current of 10 A. The modulator has a variable pulse width between 50 µs and 1 ms with < 5% droop at all pulse widths. The modulator operates with a duty factor up to 5% and has a maximum pulse repetition frequency of 1 kHz. The use of a solid-state Marx modulator in this application has several potential benefits. These benefits include variable pulse width and amplitude, inherent switch overcurrent and transient overvoltage protection, and increased efficiency over DC supplies used in this application. Several new features were incorporated into this design including inductorless charging, fully snubberless operation, and stage fusing. The scaled prototype modulator has been tested using a 1 kΩ resistive load, Test results are given. Short (50 μs) and long (1 ms) pulses are demonstrated as well as high duty factor operation (1 kHz rep rate at a 50 μs pulse width for a 5% duty factor). Pulse agility of the modulator is demonstrated through turning the individual Marx stages on and off in sequence producing ramp, pyramid, and reverse pyramid waveforms.

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“…[5][6][7] Several different versions of this concept are currently under investigation at various research institutes around the world. [8][9][10] This device has been investigated using several different diagnostics, 11,12 but is not yet completely understood. Due to the renewed interest in the near term applications of this device, 13 a continual effort is being made to improve both the diagnostics and the experimental methods to understand this device.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10 ͑2͒ Embedded ͑beam-target͒. 10 ͑3͒ Volume source ͑charge-exchange-neutral͒. 10 ͑4͒ Beam-background reactions that occur near and inside the cathode.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of fusion regimes in an inertial electrostatic confinement device using the new eclipse disk diagnostic

et al. 2006

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New diagnostics are required to understand the physics operation of an inertial electrostatic confinement ͑IEC͒ device. In an attempt to understand the fusion source regimes within the IEC device, a new diagnostic called the eclipse disk has been introduced. This diagnostic was used to exploit the byproduct protons' energy difference between the deuterium-deuterium ͑D-D͒ and deuterium-an isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron ͑D-3 He͒ reactions to study the contributions of the protons generated from various source regimes. These source regimes are divided into five categories namely: converged core, embedded, beam background, volume, and wall-surface sources. The eclipse disk diagnostic has provided the first confirmed evidence that D-3 He reactions are predominantly embedded reactions. It has been observed that at the present operating power levels ͑6-10 kW͒ most of the D-D reactions occur in the volume of the chamber caused by the charge exchanged neutrals, and the converged core contribution is significant only for D-D reactions. Since the branching ratio for the proton and neutron generation in a D-D fusion reaction is ϳ50%, it is inferred that the proton to neutron count ratio is a better parameter to monitor than either proton or neutron counts measured alone while studying the source regimes. This parameter may also be used for studying the potential wells within the cathode grid.

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Overview of University of Wisconsin Inertial-Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Research

Cited by 38 publications

References 11 publications

Discharge Characteristics of Anode Size in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion

Discharge Characteristics of Anode Size in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion

Testing a scaled pulsed modulator for an IEC neutron source into a resistive load

Study of fusion regimes in an inertial electrostatic confinement device using the new eclipse disk diagnostic

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