Experimental progress toward magnetized liner inertial fusion on Z

ORAL

Abstract

Yields exceeding 100 kJ may be possible on the 25 MA Z facility at Sandia using the implosion of cylindrical metal liners onto magnetized ($>$10 T) and preheated (100-500 eV) deuterium-tritium fuel [S.A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)]. The fusion fuel in such targets absorbs about 100 kJ, so a 100 kJ yield would be `scientific breakeven.' Suitable liner targets (Al and Be) have been fabricated and used in experiments on the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Magnetic field coil prototypes for $>$10 T axial fields are being tested. Preheat experiments using the multi-kJ Z-Beamlet laser are planned. Cryogenic deuterium fuel systems have been developed. Integrated magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) tests using deuterium fuel are expected in 2013.

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Authors

  • D.B. Sinars

    Sandia National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • M.C. Herrmann

    Sandia National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • M.E. Cuneo

    Sandia National Labs, Sandia National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • Derek Lamppa

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • Andrew Lopez

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • Ryan McBride

    Sandia National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • Dean Rovang

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • David Hanson

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • E.C. Harding

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA, Sandia National Labs

  • Charles Nakhleh

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • S.A. Slutz

    Sandia National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA

  • R.A. Vesey

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA, Sandia National Laboratories

  • A.B. Sefkow

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA, Sandia National Laboratories, SNL

  • K. Peterson

    Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA, Sandia National Labs, Sandia National Laboratories