Fusion-Fission Concepts Based on Ignitor Technology and Physics

A development of the Ignitor program, aimed at making fusion reactors of near term interest, is that of starting from technology and physics advances emerged from the line of experiments that Ignitor represents to conceive novel hybrid reactors. This line has produced record high density plasmas with excellent confinement properties that can be utilized as D-T neutron sources, as suggested by E. P. Velikhov (2019), for power producing reactors with Thorium as its fissile component. The suggestion by C. Bolton (2020) to consider very high density pure-D, given that ignition conditions are not required, is taken into account as well.   The Columbus concept [1] that had been studied as a follow-up to Ignitor in order to investigate the burn conditions of Tritium deprived plasmas is adopted as a reference device to start with. On this basis, a comprehensive analysis has been initiated in order to identify an optimal set of parameters for a D-T neutron source. Relevant advances in material science and fission reactor engineering are important factors involved in this analysis.