Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T11:37:51.516Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Volume ignition of inertial confinement fusion of deuterium-helium(3) and hydrogen-boron(ll) clean fusion fuel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

P. Pieruschka
Affiliation:
Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2033, Australia
L. Cicchitelli
Affiliation:
Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2033, Australia
R. Khoda-Bakhsh
Affiliation:
Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2033, Australia
E. Kuhn
Affiliation:
Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2033, Australia
G. H. Miley
Affiliation:
Fusion Studies Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
H. Hora
Affiliation:
Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2033, Australia

Abstract

Since DT laser fusion with 10-MJ laser pulses for 1000-MJ output now offers the physics solution for an economical fusion energy reactor, the conditions are evaluated assuming that controlled ICF reactions will become possible in the future using clean nuclear fusion fuel such as deuterium-helium(3) or hydrogen-boron(11). Using the transparent physics mechanisms of volume ignition of the fuel capsules, we show that the volume ignition for strong reduction of the optimum initial temperature can be reached for both types of fuels if a compression about 100 times higher than those in present-day laser compression experiments is attained in the future. Helium(3) laser-pulse energies are then in the same range as for DT, but ten times higher energies will be required for hydrogenboron(11).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aydin, M. et al. 1991 Laser Part. Beams 9.Google Scholar
Baranov, V. Yu. 1990 Lectures in Australia.Google Scholar
Basko, M. M. 1990 Nucl. Fusion 30, 2443.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BROAD, W. J. 1988 New York Times 137 (No. 47), 451 21 March.Google Scholar
Burtsev, V. Yu. 1990 (private communication, June 25), Efremov Institute Leningrad.Google Scholar
Cartwright, D. C. 1990 In Laser Interaction and Related Plasma Phenomena, Hora, H. & Miley, G. H. eds. (Plenum, New York), Vol. 9, p. 11.Google Scholar
Cicchitelli, L. et al. 1988 Laser Part. Beams 6, 163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dabiri, A. E. 1988 Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 271, 71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giulietti, A. et al. 1989 In Laser Interaction with Plasmas, Velarde, G., Minguez, E., & Perlado, J. M. eds. (World Scientific, Singapore), p. 208.Google Scholar
Glasstone, S. & Loveberg, R. H. 1960 Controlled Thermonuclear Reactions (NRC, New York).Google Scholar
Hora, H. 1971 In Laser Interaction and Related Plasma Phenomena, Schwarz, H. et al. eds. (Plenum, New York), Vol. 1, p. 365.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hora, H. 1977 Nucl. Instrum. Methods 144, 17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hora, H. 1981 Nuovo Cimento B 64, 1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hora, H. 1987 Z. Naturforsch. A 42, 1239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hora, H. & Aydin, M. 1990 Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 35, 2021.Google Scholar
Hora, H. & Pfirsch, D. 1970 In Conference Digest of the 6th International Quantum Electronics Conference, K. Shimoda ed. (Int. Conf. Ctr., Kyoto Press, Kyoto), p. 10.Google Scholar
Hora, H. & Ray, P. S. 1978 Z. Naturforsch. A 33, 890.CrossRefGoogle Scholar