A Plan to Develop Dry Wall Chambers for Inertial Fusion Energy with Lasers

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A Plan to Develop Dry Wall Chambers for Inertial Fusion Energy with Lasers March 27, 2002 C. Olson D. Goodin D. Haynes F. Najmabadi G. Kulcinski G. Lucas J. Latkowski J. Sethian L. Snead M. Tillack N. Ghoniem R. Pe ters on R. Raffray S . Kras heninnikov W. Meier

DRAFTDRAFT

Goal of the Chambers Plan

1. A path to develop one or more credible dry wall chamber concepts for Laser Fusion Energy. Goal is to achieve this in 2-3 years.

2. By “credible”, we mean one that is realistic and has a reasonable probability for success. i.e.no known major issues (Of course we will not have all the issues nailed down, and the resolution of some issues will have to wait the IRE and ETF.)

3. It is anticipated that one of these concepts will become the basis for the detailed Laser IFE Fusion Power Plant study performed in Phase II.

Outline of Chambers Plan:

(Section 1.0) IntroductionDescription of Laser IFEPrincipals of HAPL ProgramInterface Issues

(Section 2.0) Identify candidate chamber concepts.

(Section 3.0) Identify the issues for each chamber concept Characterize them

Front of the first wall- i.e. chamber dynamics & clearing. This is what happens in the chamberAt the first wall. This includes materials erosion and fatigue, both short term + long termBehind the first wall (structures)

Rank themK= Kiss of death:A fundamental issue that must be resolved or the concept is a non-starter.

  C = Crucial: A fundamental issue that needs to be addressed before concept is credible.   P = Procrastinate: These are issues that need to be solved eventually, but not now.

(Section 4.0) Draft a research plan to address the outstanding issues.

(Section 5.0) Prioritize the research plans drafted in Section 2.3

Section 1.3: Interface Issues

Front of Wall

At the Wall Behindthe Wall

CHAMBERSPLAN

threatspectra

targetdesign

gas/vapor density andtemperature

targetinjection

finaloptics

laserpropagation

safetyactivation,

tritium, oxidation,

ions, neutrons, heat, shocks

materials

Section 2.0: Candidate Chamber Concepts2.1 Monolithic first wall (Sombrero)

> Single material is both armor against “insults” from x-rays and ions, and structure resistant to radiation damage and repeated shocks> Advantage is simplicity

2.2 Armored structures> Separates first wall into a protective layer and underlying structural support.> Exploits that energy deposition & high temperature transients within thin layer

2.3 Engineered first walls> Use advanced fabrication techniques to increase material’s resistance to x-rays, ions, radiation and all that other nasty stuff.

2.4 Advanced ferritic steels> New classes of high temperature ferritic steels: nanocomposited (nano-scale Yttria precipitates) oxide dispersion strengthened ferritics (ODS).> May also use refractory alloy coating of a few microns.

2.5 Magnetic Diversion > Get ions away from wall> Has potential for direct conversion

Section 3.0: Ordering and ranking of issues: The Matrix

Generic R Monolithic CFC first

wall

R Separate Armor First wall

R Engineered walls

R Magnetic Deflection

R

Front Target Output

C

What hits the wall

K What hits the wall

K

Chamber Clearing

K

Surface Thermo- Mech. Response

K Tritium retention

C

Blistering K Concept That has Potential For significant Improvement

K

Erosion (mass transport)

K Ion Damage

K Tritium C

Radiation Damage

K Co-depo (C or SiC)

K

Behind

Oxidation P

Bonding

C Cost to implement

K

Radiation damage

C Tritium Retention

C

Swelling K Swelling C

Section 4.0: Outline of Research Plan-Part 1

4.1 Target Output

4.1.1 Continue development of physics in codes. 4.1.2 Benchmarking target output.

 

4.2 What hits the wall

4.2.1. Fireball propagation  

4.3 Target injection 

4.4 Chamber dynamics

4.5 First wall mechanical dynamics (structures, topology, strain rates)4.5.1 Computational models 4.5.2 X-ray exposure experiments 4.5.3 Ion exposure measurements4.5.4 Laser simulations of x-rays and ions4.5.5 Real world materials

4.6 Erosion (mass transport and surface changes)4.6.1 Erosion: thermal, both short and long term

4.6.2 Erosion: sputtering, exfoliation, radiation enhanced sublimation  

Section 4.0: Outline of Research Plan-Part 2

4.7 Radiation damage

4.7.1 Pulsed neutron-induced changes in structure mechanical properties 4.7.2 Pulsed ion-induced changes in thermo-mechanical properties 4.7.3 Pulsed ion/neutron dimensional changes

 

4.8 Tritium retention

4.9 In-situ repair 4.10 Bonding and cyclic stress of separate armor walls 4.11 Issues specific to engineered first walls 4.12 Issues specific to magnetic deflection