Initial Results from IFE Chamber Materials Response to Ions and X-Rays from RHEPP-1 and Z*
Abstract
Future Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) reactor operation is expected to deposit 1-1000 J/cm^2 of either x-ray or ion energy, or both, per shot on chamber walls. Because of the energy characteristics of the expected spectrum, x-ray and ion energy is likely to be deposited in a thin surface layer. The mechanical response of proposed chamber wall materials to one-sided, high-flux heating needs to be studied. Both dry walls (such as carbon fibers, carbon composites and refractory metals) and thick-liquid walls (PbLi and FLIBE) have been proposed. The Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories provides a variety of x-ray fluences (up to several 1000 J/cm^2)to test the feasibility of these wall materials and measure the materials response. The first tests are planned to expose a wide range of dry materials up to 200 J/cm^2. A variety of accelerated ions is possible on the RHEPP-1 ion beam facility, with deposited fluences as high as 10 J/cm^2. Measurements of materials response will be presented (including cross-sectioned SEM/TEM to verify ablated material thickness and microstructural changes caused by ion/x-ray doses), and compared with BUCKY computer simulations. *Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Co., under US DOE Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
- Publication:
-
APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- October 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001APS..DPPBP1095O