An Experimental Demonstration of Target Injection for Inertial Fusion Energy
Abstract
Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) with laser drivers is a pulsed power generation system that relies on repetitive, high-speed injection of targets into a fusion reactor. In addition IFE targets must be injected accurately to limit the range of laser driven beam steering. To survive the injection process, direct drive (laser fusion) targets (spherical capsules) are placed into protective sabots. The sabots separate from the target and are stripped off before entering the reactor chamber and then are tracked to allow alignment of the lasers. In our target injection demonstration system, the sabots are injected into a vacuum system with a light gas gun. To achieve pulsed operation a rep-rated injection system has been developed to allow bursts of up to 12 targets at 6 Hz. This demonstration also includes a target prediction and positioning system (TPPS) that uses several detectors inline with target flight to measure trajectory and velocity. Details of the current system as well as future phases of the system will be discussed.
- Publication:
-
APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- November 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004APS..DPPNP1117F