Scaling of reactor cavity wall loads and stresses

Scalings of reactor cavity wall loads and stresses are determined by deriving an analytic expression in terms of relevant parameters for each loading induced in the reactor cavity walls by fuel pellet microexplosion and by deriving associated expressions relating resulting stresses to shell thicknesses. Also identified are problems that require additional investigations to obtain satisfactory explicit stress estimates for the reactor cavity walls

Models and analyses for inertial-confinement fusion-reactor studies

This report describes models and analyses devised at Los Alamos National Laboratory to determine the technical characteristics of different inertial confinement fusion (ICF) reactor elements required for component integration into a functional unit. We emphasize the generic properties of the different elements rather than specific designs. The topics discussed are general ICF reactor design considerations; reactor cavity phenomena, including the restoration of interpulse ambient conditions; first-wall temperature increases and material losses; reactor neutronics and hydrodynamic blanket response to neutron energy deposition; and analyses of loads and stresses in the reactor vessel walls, including remarks about the generation and propagation of very short wavelength stress waves. A discussion of analytic approaches useful in integrations and optimizations of ICF reactor systems concludes the report

Modeling and analysis of inertial-confinement-fusion facilities

Approximate analytic models are used to explore relations among technical and economic characteristics of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) facilities. Presented are attainable pulse rates for different reactor cavities and dependencies of the unit production cost of electricity on ICF driver pulse energy and repetition rate and on the facility size and the performance of the driver-pellet combination. The results indicate that economic electricity production with ICF reactors may require repetition rates of approx. 15 Hz or 20 Hz but that it may be achieved with values of the driver efficiency-pellet gain product as low as approx. 3 or 4

An "Intelligent" Optical Design Program

Described is a general approach to the development of computer programs capable of designing image-forming optical systems without human intervention and of improving their performance with repeated attempts. The approach utilizes two ideas: (1) interpretation of technical design as a mapping in the configuration space of technical characteristics and (2) development of an intelligent routine that recognizes global optima. Examples of lens systems designed and used in the development of the general approach are presented, current status of the project is summarized, and plans for the future efforts are indicated

Expansion of ions in conducting fluids with imbedded magnetic fields

Studies of application of inertial confinement fusion motivated the development of a plasma model composed of (1) a perfectly conducting fluid, (2) relatively energetic ions not in thermal equilibrium with the fluid, and (3) an electromagnetic field. Trajectories of the ions are determined from integration of the equations of motion for a statistically representative sample of simulation particles because the ion ranges in the fluid are comparable to characteristic dimensions of containment vessels. The model constituents interact through electrodynamic and collisional forces, and through ionization and/or recombination processes. The finite difference equations describing these interactions are integrated numerically for an isotropic ion source located on the cylinder axis. The solutions indicate distinctly different behaviors for low and high fluid densities. The ions expand in a diffuse cloud through low-density fluids, but in high-density fluids the ions aggregate into sheets that are perpendicular to the magnetic field

Inertial confinement fusion reactor systems

A variety of reactor cavity concepts, drivers, and energy conversion mechanisms are being considered to realize commercial applications of ICF. Presented in this paper are: (1) a review of reactor concepts with estimates of practically achievable pulse repetition rates; (2) a survey of drivers with estimates of the requirements on reactor conditions imposed by beam propagation characteristics; and (3) an assessment of compatible driver-reactor combinations