Taxonomy of Big Nuclear Fusion Chambers Provided by Means of Nanosecond Neutron Pulses

A methodology is elaborated and applied to taxonomy of large chambers of thermonuclear fusion reactors. It ensures a feasibility to describe impairments produced by environment and details of the chamber into the neutron field generated during the operation of a reactor. The method is based on application of very bright nanosecond neutron flashes irradiated from a compact neutron source of a dense plasma focus type. A number of neutron activation procedures as well as a neutron time-of-flight method were applied to trace deviations of neutron 3-D fields after their interaction with the simulator of the above chamber. Monte-Carlo modeling of these processes gained the data on the most important elements that influenced on the fields

Recent measurements of soft X-ray emission from the DPF-1000U facility

Soft X-ray imaging is a very useful diagnostic technique in plasma-focus (PF) experiments. This paper reports results of four experimental sessions which were carried out at the DPF-1000U plasma-focus facility in 2013 and 2014. Over 200 discharges were performed at various experimental conditions. Measurements were taken using two X-ray pinhole cameras with a line of sight perpendicular to the z-axis, at different azimuthal angles (about 20° and 200°), and looking towards the centre of the PF-pinch column. They were equipped with diaphragms 1000 μm or 200–300 μm in diameter and coated with filters of 500 μm Al foil and 10 μm Be foil, respectively. Data on the neutron emission were collected with silver activation counters. For time-resolved measurements the use was made of four PIN diodes equipped with various filters and oriented towards the centre of the PF-column, in the direction perpendicular to the electrode axis. The recorded X-ray images revealed that when the additional gas-puff system is activated during the discharge, the stability of the discharge is improved. The data collected in these experiments confirmed the appearance of a filamentary fine structure in the PF discharges. In the past years the formation of such filaments was observed in many Z-pinch type experiments. Some of the recorded X-ray images have also revealed the appearance of the so-called hot-spots, i.e. small plasma regions of a very intense X-ray emission. Such a phenomenon was observed before in many PF experiments, e.g. in the MAJA-PF device, but it has not been investigated so far in a large facility such as the DPF-1000U. The time-resolved measurements provided the evidence of a time lapse between the X-ray emission from plasma regions located at different distance from the anode surface. The formation of distinct ‘hot-spots’ in different instants of the DPF-1000U discharge was also observed

Experiments and simulations on the possibility of radiative contraction/collapse in the PF-1000 plasma focus

Experimental studies of discharges in the plasma focus facility with neon filling and respective numerical simulations employing the radiative Lee code are reported. The pinch currents exceed the Pease-Braginskii current, which indicates that radiative losses are larger than heating and that contraction of the formed plasma should occur. Both of these effects were indeed observed. Parallel numerical simulations were crucial for the identification of such an effect

Recent ion measurements within the modified DPF-1000U facility

In this note we describe measurements of ion beams emitted along the z-axis of the DPF-1000U facility operated at 23 kV, 334 kJ, and with the initial deuterium pressure of 1.6–2 hPa. The DPF-1000U device was recently renewed and equipped with a dynamic gas-puff valve placed inside the inner electrode. The investigated ions were recorded by means of ion pinhole cameras equipped with solid state nuclear track detectors of the PM-355® (PADC) type. The energy spectra of ions were determined using a Thomson spectrometer placed on the symmetry axis at a distance of 160 cm from the electrodes outlets. The ion images recorded during discharges performed under different experimental conditions show that the ion beams have a complex structure, usually in the form of a central bunch and an annular stream composed of many micro-beams. Energies of the registered deuterons have been in the range of 30–700 keV, while the fast protons (which originated from the hydrogen remnants) had energies in the range of 300–850 keV

Evolution of the small ball-like structures in the plasma focus discharge

The experiments were carried out in the PF-1000 plasma-focus device at the maximum current reaching about 2 MA, at the deuterium or neon filling and with deuterium injected from a gas-puff nozzle placed on the axis of the anode face. Ball-like structures of diameters of 1-12 mm were identified in interferometric and XUV pinhole camera frames. We made the statistical description of their parameters. A lifetime of the ball-like structures was in the range from 30 to 210 ns, and in some cases even more. These structures appeared mostly at the surface of the imploding plasma shell and they did not change their position in relation to the anode end. During the evolution of these structures, interferometric fringes were observed near the surfaces of the structures only, and their internal parts were initially chaotic (without noticeable) fringes. Subsequently the number of interferometric fringes increased (the internal ‘chaotic’ area was filled with fringes too) and later on it decreased. The radii of the ball-like structures were mostly increasing during their existence. The maximum electron density reached the value of 1024 to 1025 m-3. The ball-like structures decayed by absorption inside the expanded pinch column and/or gradually expired in rare plasma outside of the dense plasma column

Temporal distribution of linear densities of the plasma column in a plasma focus discharge

Experiments were carried out on the PF-1000 plasma focus device, with a deuterium filling and with deuterium puffing from a gas-puff nozzle placed on the axis of the anode face. The current was reaching 2 MA. 15 interferometric frames from one shot were recorded with a Nd:YLF laser and a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, with 10–20 ns delay between the frames. As a result, the temporal and spatial distribution of the linear densities and the radial and axial velocities of the moving of plasma in the dense plasma column could be estimated

A new concept of fusion neutron monitoring for PF-1000 device

The power output of plasma experiments and fusion reactors is a crucial parameter. It is determined by neutron yields that are proportional and directly related to the fusion yield. The number of emitted neutrons should be known for safety reasons and for neutron budget management. The PF-1000 is the large plasma facility based on the plasma focus phenomenon. PF-1000 is operating in the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion in Warsaw. Neutron yield changes during subsequent pulses, which is immanent part of this type device and so it must be monitored in terms of neutron emission. The reference diagnostic intended for this purpose is the silver activation counter (SAC) used for many years. Our previous studies demonstrated the applicability of radio-yttrium for neutron yield measurements during the deuterium campaign on the PF-1000 facility. The obtained results were compared with data from silver activation counter and shown linear dependence but with some protuberances in local scale. Correlation between results for both neutron monitors was maintained. But the yttrium monitor registered the fast energy neutron that reached measurement apparatus directly from the plasma pinch. Based on the preliminary experiences, the yttrium monitor was designed to automatically register neutron-induced yttrium activity. The MCNP geometrical model of PF-1000 and yttrium monitor were both used for calculation of the activation coefficient for yttrium. The yttrium monitor has been established as the permanent diagnostic for monitoring fusion reactions in the PF-1000 device

Time-Varying Inductance of the Plasma Sheet in the PF1000 Plasma-Focus Device

The time-varying inductance Lp(t) of the system formed by the coaxial electrodes and the current sheet (CS) in plasma focus (PF) discharges was calculated for the first time by Mather and Bottoms [1] on a 13-kJ PF device in Los Alamos using measured values of V(t) , the voltage at the breach end of the electrodes, and dI/dt, the time derivative of the current circulating through the system. Recently, the same method was applied to assess Lp(t) in devices of lower energy [2]–[4]. This physical magnitude was also used for estimating other relevant parameters, like the voltage drop over the pinch column [5], [6]. The purpose of this paper is to extend this procedure to the high-energy device PF1000, operated by the International Center for Dense Magnetized Plasmas (ICDMP) from Warsaw, Poland, using measurements performed during an experimental campaign conducted in 2013. High-energy devices as PF1000, besides having much larger capacitor banks, also has larger electrodes, which leads to larger gun inductances and consequently higher voltage drops in the pinch. Hence, the goal of the present study is to validate the application of the mentioned technique in large PF devices and also to produce additional information, namely, the behavior of the voltage drop over the pinch plasma column.Fil: Bruzzone, Horacio Abel. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Acuña, Hugo Néstor. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Barbaglia, Mario Oscar. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Milanese, Maria Magdalena. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Miklaszewski, Ryszard. Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion; PoloniaFil: Paduch, Marian. Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion; PoloniaFil: Zielinska, Ewa. Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion; PoloniaFil: Clausse, Alejandro. Comision Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

The experimental and theoretical investigations of damage development and distribution in double-forged tungsten under plasma irradiation-initiated extreme heat loads

The influence of extreme heat loads, as produced by a multiple pulses of non-homogeneous fl ow of slow plasma (0.1-1 keV) and fast ions (100 keV), on double-forged tungsten (DFW) was investigated. For generation of deuterium plasma and fast deuterons, plasma-focus devices PF-12 and PF-1000 are used. Depending on devices and conditions, the power flux density of plasma varied in a range of 107-1010 W/cm2 with pulse duration of 50-100 ns. Power flux density of fast ions was 1010-1012 W/cm2 at the pulse duration of 10-50 ns. To achieve the combined effect of different kind of plasmas, the samples were later irradiated with hydrogen plasma (105 W/cm2, 0.25 ms) by a QSPA Kh-50 plasma generator. Surface modification was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microroughness measurements. For estimation of damages in the bulk of material, an electrical conductivity method was used. Investigations showed that irradiation of DFW with multiple plasma pulses generated a mesh of micro- and macrocracks due to high heat load. A comparison with single forged tungsten (W) and tungsten doped with 1% lanthanum-oxide (WL10) reveals the better crack-resistance of DFW. Also, sizes of cells formed between the cracks on the DFW’s surface were larger than in cases of W or WL10. Measurements of electrical conductivity indicated a layer of decreased conductivity, which reached up to 500 μm. It depended mainly on values of power flux density of fast ions, but not on the number of pulses. Thus, it may be concluded that bulk defects (weakening bonds between grains and crystals, dislocations, point-defects) were generated due to mechanical shock wave, which was generated by the fast ions flux. Damages and erosion of materials under different combined radiation conditions have also been discussed

Studies of plasma interactions with tungsten targets in PF-1000U facility

This paper presents results of experimental studies of tungsten samples of 99.95% purity, which were irradiated by intense plasma-ion streams. The behaviour of tungsten, and particularly its structural change induced by high plasma loads, is of great importance for fusion technology. The reported measurements were performed within a modified PF-1000U plasma-focus facility operated at the IFPiLM in Warsaw, Poland. The working gas was pure deuterium. In order to determine the main plasma parameters and to study the behaviour of impurities at different instants of the plasma discharge, the optical emission spectroscopy was used. The dependence of plasma parameters on the initial charging voltage (16, 19 and 21 kV) was studied. Detailed optical measurements were performed during interactions of a plasma stream with the tungsten samples placed at the z-axis of the facility, at a distance of 6 cm from the electrode outlets. The recorded spectra showed distinct WI and WII spectral lines. Investigation of a target surface morphology, after its irradiation by intense plasma streams, was performed by means of an optical microscope. The observations revealed that some amounts of the electrodes material (mainly copper) were deposited upon the irradiated sample surface. In all the cases, melted zones were observed upon the irradiated target surface, and in experiments performed at the highest charging voltage there were formed some cracks