UCRGJC-117669 PREPRINT

Flow-Through Z-Pinch Study for Radiation Generation and Fusion Energy Production

Charles W. Hartman, James L. Eddleman, Ralph Moir, U. Shumlak

11th

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June19423,1994

June 20,1994

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FLOW-THOUGH Z-PINCH STUDY FOR RADIATION GENERATION AND FUSION ENERGY PRODUCTION

Charles W. Hartman, James L. Eddleman, Ralph Moir Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808,L-637 Livermore, CA 94551 (510)422-1568

U. Shumlak Phillips Laboratory, PL/WSP 3550 Aberdeen SE Kirtland AFE3, New Mexico 87117-5776 (505)846-5078

ABSTRACT We discuss a highdensity fusion reactor which utilizes a flow-through Z pinch magnetic confinement configuration. Assessment of this reactor system is motivated by simplicityand small unit size (few hundred W e )and immunity to plasma contamination made possible at high density. The type reactor discussed here would employ a liquid Li vortex as the first wall/blanket to capture fusion neutrons with minimum induced radioactivity and to achieve high wall loading and a power density of 200 w/cm3. I. INTRODUCTION

high wall loading and low induced reactivity, and small unit size (-100 M W ) - making the reactor potential qualitatively improved over present approaches. This paper is a preliminary evaluation of the flow-through Zpinch as a magnetic confinement system and a study of fusion reactor embodiments. 11. FLOW-THROUGH 2-PINCH FLOW STATES AND STABKITY We consider a flow-through Z-pinch (FZP) configurationas shown in Fig 1 Plasma . and B0 field are injected to produce radially hward flow to form FZF's directed along k Z. (This double pinch configuration avoids impurity generation at small r, high p, B if an electrode were used to back a single Fa.) To take advantage of the large B-field enhancement possibilities of the Z-pinch, and to maintain slow axial flow (VCCVA), the radial inward convection must be subsonic. Some flow properties are: &/pr constant for hizh conductivitv. " ,,

A renaissance is occurring in the field of Z-pinch research based largely on the use of Zpinches to produce keV radiation and on recently disclosed Russian results.(l) Although many pinch configurations continue to exhibit strong MHD instabilities, certain notable and important exceptions have been observed(2) which depend mostly on pressure-profile control, and when coupled to early-observed stable 2-pinches with flow suggest reconsideration of the Z-pinch as a high density thermonuclear fusion system. It has long been recognized(3) that the high density Z-pinch has enormous advantages as a fusion reactor candidate - no external magnets, high power density, immunity to impurities, the possibility of using liquid Li walls for very

V ? + S

c=

sr flow-lines, and, zg ! v: e ( x +7;),rn ; A (V z ' for the final " pinched state. Here Vxo2 is the Alfven speed at large radius, Cs is the sound speed, and V is the flow velocity.

v 2 . +.- z dA6 = constant

2

In general, sharp profile pinches exhibit strong sausage, and sometimes kink instability, while early FZPs and more recent wire-array6) and gas-puff pinches with diffuse profiles tend to show very little MHD activity.

L i

CONTROLLED THERMONUCLEAR 111. FUSION REACTOR

The main objective of FZP research is application to fusion energy production where the advantages of self-generated B-field (no external magnets), immunity to impurities and very high power density because of high plasma density, and inherent simplicity can lead to a Qualitativeimprovement in CT reactor possibilities. Ultimately it is hoped that a high power density reactor with liquid Li walls and low unit power can be developed. For a FZP with Te=Ti=lO keV D/T plasma, the total fusion power Pf and fusion Qf are approximately,

F g 1. Basic cell of a FZP. Symmetry planes are i at Z = 0,9 an,Be and plasma are duded in and out as shown. Recirculating flow is shown with
computed velocity vectors. f The FZP configuration o Fig. 1 is under calculation using 2 D h4HD code, TRAC?*). -, The calculations will serve as a basis to specify electrode configurations and initial conditions to achieve the desired pinch state.

Z lcml

If the flow speed V is small, the pinch state approaches the Kadomtsev, marginal stability profile(5) (to m=o, sausage instability). Kadomstev also shows that the only remaining unstable MHD mode of the marginal stability profile is an internal kink (m=l) which occurs in the region where $>1. Internal kinking is observed(6) but the effects appear to be benign. We have recently examined (7)the stability of a peaked-profile, spinning Z-pinch to the kink and fiid a tendency towards stabilization 6.e. reduced growth rate)when &3 p . calc~lations of kinking for an m=o, marginal stability profile with spin are underway and may give the result of a Z-pinch completely stable to all MHD modes.
The FZP provides a means of adiabatically establishing a diffuse profile Zpinch in contrast with early snow-plow pinches, exploding wire pinches, etc. which tend to have more of a sharp boundary profile.

W . Here VZ is the axial flow speed and the Bennett equilibrium with a quadratic pressure pmfile pzp,(l-a>+%bbeenused. Itis seen that large Qf requires large I/a and low Vz. Since Uext/Up is typically 5-10, the flow of magnetic energy external to the pinch can significantly lower Qf. For the reactor configurations discussed here, the external magnetic field energy Uext is assumed to be recirculated with no energy loss.
Two reactor configurations appear possible, always retaining the back-to-back geometry of Fig 1. A linear reactor configuration like Fig 1 in which the parasitic magnetic energy would recirculate and only the pinch plasma and internal field would be ducted in and out to provide for the injection of impurity-free fuel and a scrape-off layer.
A second, closed reactor configuration would retain the linear formation geometry of Fig 1with curved pinch regions as shown in Fig. 2. An external field Bext 10 KG would be

Deka MA, an,cm/micro SIX, and eu (1eu =.l

where the quantities are measured in units of

applied to breaks in the Li vortex system as shown. The two possible reactor configurations can be operated in a pulsed, or possibly, continua mode injector

A pulsed reactor with relaxed flow velocity requirements and higher Qf is possible at higher pinch current. For the above example, if I = 3. MA,

so that V = S -1.cm/microsec for the same Qf , as above. If a 1%duty factor is used to have 1 Gw average power, as above, the reactor could operate for 100 microsec at each peak of a 60 cycle current waveform. Switching voltages of a few 10% KV would be required. of

Vz Qf = 10.

Pf = 100 Gwth

Vortex

Li

Li Vortex

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

a This work w s performed under the auspices of the U S Department of Energy by Lawrence .. Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.
REFERENCES
1. See proceedings, 3rd International Conference on Dense Z-pinches London, U.K.19-23 Apr. 1993. 2. R. Spielman, private communication 8/93. 3. A Conceptual Fusion Reactor Based on the High-Plasma-Density Z-Pinch* 4. J. Eddleman, et a1 A New Modeling Tool for the RACE Experiment, 1989 Fall Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Anaheim, CA., Nov. 13-17. 1989 5. In Reviews of Plasma Physics v2 p. 153. Hydromagnetic Stability of a Plasma B.B. Kadomstev. 6. R. Spielman, private communication 8/93 7. U. Shumlak, private communication 11/93.

extractor Fig 2. A closed pinch configuration with injector, extractor, and two Li vortices. Pinch curvature in the injector and extractor regions is obtained with a vertical B field. At low I- 1 MA, and with sufficiently low flow speed, V s 0.05-0.1 cm/microsec, it may be possible to design a continuous FZP reactor. For L=w) cm,a = 1.cm,I = 0.1 DMA,

Since a major end-loss power, I Te 10 Gw, considerably exceeds Pf, the continuous FZP reactor would have to be closed as shown in Fig 2, which would have an overall fusion power density of - 200 w/cm3.