Energy Transfer from High Power Pulselines to the Next Generation of PRS (Plasma Radiation Sources) Loads
Abstract
The design of more complex loads for Plasma Radiation Sources and the quest for ever higher simulator radiative yields and power levels require heretofore unexplored energy densities in the load region, perhaps as high as 1. 50 MJ/cu cm. quite apart from detailed design questions, there is some concern that these higher power and energy densities (delivered by 'sub-Ohm' pulselines) cannot couple well to the PRS configurations used today or to even higher inductance designs that might be used in the future. In this report we well examine the energy transfer to two PRS loads from generic pulselines of the Saturn class operating at the 8 to 15 MA level. Saturn is nearly a 10x machine in terms of power flows and has recently been outfitted with PRS front end hardware; it is modeled in a subsequent section (III). A basic slug PRS model and an appropriate X-pinch model, derived from 2-D MHD simulations, are used. The pulselines are modeled with a transmission line code, described in the next section (II). A part from generalization to spacetime dependent line parameters (impedance, propagation speed, and damping), the solution technique is quite standard, robust, and accurate in its energy transfer characteristics. Even the simplest transmission line models of machines like Saturn provide the expected result - PRS loads will accommodate the line impedance and draw energy effectively. A more delicate question is that of loss mechanisms. This is left to future work.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 15, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA210085
Entities
People
- F. L. Cochran
- R. E. Terry
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory