An Examination of the Feasibility of a Nuclear-Pumped Laser-Driven Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor with Magnetically Protected Walls
Abstract
A preliminary design study of a nuclear-pumped laser-driven inertial confinement fusion reactor with a magnetically protected first wall using an advanced DT-ignited, DD-fueled pellet demonstrated the feasibility of such a concept. This paper presents a parametric study of the required energy multiplication in the blanket, the pellet injection rate, and the net efficiency of this is conceptual reactor for advanced pellet yields. A model of the reactor energy balance yields a required energy multiplication of 2.4. A cylindrical design for a helium-cooled blanket demonstrates that natural uranium micropellets in a laser pump region provide a multiplication of 2.9 with a sub- critical neutron multiplication factor of 0.14. A lithium-oxide layeroutside of the laser pump region provides a tritium breeding ratio of up to 0.4, which is more than sufficient to produce enough tritium for advanced DD-fueled, DT- ignited pellets to fuel the reactor. This paper presents the analysis behind these conclusions and presents avenues for further research on this concept. Nuclear-Pumped laser, Inertial confinement fusion reactor tritium breeding ratio, Fission, Criticality.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA248163
Entities
People
- John M. Jacobson
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology