A preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of uniaxially driven fusion targets to flux-limited thermal conduction modeling
File(s)Chapman_POP21-AR-TNMP2021-00241.pdf (5.05 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The role of flux-limited thermal conduction on the fusion performance of the uniaxially driven targets studied by Derentowicz et al. [J. Tech. Phys. 18, 465 (1977) and J. Tech. Phys. 25, 135 (1977)] is explored as part of a wider effort to understand and quantify uncertainties in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) systems sharing similarities with First Light Fusion's projectile-driven concept. We examine the role of uncertainties in plasma microphysics and different choices for the numerical implementation of the conduction operator on simple metrics encapsulating the target performance. The results indicate that choices that affect the description of ionic heat flow between the heated fusion fuel and the gold anvil used to contain it are the most important. The electronic contribution is found to be robustly described by local diffusion. The sensitivities found suggest a prevalent role for quasi-nonlocal ionic transport, especially in the treatment of conduction across material interfaces with strong gradients in temperature and conductivity. We note that none of the simulations produce neutron yields that substantiate those reported by Derentowicz et al. [J. Tech. Phys. 25, 135 (1977)], leaving open future studies aimed at more fully understanding this class of ICF systems.
Date Issued
2021-07-01
Date Acceptance
2021-06-02
Citation
Physics of Plasmas, 2021, 28 (7), pp.1-15
ISSN
1070-664X
Publisher
American Institute of Physics
Start Page
1
End Page
15
Journal / Book Title
Physics of Plasmas
Volume
28
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2021 Author(s). This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Phys. Plasmas 28, 072702 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0047627
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000691877900004&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Physics
EQUATION-OF-STATE
HYDRODYNAMICS CODE
DENSE
TRANSPORT
RELAXATION
PACKAGE
PHYSICS
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 072702
Date Publish Online
2021-07-08