Target chamber gas response and vaporization in a laser and a heavy ion beam IFE reactor

Abstract

The authors have investigated the target chamber designs for two IFE (inertial-confinement fusion energy) reactors (SOMBRERO and OSIRIS). The CONRAD computer code has been used to analyze certain critical aspects of these designs. Auto-neutralized transport is considered and a gas density is used that precludes protection of the first surface of the target chamber from X-rays and ions. The dominant issue in the design of the SOMBRERO laser fusion target chamber is the reradiation of absorbed target energy from the gas to the wall of the target chamber. In the OSIRIS heavy ion fusion target chamber, vaporization of material from the wall is the most important consideration. In SOMBRERO, 0.5 torr of xenon gas should allow beam transport and will protect the graphite wall vaporization by target energy. In OSIRIS, it was found that the FLIBE is vaporized and that a high peak pressure but moderate impulse shock reaches the vapor/liquid interface in the FLIBE.<>