Effect of nuclear fuel composition on neutrons yield in high-energy-density plasma

Abstract

Neutron production in high-energy-density plasma is an interesting topic for developing thermonuclear sources of neutrons and hybrid reactors. The promising candidate reactions for thermonuclear fusion (thermonuclear sources of neutrons) are T(d, n)⁴He and D(d, n)³He (D‑T and D‑D reactions). As T is a radioactive material, fusion experiments in all over the world deal with the D‑D reaction by using nuclear fuel in the form of plastic material such as CD or CD₂. Consequently, reactions of deuterium and carbon effectively participate in the neutron yield. In this work, the neutrons flux of the nuclear reactions D(d, n)³He and D(¹²c, n)¹³N were simulated using the MCUNED Code in high-energy-density plasma produced by an ultra-high-power laser. Neutrons have been produced using nuclear fuels D₂, CD, and CD₂. Neutron flux has been calculated per kW of the laser energy expended in the fuel. Deuteron and proton fluxes have been calculated under the same energy conditions. The obtained data for the reactions D(d, n)³He and D(¹²c, n)¹³N were compared with each other and with the available experimental data. A computer program, NJOY, has been used to calculate cross section in Acer format to be used by MCUNED. The neutrons flux peak was increased inside the source and magnet cells for CD and CD₂ due to adding carbon to the deuterium fuel. These values were decreased in the cells outside the source. The total neutron yields were approximately the same for D₂, CD, and CD₂ fuels in the air cells outside the source.