Polywell Fusion

JAEYOUNG PARK

ENERGY MATTER CONVERSION CORPORATION

ENN FUSION SYMPOSIUM, APRIL 20 2018 Energy Matter Conversion Corporation • • • Diego San Energy Matter Conversion Corporationis a US well using well using funding. Successfully 1992 heating with ofplasma confinement Polywell 1985 History of EMC2 of History : – EMC2 founded EMC2 founded

1995: First First Polywell 1995: DARPAbuilt with device was - based developing company fusion nuclear technology technology is basedon electron electron beams an electrostatic electrostatic potential bye well an by the late Dr.by the Robert demonstrated called called .

2013 2017 the the high high pressure magnetic

“Wiffle

electrostatic potential • • • • - Ball” optimizing 2017 paper 2014 confinement 2013 plasma test 1995 Bussard - incorporated, andplasma Polywell - : : -

beams 2017 , - Successful

EMC 2013 and

confinement

provided : the 2

EMC

. devices

developed

Polywell

2 formation 2

filed continued

public

backed to

demonstrate technology

two computer

disclosures of

patents,

WB R&D

the

and

efforts code

and

of demonstration Navy published

the

examine to

utilizing .

Polywell

validate

Wiffle

peer a

1995 technology 1985

of series and

- - -

enhanced 2013 Ball reviewed

began

of (WB)

19 .

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation EMC2 San Diego Laboratory Diego San EMC2

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation Plasma Simulation KU Leuven KU EMC2 Teams and Collaborations Collaborations and Teams EMC2

Particle Particle Diagnostics Power Systems, Magnets

Neutronics Neutronics Modeling & ReactorEngineering,

plasma sources beaminjector Neutral

diagnostics m - wave & laser wave

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation - - -

beam heating: High temperature electron using compared to tokamak (0.1 highcusp): beta (i.e. Ball Sufficient using confinement tokamak (5x10 cusp trap: magnetic using stableHigh density tokamak (30 Lawson forPolywellCriteria Bonus question: question: solar system? Bonus the outside andwithin engine to travelfusion a use we Can An important make to Question: how tokamak or stellarator?better reactorathan fusion 10n - n* 50 keV) 20

1.5 compared compared to

t Why EMC2 Pursues Polywell Fusion? Polywell Pursues EMC2 Why m

* T - - 3 2T )

compared compared to 0.1 - 1s) t W

iffle

- - - - - Fusion Energy Metrics Additional to Critical compete compete againstother power Size andof cost limitationsmaterials to Needs engineeringaddressand generation fuels (D 2 fuel allowsEfficientheating performance and damagereactor plasma degradereactor behaviors uncontrolled stability:Plasma

reactor reactor matters to –

3 He He and p

nd plants -

11 B)

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation - 3. - - Electrostatic 2. heating - - 1. - What is Polywell Fusion? Polywell is What High pressure plasma High plasma in pressure the cusp beams Cusp compatible is electronwith Potential well toheat & confine ions compact size reactor Key toachieve high density and Cusp has stability the best property electron confinement WB can greatly enhance energetic a generates equilibriumunique Wiffle M agnetic cusp agnetic

- Ball (WB) Confinement

fusion reactor fusion power Poly potential potential and Electrostatic Electrostatic and Polywell fusion: hedral magnets hedral well

for

e e -

e -

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation concept in 1954 due to its favorable stability its favorabledue to concept in 1954 Magnetic proposed fusion ascusp was a by 2 coils coils opposite by 2 with currents Simple be produced magnetic cusp can Magnetic Cusp: Stable but leaky magnetic trap magnetic leaky but Stable Cusp: Magnetic

by(1958). Bishop Amasa in ProgramS. Fusion” Controlled “Project From Sherwood: The U. From Principles of Plasma PhysicsofPlasma Principles From boundary to from center increase curvature Cusp its is duestable to Krall & & Krall Trivelpiece(1973)

–

note that B that note were built for fusion builtfor were ~ 20 cusp devices

- field field

systems Various types of cusp from Dolan’s article review(1994)

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation Magnetic “ - - - - Forming and Maintaining a Potentiala Maintaining and Forming Wella in Quasispherical Electrostatic Heating of Ions: A Potential Potential A Ions: of Heating Electrostatic Potential inside formation well magnetic cusp in1995 demonstrated Electron beamapproachcompatible with magnetic cusp system Inertial for Electrostatic Hirsch in 1960s and by Farnsworth Pioneered (IEC) Confinement fusion system degree more)(100Mor fusion temperature simplest ions to of heating The method known Trap”, Physics al, et Krall of Plasma of Plasma (1995)

- - - electrons improving energetic of confinement That’s focusing EMC2 started on why increasing plasmadensity well with potential failed electrons, the energetic of confinement poor to Due well potential 8 kV electronbeaminjection yielded 7kV

G – ame ame

very high efficiencyvery high C

hanger hanger

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation - - - - - How is WB formed and itdo? what does WB: A critical missing piece for Polywell Fusion Fusion Polywell for piece missing critical A WB: to enhance inconfinement plasma thecenter. topology to change current field responsible magneticdiamagneticis theThis and forms a sharp boundary strong plasma with current on the surface natureDue are to diamagneticpushed of outwardthe fields plasma, magnetic is6x10 (beta=1) densityFor theexample, critical magneticfiled pressure in thecusp boundary WB formed is becomes pressure whenthehigh plasma andcomparable to WB known as (also highcusp) beta wasproposed by Grad 1954 between

20 /m 3

at 50 keV for 5T B

- field - 1958.

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation WB formation formation WB –

Simulation Results Simulation

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation Distance between two coils: coils: cm, B two 21.6 between Distance size: cm Chamber45 cube, cm radius; 6.9 Coil major of Validation Experimental WB Formation and Confinement Property Confinement and Formation WB LaB 6 (7 keV, 1 1 keV, (7

Electron Gun Electron –

3 A) 3 - field field cusp (near atcoil 0.6 center)

corner and face views) face and corner x (2 keV X

- ray dioderay (3 Plasma Gun - 5 rays and up, up, and rays 0 MW

solid arc) solid –

2.7 kG 2.7

- x I(t):

dI(t)/dt ~ I(t)/ dI(t)/dt - ray intensity ray t

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation WB confirmation: confirmation: WB X-ray intensity / I injection (a.u.) e -0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0 X-ray intensity (a.u.) Face and corner cusp chord WB requires -0.2 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 1 n e bulk high  B 

shot 15640@700 MW 15640@700 shot MW 15630@450 shot MW 15650@340 shot MW 15631@220 shot condition High High X-ray corner X-ray face X-ray High High   shot 15610 shot Phase enhanced confinement of 7 keV electrons keV 7 of confinement enhanced

impurities (e.g. W) (e.g. impurities from X-ray WB requiresbalance plasma and B between

X-ray intensity / Electron current (a.u.) -0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0

0 8 16

Flux exclusion (%) exclusion Flux

) cm 10 of unit (in n

-3 15 bulk prerequisite prerequisite to concept success.” a confinement, achievement major and plasmaa formation plasmawith dramatically enhanced repeatedly demonstrated so development of thePolywell ... It clearly has and made has“EMC2 a major breakthrough in its Quote Navy from Review Committee 021024, al, Physical Cusp Configuration”, Magnetic in a Confinement " High shot 15640@B=2.7 kG 15640@B=2.7 shot kG 15677@B=0.6 shot 15621@B=0 shot - Energy Energy Electron 2015 Review X

- field pressure - called called wiffle ball

5 Parket , -

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation - - - implicit Conserving semi ECsim: A tool to understand how Polywell works & how we can optimize it optimize can we how & works Polywell how understand to tool A Simulation Plasma and pinch and geometry like mirror magnetic other for Polywell as as well ECsimuses EMC2 now Maxwell Eqs. and Eq. solves Newton First years 35 developed over implicit particle code the version of Latest - Principles code:

Energy Energy method

- • • • Venus Simple solvers Early development 1980’s Physics &Lapenta(2011) etal, Review in Lapenta, JCP, 795 231, JCP,(1982). 271, 46, J.U • • • • iPic3D 3D production 3D Vectorized operations Massively Parallel 08 . Brackbill. -

Now

690

, D., Forslund,

–

695

(2015)

Nature Nature

• • • Celeste Advanced solvers Vector computers ( 1992 (2006). Ricci, G.Lapenta, J.U.Brackbill, P. -

2005 PoP,13

, 055904, 055904, , • • •

fusion reactorfusion simulation Optimized high for beta accuracy energy within machine to conserve equation Solves 3 2015

ECsim Crays - Now )

order matrix order

• •

Parsek implementation Massively First parallel 2005 vol Society of S. Markidis 406, page. 406, - 2008

Conference

et Astronomicalal,

237, 237, 705830205 Physics, Boella, J. of Plasma Gonzelez G. Lapenta,D. (2009).

Series, Series,

83 - Herrero, E.

, ( 2017) .

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation Magnetic Mirror Simulation Mirror Magnetic

Path to Polywell Fusion Power

Polywell Reactor 1 s

Performance Matrix

Lawson Crit Net power 10 Polywell 8 Waste 6 Stability 10 years 4 2 0

Today Size & Cost Efficiency

(Confinement time) time) (Confinement 1-2 Proof-of -5 Principle devices 10 s Simplicity

2 kG (Magnetic field) 5 T 10 cm (Reactor size) 2 meter 7 keV (Electron Heating) 80 keV 15 Energy Matter Conversion Corporation - - - Initial breakdowncost for 500 MWe plant 725~40% efficiency at Helium C cooling gas reactor): (high cooled temperature HTGR technology existing will utilize Plant 1 electricity electricity cost  st

Toachieve7 $150Mfor tritiumbreeding system $400Msecondary loop/generator for $150Mfor Polywell Fusion Engine

generation generation Polywell Power Polywell Fusion Power Plant: how it will look will it how Plant: Power Fusion Polywell

- 9 cents per cents kWh9 EMC2 Vision

: technology power conversion existingwith Compatible

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation Simulation for e Simulation almost ready Proposed Maintenance of Polywell Fusion Core Fusion Polywell of Maintenance Proposed Use Use of D - T requires requires replacementofPolywellT routine core Fusion - beam driven potential well and dynamics equilibrium well anddynamicsfuels potential equilibrium drivenbeam advanced for

Energy Matter Conversion Corporation • • • Summary If test toward Recent combining EMC to

proven,

power

device 2

has

the breakthrough

the

Polywell

been

electrostatic High betacusp (WB) confinement: demonstration

world

working

Plasma Plasma stability: technology

economically Use of electron

fusion

Unique Unique Advantages Polywellof

on confinement

compact net

would with beam economical and reliable reactor

and

power

magnetic

offer sustainably driver:

fusion and

confinement and compact size generation

a efficient efficient heating

low simulation

cusp reactor

cost .

system

and based

will

compact rapid

on catalyze

development Polywell

Polywell

our

approach

efforts fusion

path 18