DOCSLIB.ORG

Electrical Loads and Power Systems for the DEMO Nuclear Fusion Project

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Electrical Loads and Power Systems for the DEMO Nuclear Fusion Project energies Article Electrical Loads and Power Systems for the DEMO Nuclear Fusion Project Simone Minucci 1, Stefano Panella 2, Sergio Ciattaglia 3, Maria Carmen Falvo 2 and Alessandro Lampasi 4,* 1 Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; [email protected] 2 Department of Astronautics, Energy and Electrical Engineering, University of Rome Sapienza, 00184 Rome, Italy; [email protected] (S.P.); [email protected] (M.C.F.) 3 EUROfusion Consortium, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; [email protected] 4 National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), 00044 Frascati, Italy * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 16 March 2020; Accepted: 22 April 2020; Published: 4 May 2020 Abstract: EU-DEMO is a European project, having the ambitious goal to be the first demonstrative power plant based on nuclear fusion. The electrical power that is expected to be produced is in the order of 700–800 MW, to be delivered via a connection to the European High Voltage electrical grid. The initiation and control of fusion processes, besides the problems related to the nuclear physics, need very complex electrical systems. Moreover, also the conversion of the output power is not trivial, especially because of the inherent discontinuity in the EU-DEMO operations. The present article concerns preliminary studies for the feasibility and realization of the nuclear fusion power plant EU-DEMO, with a special focus on the power electrical systems. In particular, the first stage of the study deals with the survey and analysis of the electrical loads, starting from the steady-state loads. Their impact is so relevant that could jeopardy the efficiency and the convenience of the plant itself. Afterwards, the loads are inserted into a preliminary internal distribution grid, sizing the main electrical components to carry out the power flow analysis, which is based on simulation models implemented in the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software. Keywords: balance of plant; DEMO; electric loads; nuclear fusion; plasma; power flow; power supply; power systems 1. Introduction EU-DEMO (the DEMOnstration fusion power reactor proposed by the European Union), or simply DEMO, is a unique European project, as it will be the first demonstrative nuclear fusion power plant able to produce and distribute electrical power throughout Europe, thanks to a connection with the European High Voltage (HV) electrical grid (typically at 400 kV) [1–3]. To accomplish this challenging purpose, the European Union set up the EUROfusion Consortium, whose main goals and tasks are summarized in the “European Research Roadmap to the Realisation of Fusion Energy” [4]. The schedule and the milestones of the Roadmap are sketched in Figure1. Even though other alternative approaches are being investigated in EUROfusion [4] and in another research facility [5], the EUROfusion Roadmap is based on two tokamak projects: DEMO and ITER [6]. The latter is currently under construction in Cadarache (France) with a worldwide contribution and aims at: Producing 500 MW of fusion power for pulses of at least 400 s. • Energies 2020, 13, 2269; doi:10.3390/en13092269 www.mdpi.com/journal/energies Energies 2020, 13, 2269 2 of 21 Energies 2020, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 23 Demonstrating the integrated operation of technologies for a fusion power plant. • • Demonstrating the integrated operation of technologies for a fusion power plant. Achieving a deuterium-tritium plasma where reactions are sustained through internal heating. • • Achieving a deuterium-tritium plasma where reactions are sustained through internal heating. Testing tritium breeding. • • Testing tritium breeding. • Demonstrating the safety characteristics of a fusion device, both for human and environment. • Demonstrating the safety characteristics of a fusion device, both for human and environment. FigureFigure 1. 1.Overview Overview of of the the European European RoadmapRoadmap to the realization of of Fusion Fusion Energy Energy [4 []4. ].The The reported reported datesdates are are still still indicative. indicative. TheseThese goals goals are are importantimportant and and partially partially common common with with the DEMO the DEMO project project,, so that so it can that use it ITER can use- ITER-likelike solutions solutions for possible for possible future future issues issues.. However, However, DEMO DEMO will be will bigger be bigger than ITER than in ITER terms in of terms size of sizeand and of required of required services services,, also because also because it will itbe will connected be connected to the grid to to the deliver grid tothe deliver produced the electrical produced electricalenergy, energy, unlike ITER unlike. Also ITER. the Also time the required time required for the realization for the realization of these two of these projects two is projects different: is di whilefferent: whileit is itforeseen is foreseen to start to start ITER ITER first firstexperiments experiments by 2025 by 2025and to and operate to operate with withdeuterium deuterium and tritium and tritium by by2035, 2035, DEMO DEMO is is expected expected to tobe be in inoperation operation around around by by2050. 2050. InIn the the past, past, fusion fusion devices devices were were generallygenerally not regarded as as nuclear nuclear facilities facilities and and did did not not need need a a nuclearnuclear license. licens However,e. However, ITER ITER and and DEMO DEMO are muchare much more more critical critical in terms in terms of tritium of tritium inventory, inventory, neutron flux,neutron pulse flux, duration, pulse duration, stored magnetic stored magnetic energy, coolingenergy, cooling system system enthalpy enthalpy and amount and amount of helium of helium at 4 K. ITERat 4 demonstrated K. ITER demonstrated its safety andits safety obtained and the obtained nuclear the license nuclear to start license the construction.to start the constructi Nevertheless,on. specificNevertheless, nuclear specific regulations nuclear are regulations likely to be are introduced likely to be forintroduced next-generation for next-generation devices, also devices, depending also depending on the host country. As DEMO is expected to have more neutronic flux and more on the host country. As DEMO is expected to have more neutronic flux and more inventory of inventory of tritium than ITER, a license from authorities will be necessary before starting the tritium than ITER, a license from authorities will be necessary before starting the construction of construction of safety-classified systems. safety-classified systems. As a nuclear facility, a specific design is necessary for the DEMO Balance of Plant (BoP), that is As a nuclear facility, a specific design is necessary for the DEMO Balance of Plant (BoP), that is the nuclear engineering term referred to all the supporting and auxiliary systems needed for energy the nuclear engineering term referred to all the supporting and auxiliary systems needed for energy conversion and delivering, excluding all the nuclear components. Therefore, EUROfusion is conversionpromoting and a multidisciplinary delivering, excluding research all theand nuclear engineering components. activity that Therefore, is approaching EUROfusion the design is promoting of the a multidisciplinaryDEMO BoP [7,8], even research moving and from engineering the experience activity of the that other is approaching experimental the tokamaks design and of the nuclear DEMO- BoPfission [7,8], power even moving plants. One from of the the experience most critical of thepart other of the experimental BoP is the electrical tokamaks power and nuclear-fissionsystem, also powerbecause plants. this Onesystem of theis not most trivial critical both partin terms of the of BoPsize isand the of electrical complexity. power system, also because this system is not trivial both in terms of size and of complexity. Energies 2020, 13, 2269 3 of 21 The present paper introduces the preliminary studies for the feasibility and realization of the electrical system of the nuclear fusion power plant DEMO. In particular, the results of the following activities are described: Characterization and classification of the expected of the electrical loads belonging to the specific • DEMO systems by analyzing literature data, technical specifications and design progresses of DEMO itself and of previous tokamak plants, especially ITER and its satellites JT-60SA [9] and DTT [10]. Preliminary design of part of the internal distribution network and preliminary sizing of the main • electrical components of part of the internal distribution grid (conception and development of simulation models for the power flow analysis) then implemented in the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software environment. The loads characterization and classification is the starting point for first electrical designs and is expected to provide more realistic data than those in previous analyses based on theoretical considerations [11]. This paper is organized in seven sections. Section2 introduces the relevant DEMO figures and explains possible configurations and operation phases. Section3 presents the preliminary layout of the DEMO site as used for the electrical analysis. Section4 introduces the main options of the BoP and the basic principles for the design of the electrical systems. Section5 is focused on the survey of the main DEMO subsystems and electrical loads and on the results
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Assessment of DEMO Reactors for Fusion Power Utilization
    九州大学学術情報リポジトリ Kyushu University Institutional Repository Assessment of DEMO Reactors for Fusion Power Utilization Elserafy, Hatem Interdisciplinary Graduate school of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University https://doi.org/10.5109/2174854 出版情報：Evergreen. 5 (4), pp.18-25, 2018-12. Green Asia Education Center バージョン：published 権利関係： EVERGREEN Joint Journal of Novel Carbon Resource Sciences & Green Asia Strategy, Vol. 05, Issue 04, pp.18-25, December 2018 (Review Article) Assessment of DEMO Reactors for Fusion Power Utilization Hatem Elserafy Interdisciplinary Graduate school of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed, E-mail: [email protected] (Received November 15, 2018; accepted December 27, 2018). Given the undeniable climate change caused by global warming, decreasing the carbon footprint by using alternative energy sources became necessary. Thermonuclear fusion energy is one of the strongest candidates when it comes to alternative energy sources since it is safe, has negligible carbon footprint and its yield is incomparable to any other alternative. Credential as fusion performance may be; feasibility and economic attractiveness are something to be considered. The next stage fusion reactors are called DEMOnstration (DEMO) and are being assessed by various sources in terms of performance. In this work, DEMO fusion reactors are to be reviewed and their specifications are to be analyzed in terms of feasibility, while demonstrating how the tritium fueling stage not only presents a challenge for calculating fusion power costs, but also that fusion energy requires further R&D before it can be integrated into the power grid. Keywords: thermonuclear fusion, DEMO, TBR. 1. Introduction thought of as the most promising unexploited energy source [6].
    [Show full text]
  • Conceptual Design Report on JT-60SA ___1. JT-60SA
    Conceptual Design Report on JT-60SA ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ 1. JT-60SA Mission and Program 1.1 Introduction Realization of fusion energy requires long-term research and development. A schematic of fusion energy development is shown in Fig. 1.1-1. Fusion energy development is divided into 3 phases before commercialization. The large Tokamak phase achieved equivalent break-even plasmas in JET and JT-60 and significant DT Power productions in TFTR and JET. A programmatic objective of the ITER phase is demonstration of scientific and technical feasibility of fusion energy. A primary objective of the DEMO phase is to demonstrate power (electricity) production in a manner leading to commercialization of fusion energy. The fast track approach to fusion energy is to shorten its development period for fusion energy utilization by adding appropriate programs (BA program) in parallel with ITER. Program elements are advanced tokamak/simulation studies and fusion technology/material development. Fig. 1.1-1 Schematic of fusion energy development To specify program elements needed in parallel with ITER, we have to identify the concept of DEMO. Typical DEMO concepts of Japan and EU are shown in Fig.1.1-2. Although size spans widely, operation mode is unanimously “steady-state”. Ranges of the normalized beta are pretty close each other, βN=3.5 to 4.3 for JA DEMO and 3.4 to 4.5 for EU DEMO. Fig. 1.1-2 Cross section and parameters of JA-EU DEMO studies ave 2 The neutron wall load of DEMO exceeds that of ITER (Pn =0.57MW/m ) by a factor of 3-6.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Examining the Role of Nuclear Fusion in a Renewables-Based Energy Mix
    Re-examining the Role of Nuclear Fusion in a Renewables-Based Energy Mix T. E. G. Nicholasa,∗, T. P. Davisb, F. Federicia, J. E. Lelandc, B. S. Patela, C. Vincentd, S. H. Warda a York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK b Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH c Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GJ, UK d Centre for Advanced Instrumentation, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LS, UK Abstract Fusion energy is often regarded as a long-term solution to the world's energy needs. However, even after solving the critical research challenges, engineer- ing and materials science will still impose significant constraints on the char- acteristics of a fusion power plant. Meanwhile, the global energy grid must transition to low-carbon sources by 2050 to prevent the worst effects of climate change. We review three factors affecting fusion's future trajectory: (1) the sig- nificant drop in the price of renewable energy, (2) the intermittency of renewable sources and implications for future energy grids, and (3) the recent proposition of intermediate-level nuclear waste as a product of fusion. Within the scenario assumed by our premises, we find that while there remains a clear motivation to develop fusion power plants, this motivation is likely weakened by the time they become available. We also conclude that most current fusion reactor designs do not take these factors into account and, to increase market penetration, fu- sion research should consider relaxed nuclear waste design criteria, raw material availability constraints and load-following designs with pulsed operation.
    [Show full text]
  • Fast Track Concept in the European Fusion Programme
    JP0250524 JAERI-Conf 2002-010 IV. FAST TRACK CONCEPT IN THE EUROPEAN FUSION PROGRAMME Prof. Harald Bolt Director of Materials Research Division, Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics Abstract Recently an expert meeting regarding a possible acceleration of the fusion programme with a view to energy production ("fast track") was held on the initiative of the EU Research Council. In the course of the discussions about the fast track programme, it has turned out that successful extraction of reactor grade heat and tritium from the blanket modules is essential in the ITER operation. In parallel with ITER, material development using a high intensity neutron source is essential to establish a database for licensing. The operation of a reactor combining DEMO and PROTO generations into a single step could be around 2030. 1. Introduction A reference roadmap has been discussed which leads from ITER to DEMO and PROTO fusion reactors in EU. Among these discussions, the significant role of fusion reactors as electrical power resources and their timely availability to society has been emphasized. From this view point, it has been proposed to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion energy within 20-30 years, the so called "fast track" programme. This means that demonstration of fusion energy will be in 2030, not in 2050 which was a conventional fusion program so fat. In the line with this scope, the Fast Track Working Group was rganized by the EU Research Council in November 2001, and reported the first assessment of the fast track schedule. In this paper, the main results of the working group are described as well as the materials development program which has to be carried out acc ordingly.
    [Show full text]
  • A European Success Story the Joint European Torus
    EFDA JET JETJETJET LEAD ING DEVICE FOR FUSION STUDIES HOLDER OF THE WORLD RECORD OF FUSION POWER PRODUCTION EXPERIMENTS STRONGLY FOCUSSED ON THE PREPARATION FOR ITER EXPERIMENTAL DEVICE USED UNDER THE EUROPEAN FUSION DEVELOPEMENT AGREEMENT THE JOINT EUROPEAN TORUS A EUROPEAN SUCCESS STORY EFDA Fusion: the Energy of the Sun If the temperature of a gas is raised above 10,000 °C virtually all of the atoms become ionised and electrons separate from their nuclei. The result is a complete mix of electrons and ions with the sum of all charges being very close to zero as only small charge imbalance is allowed. Thus, the ionised gas remains almost neutral throughout. This constitutes a fourth state of matter called plasma, with a wide range of unique features. D Deuterium 3He Helium 3 The sun, and similar stars, are sphe- Fusion D T Tritium res of plasma composed mainly of Li Lithium hydrogen. The high temperature, 4He Helium 4 3He Energy U Uranium around 15 million °C, is necessary released for the pressure of the plasma to in Fusion T balance the inward gravitational for- ces. Under these conditions it is pos- Li Fission sible for hydrogen nuclei to fuse together and release energy. Nuclear binding energy In a terrestrial system the aim is to 4He U produce the ‘easiest’ fusion reaction Energy released using deuterium and tritium. Even in fission then the rate of fusion reactions becomes large enough only at high JG97.362/4c Atomic mass particle energy. Therefore, when the Dn required nuclear reactions result from the thermal motions of the nuclei, so-called thermonuclear fusion, it is necessary to achieve u • extremely high temperatures, of at least 100 million °C.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy Analysis for the Connection of the Nuclear Reactor DEMO to the European Electrical Grid
    energies Article Energy Analysis for the Connection of the Nuclear Reactor DEMO to the European Electrical Grid Sergio Ciattaglia 1, Maria Carmen Falvo 2,* , Alessandro Lampasi 3 and Matteo Proietti Cosimi 2 1 EUROfusion Consortium, 85748 Garching, Germany; [email protected] 2 DIAEE—Department of Astronautics, Energy and Electrical Engineering, University of Rome Sapienza, 00184 Rome, Italy; [email protected] 3 ENEA Frascati, 00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 31 March 2020; Accepted: 22 April 2020; Published: 1 May 2020 Abstract: Towards the middle of the current century, the DEMOnstration power plant, DEMO, will start operating as the first nuclear fusion reactor capable of supplying its own loads and of providing electrical power to the European electrical grid. The presence of such a unique and peculiar facility in the European transmission system involves many issues that have to be faced in the project phase. This work represents the first study linking the operation of the nuclear fusion power plant DEMO to the actual requirements for its correct functioning as a facility connected to the power systems. In order to build this link, the present work reports the analysis of the requirements that this unconventional power-generating facility should fulfill for the proper connection and operation in the European electrical grid. Through this analysis, the study reaches its main objectives, which are the definition of the limitations of the current design choices in terms of power-generating capability and the preliminary evaluation of advantages and disadvantages that the possible configurations for the connection of the facility to the European electrical grid can have.
    [Show full text]
  • NIAC 2011 Phase I Tarditti Aneutronic Fusion Spacecraft Architecture Final Report
    NASA-NIAC 2001 PHASE I RESEARCH GRANT on “Aneutronic Fusion Spacecraft Architecture” Final Research Activity Report (SEPTEMBER 2012) P.I.: Alfonso G. Tarditi1 Collaborators: John H. Scott2, George H. Miley3 1Dept. of Physics, University of Houston – Clear Lake, Houston, TX 2NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 3University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL Executive Summary - Motivation This study was developed because the recognized need of defining of a new spacecraft architecture suitable for aneutronic fusion and featuring game-changing space travel capabilities. The core of this architecture is the definition of a new kind of fusion-based space propulsion system. This research is not about exploring a new fusion energy concept, it actually assumes the availability of an aneutronic fusion energy reactor. The focus is on providing the best (most efficient) utilization of fusion energy for propulsion purposes. The rationale is that without a proper architecture design even the utilization of a fusion reactor as a prime energy source for spacecraft propulsion is not going to provide the required performances for achieving a substantial change of current space travel capabilities. - Highlights of Research Results This NIAC Phase I study provided led to several findings that provide the foundation for further research leading to a higher TRL: first a quantitative analysis of the intrinsic limitations of a propulsion system that utilizes aneutronic fusion products directly as the exhaust jet for achieving propulsion was carried on. Then, as a natural continuation, a new beam conditioning process for the fusion products was devised to produce an exhaust jet with the required characteristics (both thrust and specific impulse) for the optimal propulsion performances (in essence, an energy-to-thrust direct conversion).
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Looking Back at Half a Century of Fusion Research Association Euratom-CEA, Centre De
    Looking Back at Half a Century of Fusion Research P. STOTT Association Euratom-CEA, Centre de Cadarache, 13108 Saint Paul lez Durance, France. This article gives a short overview of the origins of nuclear fusion and of its development as a potential source of terrestrial energy. 1 Introduction A hundred years ago, at the dawn of the twentieth century, physicists did not understand the source of the Sun‘s energy. Although classical physics had made major advances during the nineteenth century and many people thought that there was little of the physical sciences left to be discovered, they could not explain how the Sun could continue to radiate energy, apparently indefinitely. The law of energy conservation required that there must be an internal energy source equal to that radiated from the Sun‘s surface but the only substantial sources of energy known at that time were wood or coal. The mass of the Sun and the rate at which it radiated energy were known and it was easy to show that if the Sun had started off as a solid lump of coal it would have burnt out in a few thousand years. It was clear that this was much too shortœœthe Sun had to be older than the Earth and, although there was much controversy about the age of the Earth, it was clear that it had to be older than a few thousand years. The realization that the source of energy in the Sun and stars is due to nuclear fusion followed three main steps in the development of science.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy and Energy Transformations Transformations Energy
    Energy and Energy Transformations Energy Transformations Key Concepts • What is the law of conservation of energy? What do you think? Read the three statements below and decide • How does friction affect whether you agree or disagree with them. Place an A in the Before column if you agree with the statement or a D if you disagree. After you’ve read this energy transformations? lesson, reread the statements to see if you have changed your mind. • How are different types of energy used? Before Statement After 4. Energy can change from one form to another. 5. Energy is destroyed when you apply the brakes on a moving bicycle or a moving car. 6. The Sun releases radiant energy. Identify Main Ideas Highlight the sentences in Changes Between Forms of Energy this lesson that talk about Have you ever made popcorn in a microwave oven to eat how energy changes form. while watching television? Energy changes form when you Use the highlighted make popcorn, as shown in the figure below. A microwave Companies, Inc. The McGraw-Hill of a division © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, Copyright sentences to review. oven changes electric energy into radiant energy. Radiant energy changes into thermal energy in the popcorn kernels. Visual Check These changes from one form of energy to another are 1. Identify Which energy called energy transformations. As you watch TV, energy transformation pops the transformations occur in the television. A television corn kernels? transforms electric energy into sound energy and radiant energy. Energy Transformation 1 2 Electric energy is transferred from the The microwave oven electrical outlet to the microwave.
    [Show full text]
  • From Atoms to Electricity
    STEM PROJECT STARTER Transform Energy Topic From Atoms to Electricity PROJECT DETAILS Overview Course This project provides students with the opportunity to synthesize what they have Physical Science learned about energy transformation in other power systems to develop a model that describes the energy conversions in a nuclear power plant. Nuclear power Grade Span plants work by using the heat from fission to create mechanical energy, which turns 6-8 an electric generator. This heat is used to make steam, that turns a turbine, and Duration then turns the generator. Nuclear power is the only energy source with near-zero x2 45–60-minute sessions carbon emissions that can sustainably deliver energy to our industrial society. Concept Transformation of Energy Essential Question How does the energy stored in an atom’s nucleus transform into the electricity that powers our lives? Materials • Image of nuclear power plant • Projector to display video • From Atom to Electricity Rubrics student handout • Chart paper for students to sketch their diagram • Nuclear Power Plant Diagram student handout (optional) Procedure Think Energy n Display an image of a nuclear power plant. 1 Transform Energy Microsite | From Atoms to Electricity Encourage students to look closely and try to observe as many details as possible. o Give students five minutes to jot down answers to the following questions: • What do you see? Remind students to only report on things they actually see in the image. • What do you think about that? • What does it make you wonder? • Facilitate a group discussion about the questions. • Ask students to use the following stems when sharing: “I see...,” “I think...,” “I wonder....” Prior to watching/reading/listening to the video below, divide students into teams of four students and assign each a p perspective ‘hat’ to take while watching the content: a.
    [Show full text]
  • ITER Project for Fusion Energy
    ITER: Unprecedented Global Collaboration for Fusion Energy Fusion reactions power the sun and the stars, and fusion has the potential to produce clean, safe, abundant energy on Earth. By fusing light hydrogen atoms such as deuterium and tritium, fusion reactions can produce energy gains about a million times greater than chemical reactions with fossil fuels. Fusion is not vulnerable to runaway reactions and does not produce long-term high-level radioactive waste. 35 The ITER project seeks to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility Nations of fusion energy by building the world’s largest and most advanced tokamak collaborating to magnetic confinement fusion experiment. The ITER tokamak will be the first fusion build ITER device to demonstrate a sustained burning plasma, an essential step for fusion energy development. >75% The United States signed the ITER Agreement in 2006, along with China, the European Portion of US funding Union, India, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Federation. The ITER members— invested domestically for representing 35 countries, more than 80% of annual global GDP, and half the world’s design and fabrication of components population—are now actively fabricating and shipping components to the ITER site in France for assembly of the first “star on Earth.” 9% Amount of ITER construction costs funded by the The ITER Tokamak United States Fusion thermal power has already been demonstrated in tokamaks; however, a sustained burning plasma has yet to be created. The ITER tokamak is designed to achieve an 100% industrial-scale burning plasma producing Access to the research 500 megawatts of fusion thermal power.
    [Show full text]
  • Pulsed Power Science and Engineering
    Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Laboratory Residency Graduate Fellowship (DOE NNSA LRGF) Residency Opportunities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) pairs multidisciplinary science and engineering with world-class experimental and computing resources to develop technical solutions to the most pressing national security problems of our time. Livermore's defining responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and reliability of the nation's nuclear deterrent without nuclear testing. As part of the Stockpile Stewardship Program, LLNL researchers are tackling the grand challenge of understanding the scientific details of nuclear weapons performance through nonnuclear tests and experimentally validated computer simulations. LLNL's national security mission is broader than stockpile stewardship, as dangers from nuclear proliferation and terrorism to energy shortages and climate change threaten both national security and global stability. Livermore's multidisciplinary science and engineering are being applied to achieve breakthroughs for counterterrorism and nonproliferation, defense and intelligence, domestic security and energy and environmental security. Lawrence Livermore offers fellowship opportunities in the following research areas: Pulsed power science and engineering Pulsed power is a critical technology at LLNL, supporting a broad range of applications relating to national security and fundamental science. The pulsed power systems at LLNL range from low-energy ultra-fast pulsers used in diagnostic systems, to explosively-driven flux compression generators, to the 400 million joule pulsed power driver for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) - the world’s largest laser system. For more than 50 years LLNL researchers have been actively researching, developing, designing, instrumenting and executing experiments on pulsed power systems for multiple programs to support high-energy-density physics experiments in support of the U.S.
    [Show full text]