REP-RATE PULSE POWER TECHNOLOGY Ill
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i J A' SAND73-0002 jy. zjr/f V Unlimlud UC-21 . WASTER iifi'IE R Particle Beam Fusion Progress Report October 1977 Through March 1978 Directorate of Pulad Emrgy Program .JSandia Laboratories energy report: 3Fn2900 qpaii-74) SAND79-0002 Distribution Uullnlted Release Category UC-21 Printed February 1979 PARTICLE BEAM FUSION PROGRESS REPORT OCTOBER 1977 THROUGH MARCH 1978 TtlB R pon -u ptputd n » ittourl or » ,1 UnUrt Suin OH UII UiuiM Sin Dtferncn lui iny i>r thru rippfaym or»F nAconuukn, or tiiru jniy. tipitu or ImpLtd, or u inpamibilily for thttccur uy.nmptan or uitfulncu of tny UironmiMn, ipptniui. produc mffWlt pinuly ooivd rtihn. Directorate of Pulsed Energy Program 4200 Sandia Laboratories Albuquerque, Hew Mexicc 87185 fi CONTENTS Page TECHNICAL OVERVIEW (G. tfonas) 11 PULSED POWER RESEARCH 13 OVERVIEW (T. H. Martin) 13 MITE-SELF-MAGNETICALLV INSULATED VACUUM TRANSMISSION LINE EXPERIMENT (J, P. VanDevender) 14 Introduction 14 Apparatus 14 Power and Energy Transport Experiments 15 Comparison with Theory 19 Conical Transition to the A-K Feed 20 High Stress A-K Feed Experiments 21 Pinched Beam Studies 22 EBFA 22 Pulse Forming Lines and Switches (D. L. Johnson) 22 Trigatron Switches (T. H. Martin) 22 Marx Generator Test Results (T. H. Martin, D. L. Johnson) 23 Intermediate Storage Capacitor (D. L. Johnson, T. H. Martin, E. L. Neau) 22 Gas Pressure Transducer Readouts (D. L. Johnson) 23 Proto II - Reverse Polarity and Prepulse Level <D. L. Johnson, T. H. Martin). 24 2-fi Calibration Pulser (E. L. Keau) 24 Magnetic Flashover Inhibition Using an Externally Applied Magnetic Field (D. H. McDaniel) 25 REFERENCES ..... 28 EBFA rOJECT 29 T.'ERVIEW {G. W. Barr) 29 "20JECT MILESTONE SUMMARY (G. W. Barr) 29 EBFF 29 Overview (G. W. Barr) 29 EBFA/EBFF Radiation Calculations (S. Dupree, C W. B*>~--l 32 EBFA Supporting Systems {W. Boyer, M. Aker, J. Harrison) 32 EBFA-I 34 "April 78 Baseline" Design (G. W. Barr) 34 EBFA Tank Structure (M. Aker) 38 Marx Generator (M. Aker) 40 Charging System {D. L. Johnson) 40 S CONTENTS (cent) Page Marx Generator Trigger System (D, L. John-ion) .................. 40 Transfer Switches (D. L» Johnson) , > 40 Intermediate Stores (H. Aker) 40 Trigatron Switches (M. Aker) 40 Ttiis->. Forcing and Pulse Transforming Lir.s <H. Aker). .....,.,..,.,. 40 Powr Flaw (H. Aker) 41 Front End (M. Aker) . 41 EBFA-II (G. If. Barr) 41 THEORETICAL RESEARCH 43 OVERVIEW (J. R. Freeman) .............................. 43 FUSION TARGET PHYSICS 44 Beam Preconditioned Magnetic Targets (H. M. Widner, A. V. Farnsworth, Jr.). ... 44 Scaling of Targets Employing Magnetic Thernoinsulation for Proto II (A. V. Farasvorth, Jr., H. H. Widner, t. Baker) ........ 45 Breakeven and High Gain Magnetic Targets (A. V. Farnsworth, Jr.) 4? Central Igniter Magnetic Targets with Voltage Shaping CM. A. Sweeney, A. V. Farasworth, Jr.) 48 Tw-Diiaensional Calculations of Magnetic Thenuoinsulaticn Targets <L. Baker, M. H. Widner) 51 Predicted Teoperature at Inner Surface of Shock-Focusing Hemispheres (M, A, Sweeney) 52 STANDOFF AHD REACTOR RESEARCH. ........................... 52 Diode Focusing and Channel Injection (J. W. Poukey, J. P. Quintenz) 52 Return Current Effects (J. R. Freeman, L. Baker, J. W. Poukey, M. M. Widner, P. A. Killer). 53 Bead Combination for Proto II (T. P, Wright) 55 Improved Radiation Transport Treatment for REB Channels (L. Baker) 55 Hoop Stress in Electron-Beam Hybrid Reactor Ciianber Walls (M- A. Sweeney) .... 56 Estimate of "equilibrium Gas Temperature with Repetitive Operation (H. A. Sweeney) 53 DIODE PHYSICS AND POWER FLOW THEORY 58 Theory of Double Sheaths in Plasmas (K. D. Bergeron) 58 2-D Electromagnetic Particle Cade Results for Coax Propagation <J. W. Poukey, K. i). Bergeron) 60 DIODE CODE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION 62 Diode Code Development <J. P. Quintenz) . ............... 62 Combined Diode - Monte Carlo Code for Enhanced Deposition 01. M. Widner, J. P. Quintenz) 63 Ion Diode Simulations (J. W. Poukey, J. P. Quintenz) 63 C-Diode Studies (J. P. Quintenz). ........................ 66 6 CONTENTS (cone) Page PARTICLE BEAM SOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND THEORY 67 Collective Acceleration Book (C. L. Olson) ,_ . 67 IFA Feasibility Experiments (C. L. Olson) _ *". '. 67 Neutralization of Ion Beams inMagnetic.Fields (J. H. Poukey, S. Humphries, Jr.). 68 REFERENCES . ". 69 PARTICLE BEAM SOURCE DEVELOPMENT 73 OVERVIEW 73 REB CONCENTRATION STUDIES (P. A. Miller, C. W. Mendel, S. A. Coldstein) 73 Multiple Cathode Arrays 75 "Rudakov-Type" Diode Research 75 Pinching Experitcents on Both Thick and Thin Flat Targets 76 C INVOLUTED FEED FOR THE PROTO I ACCELERATOR AND OPTIMIZATION FOR SINGLE-SIDED OPERATION (PROTO I') (S. A. Goldstein, C. W. Mendel) 77 Vacuum Convolute 76 Oil Convolute 78 NONLINEAR PULSE POWER CIRCUIT ELEMENTS (C. W. Mendel, S. Humphries, Jr.) 81 Introduction 81 Current Regulator 81 Voltage Regulation 81 PROTO I SEHISPHERICAL MAGNETICALLY INSULATED ION DIODE (D. J. Johnson, G. H. Kuswa). 83 Introduction 83 Work Accomplished 83 HIGH CURRENT LINEAR ION ACCELERATOR DEVELOPMENT (S. Humphries, Jr.) 88 Introduction 88 Ream Neutralization 88 Application of Principles 88 Electron Sources 88 Pulsed Power Developments 90 Magnetic Insulation Results 90 Injector Studies 91 PROGRESS ON A FIVE-FRAME X-RAY PINHOLE CAMERA (D. L. Fehl) 93 Introduction 93 The Five-Frame Camera 93 Future Plans 93 THE 3 NS PULSED D-T NEUTRON SOURCE (J. Chang, R. J, Leeper) 94 REFERENCES 96 7 CONTENTS (tout) TARGET INTERACTION 97 OVERVIEW (A. .1. Toepfer) 97 PREHEATED ELECTRON-BEAM TARGET EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATION (J. N. Olsen, M. M. tfidnet) . , . » 97 MAGNETICALLY INSULATED ("<))") TARGET FABRICATION (J. T. Chang) 101 Parylene 101 Polyimide 102 IMPLOSIONS PHYSICS (F. C. Perry, L. P. Mix, A. J. Toepfer) 103 SCINTILLATOR-PHOTOMULTIPLER RESPONSE TO A SIMULATED REB GENERATOR DT THERMONUCLEAR NEUTRON PULSE 105 01 Thermonuclear Neutron-Signature (R. J. Leeper, J. T. Chang) 105 Monte Carlo Neutron Transport Scintillator Response Calculations (R. J. Leeper) . 106 Monte Carlo Neutron Spectrometer Calculations (R. J. Leeper) 107 REFERENCES 109 APPLICATIONS Ill REP-RATE PULSE POWER TECHNOLOGY Ill Overview (K. R. Prestwich) Ill RTF-I, 300-J, 100-pps TEST FACILITY EXPERIMENTS H>1 Data Acquisition System for RTF-I (M. T. Buttran) 112 High Voltage Spark Gap Stability Experiment (M. T. Buttram) 113 Spark Gap Electrode Erosion Experiments (M. T. Buttram, G- J. Rohwein) 114 Liquid-Coolod Rail Gap Switch Design (G. J. Rohwein) 116 TRANSFORMER DEVELOPMENT (G. J. Rohwein) 116 Exposed Primary Transformer 116 3-MV Transformer 116 Repetitively Pulsed Marx Generator Design Studies 117 REACTOR SYSTEM STUDIES 119 Overview (D. L. Cook, K. R. Prestwich) 119 GENERAL CONCEPTDAL DESIGN 120 Beam Injection Geometry (D. L. Cook) 120 Power Flow Efficiencies (D. L. Cook) 121 X-ray and Debris Attenuation <D. L. Cook, M. A. Sweeney) 121 CONTENTS (com:) Page Blast Overpressure (D. L. Cook) 122 Energy Transport Through the Combustion Chamber Gas (D. L. Cook) 123 Reactor Chamber Sizing (D. L. Cook, M, A, Sweeney) 123 ECONOMIC CONSIDERATION 124 Minimum "Economic" Pellet Gain and Yield (D. L, Cook) 124 Effect of Driver Replacement Costs (D. L. Cook, K. 5. Prestwich) 125 Parametric Analysis of Power Reactor System Costs (M. Daniels) 125 SPECIFIC REACTOR (POINT) DESIGNS (D. L. Cook) - - 126 Hybrid Reactor Design Studies 126 Compact Pure-Fusion Reactors 126 Summary 127 LOW-CURRENT DENSITY DIODE PHYSICS STUDIES, 127 Overview (K. R. Prestwlch) 127 Needle Cathode Instabilities (M. T. Buttran) 128 Emission Enhancement Ot. S. Clark) 130 Emission Suppression (R. S. Clark) 132 PLASMA INJECTED, MICROSECOND, E-BEAK DIODES 133 Vacuum Surface Flashover Tests (J. J. Ramirez) 133 Preliminary Tests Using Surface Flashover Plasma Cathode (J. J, Ramirez) 136 Tests with Independently Driven Surface Flashover Plasma Source (J. J. Ramirez) . 137 Tests Using Plasma Guns (D. L. Cook) 139 Summary and Conclsuions (J. J. Ramirez, D. I.. Cook) 144 REFERENCES 145 PUBLICATIONS 147 PRESENTATIONS 149 9-10 TECHNICAL OVERVIEW Our experlnencal results on pulsed power gene 2. The EBFA prototype pulse forming lines ration' and vacuum electromagnetic energy and their output switches were demonstrated transport indicated that the basis for produc at a level which extrapolates to an EBFA out- ing aim output on EBFA has been confirmed. puc of 1 MJ. Our theoretical understanding of the magneti cally insulated transmission line (MITL) has 3. A conceptual design study of a 1981- improved considerably and an Improved theore 1993 upgrade of EBFA to the 2 MJ level was tical design tool is now available. The completed and a request was made to the Office accelerator itself and the new facility are of Laser Fusion for FY'79-F¥T80 plant engineer progressing on schedule and we have begun the ing and design funds. necessary long lead steps to prepare for the upgrade cf EBFA to be carried out after the 4. Magnetic target design studies were ex first two years of operation. We have made tended to include cryogenic DT fuel predicting progress in reliably producing focused elec relatively high gains (> 50} at low power tron beams at current densities in excess of levels (ss 50 TW). 10' A/cm* and are prepared for more definitive deposition physics experiments and the start 5. Electron beam diode optimization on of multiple beam studies. Our studies of ion Proto I (with particular emphasis on prepulse beam diodes have been extended to a new and reduction) has permitted us to increase the efficient approach which was demonstrated on available current density for thin foil experi Proto I and theoretically modeled using numeri ments from the 5 to 10 MA/cm2 range to the cal techniques. Both electron and ion beams 14 to 17 MA/cm* range. are of continuing interest as drivers of mag netically insulated targets and improved de 6. A magnetically insulated ion diode was signs are emphasizing higher gains at the tested for the first time on Proto I demon relatively low beam power densities which are strating 80 percent ion production efficiency presently envisioned.