Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Fusion
Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Fusion

Author: George H. Miley

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-12-12

Total Pages: 415

ISBN-13: 1461493382

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This book provides readers with an introductory understanding of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC), a type of fusion meant to retain plasma using an electrostatic field. IEC provides a unique approach for plasma confinement, as it offers a number of spin-off applications, such as a small neutron source for Neutron Activity Analysis (NAA), that all work towards creating fusion power. The IEC has been identified in recent times as an ideal fusion power unit because of its ability to burn aneutronic fuels like p-B11 as a result of its non-Maxwellian plasma dominated by beam-like ions. This type of fusion also takes place in a simple mechanical structure small in size, which also contributes to its viability as a source of power. This book posits that the ability to study the physics of IEC in very small volume plasmas makes it possible to rapidly investigate a design to create a power-producing device on a much larger scale. Along with this hypothesis the book also includes a conceptual experiment proposed for demonstrating breakeven conditions for using p-B11 in a hydrogen plasma simulation. This book also: Offers an in-depth look, from introductory basics to experimental simulation, of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement, an emerging method for generating fusion power Discusses how the Inertial Electrostatic Confinement method can be applied to other applications besides fusion through theoretical experiments in the text Details the study of the physics of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement in small-volume plasmas and suggests that their rapid reproduction could lead to the creation of a large-scale power-producing device Perfect for researchers and students working with nuclear fusion, Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Fusion: Fundamentals and Applications also offers the current experimental status of IEC research, details supporting theories in the field and introduces other potential applications that stem from IEC.

A Method for Active Space Charge Neutralization in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Nuclear Fusion Device
A Method for Active Space Charge Neutralization in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Nuclear Fusion Device

Author: Brendan Sporer

Publisher:

Published: 2017

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Recent inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) fusion concepts are discussed and their shortcomings noted. Ion space charge is substantiated as a significant hindrance to high efficiencies, so a method for space charge neutralization in an ion-injected IEC device is proposed. An electrostatically- plugged magnetic trap is used to confine electrons in the core region of a planar electrostatic trap for ions. The electrons act to dynamically neutralize the space charge created by converging ions for the purpose of increasing achievable core density and fusion rates. An electrostatic trap utilizing this method of neutralization is termed the plasma-core planar electrostatic trap, or PCPET. COMSOL Multiphysics 4.3 is used to model the electromagnetic fields of the PCPET and compute lone ion and electron trajectories within them. In the proper configuration, ions are shown to be stably confined in the trap for many hundreds of oscillations, potentially much longer. Electrons are confined virtually infinitely in the central electrostatically-plugged cusp. For both species, upscatter into source electrodes seems to be the dominant loss mechanism. Adjusting the electron energy and behavior in the core to provide the optimum neutralization for ions is discussed. Ion synchronization behavior can be controlled with RF signals applied to the anode. Two operational modes are identified and discriminated by the state of ion synchronization. Further experimentation is needed to determine which mode produces the optimal neutralization and fusion rate. An experimental prototype PCPET is constructed out of 3D-printed PLA and machined aluminum.

Performance Impact of Ion Sources in Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Devices
Performance Impact of Ion Sources in Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Devices

Author: Alexandru D. Calburean

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 48

ISBN-13:

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In order to improve the performance of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) based fusion devices, so as to improve their effectiveness as low cost, portable neutron sources, a novel use of ion sources is proposed as a means of increasing fusion reaction rate at similar power levels. This paper aims to determine the success and practicality of the proposed use type for ion sources and characterize the IEC device in question, in terms of performance, and neutron emission. The application outlined aims to improve upon the performance of IEC devices with an anode layer ion source. The above-mentioned approach was evaluated by first conditioning the IEC fusion device in question. Then a neutron flux baseline was recorded as a metric for performance, and to evaluate the assumption of neutron emission isotropy in the device. Then an ion source was installed in the chamber, and the system was once again conditioned in the same manner. A similar baseline reading and analysis was done to ensure a correct comparison could be made between performance with the ion source turned on and off. Next the system was run with the ion source at full power to allow for further characterization of the performance and stability of the device. Finally, a last run was carried out with the ion source properly tuned, and results were compared to both baseline runs. It has been shown that there is a potential performance gain from operation with an ion source, both in terms of system stability and improved neutron emission. Across all run campaigns, the assumption of isotropic emission was shown to be a poor representation of the actual emission. With a higher degree of certainty, it has been shown that operation with an ion source serves to reliably exaggerate the anisotropy found in baseline campaigns.

Inertial Electrostatic Confinement
Inertial Electrostatic Confinement

Author: Ryan Meyer

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) is a means to confine ions for fusion purposes with electrostatic fields in a converging geometry. Its engineering simplicity makes it appealing when compared to magnetic confinement devices. It is hoped that such a device may one day be a net energy producer, but it has near term applications as a neutron generator. We study spherical IECs (SIECs), both theoretically and experimentally. Theoretically, we compute solutions in the free molecular limit and map out regions in control parameter space conducive to the formation of double potential wells. In addition, several other observables are mapped in the control parameter space. Such studies predict the threshold for the phenomena of "core splitting" to occur when the fractional well depth (FWD) is ~70%-80%. With respect to double potential wells, it is shown that an optimal population of electrons exists for double well formation. In addition, double well depth is relatively insensitive to space charge spreading of ion beams. Glow discharge devices are studied experimentally with double and single Langmuir probes. The postulated micro-channeling phenomenon is verified with density measurements along a micro-channel and along the radius where micro-channels are absent. In addition, the measurements allow an evaluation of the neutrality of micro-channels and the heterogeneous structure of "Star Mode". It is shown that, despite visual evidence, micro-channeling persists well into "Jet" mode. In addition, the threshold for the "Star" mode to "Jet" mode transition is obtained experimentally. The studies have revealed new techniques for estimating tangential electric field components and studying the focusing of ion flow.

Improving Particle Confinement in Inertial Electrostatic Fusion for Spacecraft Power and Propulsion
Improving Particle Confinement in Inertial Electrostatic Fusion for Spacecraft Power and Propulsion

Author: Carl Dietrich

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13:

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Fusion energy is attractive for use in future spacecraft because of improved fuel energy density and reduced radioactivity compared with fission power. Unfortunately, the most promising means of generating fusion power on the ground (Tokamak based reactors like ITER and inertial confinement reactors like NIF) require very large and heavy structures for power supplies and magnets, in the case of magnetic confinement, or capacitors and lasers in the case of inertial confinement. The mass of these reactors and support equipment is sufficiently large that no existing or planned heavy-lift vehicle could launch such a reactor, thereby necessitating in-space construction which would substantially increase the cost of the endeavor. The scaling of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) is such that high power densities might be achievable in small, light-weight reactors, potentially enabling more rapid, lower cost development of fusion power and propulsion systems for space applications. The primary focus of the research into improving particle and energy confinement in IEC systems is based on the idea of electrostatic ion focusing in a spherically symmetric gridded IEC system.

Analysis of Fast Neutral Particles in Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Devices
Analysis of Fast Neutral Particles in Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Devices

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13:

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A neutral particle analyzer was engineered specifically for inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) fusion devices for the first time and particularly for studies with relevance to operation with helium-3, an advanced fusion fuel. For experiments with helium, this technique yields energy distributions of escaping fast neutral particles produced by atomic and molecular processes between energetic ions and background gas, as well as the line-of-sight-averaged energy distributions of fast ions. The setup uses a 10 nm carbon foil as a stripping target for incident fast neutral particles and cylindrical electrodes with a variable relative voltage for deflecting ions of a specific energy per unit charge into a continuous electron multiplier. The new diagnostic can be used to study neutral particles with kinetic energies between 5 and 170 keV, with a measured energy resolution of 2-4% between 5 and 30 keV. Initial neutral particle analysis experiments have been performed at cathode voltages up to 60 kV for IEC devices in the glow discharge, external-ion-source and filament-assisted source plasma configurations, with both helium-4 and deuterium gas. Comparisons between experimentally determined neutral-particle energy distributions and predictions by the VICTER and HeVICTER integral-transport numerical codes on spherically convergent ion flow in IEC devices show that the codes do not capture many details of the relevant physics. For helium-4 experiments in the external-ion-source mode, the energy distributions were confirmed to be significantly harder at 0.2 millitorr than at 5 millitorr, which is essential for the prospects of the configuration for increasing helium-3 fusion rates.