Simple spherical D-T targets for heavy-ion beam fusion

Abstract

The results of 1-D numerical study are reported for a class of simple D-T targets driven by the beams of heavy ions. A simple target is defined as a uniform spherical metallic shell with the frozen D-T deposited on its inner surface and the D-T gas in the central cavity. Optimum target parameters have been found for several combinations of the three relevant driver parameters—the input energy Ein, the beam pulse duration tin, and the beam ion energy Eb. A simple box pulse profile was assumed. As a central set of driver parameters around which most of the calculations have been done, the values Ein = 6.12 MJ, tin = 17 ns, and Eb = 20 GeV have been adopted. It was found that all the targets from the class under consideration ignite uniformly over the entire fuel mass. Maximum energy gains amount to Gopt = 80–100. The physical picture of the target performance is analyzed in detail.