Engineering Papers⌕ Search
Home/Archive/DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI · 3377285

Reduced instability growth and improved radiation trapping with optimized shock timing in double-shell inertial confinement fusion capsules

Sauppe, Joshua Paul [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). LANL Michigan SPARC] (ORCID:0000000215071595)·Haines, Brian Michael [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000238897074)·Lester, Ryan Stuart [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000245883690)·Loomis, Eric Nicholas [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000320951383)·Meyerhofer, David Dietrich [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000209041250)·Montgomery, David S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223556242)·Palaniyappan, Sasikumar [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000163771206)·Robey III, Harry F. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000151698283)
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The double shell is a volume-burn inertial confinement fusion concept consisting of two concentric shells: a low-Z outer shell that collides with and transfers momentum to a high-Z inner shell which compresses and heats the thermonuclear fuel. The increased number of capsule interfaces and severe hydrodynamic instability of the high-density pusher during its acceleration phase provide challenges to the success of the double shell. Two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics simulations predict the hydrodynamic instability growth on the outer surface of the pusher can be greatly reduced through appropriate timing of two shocks that cross this interface. One of these shocks, unique to multi-shell designs, arises from radiation-driven ablation of the inner shell ahead of the main shock, the second shock of concern. The shock timing is optimized by increasing the thickness of a low-Z tamper layer exterior to the pusher, resulting in only minimal changes to the implosion timing. Reducing the instability growth on the outer surface of the high-Z pusher can dramatically decrease the modulations that feedthrough to the pusher inner surface, improving the efficacy of radiation trapping in the thermonuclear fuel and increasing the predicted thermonuclear yield by ≳20×.

Explore related subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGYdouble shellhigh energy density physicshydrodynamic instabilitiesinertial confinement fusionradiation trappingradiation-hydrodynamicsshock timingshocks

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Sauppe, Joshua Paul [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). LANL Michigan SPARC] (ORCID:0000000215071595), Haines, Brian Michael [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000238897074), Lester, Ryan Stuart [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000245883690), Loomis, Eric Nicholas [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000320951383), Meyerhofer, David Dietrich [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000209041250), Montgomery, David S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000223556242), Palaniyappan, Sasikumar [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000163771206), Robey III, Harry F. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000151698283). 2026-07-07. Reduced instability growth and improved radiation trapping with optimized shock timing in double-shell inertial confinement fusion capsules. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335984

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

Discover connections

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY subjectdouble shell subject

Connections use source metadata and explicit phrase matches, not verified experimental comparisons.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related reports

DOE OSTI2026

Final Report: A Multi-Channel Fusion Product

The goal of this project was to measure charged fusion products from the d(d,p)t reaction in MAST-U plasmas as a function of time and position with good energy resolution using a system of up to six charged particle detectors. The data from this new diagnostic will make it possible to determine the neutral beam ion density profile as a function of R, z, and t with reduced model dependency and contribute new information to a global analysis of fast ion diagnostic data needed for the determination of the fast ion distribution function (velocity space tomography).

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Power and particle exhaust in the ST-E1 fusion power plant

Power exhaust challenges and potential solutions for a 5 m major radius, low-aspect ratio burning tokamak have been explored. 1D edge plasma models have been used to screen for access to detachment using short and long outer divertor legs in double and single null configurations, using Ar as the primary impurity and assuming tungsten plasma-facing components (PFCs). These show that detachment access can be accessed for all but the most conservative assumptions on scrape-off layer (SOL) width and power, but that trade-offs will be required between magnet engineering and the size of the acceptable window of as-yet uncertain plasma parameters. SOLPS-ITER was used to further model selected plasma scenarios, confirming that Ar seeding can be used to achieve dissipative divertor scenarios with peak deposited heat fluxes below 15 MWm -2 . Initial scoping of first wall loads and positioning of limiters has been carried out, showing the feasibility of protecting the breeding blanket wall during steady state without impeding tritium breeding. Initial PFC technology selection is also presented, identifying this as a critical area where further work is needed to find an attractive solution for helium-cooled PFCs that can handle high heat fluxes without excessive power requirements. Key questions and trade-offs for concept development have been identified, including: how to achieve high radiation for reduction of SOL power without core performance degradation; whether power exhaust can be well-controlled in a double null plasma; mechanical design and materials challenges of high-heat flux PFCs; and control of material erosion, redeposition and tritium retention.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Density Functional Theory Analysis of Candidate Tritium Permeation Barriers for Vanadium Alloys as a Fusion Structural Material

Vanadium alloys are being considered as a candidate structural material for the breeder blanket component of future fusion reactors due to their good thermal conductivity, low activation, and chemical compatibility with FLiBe. However, vanadium has a high hydrogen solubility, resulting in hydrogen diffusion and trapping in the vanadium structural alloy and lower than expected tritium breeding ratios. To mitigate the permeation of hydrogen into the structural alloy, a tritium permeation barrier will be coated onto the vanadium alloy. Multiple materials have been proposed as candidate tritium permeation barriers, but the extent to which each of these materials impacts hydrogen diffusion and trapping is still unknown. In this project, we perform atomic-scale calculations to narrow down the list of potential tritium permeation barrier candidates and to understand the mechanisms through which hydrogen diffusion is affected in these materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗