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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

A thermodynamic condition for ignition and burn-propagation in cryogenic layer inertially confined fusion implosions

A Lawson-like criterion for ignition (where self-heating dominates over all energy losses) in a dynamic implosion is developed, which accounts for asymmetry and for differences in an implosion x-ray confinement quality. It is shown that the thermodynamic ignition condition is equivalent to yield amplification levels of 16–32. Since negative pdV work of expansion after stagnation increases energy losses above that of x-ray and electron-conduction losses, the Lawson-like ignition criterion is necessary but not sufficient for igniting the hot spot to propagate into the DT fuel with sufficient vigor to generate high gain. Additionally, a higher dimensional generalization of the Lawson-like criterion, which includes the cooling of the implosion upon disassembly, does provide the needed criteria, and it shows that significantly higher temperature is needed for very high levels of yield amplification compared to what traditional ignition metrics imply.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Using millimeter-sized carbon–deuterium foils for high-precision deuterium–tritium neutron spectrum measurements in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion at the OMEGA laser facility

Millimeter-sized CD foils fielded close (order mm) to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions have been proposed as a game-changer for improving energy resolution and allowing time-resolution in neutron spectrum measurements using the magnetic recoil technique. This paper presents results from initial experiments testing this concept for direct drive ICF at the OMEGA Laser Facility. Additionally, while the foils are shown to produce reasonable signals, inferred spectral broadening is seen to be high (~5 keV) and signal levels are low (by ~20%) compared to expectation. Before this type of foil is used for precision experiments, the foil mount must be improved, oxygen uptake in the foils must be better characterized, and impact of uncontrolled foil motion prior to detection must be investigated.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

An x-ray penumbral imager for measurements of electron–temperature profiles in inertial confinement fusion implosions at OMEGA

Hot-spot shape and electron temperature (T e ) are key performance metrics used to assess the efficiency of converting shell kinetic energy into hot-spot thermal energy in inertial confinement fusion implosions. X-ray penumbral imaging offers a means to diagnose hot-spot shape and T e , where the latter can be used as a surrogate measure of the ion temperature (T i ) in sufficiently equilibrated hot spots. We have implemented a new x-ray penumbral imager on OMEGA. We demonstrate minimal line-of-sight variations in the inferred T e for a set of implosions. Furthermore, we demonstrate spatially resolved T e measurements with an average uncertainty of 10% with 6 μm spatial resolution.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Cognitive simulation models for inertial confinement fusion: Combining simulation and experimental data

The design space for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments is vast, and experiments are extremely expensive. Researchers rely heavily on computer simulations to explore the design space in search of high-performing implosions. However, ICF multiphysics codes must make simplifying assumptions, and thus deviate from experimental measurements for complex implosions. For more effective design and investigation, simulations require input from past experimental data to better predict future performance. In this work, we describe a cognitive simulation method for combining simulation and experimental data into a common, predictive model. This method leverages a machine learning technique called “transfer learning,” the process of taking a model trained to solve one task, and partially retraining it on a sparse dataset to solve a different, but related task. In the context of ICF design, neural network models are trained on large simulation databases and partially retrained on experimental data, producing models that are far more accurate than simulations alone. Here, we demonstrate improved model performance for a range of ICF experiments at the National Ignition Facility and predict the outcome of recent experiments with less than 10% error for several key observables. We discuss how the methods might be used to carry out a data-driven experimental campaign to optimize performance, illustrating the key product—models that become increasingly accurate as data are acquired.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Neural network for 3D inertial confinement fusion shell reconstruction from single radiographs

In inertial confinement fusion (ICF), x-ray radiography is a critical diagnostic for measuring implosion dynamics, which contain rich three-dimensional (3D) information. Traditional methods for reconstructing 3D volumes from 2D radiographs, such as filtered backprojection, require radiographs from at least two different angles or lines of sight (LOS). In ICF experiments, the space for diagnostics is limited, and cameras that can operate on fast timescales are expensive to implement, limiting the number of projections that can be acquired. To improve the imaging quality as a result of this limitation, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have recently been shown to be capable of producing 3D models from visible light images or medical x-ray images rendered by volumetric computed tomography. Here, we propose a CNN to reconstruct 3D ICF spherical shells from single radiographs. We also examine the sensitivity of the 3D reconstruction to different illumination models using preprocessing techniques such as pseudo-flatfielding. To resolve the issue of the lack of 3D supervision, we show that training the CNN utilizing synthetic radiographs produced by known simulation methods allows for reconstruction of experimental data as long as the experimental data are similar to the synthetic data. We also show that the CNN allows for 3D reconstruction of shells that possess low mode asymmetries. Further comparisons of the 3D reconstructions with direct multiple LOS measurements are justified.

3D Reconstruction↗
DOE OSTI2021

Three-dimensional diagnostics and measurements of inertial confinement fusion plasmas

Recent inertial confinement fusion measurements have highlighted the importance of 3D asymmetry effects on implosion performance. One prominent example is the bulk drift velocity of the deuterium–tritium plasma undergoing fusion (“hotspot”), v HS . Upgrades to the National Ignition Facility neutron time-of-flight diagnostics now provide v HS to better than 1 part in 10 4 and enable cross correlations with other measurements. Here we present the impact of v HS on the neutron yield, downscatter ratio, apparent ion temperature, electron temperature, and 2D x-ray emission. The necessary improvements to diagnostic suites to take these measurements are also detailed. The benefits of using cross-diagnostic analysis to test hotspot models and theory are discussed, and cross-shot trends are shown.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Density evolution after shock release from laser-driven polystyrene (CH) targets in inertial confinement fusion

The evolution of the plasma density in the rarefaction wave formed after a laser-driven shock is released from a CH foil was measured using optical interferometry. Here, it was found that the plasma density profile is very sensitive to the conditions at the back surface of the foil before the shock release. Dedicated experiments demonstrated that radiation preheat by coronal x-rays caused early expansion of the back surface and faster expansion of the rarefaction wave. Radiation-hydrodynamics simulations with accurate modeling of radiation preheat from the plasma corona are in good agreement with the experimental results. The early expansion of material interfaces due to coronal x-ray preheat must be evaluated in designing and interpreting laser-driven inertial confinement fusion experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Causality, intermittence, and crossphase evolution during confinement transitions in the TJ-II stellarator

In this work, we study spontaneous electron to ion root transitions in TJ-II using Langmuir probes. By scanning the probe position on a shot to shot basis, we reconstruct a spatiotemporal map of the evolution of important turbulent quantities in the plasma edge region. We pay particular attention to the evolution of the cross phase between transport-relevant variables, showing the spatiotemporal evolution of this quantity for the first time, revealing the outward propagation of the changes associated with the transition. Additionally, we also compute the intermittence parameter, which allows us to conclude that the turbulence, although its amplitude increases, condenses in a reduced number of dominant modes and becomes less bursty. The causal relationship between variables is studied using the transfer entropy, clarifying the interactions between the main variables and offering a rather complete picture of the complex evolution of the plasma across the confinement transition.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multiphysics simulation of microscale copper printing by confined electrodeposition using a nozzle array

3D printing of metals at the microscale and nanoscale is crucial to produce high-density interconnects and intricate structures in electronic devices. Conventional melting and sintering processes are not suitable for these scales due to a reliance on individual metal particles in the size range of tens of micrometers. Confined electrodeposition (CED) is an established alternative to conventional metal 3D printing processes in which an electrolyte is used to selectively induce deposition of the metal on the printing surface. However, commercialization and efficiency of this process have been limited due to a reliance on sub-micrometer nozzles to achieve desirable deposition rates and single nozzle to achieve uniformity of printed structures. Here, we address these challenges by computationally analyzing an array of microscale nozzles. We tailor the convection within the electrolyte to alter both deposition rate and geometric uniformity of the printed structures. The results show that for large nozzles the evaporation alone is not sufficient to obtain high deposition rates, yet an external pressure can be used to increase deposition and alter uniformity (thickness) of printed structures. Our results can be used to design and analyze new experiments toward parallel multi-nozzle deposition using CED toward high-throughput metal printing.

3D printing↗
DOE OSTI2022

Analysis of limited coverage effects on areal density measurements in inertial confinement fusion implosions

Accurate diagnosis of areal density ($\textit{ρR}$) is critical for the inference of performance metrics in inertial confinement fusion implosions. One potential source of error in this diagnosis is the existence of low mode perturbations in the imploding target, which lead to asymmetries in the inference of the $\textit{ρR}$ from different lines of sight. Here, the error accrued as a result of limited coverage of the sphere due to a finite number of detectors is quantified, and the development of a forward scatter measurement from the OMEGA neutron time-of-flight detectors is motivated. In this work, a method by which the 1D-equivalent 4 π-averaged $\langleρR\rangle$ can be reconstructed, if accurate mode information can be diagnosed by other means, is validated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Fuel–shell mix and yield degradation in kinetic shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions

Fuel–shell mix in kinetic plasma conditions is probed using nuclear and x-ray self-emission in shock-driven, D 3 He-gas-filled inertial confinement fusion implosions. As initial gas fill density decreases, measured nuclear yields and ion temperatures are lower than expected as compared to radiation-hydrodynamic simulations. Spatially and temporally resolved x-ray emissions indicate significant mixing at the fuel–shell interface in implosions with low initial gas fill density. In conclusion, this observed fuel–shell mix introduces a substantial amount of shell ions into the center of the implosion prior to and during shock flash and is the key mechanism needed in the kinetic-ion simulations to match experimental nuclear yields.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

A knock-on deuteron imager for measurements of fuel and hotspot asymmetry in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions (invited)

A knock-on deuteron imager (KoDI) has been implemented to measure the fuel and hotspot asymmetry of cryogenic inertial confinement fusion implosions on OMEGA. Energetic neutrons produced by D–T fusion elastically scatter (“knock on”) deuterons from the fuel layer with a probability that depends on ρR. Deuterons above 10 MeV are produced by near-forward scattering, and imaging them is equivalent to time-integrated neutron imaging of the hotspot. Deuterons below 6 MeV are produced by a combination of side scattering and ranging in the fuel, and encode information about the spatial distribution of the dense fuel. Here, the KoDI instrument consists of a multi-penumbral aperture positioned 10–20 cm from the implosion using a ten-inch manipulator and a detector pack at 350 cm from the implosion to record penumbral images with magnification of up to 35×. Range filters and the intrinsic properties of CR-39 are used to distinguish different charged-particle images by energy along the same line of sight. Image plates fielded behind the CR-39 record a 10 keV x-ray image using the same aperture. A maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithm has been implemented to infer the source from the projected penumbral images. The effects of scattering and aperture charging on the instrument point-spread function are assessed. Synthetic data are used to validate the reconstruction algorithm and assess an appropriate termination criterion. Significant aperture charging has been observed in the initial experimental dataset, and increases with aperture distance from the implosion, consistent with a simple model of charging by laser-driven EMP.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Constraining time-dependent ion temperature measurements in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions with an intermediate distance neutron time-of-flight (nToF) detector

A concept for using an intermediate distance (0.3–3.0 m) neutron time-of-flight (nToF) to provide a constraint on the measurement of the time-dependence of ion temperature in inertial confinement fusion implosions is presented. Simulated nToF signals at different distances are generated and, with a priori knowledge of the burn-averaged quantities and burn history, analyzed to determine requirements for a future detector. Results indicate a signal-to-noise ratio >50 and time resolution <20 ps to constrain the ion temperature gradient to ∼±25% (0.5 keV/100 ps).

Moore, A. S. (ORCID:0000000221258882)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Instrument design for an inertial confinement fusion ion temperature imager

A mix of contaminant mass is a known, performance-limiting factor for laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF). It has also recently been shown that the contaminant mass is not necessarily in thermal equilibrium with the deuterium–tritium plasma. Contaminant mass temperature is one of the dominant uncertainties in contaminant mass estimates. The MixIT diagnostic is a new and potentially transformative diagnostic, capable of spatially resolving ion temperature. The approach combines principles of neutron time-of-flight and neutron imaging diagnostics. The information from the MixIT diagnostic can be used to optimize ICF target and laser drive designs as well as provide key constraints on ICF radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that are critical to contaminant mass estimates. This work details the design and optimization of the major components of the MixIT diagnostic: the neutron aperture, the neutron detector (scintillator), and the recording system.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Inferring neutron yields using indium activation samples for small fractions of tritium added to deuterium fuel in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments

In inertial confinement fusion experiments, the neutron yield is an important metric for thermonuclear fusion performance. Neutron activation diagnostics can be used to infer neutron yields. The material used for neutron activation diagnostic undergoes a threshold reaction so that only neutrons having energies above the threshold energy are observed. For thermonuclear experiments using deuterium (D) and tritium (T) fuel constituents, neutrons arising from D + D reactions (DD-neutrons) and neutrons resulting from D + T reactions (DT-neutrons) are of primary interest. Indium has two neutron activation reactions that can be used to infer yields of DD-neutrons and DT-neutrons. One threshold is high enough that only DT-neutrons can induce activation, the second reaction can be activated by both DD-neutrons and DT-neutrons. Thus, to obtain the DD-neutron yield, the contribution made by DT-neutrons to the total induced activity must be extracted. In DD-fuel experiments, DT-neutrons arise from secondary reactions, which are significantly lower in number than primary DD-neutrons, and their contribution to the inferred DD-neutron yield can be ignored. When the DD- and DT-neutron yields become comparable, such as when low tritium fractions are added to DD-fuel, the contribution of DT-neutrons must be extracted to obtain accurate yields. A general method is described for this correction to DD-neutron yields.

Mangan, M. A. (ORCID:000000034583700X)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Gas scintillation mitigation in gas Cherenkov detectors for inertial confinement fusion (invited)

Gas Cherenkov detectors provide a time resolved measurement of the fusion burn in inertial confinement fusion experiments. The fusion rate delivers critical benchmark figures, such as burn width and bang time. Recent detector improvements pushed temporal resolution to 10 ps to make burn width measurements on igniting targets possible. First high temporal resolution measurements using CO 2 gas fills had a background signal with a long decay length (tail), which was caused by gas scintillation. This gas scintillation limits the ability of the detector to resolve short burn width and high frequency features in the fusion rate measurements. A thorough investigation of the cause of the tail and mitigation options for gas scintillation is presented here. As a near-term resolution, neon gas is being used to extract fusion burn histories. Paths forward for the next generation of gas Cherenkov detectors are identified including the usage of oxygen as a Cherenkov medium.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modeling of a spatially resolved ion temperature diagnostic for inertial confinement fusion

Here, the performance of modern laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments is degraded by contamination of the deuterium–tritium (DT) fuel with high-Z material during compression. Simulations suggest that this mix can be described by the ion temperature distribution of the implosion, given that such contaminants deviate in temperature from the surrounding DT plasma. However, existing neutron time-of-flight (nTOF) diagnostics only measure the spatially integrated ion temperature. This paper describes the techniques and forward modeling used to develop a novel diagnostic imaging system to measure the spatially resolved ion temperature of an ICF implosion for the first time. The technique combines methods in neutron imaging and nTOF diagnostics to measure the ion temperature along one spatial dimension at yields currently achievable on the OMEGA laser. A detailed forward model of the source and imaging system was developed to guide instrument design. The model leverages neutron imaging reconstruction algorithms, radiation hydrodynamics and Monte Carlo simulations, optical ray tracing, and more. The results of the forward model agree with the data collected on OMEGA using the completed diagnostic. The analysis of the experimental data is still ongoing and will be discussed in a separate publication.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Investigating boosted decision trees as a guide for inertial confinement fusion design

Inertial confined fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility have recently entered a new regime approaching ignition. Improved modeling and exploration of the experimental parameter space were essential to deepening our understanding of the mechanisms that degrade and amplify the neutron yield. The growing prevalence of machine learning in fusion studies opens a new avenue for investigation. Here in this paper, we have applied the Gradient-Boosted Decision Tree machine-learning architecture to further explore the parameter space and find correlations with the neutron yield, a key performance indicator. We find reasonable agreement between the measured and predicted yield, with a mean absolute percentage error on a randomly assigned test set of 35.5%. This model finds the characteristics of the laser pulse to be the most influential in prediction, as well as the hohlraum laser entrance hole diameter and an enhanced capsule fabrication technique. We used the trained model to scan over the design space of experiments from three different campaigns to evaluate the potential of this technique to provide design changes that could improve the resulting neutron yield. While these data-driven model cannot predict ignition without examples of ignited shots in the training set, it can be used to indicate that an unseen shot design will at least be in the upper range of previously observed neutron yields.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗