DEUTERON INDUCED FUSION REACTION TARGET FOR INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION (ICF)

Abstract

 Objective: Energy efficiency enhancement is one of the most effective ways to achieve Fast ignition (FI) in inertial confinement fusion ICF. High energy output gain is essential for ICF reactors and greater energy efficiency can reduce energy costs. The injection of Ion beam is one method used to achieve FI fusion reaction in ICF. A fusion of deuteron with lithium-6 isotope, DLi6 is reviewed in this work alongside the fusion of Deuterium – Tritium (DT), Deuterium – Deuterium (DD), Deuterium – Helium-3 (DHe3) and Proton – Boron-11 (PB11). Materials and Methods: In this work, it is proposed the projection of laser-driven deuteron beam in the FI scheme for ICF in the DLi6 plasma. Fusion occurs as the projected deuteron ion beam hits the lithium-6 target in the thermonuclear fusion reaction. Results: The results show that the fusion reactions of DD, DHe3 and PB11 all require high input kinetic energy (Mega-electronvolts) for the fusion process to occur because of higher Coulomb barrier and the probability of fusion increases by increasing the input energy drive with low output energy gain. DT fusion which require low input kinetic energy of about 400 KeV with high cross section and generated considerable high output energy gain of about 17.59 MeV, However this fusion reaction require large tritium inventory and tritium does not occur naturally, therefore the need for tritium breeding. When the energy of deuteron beam is projected at 200 keV to lithium-6 isotope target, although D + Li6 has a low total cross section of about 19.409 mbarn, the stopping power of the electrons would be more than ions, nuclear stopping power is considerable at very low deuterons energies, the Coulomb interaction of deuteron and lithium-6 occurs with output energy gain of about 22.373 MeV. Conclusion: The investigations indicate that fusion target energy gain efficiency is independent of lithium-6 numerical density. The highest value of energy efficiency gain occurs with lower input kinetic energy of deuteron beam of about 200 KeV to lithium-target. Recommendation: This findings contribute to the core mission of NIF in achieving fast ignition with low ignition energy input to achieve Lawson break-even or "ignition" point of the fusion fuel pellet, where it gives off 100% or more energy than it absorbs. However the simulation results were based on programmed model of Geant4 Hadr03. This results can be validated with the appropriate experimental design of the Hadr03 process.