HIF liquid hydraulics scaling and pocket design

High-temperature, low-vapor-pressure liquid jets can provide neutron shielding for inertial fusion energy target chambers. To minimize pumping power, free liquid jets must be located close to the target to reduce the total liquid volume required for shielding each fusion shot. Compact liquid geometry provides additional benefits in reducing focus-magnet stand off distance for heavy ion drivers and improving target performance. The disruption of the liquid due to close proximity to targets involves complex fluid mechanics, as does the subsequent droplet clearing and pocket regeneration. The ranges of time, length, and energy-density scales in liquid-protected target chambers are extreme, making scaling analysis a crucial component of designing experiments to understand individual and coupled hydraulics phenomena.