Plasma-jet magneto-inertial fusion 1-D burn dynamics

Summary form only given. This presentation investigates one approach to using plasma jets to implode a magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) liner onto a magnetized plasmoid, typically a field-reversed configuration or spheromak, and compress it to temperatures relevant to fusion energy production. Two types of calculations will be presented: (1) the simplest problem of pure plasma jet convergence and compression without a target present, and (2) the full MIF problem with a target present. The objectives of the latter problem are to explore how well the target´s magnetic field reduces thermal conduction and the liner´s inertia provides transient plasma confinement. Comparisons with analytic calculations will be made. The investigation uses the University of Wisconsin´s 1-D Lagrangian radiation-hydrodynamics code, BUCKY, which solves single-fluid equations of motion with ion-electron interactions, PdV work, table-lookup equations of state, fast- ion energy deposition, and pressure contributions from all species. The BUCKY code has been benchmarked against a variety of ICF and Z-pinch problems. Extensions to the code for MIF applications include magnetic field evolution as the plasmoid compresses plus dependence of the thermal conductivity, pressure, and fusion product energy deposition on the magnetic field.