An Update on the Status of the NIF Power-Conditioning System

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) power-conditioning system provides the pulsed excitation required to drive flashlamps in the laser´s optical amplifiers. Modular in design, each of the 192 main energy-storage modules (MESMs) stores up to 2.2 MJ of electrical energy in its capacitor bank before delivering the energy to 20 pairs of flashlamps in a 400- pulse (10% power points). The peak current of each MESM discharge is 0.5 MA. The production, installation, commissioning, and operation of the NIF power conditioning continue to progress rapidly, with the goals of completing accelerated production and commissioning by early 2008, while maintaining an aggressive operation schedule. To date, more than 97% of the required modules have been assembled, shipped, and installed in the facility, representing more than 380 MJ of stored energy available for driving the NIF flashlamps. The MESMs have displayed outstanding reliability during daily multiple-shift operations.