Inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) neutron sources

Author

Nebel, R.A. ; Barnes, D.C. ; Caramana, E.J. ; Janssen, R.D. ; Nystrom, W.D. ; Tiouririne, T.N. ; Trent, B.C. ; Miley, G.H. ; Javedani, J.

Author_Institution

Los Alamos Nat. Lab., NM, USA

Volume

2

fYear

1995

fDate

30 Sep-5 Oct 1995

Firstpage

1229

Abstract

Inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) is one of the earliest plasma confinement concepts, having first been suggested by P.T. Farnsworth in the 1950s. The concept involves a simple apparatus of concentric spherical electrostatic grids or a combination of grids and magnetic fields. An electrostatic structure is formed from the confluence of electron or ion beams. Gridded IEC systems have demonstrated neutron yields as high as 2*10 neutrons/sec in steady state. These systems have considerable potential as small, inexpensive, portable neutron sources for assaying applications. Neutron tomography is also a potential application. This paper discusses the IEC concept and how it can be adapted to a steady-state assaying source and an intense pulsed neutron source. Theoretical modeling and experimental results are presented

Keywords

fusion reactor design; fusion reactors; neutron sources; plasma inertial confinement; assaying applications; concentric spherical electrostatic grids; inertial electrostatic confinement; intense pulsed neutron source; magnetic fields; neutron tomography; neutron yields; plasma confinement; portable neutron sources; steady-state assaying source; Electron beams; Electrostatics; IEC; Inertial confinement; Ion beams; Magnetic confinement; Magnetic fields; Neutrons; Plasma confinement; Steady-state;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Fusion Engineering, 1995. SOFE '95. Seeking a New Energy Era., 16th IEEE/NPSS Symposium

Conference_Location

Champaign, IL

Print_ISBN

0-7803-2969-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/FUSION.1995.534448

Filename

534448