The production of hypersonic, radiatively cooled plasma projectiles of extremely high energy density in imploding Z-pinches

Experiments with conical wire array Z-pinches, have shown that a highly supersonic tungsten plasma jet can be formed, with the presence of strong radiative cooling resulting in a very small flow divergence. In this work, we explore the possibilities of exploiting a similar effect in imploding wire arrays to produce a high velocity, dense plasma projectile. 2D(r,z) MHD simulations of imploding Z-pinches on the ‘Z’ generator, with a shaped mass per unit length, indicate the production of a projectile with velocity, density and diameter comparable to the final implosion velocity and stagnated plasma density and diameter in present wire array Z-pinch experiments. This represents an enormous (∼100TW) kinetic power delivered out of the end of the pinch. 2D radiation hydrodynamic simulations of the projectile impacting a solid tungsten foil are used to estimate the potential for generating both compact radiation sources and target plasmas of extremely high energy density. Results indicate that pressures of 2 Gbar and radiation temperatures of ∼660eV are produced in the target. 3D view factor simulations of a double ended hohlraum system with twin projectiles and converter foils are used to evaluate these radiation sources for use in indirect drive inertial confinement fusion research. Results suggest that a flux-equivalent peak temperature of ∼225eV could be delivered to a NIF scale ICF capsule.