Publications

Design, simulation, and application of quasi-spherical z-pinch implosions driven by tens of mega-amperes

Nash, Thomas J.; Leeper, Ramon J.; McDaniel, Dillon H.; Deeney, Christopher D.; Sanford, Thomas W.; Struve, Kenneth W.

A quasi-spherical z-pinch may directly compress foam or deuterium and tritium in three dimensions as opposed to a cylindrical z-pinch, which compresses an internal load in two dimensions only. Because of compression in three dimensions the quasi-spherical z-pinch is more efficient at doing pdV work on an internal fluid than a cylindrical pinch. Designs of quasi-spherical z-pinch loads for the 28 MA 100 ns driver ZR, results from zero-dimensional (0D) circuit models of quasi-spherical implosions, and results from 1D hydrodynamic simulations of quasi-spherical implosions heating internal fluids will be presented. Applications of the quasi-spherical z-pinch implosions include a high radiation temperature source for radiation driven experiments, a source of neutrons for treating radioactive waste, and a source of fusion energy for a power generator.